Past Recipients

View the accomplishments of previous scholarship recipients.

2009 June Callwood Harmony Scholarship recipients

Innah Gaspar

Dartmouth High School, Dartmouth, NS
Carleton University

Since 2000, Innah has been a passionate speaker and advocate for “Development and Peace”, an international development organization that supports educational initiatives in struggling communities. She helps raise awareness about land, water and human rights issues around the world, and fundraises for different overseas projects. Innah is also the founder of “Student to Student Solidarity Group” which fundraises and ships donations to help rebuild communities in Nigeria. In 2006, Innah was the Chairperson for her school’s “Violence Against Women” assemblies, involved in organizing guest speakers, and educating the student body about women’s rights and domestic violence.

Neelam Khare

Windermere Secondary Schoool, Vancouver BC
Simon Fraser University

As co-founder of the Under9teens, an initiative at her high school, Neelam has travelled across Canada to film a documentary on First Nations’ rights, displacement and poverty. She is also a performer, educator and organizer of TEAM, Teens Educating Against Misuse, which performs skits and plays to educate students about homosexuality, sexual exploitation and HIV/AIDS. Neelam has been a peer-to-peer facilitator for the Prevention Education Program since 2004, creating workshops about regionalism, classism, body image and substance abuse. She co-founded her school’s chapter of the “Room to Read” program, helping raise funds for educational opportunities in developing countries.

Peggy Lam

Windermere Secondary Schoool, Vancouver BC
Simon Fraser University

Peggy Lam has been an educator, mentor and facilitator for Prevention Education Program since 2003, teaching her peers about drugs, gangs, HIV/AIDS and homophobia. She is also the club coordinator for SING, Students Inspiring a New Generation, creating peer education for youth about war, poverty and homelessness in Vancouver and around the globe. Through SING, Peggy organized a white-poppy campaign to promote peace; a hygiene drive to collect essentials for the homeless; and pioneered a school-wide anti-discrimination experiment to raise awareness of labeling and stereotyping. Peggy is currently working on an innovative documentary exploring homelessness, nuclear weapon use and the oil sands industry across Canada.

Fatemeh Mayanloo

Waterloo Collegiate Institute, Waterloo ON
University of British Columbia

With a passion for youth representation in policy making, Fatemeh has volunteered with the Federal-Provincial conference since 2005, engaging students in the Canadian political process. This passion for youth empowerment has led to her involvement in her school’s Diversity Club, acting as assistant director of their Multicultural Show, WCI’s Human Rights Club, as well as initiating their first AIDS campaign at her previous high school. In addition, she was the coordinator of a year-long campaign to educate others about gender discrimination around the world while fundraising for “Women for Women International” in Afghanistan. Fatemeh is a graduate of Harmony Movement’s Diversity Leadership Certificate Program.

Nasriin Mohamed

Jarvis Collegiate Institute, Toronto ON
University of Toronto

As vice president of her school’s Muslim Student Association, Nasriin has shown a commitment to acceptance and diversity. She was a peer leader participating in the “Brick by Brick” campaign to help raise funds to build schools in Sierra Leone. Nasriin has taken on the role of a teaching assistant in Somali languages at Ryerson University, allowing students the opportunity to learn their native tongue and connect to aspects of their cultural heritage. Nasriin is also a volunteer at the Yongue Muslimahz Program, helping to create dramatic performances and leadership activities for female youth and allowing them to embrace their differences and foster a community of understanding.

Victoria Pequegnat

Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East, Cobourg ON
University of Ontario Institute of Technology

For the past three years, Victoria has been a personal support worker at Direct Funding Attendant Care services, assisting people with disabilities to live independently. She is a board member of the Cobourg Accessibility Advisory Committee and assistant facilitator for the Association for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), where she provides information sessions and AODA training. Victoria was also the disability awareness leader for the “Walk a Mile in My Shoes Day”, where she assisted elected officials and dignitaries in experiencing a variety of disabilities to expand their awareness and understanding of the struggles that people with disabilities face daily.

Tringa Rexhepi

Dartmouth High School, Dartmouth NS
Sheridan College

In November 2008, Tringa co-founded her school’s “Invisible Children Book Drive”, collecting over 12,700 books for schools in Northern Uganda. She is a founding member of the “African Heritage Project”, presenting African cultures through art and music to her school and community, and is also the founder and director of the “Trebled Youth Vocal Ensemble”. These initiatives use the performing arts to raise awareness about poverty and slavery, as well as help raise funds for local community organizations such as “Dapopo Theatre”, “Right to Play” and FOOD (Feed Others of Dartmouth).

Corey Sherwood

St. Edmund Campion Secondary School, Brampton ON
Wilfrid Laurier University

As a graduate of Harmony Movement’s Diversity Leadership Certificate Program, Corey has embraced what it means to be a leader for social change. Since 2004, Corey has been involved in initiatives to promote peace and understanding, from being a team leader for his school’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to participating in the University of Toronto’s Back History Month conference. Corey was the organizer of “SPEAK UP”, a charity basketball tournament to raise money for Knights Table, a local soup kitchen in Brampton. He also independently created a presentation for his school of 2,000 students about Canada’s only all-black military battalion in World War I.

Natasha Somani

Western Canada High School, Calgary AB
Queen’s University

As Teen Critic on CBC Radio Calgary, Natasha is constantly raising awareness about issues such as gang violence and discrimination within her community. She has been a key member of Calgary’s Interfaith Youth Council for the past two years. In this capacity, she has served meals at the Calgary Drop-In Centre, volunteered at a local senior’s home, worked with Habitat for Humanity and spoken at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Conference. Natasha has been the Chairperson/President of the Calgary Mayor’s Youth Council since 2006, helping to represent the voices of youth in her community while addressing issues such as homelessness and advocating for healthy living initiatives.

Melisa Yorgancioglu

Elgin Park Secondary School, Surrey BC
McGill University

In 2006, Melisa approached local businesses and her school administration in order to establish a non-profit organization aiming to help the homeless and increase awareness of social injustices in her community. Despite encountering unexpected obstacles, Melisa persevered and became the founder and chairperson of TAP (Teens Aiding the Planet). With thirty-five active members, TAP works to make a positive impact in the community by collecting and distributing donations to homeless shelters, volunteering at local food banks, and planning.

*Don’t forget to come out to support these outstanding youth at the Harmony Award Banquet on October 29th!