News release

Students Receive Lieutenant Governor's Respectful Citizenship Award

Lieutenant-Governor

Promoting healthy living with a community garden, creating anti-bullying committees, raising awareness about the value of cross-cultural diversity, and championing inclusivity in the classroom are some of the initiatives Nova Scotia students are using to promote respectful citizenship.

Students from across the province will be at Government House on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to receive the Lieutenant Governor's Respectful Citizenship Award.

"I was impressed by the recipients' passion and dedication to making their schools, communities and the province safe and accepting places," said Lt.-Gov. J.J. Grant. "These students are the leaders of tomorrow, but they have started to make a difference today. Their work is to be commended and they are very deserving of this honour."

The award recognizes students who demonstrate leadership and commitment to creating safe and inclusive spaces, where bullying behaviour is not accepted, and respectful and responsible relationships are promoted. It is the first award created during Lt.-Gov. Grant's tenure.

Public schools, the Mi'Kmaw Kina'matnewey Board, and home schooled students who are registered with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development or enrolled in private school could make nominations.

Of the 126 students nominated for the award, 68, both individual and as teams, were selected for 16 awards, two for each school board in the province. They were chosen by an advisory committee of representatives from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Nova Scotia Teachers Union, Nova Scotia School Board Association, Nova Scotia Federation of Home and School Associations and La Fédération des parents acadiens de la Nouvelle-Écosse.

The recipients of the award, and hometown, are:

  • Trenton Ward, Glace Bay
  • Riverview High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Coxheath, Cape Breton
  • Caleb Talbot, Port Hawkesbury
  • The Green Team, Guysborough
  • Ella Webster, Bible Hill
  • Riley MacEachern and Allison Ellis, Truro
  • Grace Whebby, Dartmouth
  • Erin Brown, Dartmouth
  • Douah Shakshuki, Wolfville
  • Stephen Bennett, Middleton
  • Robyn Whynot, Liverpool
  • Lunenburg County RCMP Youth Advisory Committee, Lunenburg
  • Janell Stewart, Yarmouth
  • Mikya Francis, Digby
  • Adele Orovec, Halifax (CSAP)
  • Lauren Ead, Halifax (CSAP)

"We are very excited that our team got selected for this award. We are happy that our work is recognized in this way," said Blade Turner, a member of the Lunenburg County Youth Advisory Council committee.

For more information, visit http://antibullying.novascotia.ca/ns-lieutenant-governors-respectful-citizenship-award .