Young people honoured with this year's Top 20 Under 20 awards are receiving more than a trip to Toronto, a week-long conference, and a $2,000 bursary.
Along with being recognized for their innovations in areas from technology to science to volunteerism, the young leaders honoured by Youth in Motion (YIM) will be paired with Order of Canada recipients who will act as their mentors for the coming year.
Organizers of the Top 20 program, now in its fifth year, say the involvement of celebrated Canadians such as entertainer Tom Jackson, child-rights activist Craig Kielburger, chemistry professor Margaret-Ann Armour and community leader Barbara Brink adds a new level of excitement and national pride to the event.
"This is the first year that our mentors are going to be Order of Canada mentors ... I think it will be a very powerful partnership," says Akela Peoples, founder and president of YIM, a Toronto-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to giving young people leadership and career-enriching opportunities.
The mentoring program is co-sponsored by the Governor-General's office, which appoints Order of Canada recipients. "It makes sense to partner [with Rideau Hall] because we are like-minded in our interests in leadership development and mentoring," Ms. Peoples says.
Rideau Hall also feels the program is a great match. "We have to build bridges between the generations so that they can enrich one another," Governor-General Michaëlle Jean has said. "We need to introduce these young people to the role models who inspire them."
Marni Schecter-Taylor, director of development and communications with YIM, describes the mentoring program as an opportunity for Order of Canada recipients to help the "emerging generation," adding that some day, these young people may be recipients themselves.
The mentors and protégés will keep in touch with regular phone calls as well as via a secure area of the Citizen Voices website (www.citizenvoices.gg.ca) where they will be able to chat privately. They will also discuss their experiences on blogs, videos and forums on public areas of the site.
Tomorrow, Ms. Jean will host a discussion at the Design Exchange in Toronto between the mentors and protégés. The young people will meet their mentors later today, after being presented with their awards at a breakfast ceremony, the highlight of a five-day trip to the city for the winners which included workshops, seminars and a baseball game. "Plus, they get to mix and mingle with 19 other like-minded, passionate and innovative young people," Ms. Peoples notes.
Students can either nominate themselves or be nominated by peers or teachers for the awards. Applicants must apply by Dec. 31 each year and be under the age of 20 on that date. (Information available online at www.youth-in-motion.ca.)
Winners are selected by a group of volunteer judges, made up of community leaders from a variety of fields across Canada who look at all aspects of the applicants' skills and accomplishments, including initiative, communication and ingenuity.
"The requirement is that your leadership and innovation has led to the betterment of your school, community, province and/or country," Ms. Peoples says.
The 2007 competition drew about 300 applicants from all corners of the country, she says. That was whittled down to 42 finalists who were interviewed by telephone by the judges, who then selected the 20 honorees.
Ms. Peoples says the Top 20 program is a strong reminder that there is much to be celebrated about today's youth.
"All we have to do is turn on the TV or radio and we hear all the negativity associated with young people — cyber-bullying, guns, violence, disenchanted me generation," she notes.
"Hopefully, Top 20 Under 20 is a domino effect about the good things. There are a lot of very talented, very positive young people that are doing just incredible things."
THE WINNERS AT A GLANCE
Natalya Alonso, 17, Salt Spring Island, B.C.: When she was 16, Natalya Alonso became involved with programs that encouraged teenagers to look at instances of sexism, homophobia and racism in their school and community. In the sessions, she noticed the similarity of concerns among younger girls about their body image and sexual and social behaviour. So she developed the Big Buddies Program, which connects at-risk girls in the small community of Salt Spring Island with mentors who help them make the sometimes difficult transition from middle school to high school. Vancouver-born Natalya attends Gulf Islands Secondary School and hopes to study at Queen's University. She is interested in a career as an economic development officer or international marketing specialist.
