Youth Appreciation – Optimist Club of Waterloo North

Youth Appreciation 2022

Since 1957, Optimist Clubs have recognized youth for their talents in the arts, athletics, academics, and contributions to the community. These extraordinary individuals demonstrate qualities such as exceptional leadership, selflessness, courage and sincere devotion to the welfare of others.

Join us in congratulating the recipients on their 2022 Youth Appreciation Awards. We also thank each of the community organizations who nominated a young person. Please read their stories below:

Caring Neighbour

Sam

Nevena Vlacic pictured with Sam, her nominee for a Youth Appreciation Award. Nevena shared:

“As soon as I saw the post for youth appreciation nomination I thought of Sam. I typically see Sam on the way to school to drop off my kids or when I’m coming back. Whenever I do pass him he will acknowledge you by greeting you, and will continue on with a small talk like : ‘How are you today? How is your day? Have a good day today.’ His presence and interaction sends out a positive vibe that always leaves me smiling and thinking ‘wow what a great kid and how amazing it is that he will make small talk with an adult neighbour who he mostly sees just in passing’. I see and know many other kids in the neighborhood but no one gives out the presence of care, respect and friendliness like Sam does. I strongly believe he deserves this nomination.”

Food4Kids Waterloo Region

Callie

Kim Mervyn nominated Callie for her work with Food4Kids Waterloo Region, saying…

“Callie is a caring and thoughtful volunteer who has a heart for social justice in our community. She has been a volunteer for a few years, helping assemble food bags for children who live with chronic hunger from food insecure homes. Highly motivated to help those in need, including many children her own age, she took the initiative and was the driving force behind a food drive. Using leadership and organizational skills, she reached out to many contacts and collected 560 items, one of the biggest food drives this year. It is a great honour to work alongside someone who has such empathy and awareness at a young age.”

The Ripple Effect Education

Caitlin

Katie Gingerich from The Ripple Effect Education nominated Caitlin with the following comments:

“It is my honour to nominate Caitlin for the Optimist Club of Waterloo North’s Youth Appreciation Award. I first met Caitlin in June 2021 when she became a participant in the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program at the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement in Waterloo, Ontario. I have known her to be an engaged and creative innovator who seeks to solve problems with critical thought.

“As a current participant in the Peace Innovators program, Caitlin has taken initiative to research the impact of mental health stigma in her high school community and has launched The Bucket List Project to bring attention to mental health resources available to youth and to initiate positive conversations about mental health. She has taken great initiative and has engaged in equity-centered community design to explore the root causes of mental health stigma and design a solution in response.

“Caitlin is an exceptional young person who I wholeheartedly recommend for this award. In addition to being a creative innovator, she is a strong communicator who advocates for the people and causes she believes in. Knowing her tenacity and vision, investing in Caitlin means making a difference in her community for years to come.”

The Ripple Effect Education

Mackenzie

Katie Gingerich from The Ripple Effect Education nominated Mackenzie with the following comments:

“It is my honour to nominate Mackenzie for the Optimist Club of Waterloo North’s Youth Appreciation Award. I first met Mackenzie in June 2021 when she became a participant in the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program at the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement in Waterloo, Ontario. I have known her to be a thoughtful and hardworking leader who strives to create positive change in her community.

“As a current participant in the Peace Innovators program, Mackenzie has taken initiative to research the impact of mental health stigma in her high school community and has launched The Bucket List Project to bring attention to mental health resources available to youth and to initiate positive conversations about mental health. She has taken great initiative and has engaged in equity-centered community design to explore the root causes of mental health stigma and design a solution in response.

“Mackenzie is an exceptional young person who I wholeheartedly recommend for this award. In addition to being an effective leader, she is a strong community builder, who excels at bringing people together and creating inclusive spaces for youth to gather and thrive. Knowing her tenacity and vision, investing in Mackenzie means making a difference in her community for years to come.”

Congratulations again to these deserving young leaders!

18 Exceptional Youth Recognized

Not even a pandemic could keep the youth of Waterloo Region from getting out and helping their neighbours. 2021 saw a record number of youth nominated for the Optimist 2021 Youth Appreciation awards. 18 phenomenal youth stepped up in their community to help. This year also saw an increase in “Team” work with three sibling teams. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, it was a great benefit to have members of the same family work together in the same bubble.

We congratulate the recipients on their 2021 Youth Appreciation Awards. We also thank each of the community organizations who nominated a young person. Please read their stories below:

Wissler Old Abbey Neighbourhood Association

Sophie

Linda Barretto-Burns nominated Sophie for helping to bring her neighbourhood together during these “social distancing times.” Linda shared:

“Sophie is a force to be reckoned with. Last year, Sophie created daily activities for neighbourhood families for a “Countdown to Christmas” event. She divided the participants into teams, recruited captains and made a scoring system with daily results posted to our neighbourhood Facebook page. This task demanded her creativity, organizational skills, enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance. It is rare to have a high school student confident and organized enough to carry out such a project. Sophie also created a report on the event’s success and submitted it to the City to share and inspire other neighbourhoods. In the end, 26 families participated, making new connections. Plus, 91 pounds of food was donated to the local food bank.

“It is a difficult task in this social climate for a young person to create something for people she does not know and where many are being stressed about interacting with others in the community. Sophie was able to do so by being her authentic self, allowing newcomers to feel connected while staying safe. It was a Christmas miracle.

“Since Christmas, Sophie created a cooking class for children in the neighbourhood during the April School Break. The girl does not stop. Her enthusiasm is infectious. I am excited to nominate Sophie for the Optimist Youth Appreciation Award; we have certainly continued to appreciate her efforts as a neighbourhood.”

Girl Guides

Grace

Kris McGee nominated Grace for her work with many different Girl Guide units, saying…

“Grace brings a bright energy to our Pathfinder unit and compassion for her peers and Guide leaders. She has been a helper for a Sparks & Brownie Unit for over four years, assisting with meetings both in-person and virtually. She has also given up weekends to help run camps and has participated in many service projects.

“Outside of Girl Guides, Grace is an active member of a synchronized skating team, with which she medaled at a Provincial competition and then went on to compete at a National competition. Grace continued to show her dedication to all of these extra-curricular activities, despite the diagnosis of her Dad’s illness in 2019 and his later passing in 2020.”

The Ripple Effect Education (TREE)

Katie Gingerich nominated three youth who she has worked with through the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program. “It’s inspiring to watch them learn and grow,” said Katie Gingerich of TREE (The Ripple Effect Education). “It is an honour to nominate them.”

Hana

“Hana is a dedicated and enthusiastic activist in her community. I have gotten to know Hana through the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program. She has addressed racism in her school community by organizing an anti-racism conference for educators at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School.

“In addition to her participation in the Peace Innovators, Hana is an active participant in her community. In addition to an impressive amount of community volunteering positions, Hana is involved at her school in the environment club, the Optimist club, social justice club, leadership, food drive and fundraising initiatives for the food bank, toy drives, and school equipment. Hana led the Give 30 food drive for Ramadan and has shared her experience as a Muslim girl in Canada at the WRDSB Iftar and dinner. Hana is an inspiring young person with charisma and drive.”

Jennifer

“Jennifer L. is a driven young person committed to making spaces safer and more equitable for members of the LGBTQ+ community. I have gotten to know Jennifer in the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program. She developed an extensive set of educational resources to debunk harmful stereotypes and build supportive language for the LGBTQ+ community.

“In addition to her activism in the Peace Innovators program, Jennifer is a member of her school’s art club, science club, Gay-Straight Alliance, and Fed-Prov. In her community, she has participated in Model UN and is an avid artist and writer. It has been inspiring to watch Jennifer learn and grow this year as an ally and advocate.”

Marina

“Marina W is an enthusiastic young woman who is deeply committed to enacting social change in her community. I have gotten to know Marina in the Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring Program, where I serve as her program mentor. In the program, Marina has developed an initiative, Post Education, which supports youth in low socio-economic households’ access to post-secondary funding information.

“Marina is also an active participant in her school community at Waterloo-Oxford DSS. She is a member of the Student Activities Council’s Charities Committee, the chapter head for the Believe Initiative, and a member of Students Without Borders. This organization raises funds and awareness of local, national and global issues. She has won multiple skating awards and has volunteered over 300 hours to help children learn to skate. It has been a pleasure to get to know Marina and work for change alongside her.”

Social Venture Partners (SVP) Waterloo Region

Maddie

Jill Mills nominated Maddie for her work with Social Venture Partners and the excellent work this organization does, making a difference in Waterloo Region. Jill comments:

“Maddie has been a strong voice in youth activism, social development and philanthropy from a very young age. She did her first TedX talk on the topic of helping marine life at the age of 9! She is a Co-Chair of SVP’s youth leadership program, SVP Teens. Through SVP Teens, Maddie brings together 60+ passionate youth (grades 7 – 12) to identify issues in our community and work towards solving them.

“Throughout the year, she guides youth to embrace diverse volunteer opportunities, connects with community leaders, holds multiple fundraisers, and ultimately awards a financial grant to a local charity (this year’s value is $6,000-$8,000). Her passion for making a difference in her community and the world is evident in her role as Chair at SVP Teens. Maddie’s accomplishments are due to her compassionate, kind and ‘dream big’ nature, which has made her a very impressive youth leader in Waterloo Region.”

Food4Kids Waterloo Region

Food4Kids was a familiar volunteer role for many of our recipients. Known as “Bin Jockeys,” these youth would clean and move the bins and greet the drivers as they arrived. Their duties also included packing bags and organizing a variety of food for the children. Jennifer Birnstihl sponsored the following youth, saying “all the kids take great pride in their work. They do whatever task they are asked to do.”

Ashleigh & Kyler

“Ashleigh and Kyler have been dedicated brother-sister volunteers taking on multiple roles here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region, especially during the early days of COVID 19. Between the start of COVID in March 2020 and the end of June, Ashleigh and Kyler assisted in various tasks as needed in the Food4Kids WR office since no outside volunteers were permitted. As my son and daughter, they were allowed to come in since they were ‘in my bubble.’ They helped assemble 200 PPE visors (working along with their older sister) and took on the role of our food packers, putting together the food bags for our children when no one else could, getting the job done.

“They helped move food around and organize and clean bins as needed throughout this challenging time. Ashleigh and Kyler are polite helpers and have taken on a variety of tasks to support our kids. They have done an occasional ride-along with their older sister helping make food deliveries to our family’s homes and schools, unloading and moving food around our warehouse. They work hard bagging, sealing and counting and organizing and sorting various food for our kids and working around the office.

“They will be volunteering for the summer of 2021 and have a good work ethic, and no matter which tasks they are asked to take on and take great pride in their work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Avery

“Avery has been a dedicated volunteer taking on multiple roles here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. She juggles and plans her work schedules around her volunteer roles here and has taken on a leadership role on both our Afternoon Pack Crew and our Friday Morning Bin Jockey Crew helping get out food bins to our drivers. On Thursdays, she has an important role in our food packing line handling and processing all the food bags in our Back End Crew. On Fridays, Avery works hard coordinating our food bins on their routes and keeps carts organized.

“Avery is mature, pleasant and hard working. She greets our volunteer drivers with a smile and takes on a supervisory role keeping things on track and organized throughout this busy morning. She has also lent her time making food deliveries to family’s homes and schools when needed. She brings a positive attitude and good work ethic with her no matter which task she takes on and takes great pride in her work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Charlie

“Charlie has been a dedicated volunteer taking on multiple roles here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. He has taken on a regular role as a bulk food bagging crew member on alternate Wednesdays, working with his Mom. They work hard bagging, sealing and counting and organizing various foods for our children, including cereal and bread items.

“Charlie is polite and pleasant and works hard whenever he is here. He is willing to help us do whatever is needed and works hard with a smile and a positive attitude. Over this past year, he has also lent his time making food deliveries to our family’s homes and schools, unloading and moving food around our warehouse, and helping load vehicles for our drivers on days when we are short-handed. He has a good work ethic, and no matter which task he takes on, he takes great pride in his work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Charlotte

“Charlotte has been a dedicated volunteer here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. In addition to completing her final year of her college program at Conestoga College, she has taken on various jobs helping us. In addition to pitching in with packing food bins all summer, assembling PPE during the start of COVID, she continues to lend her creative talents to help us create various promotional videos for our organization.

“Between the start of COVID in March 2020 and the end of June, she assisted in various tasks as needed in the Food4Kids WR office since outside volunteers were not permitted. As my daughter, she was allowed to come in since she was ‘in my bubble.’ She helped assemble 200 PPE visors (working with her brother and sister) and would come in to help pack food bags for our children as needed to get the job done. In the summer of 2020, she volunteered every Wednesday for nine weeks as a part of our Summer Food Packing Crew, carefully packing the contents of our summer food bins, making sure they were ready for delivery and helping keep things organized.

“Charlotte is a quiet, hard worker who works with a smile. She is willing to do whatever is needed and puts her best efforts with a smile and a positive attitude. She continues to help us with various jobs, including setting up a silent auction, website updates and marketing-related tasks, and decorating our new office. She takes great pride in his work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Claire

“Claire F. has been a dedicated volunteer here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. In addition to completing her final year of her college program at Conestoga College, she worked in packing food bins all summer. For nine weeks during the summer of 2020, she volunteered every Wednesday as a part of our Summer Food Packing Crew, carefully packing the contents of our summer food bins, making sure they were ready for delivery and helping keep things organized.

“Claire is a bubbly, hard worker who works with a smile. She is willing to do whatever is needed and puts her best efforts with a smile and a positive attitude. She takes great pride in his work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Eva & Josh

“Eva & Josh have been dedicated brother-sister volunteers taking on multiple roles here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over several years. They regularly assist as part of our Bulk Food Bagging Crew members on alternate Wednesdays (when their cohort allows), working with their Mom. They work hard bagging, sealing and counting and organizing various foods for our children, including cereal and bread items.

“Eva and Josh are polite, enthusiastic helpers and have taken on various tasks to support our kids. Last summer, together, they did a great job running the pick-ups and sales at a special ‘flower sale fundraiser’ we held on-site. Over this past year, they have on occasion done a ‘ride-along with their Mom helping make food deliveries to our family’s homes and schools, unloading and moving food around our warehouse, helping at our evening pack nights.

“Josh has a fun outgoing spirit and is a really good sport. He has enthusiastically donned his inflatable T-Rex costume on several occasions to add to the fun and excitement at special events and to give our volunteers a smile.

“Eva and a friend from school ran a ‘loose change drive fundraiser’ at their school two years ago, bringing in an incredible $1000 to feed “One Child” for an entire year.

“They will be volunteering for the summer of 2021 and have a good work ethic, and no matter which tasks they are asked to take on and they take great pride in their work here, helping feed the hope of children.

Evelyn

“Evelyn has been a dedicated volunteer here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. She worked diligently as a key part of our Thursday evening pack night crew for many months keeping things on track and organized throughout the evening. She has also lent her time for other projects throughout the year, including our summer and COVID packs.

“She brings a positive attitude and good work ethic with her and takes great pride in her work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Hayley

“Hayley has been a dedicated volunteer here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. She has taken on a regular role as a bulk food bagging crew member on alternate Wednesdays, working with her Mom. They work hard bagging, sealing and counting and organizing various foods for our children, including cereal and bread items.

“Hayley is a quiet, hard worker who works with a smile. She works hard, helping us do whatever is needed and works hard with a smile and a positive attitude. Over this past year, she has also lent her time helping us with various jobs when needed. She has a good work ethic, and no matter which task she takes on, she takes great pride in her work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Shea & Blythe

“Shea & Blythe have been dedicated volunteers here at Food4Kids Waterloo Region over the past year. In addition to juggling other part-time jobs and volunteer positions, they took turns packing food bins all summer long. For nine weeks during the summer of 2020, they volunteered on Wednesdays as a part of our Summer Food Packing Crew (teamed up with their grandma Gaye Karges – another great volunteer!). They carefully packed the contents of our summer food bins, making sure they were ready for delivery and helping keep things organized.

“Blythe and Shea are hard workers wearing a smile on their faces to get the job done. They have put their best efforts weekly with a smile and a positive attitude and showed great pride in their work here, helping feed the hope of children.”

Congratulations again to these deserving young leaders!

Congratulations to our 2020 Youth Appreciation Award Recipients!

Since 1957, Optimist Clubs have recognized youth for their talents in the arts, athletics, academics, and for contributions to community. These individuals demonstrate qualities such as exceptional leadership, selflessness, courage and sincere devotion to the welfare of others.

The Optimist Club of Waterloo North has had the pleasure of hosting Youth Appreciation events for over 25 years. Well over 250 youth have received recognition from our club for the personal and/or community achievements. Typically, family and friends are invited to participate in the celebration; however, this year due to the need to socially distance, Certificates of Acknowledgement along with gift cards were personally delivered to our deserving young leaders.

We congratulate the recipients of their 2020 Youth Appreciation Awards. We also thank our sponsors for their nominations. Allow us now to introduce you to these 10 outstanding youth!

Abby B. is a grade eleven student attending Resurrection Catholic Secondary School. She is passionate about volunteerism, advocacy work and helping others. At school she is involved in various clubs including: DECA, student council and the grade 9 transition program. In her free time, she enjoys teaching dance to children, and baking. Abby is hoping to become a teacher in the future to further pursue her love for education. – Abby was sponsored by Jennifer Fletcher (Send’em Off Smiling)

Manaisha R. is in Grade 6 at Sandowne Public School and is a kind-hearted, sensitive student who goes out of her way to quietly help others. Manaisha works hard in all subjects and is a role model in the classroom, and the school community as a whole, putting forth her best effort on a daily basis. Manaisha’s positive energy is infectious and she takes pride in all her responsibilities; staying organized with her schoolwork and excelling in her extra-curriculars, which include soccer, track, sprinting and piano. Manaisha also advocates for others in the classroom, sharing her kindness and good-will on a consistent basis with all peers and adults she works with. – Manaisha was sponsored by Danielle Holden (Principal – Sandowne Public School)

Logan G. is a highly dedicated grade 12 student at Grand River Collegiate in Kitchener. Logan has been involved in the Kindred Credit Union’s Peace Innovators Scholarship and Mentoring program, wherein she designed and launched a project that addresses awareness of physical disabilities in Waterloo Region. In addition to the Peace Innovators program, Logan is co-leader of GRCI’s Debate Club, French club and Blue Crew and is a participant in St. Paul’s GreenHouse Youth Innovation program. She plays sledge hockey for the Woolwich Thrashers, is assistant coach to the Waterloo Women’s Field Hockey team and is also attending TORCH (The Operation Challenge in Waterloo). Next year, Logan plans to attend the University of Windsor and Detroit Mercy University to study VABE (Visual Arts and the Built Environment) and hopes to open her own architecture firm with a focus on accessible design. – Logan was sponsored by Katie Gingerich (TREE-The Ripple Effect Education)

Sam G demonstrated his devotion to the welfare of others when last year, as part of a school assignment, he was inspired to make a presentation to City Council to ensure pedestrian safety in his community. He urged Council to consider a pedestrian safety solution that had been used in Nova Scotia, where coloured flags are provided at the intersection for pedestrians to use when crossing. It was a low-cost option that improved traffic yielding by up to 8% and had a mostly positive reaction from the community. He advocated for this same traffic calming measure to be used at the Lincoln/Mayfield intersection in Waterloo. As a direct result of his thoughtful presentation, staff were directed to explore the opportunity of using pedestrian crossing flags at selected locations within the City of Waterloo. It is a clear display of his outstanding leadership qualities that Sam was able to maintain his good grades at school while dedicating time towards improving his community. – Sam was sponsored by Jen Vasic (Councilor – City of Waterloo)

Matthew K. is being recognized for his courage in the face of adversity. In 2017 he was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout the long hospital stays in London, never-ending tests and grueling treatments to battle the cancer, Matthew fought hard and demonstrated significant courage. In September of 2019, he graciously shared his inspiring story with our Club. As soon as he was able, he was back to playing hockey and getting involved in extracurricular activities at school. He has not allowed the disease to be what defines him and continues to be a positive role model for those around him. – Matthew was sponsored by Ross Robertson (President – Optimist Club of Waterloo North)

Caroline S. is a grade eleven student attending Resurrection Catholic Secondary School. She is passionate in areas of business, English, and wellness and participates in many school activities in these fields. Outside of school, Caroline enjoys skiing and riding horses. She hopes to continue her hobbies and studies throughout university on her path to study law. – Caroline was sponsored by Jennifer Fletcher (Send’em Off Smiling)

James R. is a grade 10 student at Bluevale Collegiate and has maintained an excellent academic standing while playing on his high school basketball team. He also volunteers his time giving back to Wildhawk Basketball where he helps with their skills camps and is a House League head coach in their Atom Boys Division. His help is not only greatly appreciated by the Wildhawk organization, but also by all the boys that he has impacted as a positive role model. – James was sponsored by Dave MacNeil (Wildhawk Basketball)

Nicole A., a grade 10 student at Bluevale Collegiate is a vital member of the African Caribbean and Black identifying student group, rallying other students and encouraging them to participate. She recently helped to organize the Black History Month Assemblies and volunteered to be one of the MCs for the event. Nicole is also a part of the Equity Team at Bluevale offering insight and concerns regarding equity issues and solutions to both peers and staff. She has been involved in activities through Bluevale’s Choose to Lead Program (C2L) which is focused on the development and enhancement of leadership skills throughout high school. Nicole is also involved in her church and other youth groups where she serves in different leadership roles and works with youth. She has already completed her 40 volunteer hours required for graduation. – Nicole was sponsored by Christine (Madame) Harnack (Teacher – Bluevale Collegiate).

Kate B. is a grade eleven student at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School. She participates in lots of extracurriculars that cater to her passions of sports, wellness, and helping others. At home, Kate can be found playing with her “puggle” (pug/beagle), Rosey, and hanging out with her sister, mom, and dad. She hopes to continue her educational career by applying to university in the fall, as a student who values learning and isn’t afraid of a challenge. – Kate was sponsored by Jennifer Fletcher (Send’em Off Smiling)

Samantha “Sa5m” L. is an 11-year-old grade 6 student from Waterloo. The determination, devotion and dedication toward reaching her goal of excelling at the drums, while her family deals with an emotional ordeal, is an admirable display of courage in the face of adversity. Sa5m wanted to learn to play the drums for her sister Abigayle, who has Neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. Drumming has allowed her to bring joy to her sister and up-lift those around her as well. Twice, Sa5m has competed and placed well in the international “Hit Like a Girl” contest and she continues to practice hard to improve her skills. This year she will dedicate her song choice, performance and entry to Abigayle. Sa5m’s intention to bring happiness and positivity to those around her and her dedication to her sister, represent a generous, unselfish character that deserves recognition. – Sa5m was sponsored by Jen Vasic (Councilor – City of Waterloo)

Congratulations again to these deserving young leaders!