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Grant empowers Dufferin-Peel youth

By 
  • March 16, 2009
{mosimage}MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Thirty-five Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools were excited to receive a total of $78,594 through the Ministry of Education’s Student Voice Program this month.

The program, now in its second year, provided financial aid to Grades 7 to 12 students at more than 850 schools across Ontario this year.

With the funding, the Dufferin-Peel schools will be able to move forward with 73 projects to help students become more engaged in learning and interacting with their communities.

“I’m sure that some of the projects put forward wouldn’t have been funded if they did not have the grant,” said John Kostoff, director of education for the Dufferin-Peel board. “These initiatives can go forward without the burden of fund-raising which, with the economic times, would not have produced what they needed.”

Kostoff is very proud of the wide range of projects made possible by the funding, which range from the “Putting Christ in Christmas” at Mississauga’s All Saints School to a “Snack and Study program” at Brampton’s Notre Dame Secondary School. Some received in the lower range of $200 while higher end projects received $1,500.

“It’s great to see the diverse range of student-initiated projects submitted through the Student Voice program,” Kostoff said. “Involvement in these projects authentically affirms the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s commitment to the importance of promoting student empowerment and demonstrates that students are willing to take on leadership roles, that, in a positive way, strengthen the student voice in their school communities.”

Since the program is not mandatory, Kostoff commended the teachers and principals who carefully discussed their projects and submitted their requests for funding. Kostoff’s board is one of the largest school boards in Ontario, serving approximately 88,000 students in 145 school across Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville.

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