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Young Leaders Receive Prestigious Lincoln M. Alexander Award

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BY EMILY SINGH 

The month of February is a time to reflect back on the accomplishments, triumphs and successes of African Americans as we celebrate black history month.  One individual who has left a permanent mark in political history is the late Lincoln MacCauley Alexander. Born in 1922, Alexander went on to become a Second World War Veteran with the Canadian Air Force, member of the Order of Ontario, member of the Queen’s privy Council, the Federal Minister of Labor and the Chancellor of the University of Guelph. However, Alexander made history when he became the first black Member of Parliament and the first visible minority appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.  Although Alexander passed away in 2012 at the age of ninety, his legacy still lives on through the Lincoln M. Alexander award. This prestigious award honours young people between the ages of 16-25 that have demonstrated their work towards ending racial discrimination while promoting positive social change within their community.

This year, three exceptional young leaders have received this tremendous honour for their outstanding dedication and commitment. The recipients are Darian Baskatawang, Najma Malaq and Shailene Panylo. Baskatawang of Whitesand First Nation received the honour for work towards improving the quality of life for the Aboriginal Youth in Ontario. Malaq of Mississauga also received the award for promoting the beautiful culture of Africa in her community while also creating a more inclusive school environment. Last but certainly not least, Shailene Panylo of Oshawa was awarded for her efforts in encouraging, embracing and promotion acceptance of diverse cultures.

I had the opportunity to speak to each of these amazing trailblazers about their journeys thus far. This is what they had to say:

Q: How did the work that you do contribute to you winning the Lincoln M. Alexander Award?

Darian Baskatawang: Many things helped contribute to my receiving the Lincoln M. Alexander Award. Since being appointed to the Premier’s Council on Youth Opportunities, I’ve taken the lead on many projects and portfolios for the Council, reaching out and working with the Feathers of Hope Report and working group, the Aboriginal Children and Youth Strategy and the list goes on. I also volunteer regularly at the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre at Queen’s University, where I co-founded the Aboriginal Youth Leadership Program two years ago while in grade twelve. The work never stops to help people at-risk of not achieving their full potential.

Najma Malaq: What made me win was constantly advocating for the black community in both my former high school, Lincoln M Alexander Secondary School and the local feeder schools through activities and presentations. The main honorable work that I have done was my educational performance of Nelson Mandela and also my PowerPoint presentations on famous African Canadian.  

Shailene Panylo: My work with my local community was the main reason I was honoured with the award. I grew up a member of the Caribbean Cultural Centre, and currently mentor younger members and volunteer at the events. I was a dancer and steel panist for years. I was a STAR (Students Together Against Racism) counselor and a SAFE (Student Ally for Equity) member throughout my high school career. I started a tutoring and mentoring program at my school to benefit younger students and a Black History Month poster project called ROOTS (Rising Over Our Texture Stereotypes) to emphasize the diversity of hair textures within Maxwell Heights Secondary School (my old high school). I worked as an ambassador for the Durham Black Educator’s Network and organized two full day conferences; one for high school students and one for grade school students. I’ve accumulated over 500 hours of community service in a variety of causes and wrote spoken word poems that challenged the education system. One actually progressed as far as the Ministry of Education. I was crowned Miss Fiesta 2014 for my efforts at encouraging and advocating for the celebration of multiculturalism in Oshawa, and represented the Folk Arts Council at a variety of events. The majority of my work focuses on encouraging and embracing diversity within the Durham Region, and enriching the lives of Black youth.

Q: What does it mean to you to receive this prestigious award?

Darian Baskatawang: Receiving the award gives me a platform to which I can raise my voice and ensure my voice is heard when critiquing issues. 

Najma Malaq: To me, winning means that the work and effort that you have put into a task paid off and was notable to those around you. To win is to go above and beyond the expectations and catch the eyes of those you thought weren’t looking. 

Shailene Panylo: Winning the award means so much to me. He was an incredible role model, and the work he did and all he accomplished acts as encouragement to do more. The greatest people in our history are often the ones whose actions and words alone can empower generations later; for me, that was Mr. Alexander. I learned about him growing up and aspired to do things that would help people in their everyday lives just as he did.

Q: What motivated you to make a change?

Darian Baskatawang: Long ago, when I was a child growing up on the reserve being raised by my Ojibway Great-Grandmother, she made me promise many things. That I will graduate high school; take care of my sisters and do not smoke or become an alcoholic like the generations before me. These promises shaped who I am, and my love for her helped me identify that these problems do not only address me – they’re not unique, but rather a part of a bigger issue that plagues entire Aboriginal populations. Upon this realization I decided that taking care of my sisters involves significant “upstream” policy work, so too they can achieve their full potential. 

Najma Malaq: What motivated me to make a change was where I come from, the community of Malton, where often a negative light is shone upon and the people who are not from the community have misconceptions about. I was tired of people either not knowing where Malton is or making a face when I tell them I’m from Malton. I try to change Malton’s perspective of its self as more than just a “black and dangerous area”, so that the public can change their perspectives also.

Shailene Panylo: My motivation was definitely fuelled by my personal experiences. I grew up in Oshawa in not-so-diverse or accepting schools and was bullied for a long time by students and a few teachers. Fortunately I come from a large family and could advocate and stand up for myself, but regardless, no child should have to endure such harassment. When you are a victim you see only one side and it wasn’t until I became a STAR counselor and a SAFE member that I started questioning and seeing the internalized issues and societal influences behind every word and action we as people present. If you want real change you cannot only confront the words and actions but must address the root causes. I learned so much about feminism and the need for equality between the sexes, internalized racism, misogyny and cultural differences that contribute to why people are the way they are. Through it all, the motivation remained the same; how can I make the community better so that no other little girl or boy has to grow up enduring what I did, or worse? Our community has the potential to be so powerful and dynamic because of its multiculturalism; let’s ensure it is channeled correctly to bring out the best it has to offer!

The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper would like to congratulate all three of these outstanding leaders for the continued work that they do to fight racial discrimination and promote acceptance and cultural diversity.

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Record entries for JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition

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Winner of the 2023 staging of the JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition ,Joel Miller, (third from left), shares a moment with representatives of the Jamaica Cultural |Development Commission (JCDC), organizers of the event. From left are Shaun Drysdale – Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist, Andrew Brodber – Director, Arts Development and Training and Executive Director, Lenford Salmon.

BY RUSHANE FERRON

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s FiWi Short Film Competition. Launched earlier this year, the competition drew an impressive 47 entries. Currently, 17 shortlisted films are available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with winners set to be announced on October 24th.

Executive Director of the JCDC, Mr. Lenford Salmon, expressed pride in the competition’s growing success, stating, “This record number of entries reflects how Jamaicans are embracing the programmes offered by the JCDC. While the Commission is well known for preserving and showcasing our culture, we also recognize the importance of using technology to engage, particularly with our youth. The FiWi Short Film Competition is a perfect example of how we can bring our culture to life in the digital age. The fact that it’s four years old and already experiencing this level of growth is a promising sign for the future.”

Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, Mr. Shaun Drysdale, attributes this year’s spike in entries to the increasing interest in filmmaking, fueled by the proliferation of social media platforms that support storytelling through visuals.

We are living in a digital age. Filmmaking is now in the hands of the average person on the street via his, or her cell phone. Add to that the inherent creativity of Jamaicans and you are left with a potent combination, which when given the correct environment, can reap tangible rewards. That is what we are experiencing at this time,” Mr. Drysdale said.

The JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition seeks to promote Jamaican culture through the production of films ranging from 3-5 minutes in duration. The films must be based on set criteria, and primarily centred around a Jamaican proverb.

This year’s proverbs are: “Sweet mout fly follow coffin go a hole”; “Puss nuh hab han, but him tek him foot wipe him face”; “Keep clear a ole house, les dem fall dung pon you”; “Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot”; and “Finger tink, yuh cyan cut eh trow ‘wey”.

In addition to the proverbs, participants were also given two special themes around which to build the treatment of their films, based on concepts provided by two sponsors. These are: “SEAS IN FOCUS: Uniting for marine managed areas”- National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) and “Need a passport quick, Get it with just a click”- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

Mr. Drysdale further noted that this year’s shortlisted films represent a variety of the possible genres with eleven dramatic works, two animation films, one comedy, one documentary and two science fiction films. Three of the participants are from the youth category, which is for filmmakers between 12-18 years old and the remaining 14 from adult category.

In addition to viewing the short films online, the public will have an opportunity to view at a special screening to be held on National Heroes’ Day, Monday, October 21st, 2024, as a feature of JCDC National Heritage Fest and Family Fun Day being held on the south lawn at Devon House in St Andrew.

The FiWi Short Film Competition was started by the JCDC in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is the brainchild of the JCDC’s Drama and Theatre Arts Unit and encourages Jamaican amateur filmmakers to examine selected Jamaican proverbs and based on their interpretation create the treatment for a short film.

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York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments across Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), recently released the 2024 results. For many schools across the province, EQAO results are a snapshot of how students are doing compared to their peers in other schools at the same grade level.

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has maintained a high level of consistency with respect to the outstanding performance of its students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In a media release on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, details were revealed about the positive achievements and exemplary accomplishments of its students.

EQAO results were released on September 26th, 2024. The focus was, “Mathematics Achievement Remains an Area of Focus but Sees Gradual Growth Over Time with Some School Boards Showing Significant Increases; Literacy Achievement Remains High but Shows Some Decline.” The data was based on the 2023-2024 school year during which over 570,000 students wrote the EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels on the English and French-language school systems.

For students who wrote the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 71% met the provincial standard in reading compared to 73% in 2022-2023, and 73% in 2021-2022.
  • 64% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 65% in 2022-2023 and 65% in 2021-2022.
  • 61% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 60% in 2022-2023 and 59% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 82% met the provincial standard in reading, compared to 84% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
  • 80% met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 84% in 2022-2023, and 84% in 2021-2022.
  • 50% met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 50% in 2022-2023 and 47 % in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics:

  • 54% met the provincial standard, compared to 54% in 2022-2023 and 52% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):

  • 85% of first-time eligible students were successful, compared to 85% in 2022-23 and 82% in 2021-2022.
  • 52% of previously eligible students were successful in 2023-2024, compared to 63% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.

John De Faveri, Interim Director of Education of the YCDSB writes, “We are always looking for ways to provide a better school experience, but today is a time to celebrate our students and staff for their excellent academic achievement. I want to particularly highlight the incredible work that is being done in mathematics, which we see in these results. Mathematical literacy is such an important life skill and we are happy to share a love of numbers with our students.”

Results from the Grade 3, 6 and 9 EQAO Mathematics results show improvement in Mathematics compared to 2023. In addition, with respect to reading and writing results for Grade 6 there has been a consistent steady upward rise in the performance of students as 89% and 90% of students met or exceeded provincial standards when compared to the province’s average of 82% and 89%.

Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees for YCDSB states, “EQAO results are just one of the ways we see how York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement. As a Catholic learning community, we want to see every child succeed and EQAO results help us measure our progress toward that noble goal.”

Overall, the percentage of students who participated from YCDSB in Grade 3 and 6 EQAO were 97% and 98%, respectively. For Grade 9 Math assessment there were 93% of eligible students and 97% in the OSSLT.

Any parents or guardians interested in learning about the 2024 EQAO and OSSLT results and individual school results for their children can check the EQAO’s website: https://www.eqao.com/results/.

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York Catholic District School Board plans open house for future high school students

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Credits: Pch.Vector

BY PAUL JUNOR

There is: planning, preparation, and organization that parents, guardians and caregivers must make in York Region as they prepare their children for high school. For those who chose to send them to a high school at the Catholic board, there are open houses planned to make this process easier to navigate.

In a press release on Thursday, October 10th, 2024, details were revealed about these open houses. It notes, “The open houses will highlight key aspects of each school, including administration, programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, school structure, student opportunities and more. In addition, information about the registration process, including registration dates, deadlines and documents needed to enroll, will be discussed.

The media release mentioned the seven regional programs, and ten Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs. They include:

Advanced Placement

Programs with an extended and enriched curriculum allow students to earn credits or advanced standing at most universities.

English as a Second Language

(ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)

English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development programs assist English language learners from diverse linguistic and education backgrounds in attaining English language proficiency.

French Immersion (FI)

Students who completed the Elementary French Immersion programs, or equivalent can continue with the immersion program to earn a French immersion certificate upon graduation.

High Performer Athlete (HPA)

An academic-based program for student-athletes participating in competitive-level athletics. Students benefit from a flexible timetable to help balance their academic and athletic commitments and earn high school credits for the work they put into their training.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

A rigorous and intellectually challenging pre-university course of study that allows students to earn an IB Diploma upon graduation, recognized in Canada and abroad.

Regional Arts (RAP)/Integrated Regional Arts Program(iRAP)

Students specialize in drama, dance, visual arts, digital media arts, instrumental music, or vocal music- while obtaining their high school diploma. In the iRAP, students experience their learning through an integrated model where the curriculum is explored in relation to the interconnectedness of the individual, the community, and the world.

STREAM Program

Students explore real-world challenges and use the design thinking process to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills, guided by the traditional Catholic social teachings. This academic program uses an interdisciplinary approach to inquiry and problem-based learning.

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Students can obtain a diploma with a specialist in either: Arts and Culture; Aviation and Aerospace; Business; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services, Manufacturing; or Non-Profit. Every YCDSB school offers a SHSM program.

Parents or guardians who live in York Region and are interested in any programs can check: Website: www.ycdsb.ca

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