A successful 22nd Annual Spirit of the Capital Awards

Recognizing 16 Remarkable Youth

After reviewing a pool of 130+ nominations, 16 young leaders were chosen to take the stage at the RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards on May 14th to represent the inspiring and transformative work being done in the community. The event was held at Ottawa City Hall where 300 guests gathered to celebrate the youth who have engaged civically, volunteered locally, advocated for important causes, or have encouraged engagement among their peers. This was Youth Ottawa’s 22nd year hosting the awards as a means to spotlight the young agents of change, to honor their positive impact in the community and to be a support for them as they continue to evolve as leaders. The youth were able to share their incredible stories with guests and were each awarded a $1,000 bursary to continue their academics or social enterprise in line with the values of Youth Ottawa.

"Without you all trusting and believing in me, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’m trying to do now and everyday in this community. I pray that you all understand the impact and change you have in people’s lives. I am glowing inside and outside after tonight. Thank you for seeing me. I owe you the world!"

Brooke Shaw

Strength through Diversity Award Recipient

The Winners

Service and Caring – Ammar Abdurahman & Blanca Desjarlais, Max Keeping Award for Personal Courage – Miriam Hanna & Emily Pierce, Arts and Culture – Abdul Muse, Namitha Rathinappillai & Barry Takawgak, Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Malindu Danthanarayana & Daius Steiner, Strength through Diversity – Jordyn Hendricks, Quinn Jeffery-Off & Brooke Shaw, Take a Stand – Warner Schaettgen and Suheyma Duale, Academic Perseverance – Marianne Stintzi & Grace Salomonie

Our Sponsors

The awards could not have been possible without the support of our sponsors. This year’s event sponsors included title sponsor RBC, and Presenting Sponsors, University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Algonquin College’s Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism program, Michaëlle Jean Foundation, Carleton University Student’s Association, and the Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation. The event ended with closing remarks from Ian Bingeman, Youth Ottawa’s Executive Director as he invited Marjolaine Hudon, RBC Regional President Ontario North and East whom announced a $40,000 donation to Youth Ottawa as part of RBC Future Launch Program.

Read the full press release

August 3, 2018October 22, 2019

Glebe’s DILA Drug Awareness Day

Glebe's DILA Drug Awareness Day

"The morning saw all 330 Grade 10 students participate in educational sessions about harm reduction, drug information, consent as it relates to substance use..."

Youth Ottawa has had the pleasure of working with Anneke Jansen van Doorn, a teacher at Glebe Collegiate Institute, through our DILA Program for the last two years. Of all the exciting projects we have completed with her classes, the Drug Awareness Day organized with her Grade 11 World Religions class in December of 2017 was by far the largest.

When our long-time facilitator, Emma Buchanan, first visited the classroom, the students immediately identified the opioid crisis and the complexity of drug use as issues that needed to be addressed. Worried about the safety of their peers, students pitched a ‘Drug Awareness Day’ to school administration.

The morning saw all 330 Grade 10 students participate in educational sessions about harm reduction, drug information, consent as it relates to substance use, and lived experience with drug use. Youth Ottawa facilitators led student-driven discussion groups to help make the school a more supportive and safe environment.

Youth Ottawa thanks our partners for this project: Ottawa Public Health, the Ottawa Paramedic Service, Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services, and Terrence Rogers. Congratulations to Glebe students for organizing such an impactful morning.

April 29, 2018October 22, 2019

Mayor Jim Watson announces the winners of the Mayor for a Day contest

Mayor Jim Watson announces Mayor for a Day contest winners!

“The two winning students have been invited to be Mayors for a Day on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Madison and Jackson will chair the City Council meeting alongside Mayor Watson…”

Ottawa — Mayor Jim Watson announced today the winners of the first Mayor for a Day contest. Madison Richmire, a grade 10 student from A.Y. Jackson Secondary School, and Jackson Millenor, a grade 10 student from St. Peter Catholic High School, were selected for their exceptional and innovative ideas on how to make Ottawa a better place to live.

Madison’s active transportation and recreation suggestions of adding more OC Transpo bus routes, additional bike paths and creating more outdoor spaces and sport facilities for youth would help improve the way residents travel and move through our city. Jackson’s ideas of converting all street lights to LED technology, retrofitting City parks and outdoor public spaces and creating multipurpose gathering spaces in libraries and modernising their technology equipment would benefit the environment, help bring people together and create new community hubs.

The two winning students have been invited to be Mayors for a Day on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Madison and Jackson will chair the City Council meeting alongside Mayor Watson, accompany the Mayor at various community and city events and learn more about how municipal governments work.

The Mayor for a Day contest was organized by the Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC) in partnership with the City of Ottawa and Mayor Jim Watson‘s office, as a way to promote youth engagement on municipal politics and civic issues. It took place from February 2 to 28 and was open to all Ottawa high school students in grades 9 to 12. Participants were invited to submit their ideas on how to improve the city for their chance to experience a day in the life of the Mayor. Over 90 applications with more than 250 ideas from students from high schools across the city and from all school boards were received. Submitted ideas from all participants will help inform the Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee’s Youth Action Plan (YAP), as part of OYEC’s current citywide youth consultations.