Every year The Circle awards a bursary of $250 each, to one male and one female student who have participated in The Circle’s Pass-It-On Program as a mentor and have demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and fostering healthy relationships.
This years’ awardees of The Circle’s Leaders In Social Change Bursary are Zacharie Morgan and Amelia Bapty.
Zacherie Morgan started as a ‘little buddy’ in the Pass it On Boys Program in Grade 8 and stayed in the program as a mentor. “I joined the program because I thought it would be nice to see more familiar faces around me in my first year of high school and to have someone to chat with. It really helped me and that’s why I wanted to be a person to come and talk to in school, and to be a mentor.”
Zacherie works with his father at Harbours End Marine & Equipment and is on the waitlist for the Marine Technician program at the Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo. He plans to use his bursary to follow specialised courses that will help him working at his fathers’ business, and as a future mechanic. “The bursary is very welcome. I appreciate it a lot.”
Amelia Bapty was in the Pass it On Girls program for four years, one year as a ‘little buddy’ and three years as a mentor. “I like the connection it gives the people who are in it. Both as a little buddy and big buddy it allows you to connect, relate and bond with many other women who you might not interact with otherwise,” says Amelia.
Amelia graduated high school in September but has postponed her plans for post-secondary education for one year. “I am interested in teaching, but I am just not sure which direction I want to go. I will be attending more high-school classes to broaden the range of studies I can take and to pinpoint what I want to do. I am very thankful for being awarded with this bursary, which will help me with my future plans.”
Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash