1997 Harmony
Scholarship Recipients

Jeyas Balaskanthan
East York Collegiate Institute / Wilfred Laurier University

Jeyas volunteered at the Toronto East General Hospital and was co-chair for the South Asian Youth Consultative Committee for the Metro Toronto Police. He was a senior student advisor of the Tamil Student’s Association and was also co-chair for the Indo-Canadian Cultural Day.

Nerissa Debique
Vaughn Road Collegiate Institute / Seneca College

As a part of her active involvement in school and community, Nerissa was chosen to attend the Pine River Multicultural Leadership Program. She is the recipient of the Award of Merit Bursary and Metropolitan Toronto Police Thirteen Division Memorial Community Award.

Kimberly Dixon
R.H. King Academy / University of Toronto

Kimberly was involved in the African Canadian Heritage Association to help youth develop a sense of pride and purpose. She was also a peer mentor.

Hiba Fadol
George S. Henry Academy / Queen’s University

Hiba was president of the G.H.S. Multicultural Council for three consecutive years. She has also been active with the Kids Help Phone and as a Student Ambassador Coordinator.

Lauren Freeman
Northern Secondary High School / King’s College in Halifax

Lauren has been involved in many community projects, including coordination of an educational week for street youth in the Dominican Republic and other work with street youth at home and abroad. She has done volunteer work for Amnesty International and was part of Toronto’s Young People’s Advisory Board.

Liet Hau
Henry Street High School / Brock University

Liet has worked with the developmentally delayed, the socially challenged, seniors and racial minorities in his school and community. He has been involved in SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving.

Pavi Kundhal
Applewood Heights Secondary School / Universtiy of Toronto

Pavi served as prime minister at Applewood for two years and tried to increase the school’s awareness about multicultural issues. He founded the Awareness Club as well as the "Student Coalition Against Discrimination," which implemented an action plan to make the school more culturally sensitive.

Ima Madadi
Agincourt Collegiate Institute / University of Toronto at Scarborough

After her move to Canada, Ima was very involved in school activities to help new students feel welcome. Active in many organizations, including her student council and "students for students," which helps new students, she has also been active in the community.

Subajini Mahalingam
Agincourt Collegiate / University of Toronto

Subajini was involved in many school activities and co-organized a multicultural caravan. She was a representative of the Bell United Wave program, which specializes in community service projects and has won an anti-racism and ethnocultural award.

Weyni Mengesha
Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute / York University

Weyni was the co-organizer for her school’s international day for the two years. She was the president of the Black to the Future Club and was involved in the Spanish Club.

Ahmed Mian
Weston Collegiate Institute / University of Toronto

Ahmed established the Muslim Ummah of Weston to help Muslim students feel proud of their heritage and to institute many programs. He was on the Board of Directors for the Islamic Youth Magazine.

Emmanuelle Pantin
Jarvis Collegiate Instititue / Trent University

Emmanuelle worked to promote anti-racism, anti-homophobia and anti-sexism through his involvement in many school orgainzations. She was peer facilitator for sexual health and a member of TEACH – Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia.

Nadia Nisha Persad
Streetsville Secondary School / University of Toronto

Nadia was on the executive of her school unity team and helped develop partnerships with local businesses. She coordinated thirty students painting and redecorating the school cafeteria to create a "world cafe" and has attended international conferences.

Navin Phulesar
E.C. Drury High School / University of Toronto

Navin has worked with the Halton Police Force on P.E.A.C.E. – Police Ethnic and Cultural Education and he is the co-founder of the Multicultural Awareness Council. He was also a peer mediator at his high school.

Usman Sheikh
Bramalea Secondary School / McGill University

Usman has been active in both his school and community, on the Bramalea Unity Council and as head organizer for his school for March 21st, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He was a member of the Mayor’s Youth Group and worked with the UNICEF World Summit, United Way, Amnesty International and the Red Cross. He is the recipient of many academic awards.

Asha Tomlinson
Woburn Collegiate Institute / University of Windsor

Asha’s efforts were instrumental in raising money for the United Way at her high school and at the same time promoting different cultures. Asha was also the president and founder of Woburn’s Young Sisters and Brothers Association, whose aim is to eliminate racism. She has also been active in her community.

Shamali Wickiemarachi
S. McLaughlin CVI / University of Toronto

Shamali promoted racial and cultural awareness thorough her participation in her school’s Unity club for five years. She co-organized cultural fashion shows and worked in the wider community.

Evan Winter
Bulington Center High School / Queen’s University

Evan was an active mentor at the Black Youth Association and has worked to increase awareness about racism, sexism, and drinking and driving. He wrote an award-winning play about sexism and has acted in an anti-racism video that aired on CBC.

Conny Wong
Aurora High School / University of Waterloo

Conny was the president of S.U.P.P.O.R.T. (Student’s Understanding Promising and Protecting Others’ Rights Together) and co-organized her high school’s first-ever multicultural fashion and cultural show. She advocated changes in school policies within the York Region.

Trudy Ann Young
Jarvis Collegiate Institute / McGill University

Trudy Ann has her own radio show on CKLN 88.1 FM, which specializes in anti-racist, anti-sexism and, anti- homophobia discussions. She participates in theatre productions that promote multiculturalism, writes articles, apperars on panels and on Women’s Television Network’s Girl Talk. She was the youth trainer for an anti-racism committee of the Toronto Board of Education.