The Annual Clark Awards dinner, which this year recognized twenty-five bursary recipients selected from nominated youth in care from across the province, was held on June 6th in Toronto. Ron and Nancy Clark have been supporting the educational aspirations of youth in the care of Children’s Aid Societies, as well as former wards of a CAS, for 27 years through their bursary and grant awards. This year’s awards event was hosted by Mr. & Mrs. Clark and the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.
The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society (KHCAS) is pleased to announce that Jessica, a youth nominated by the Society was chosen to receive a 2016 Clark Bursary Award. The award is worth $3,500 annually for up to four years to be used towards post-secondary education.
Those who know Jessica describe her as kind, generous, empathetic and a self-less young woman. She is passionate about all those around her including family, friends and her church community. Jessica is fiercely independent, and has demonstrated continuously her ability to meet and exceed her goals through her hard work and determination. She has been living independently since the age of seventeen although she maintains her ties to former foster families. Jessica has been actively involved in the community and has been a key player in her local church. She helps run youth groups, bible studies and she helped establish an annual summer camp in Mistissini, Quebec for underprivileged youth. She is currently attending the RPN program through Algonquin College and is considering application for an RN program thereafter.
Highland Shores Children’s Aid is also celebrating the achievements of two youth who received awards. Johnathon who will be attending the Fitness and Health Management program in the fall at Fleming College in Peterborough was the recipient of a Clark Bursary of $3500 per year for up to four years. Academically and athletically gifted, Johnathon maintained an above 80% average throughout his senior high school years and has aspirations to become a personal fitness trainer or would like to own his own gym where he can provide life and fitness coaching. While attending college will take him to another city, he will continue to maintain the strong connections he has developed with his foster family who have assisted him in his journey.
Rachelle also received a Clark Bursary of $3500 per year for up to four years. She is currently finishing a business degree and is planning on taking a Disaster Recovery and Emergency Management certificate program through Ryerson University. She would like to start her Masters in Disaster Recovery and Emergency Management in August of 2017. Rachelle currently works as an Animal Control Officer but her long-term career goal would be to hold an Emergency Management role within an organization.
Jennifer Wilson, Executive Director for the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society and Mark Kartusch, Executive Director for Highland Shores Children’s Aid congratulated this year’s award winners on behalf of the staff of both Societies and wished them much success as they continued to move forward on their educational journeys.