CELEBRATING THE YOUTH WE SERVE
Congrats to Malachi Adjei-Dapaah for being our first Youth of the Month for 2024 (February)
Malachi is 13 years old in grade 8 who shows responsibility at school and after school commitments. He demonstrates respect for his parents, teachers and peers both at home and basketball practices. Malachi is able to work independently when give individual tasks and flourishes when working collaboratively with others. He enjoys helping and mentoring youths whom are younger than him at school and during church programs. Malachi continues to grow as a leader and demonstrates excellent problem solving skills when he is faced with difficult circumstances.
Malachi participates on Soccer, Basketball, Track and Field teams at school and private club teams. He is a well rounded youth who exemplifies commitment to achieving academic success and maintain excellent physical health. I am extremely proud of Malachi’s growth as a leader and a wonderful big brother to his sister and cousins.” We are proud of you Malachi! @bigrichtv
Congrats to Keianna Felix for being our March Youth of the Month.
Keianna is an Entrepreneur and owner of Beauty Forever. She is 15 years old and advocates for young girls who have been bullied because of their looks , culture/race etc. Keianna has also won a leadership award for her advocacy and leadership at school. Keianna is young but is willing to support her community, family and friends.
In her free time Keianna is also a model and an artist. She has modelled in Toronto Kids Fashion Show and has showcased her art in Peel School Board.
We are proud of you Keianna!
@beautyy__foreverr @stacey_carterr kidd_418
Congrats to Ethel Davis for being our April Youth of the Month.
Ethel has been with DevelopMe Youth since 2019 and is a great mentor to the youth and community we serve. She takes her job as the Program Manager very seriously while juggling university and her other extracurriculars.
Ethel is able to meet with our partners and create a lesson plan/program that caters to the specific needs of youth and their families. She is willing to go above and beyond through surveying and research to ensure that DevelopMe Youth is up to date with our programming and can effectively cater to the community. As the lead of the organization, Ethel’s goal is to enrich her community and provide them with the tools they need for success when it comes to mental health, violence, community building etc.
We are proud of you Ethel!
Congrats to Rihanna Rudder for being our June Youth of the Month.
Rihanna is 15 years old and currently a part of the Mayfield Drama Program. She has been submitted for this award because of the academic excellence that she has shown in her first year of high school. She has excelled with a high average, being on the honour roll, and also received the Black Excellence Award after graduating from Mountainash Middle School. Rihanna is very focused and studying hard to achieve her goal of being a doctor.
We are proud of you Rihanna!
Congrats to Angelika Adjei Dapaah for being our July Youth of the Month.
Angelika is 11 years old and in grade 6. She always displays a willingness to expand her knowledge, embrace new challenges within her school and community. Angelika shows leadership at home, school and various sports teams she participates in. She played on both the soccer and basketball teams and always maintained a positive attitude which also encouraged her peers. Angelika also takes risks by joining school plays and performed various acting and singing roles on stage. Her ability to stay focused on tasks and actively pursue personal growth goals underscores her proactive approach to learning, making her a valuable asset in any educational setting.
Angelika is a well balance youth who is able to keep up high academic grade A’s while at the same time participating in sports and
collaborative activities.
Congrats to Joshua Bartlett for being our August Youth of the Month.
Young Joshua has decided to launch his bottled-water venture in the Spring of 2024. His efforts and character earned him the exclusivity of being the water distributor for Montreal’s local comedy provider, Funny By Nature.
The success of his water business led Joshua to give back to our community by making water bottles available to Montreal Caribbean Carimas Kiddies Parade on June 29th. Furthermore, Joshua also provided water to the Montreal flag-football community the entire month of June.
Help us wish the Student • 2 Sport Athlete • Entrepreneur a Happy Birthday and continued success. He is turning 11 years old on August 5th.
We are proud of you Joshua !
Congrats to Aaliyah-Marie Rose Harding for being our September Youth of the Month.
Aaliyah-Marie Rose Harding is a remarkable 14-year-old who will be starting high school this September, and o believe she is an ideal candidate for this opportunity.
Aaliyah is a dedicated student who excels academically while balancing an extraordinarily demanding extracurricular schedule. She attends dance school 4 to 5 days a week and often spends weekends at dance competitions, yet she consistently maintains straight A’s in all her subjects.
Her commitment to both her academic and dance pursuits is truly admirable. She has developed exceptional time management skills, completing her homework during lunch breaks, in her downtime at school, and even while traveling to dance classes. This ability to effectively juggle her responsibilities is a testament to her hard work and determination.
The scholarship would greatly support Aaliyah in continuing her education and dance training, further nurturing her talents and aspirations. Her dedication to both academics and the arts is exemplary, and I am confident she will utilize this opportunity to its fullest potential.
Congrats to Kaiden Birch for being our October Youth of the Month.
Kaiden is 18 year old and attended St. Oscar Romero High School.
- In the last 2 years of high school (post-pandemic) Kaiden proactively raised his grade average and became interested in and enthusiastic about learning - particularly in the sciences.
- In early 2024, Kaiden was accepted into Humber & Centennial Colleges’ Mechanical Engineering programs. He subsequently accepted Humber’s offer!
- He joined various committees at school, most notably the Chaplaincy Committee where he often led morning services. On graduation day, he participated in leading the service in front of hundreds of attendees with his fellow members. Note: between age 6 and 9 he was also a reader at his childhood church.
- He even became a more devout Christian along with a few of his close friends.
- He was an active and passionate member of high school’s football team, where he received multiple commendations from his coaches - he received the Coaches Award! During this time, he also practised with the Junior Argonauts weekly after school, worked out in the school gym before classes started, and achieved his personal fitness and strength goals!
- He joined the cooking club at school and became a more active cook at home - much to our delight!
- He applied tirelessly over a 2-year period to multiple jobs and was finally successful in obtaining a job at Cineplex theatre. He started the day after high school graduation!
We are proud of you Kaiden! Keep up the great work!
Congrats to Averi Ford Harding for being our November Youth of the Month.
Averi Ford is 11 years old and an amazing student. She was the valedictorian at her grade 5 graduation and received the Council of Principals Award for student leadership. Averi loves the game of cricket and received the cricket award for being the most empowering player on the cricket field. She is outgoing, caring and very respectful. I think she is a good fit for the Youth of the Month scholarship.
Averi was also one of our Summer Read-a-thon winner and our top reader!
We are proud of you Averi!
Congrats to Daniel Bosede for being our December Youth of the Month
Daniel has been a dedicated volunteer with the Lifting Stripes Initiatives (LSI).
Daniel is an exceptional individual, demonstrating both outstanding academic performance and a profound dedication to community leadership. He is a visionary, passionate about youth empowerment, with strong leadership skills and an unwavering commitment to mentoring young people.
As one of the first youth ambassadors for LSI, Daniel has played an instrumental role in our programs and initiatives. He has consistently participated in a wide range of activities, including our bi-monthly virtual information sessions, the Back-to-School Summit, and various youth programs focused on leadership.
Daniel has spoken at various events on topics of youth leadership, community involvement, navigating life’s challenges and striving for excellence as a youth.
One of Daniel’s most impressive contributions came this past summer when he initiated and led a resume and interview clinic for local youth. His efforts helped multiple students secure summer employment.
He has served on his high school student council for all four years, including being elected as the current student council president.
He co-founded the Black Youth Council in Hamilton, where he now serves as an advisor to its leadership team.
He loves sports playing basketball, football and track and field
Daniel plays alto saxophone.
We are proud of you Daniel!