鱿鱼视频app

LONDON, Ont. - Every other year, student trustees from across Ontario meet in a designated city for a weekend of faith, fellowship and leadership development.

TORONTO - In March of 2011, Toronto student Isabel Ng-Lai took part in a service trip to India, where she volunteered at two schools run by the Loreto Sisters. It was an eye-opening trip that also helped her to be named Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School鱿鱼视频app Catholic student of the year.

Ng-Lai was one of the 100 Ontario students who was to be recognized Oct. 20 at the 29th Annual Patrick Fogarty Awards Dinner. The dinner celebrates students at each Ontario Catholic high school who provide 鈥渟ervice to community, service to their Church, service to their parish and service to their parents,鈥� said Michael Monk, executive secretary of the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario, which sponsors the awards.

鈥淲e feel we need to recognize the good things that are going on in Catholic high schools,鈥� said Monk.

Ng-Lai went to India for a month with Adventure Learning Experiences. She volunteered at Loreto Sealdah and Loreto Panighatta, where she learned about the local culture and students鈥� daily lives.

鈥淚 had the opportunity to teach English and art to class 3 and 4 students. They were an absolute joy to teach, very respectful and hardworking, which I think is a testament to what the Loreto Sisters are doing in their schools,鈥� she said.

Of the 49 students under her tutelage, Ng-Lai recalls accompanying one student on her hour-long walk home from school.

鈥淪he told me that when she grew up, she wanted to be like me and volunteer abroad to help children in Africa. It was a pivotal moment in my life because I came to the realization that my actions could inspire others,鈥� said Ng-Lai.

鈥淢any of these students are street children or come from families who suffer from extreme poverty. I tried to pass on the message to my students that they can break the cycle of poverty through education. They should always strive to achieve their full potential.鈥�

When Ng-Lai returned home, she and a friend founded the non-profit organization 1Focus that chooses a specific cause each year, alternating between international and local.

鈥淟ast year 1Focus raised $8,000 for Loreto Panighata,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he funds will help expand the educational system and provide the opportunity for underprivileged children to attend school on a full-time basis.鈥�

This year, 1Focus is raising funds for two youth homeless shelters, Eva鱿鱼视频app Initiatives and Pathway.

鈥淥ne of the main things I learned from my trip is that children are the same everywhere, they need affection, love to play with their peers and are very curious. So if children are the same everywhere, then they should be given equal rights,鈥� she said.

Ng-Lai is now a first year student at York University鱿鱼视频app Schulich School of Business.

Chris Harrison is also among this year鱿鱼视频app Fogarty Award winners. The Grade 12 student at Burlington, Ont.鱿鱼视频app Corpus Christi Secondary School was recognized for his efforts at home and abroad. He has been an altar server since Grade 6 at St. Raphael鱿鱼视频app parish, where he鱿鱼视频app also served as a eucharistic minister. This year, he took part in his school鱿鱼视频app Hope trip to the Dominican Republic.

鈥淚鈥檝e been to a lot of places,鈥� said Harrison, 鈥渂ut that was definitely one of the best trips I鈥檝e ever been on.鈥�

Harrison recalls that the locals were strong in their faith.

鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app nice to see the smiles everywhere, even though they had so much less than us,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t really brought you down to earth.鈥�

At the awards dinner, the CEFO鱿鱼视频app medal of honour was to be presented to Archbishop Paul- Andr茅 Durocher. And the Michael Carty Awards, financial grants of up to $2,000 each, were to be presented to eight elementary and secondary schools for proposing 鈥渋nnovative and engaging programs or projects鈥� in their Catholic school environment.