Today, more than ever, volunteers are being celebrated for their selfless work in bettering their communities.
To honour outstanding volunteer contributions in schools across Newmarket, Aurora, King Township, and Georgina, 20 graduating students are being honoured with Neighbourhood Network’s annual Give Back Award, a cash prize donated by Magna International Inc.
Eight of these graduates, Sarah Darragh and Katie Phipps of Huron Heights Secondary School, Sanchit Kaushal and Nishtha Mehta of Sir William Mulock Secondary School, Lily Edmunds and Sophia Fiorini of St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School, Lydia Wade of Sacred Heart Catholic High School, and Jessica Sok of Newmarket High School, either live in or attend schools in the Newmarket area. A full list of winners can be found on the Neighbourhood Network webpage.
“It was very tough decision, making our selections,” said Erin Cerenzia, manager of Neighbourhood Network. “We had a great group of applicants.”
Working in partnership with local high schools, Neighbourhood Network relies on letters of reference, typically from guidance counsellors or volunteer coordinators who have worked with the students to identify potential applicants.
Winners are determined through a rubric and judging criteria that looks objectively at what each student has done, ensuring a fair competition. This year, Neighbourhood Network received approximately 40 student applications, though they typically receive between 50 and 60.
“This year was much more challenging because of everything that’s going on with COVID-19, but the decision was just as tough as ever,” said Cerenzia.
Newmarket’s Jessica Sok, of Newmarket High School, was one of the winning students. Her volunteer work started early on in her high school career, when she joined the student council as a Grade 9 representative.
Sok later went on to start her school’s first social justice league, and has focused her work on destigmatizing people who are marginalized or underrepresented in society. Sok will be graduating as student council president, and is heading to Queen’s University’s commerce program in the fall with the hope of pursuing a career in social enterprise.
“I like to do a lot of work with leadership projects and youth-led community organizations,” said Sok. “I want to help give a voice to groups of people that don’t have the power or resources to speak up for themselves.”
For Sok, the Give Back Award provides the financial independence to continue her volunteer work in university. She hopes to volunteer at Kingston’s autism services, and get involved in school clubs.
“It really meant a lot to me,” said Sok. “I feel like it’s really special for all the students who won the award. It’s a nice time to stop and look back on everything we’ve done throughout high school, and be recognized for all the effort we’ve put in. It lets us know we really did make a difference.”
The 2020 winners of the Give Back Award have collectively volunteered more than 7,000 hours to help their community and peers. Because the traditional awards ceremony has been cancelled due to COVID-19 regulations, Neighbourhood Network profiled each student in a social media campaign from April 19 to 25 as part of National Volunteer Week.
“Just take the first step and do it,” Sok said, on her advice for incoming high school students. “Practise everyday leadership. You can make a difference in someone’s life.”