LEAP reaches out to students
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Young-Alexander and Imani Bernard-Guerra were the recipients of the scholarship awards handed out by LEAP at their Mother’s Day Brunch on May 13.
LEAP is a recently founded women’s organization involved in community outreach and charitable endeavours. Guerra is at Concordia University in the Urban Planning program, while Alexander is at Mariannapolis College in the Law program. Each received $250.
This year’s recipients are Rachelle Rose and Imani Bernard-Guerra
Pioneer Women continue to celebrate students
Egbert Gaye
As they have been doing for more than two and a half decades, the Caribbean Pioneer Women of Canada marked their place in this city by extending a hand to some deserving students.
This year, the group celebrated its 28th Annual Tea Party on Sunday, June 11, at the St. Laurent Recreation Centre and presented two university students, Imani Bernard-Guerra and Rachelle Rose with $500 cheques to assist in their studies.
Bernard-Guerra is a 3rd Urban Planning student at Concordia University who also serves as a community worker at Westhaven Community Centre in NDG.
In addition to her dedication to her academic pursuits and to her community commitments, the former Vanier College student holds a lingering passion for music and the performing arts and is active at Concordia’s Music Zone Out.
She lists one of her goals as a desire “to ameliorate the living conditions of people and to create a better sense of home through community building.”
Throughout college and university, Rachelle Rose has been outstanding as a student-athlete, elevating to the highest level of Varsity rugby while securing her degree in Social Work at McGill University (graduating with distinction).
After a couple years of community work, she recently returned to McGill to pursue a Master’s of Social Work and a Bachelor of Civil Law and Bachelor of Law.
In between her studies, Rose worked with Desta Black Youth Network and with the NDG Community Council. And having worked with marginalized youth, she says she has developed “a passion for human-rights law.”
“I have witnessed first-hand the devastating and compounding effects issues such as
poverty, unemployment, underemployment, high school incompletion and incarceration among Black people compared to the general population have on individuals, families and the broader community.”
She says her goal is to become “a lawyer and social justice advocate, to partner with community organizations, serving economically, socially and politically disadvantaged people.”
Kane and Fetterly Funeral Home partnered with the Pioneer Women of Canada in providing the bursary to Guerra and Rose, and representative Bridgette Fetterly was on hand to make the presentation.
In presenting the cheques, Thelma Johnson, one of the founders of the Pioneer Women, committed the organization to a lifelong obligation to assist deserving students.
This work must continue, and will continue, long after I’m gone,” she promised.
Every year the organization also contributes $1000 to the Dr. Charles Estes Scholarship fund at Union United Church.
The lavish Tea Party included performances by the Pioneer Singers and Dancers, Vivienne Evans, Ray and the Badu Sisters, Imani and Aliah Guerra and Murielle Philosca.
The feature address was given by Dr. Myrna Lashley; Mrs. Desiree Bernard-Guerra served as master of ceremonies.
Students can still benefit from Bana and DaCosta Hall summer school
Melissa Murphy
With the arrival of summer, students needing to boost their academic standings for the year now have an opportunity to take advantage of the prestigious legacy of the Da Costa Hall and Bana summer programs.
The Da Costa Hall and Bana summer school programs have been providing supplementary summer school programs and courses to our community for over four decades, which offers students a chance to benefit from the guidance of reputable instructors with respected and longstanding careers in education.
Bana’s bilingual program will be located at the Coronation School in Cote-des-Neiges and another location, to be announced. Children, ages 6-12 (Grade 1-5) can be a part of a well-rounded academic program, including sports, swimming and field trips. Running from July 3 to August 3, this is the perfect summer program for your little ones, with extended hours (daycare) also available.
If you are looking for a high school prep program for Grade 6 students this summer, the Bana summer program will be offering its program at Dawson College, in downtown Montreal.
Da Costa Hall, known for its incomparable success rate for high school students, will once again be held at Dawson College from July 3 to August 3 for students in Secondary I to III and from July 10 to July 31 for students in Secondary IV and V.
Courses for students in Secondary I to III include English Language Arts, French Second Language, Math and Secondary III History. For Secondary IV and V, students can be a part of courses ranging from English Language Arts, French Second Language, Math Scientific, History and Citizenship and Science (General, Applied Science & Technology and Environmental). Courses for CST & Math Bridge and Science Bridge will also be available.
Contact their office at 514-481-9400 for more information and to register today.
