The Quebec Association of Student Activity Advisors is pleased to announce the names of the winners of the 2008 QASAA Outstanding Leader Award: Congratulations to Trina Bird and Marco D'Arienzo! TRINA BIRD Trina Bird is 17 years old and a Class of 2008 Graduate of Lakeside Academy. She is an exceptional leader and truly deserving of the 2008 QASAA Outstanding Student Leader Award. Trina, an excellent student, has managed to successfully juggle her extremely demanding school work in the International Baccalaureate Program with her sports, community service and leadership projects. Academically, Trina is an honour student who has maintained an honours average all through high school. She is very interested in science and excels in those subjects. She is also completely bilingual. She has won many awards and is the recipient of the Young Achiever’s Award, an honour given to students who have excelled in academics, sports and student activities. Trina won the Discover the Stars Scholarship, given to graduating students who have earned outstanding marks in science. Trina is an enthusiastic and engaging student. She is positive and encouraging with her peers and always has something nice to say about everyone. She is a highly respected team player and has proven so by receiving sportsmanship recognition in rugby, soccer and basketball. Trina played an integral part in several huge group projects such as our annual 2-day Grade 7 camp in September and our Annual Lakeside Variety Show. As the Grade 11 Class Manager, Trina has spent hundreds of hours planning and organizing grad activities such as the chocolate fundraiser, the grad trip to California, the school snack bar and many more. She has a great attitude, a wonderful sense of humour and lots of drive that will surely take her far in life. She is an extremely deserving student who should be encouraged to pursue her studies in the field that she enjoys so much, the sciences. She is presently enrolled at Dawson College in the Pure and Applied Sciences program which should lead her into the Athletic Therapy program at Concordia University. This term, Trina has joined the Dawson rugby team and hopes to get involved in the Dawson Student Union next semester. Trina has inspired so many students in the Lakeside Community by her outlook on life and her generosity. She will be remembered with high regard by her fellow students and staff members alike, for her numerous and remarkable contributions to Lakeside Academy’s sports and student leadership programs. MARCO D'ARIENZO Marco D’Arienzo, 18 and a recent graduate of St. Thomas High School, is an exceptionally accomplished, inspiring and conscientious young man and a deserving candidate for the 2008 QASAA Outstanding Student Leader Award. Marco has aspired to high levels of academic excellence and has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and dedication to learning throughout his academic career. He is also extremely active in student life, making excellent contributions to his school community through a variety of leadership roles. From very early on in his high school career, Marco demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, commitment and motivation, earning him the esteemed executive positions on the Student Council of Junior President, Vice-President and President, as well as student representative for two years on the Governing Board. In addition, Marco was selected to represent St. Thomas as a delegate for Canadian Student Leadership Conferences in 2006 and 2007. Most recently Marco created and delivered several superb, professional and high quality multi media presentations to senior students on the topic of Genocide. He was also invited to deliver his presentation at the LBP Leadership Camp last May and at Terry Fox elementary school. These presentations rivaled those of adult professional speakers and reflected Marco’s ingenuity, excellent organizational skills, confidence and dedication. With an exceptional resume like Marco’s, it is no surprise that at the conclusion of his high school career he was honored with several noteworthy awards. In June, Marco was awarded both the Avon Scholarship and Canadian Millennium Excellence Award. He was invited as a finalist to attend the Youth in Motion: Top 20 Under 20 Leadership Conference in Toronto in August. Marco is currently attending John Abbott College in Honors Science. He has continued his commitment to leadership and to serving his community as an elected member of the John Abbott College Student Union (SUJAC) and as a member of Save Darfur Canada. Macro is also working currently working on a large-scale Environment project at John Abbott, which he hopes to launch early in the New Year. In addition, Marco returns frequently to St. Thomas to lend support to the Student Council and share his knowledge and skills with student leaders. Marco has had an incredibly positive impact on the entire St. Thomas community. He is a young leader with exceptional vision and at just 18 years old, he has left an indelible mark behind him in our community and one that will be remembered for years to come. |
