Canadian Living 2009 Me to We Award winners and honourable mentions

EDUCATOR
AMANDA FINGERHUT • BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME • TORONTO, ONT.

It all started at a Toronto District School Board Cabaret Singers rehearsal. There, Amanda Fingerhut, a math teacher at Earl Haig Secondary School in Toronto, met Vivian Shapiro, the education director of the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation. When Amanda learned about the foundation, which works to increase the self-esteem, character and leadership skills of youth, she knew she had to get involved. So five years ago, she helped coordinate the first Future Aces leadership conference.

Each year 200 students from 24 Toronto-area schools are invited; they attend leadership and community-service workshops, participate in group sessions (such as team-building challenges) and meet with positive role models, including the foundation's founder, Herbert Carnegie. After the conference, the students go back to school armed with the tools they need to make an immediate difference; they form groups and do community service.

Now, thanks to a charitable grant, Amanda teaches part time, splitting her week between the classroom and the foundation. "My passion is helping kids succeed," she says. "That's why I do this." – Wendy Graves

Amanda's Me to We Award money will be donated to the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation.

FREE THE CHILDREN AWARD SHORTLIST
Winner to be announced on We Day, Sept. 29, 2009.

LILY DART, PETERBOROUGH, ONT.,
founded Kids for All Kids (KFAK) to promote children's education rights. Lily raises awareness and funds through the local media and bake sales. She led a vow of silence campaign, and motivated kids as young as five to donate their birthday and allowance money. KFAK has raised enough money to build and outfit a school in Kenya.

CALVIN MITCHELL, OTTAWA,
founded the Humanitarian Club and a Brick by Brick program at his school, raising funds and awareness through public speaking. He has led three vow of silence campaigns, collected books for Invisible Children in Uganda, raised funds for UNICEF and contributed to Plan Canada's goat donation program.

DOMINIQUE SAAB, NANAIMO, B.C.,
is head of her local Free the Children group. She founded Brick by Brick Nanaimo, spearheads various fund-raising efforts and speaks to students at local schools. In a small community, and with limited contact with Free the Children, Dominique's achievements demonstrate her motivation and commitment.

Page 4 of 5 - Read page 5 for the community winner and a note from Craig and Marc of Free the Children