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The Ontario Public Student Trustee Leadership Scholarship

4/26/2021

Nominations are now open for the Ontario Public Student Trustee Leadership Scholarship! This is an award jointly provided by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and the Public Board Council of OSTA-AECO. The intent is to recognize outstanding achievement in a leadership role and provide financial support to a graduating public board student trustee to assist with their post-secondary education plans (University, College, or Apprenticeship).

Student trustees represent the voice of students in decisions about education and they help keep students informed about important decisions that affect them. They play an important role in the education governance process and are actively working at the local board and provincial levels on a number of initiatives.

This scholarship is based on an outstanding initiative accomplished during the student trustee’s term and how the initiative positively impacted the students in their board. Two scholarships, in the amount of $500 each, will be awarded.

Note: For the 2020-21 school year, student trustees have been performing their role under unique circumstances due to the pandemic and this may affect the types of leadership initiatives undertaken.

Selection Criteria

The successful recipient must:

  • Be a student trustee who completed a one or two-year term at a public school board
  • Be a student trustee who will be continuing their education in a post-secondary setting
  • Submit a completed scholarship application that highlights the student trustee’s successful leadership initiative

All submissions will be reviewed by a committee comprised of OSTA-AECO’s Public Board Council executive members and trustees with the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association.

Key Dates

April 26, 2021 – Applications sent to all student trustees in English public school boards

May 24, 2021 – Application deadline

June 11, 2021 – Selection deadline by the OPSBA OSTA Liaison Committee

June 18, 2021 – Announcement of successful recipient announced

Application Process

Applicants are asked to explain in a maximum of 200 words their suitability for the Ontario Public Student Trustee Scholarship. All applications must be accompanied by two letters of reference, one of which must be from a senior executive or member of the local board. Letters of reference should not exceed two pages in length.

Please send your package in PDF format to OSTA-AECO’s Public Council Board President Mahek Dhaliwal at Mahek.Dhaliwal@osta-aeco.org by May 24, 2021. If you are unable to complete this application due to accessibility issues and have specific alternative format requests, please contact Mahek Dhaliwal.

Application submissions must include the following information:

  • Name
  • School Board
  • Term(s) of Student Trustee
  • Contact information – Email and phone number
  • Leadership Initiative Overview:
    • How long did it take for you to accomplish this initiative (i.e. conception to implementation)?
    • What makes your initiative unique?
    • How many people did this initiative reach?
    • What is the long term impact of your project?
  • Attach any media/additional documents related to your initiative

Additional Information (30 words max for each question):

  • What are your plans for post-secondary education?
  • How are you planning to continue and take on leadership opportunities?
  • Is there any additional information you would like the committee to know about your time as student trustee?