News
Horatio Alger Association awards scholarships to 85 remarkable young Canadians from coast to coast to coast
(MONTREAL, QUEBEC, JANUARY 28, 2016) – The Horatio Alger Association of Canada today proudly announced the 85 high school students that have been chosen to receive its post-secondary scholarships, marking the first year the organization’s financial aid has been available to Canadians from every province and territory.
The winners include five recipients of the $10,000 Horatio Alger National Entrepreneurial Scholarships, awarded to students who demonstrate a desire and ability to be entrepreneurial in a chosen field, and 80 Horatio Alger Canadian Scholarships valued at $5,000 each.
Horatio Alger scholarships are awarded to deserving high school students in financial need who have overcome significant adversity while demonstrating strength of character, strong academics, a commitment to pursuing higher education as well as a desire to contribute to society. Funds can be used for both post-secondary vocational or university studies. Since 2012, more than $1.5 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 300 deserving young Canadians.
Prem Watsa, President of the Horatio Alger Association of Canada and a Member since 2012, congratulated this year’s winners.
“Our Association’s goal is to support promising students as they strive for success. There are no more deserving young people than this year’s 85 scholars,” said Mr. Watsa. “On behalf of every Member of the Association, I would like to congratulate the students for their hard work and magnificent achievements.”
The Association received thousands of applications from coast to coast to coast, with each submission confirming the necessity of these needs-based scholarships. The average annual family income of recipients was $20,042; 20% experienced death of a parent or guardian; 12% experienced incarceration of a parent or guardian; 42% experienced abandonment by a parent or guardian; 14% have been in foster care; 28% have experienced some form of abuse; and 20% struggle with physical or mental disabilities. At the same time, recipients maintain exceptionally high grades and three-quarters of them find time to work during the school year.
The five (5) Horatio Alger National Entrepreneurial Scholarship recipients are as follows:
The eighty (80) Horatio Alger Canadian Scholarship recipients are as follows:
About the Horatio Alger Association of Canada
The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, the Canadian affiliate of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., is a charitable organization dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honours the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity by bestowing to them the Horatio Alger Award and granting them lifetime membership into the Association. Through the generosity of Horatio Alger Members, the Horatio Alger Association of Canada awards scholarships annually to deserving young people in every province and territory. Members of the Association include Dominic D’Alessandro, Murray Edwards, David Foster, Serge Godin, Wayne Gretzky, Rebecca MacDonald, the late G. Wallace F. McCain, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Jim Pattison, Isadore Sharp, Prem Watsa and Rick Waugh. For more information, visit www.horatioalger.ca.
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Contact:
Adam Daifallah, HATLEY Strategy Advisors, 514.316.7089, adaifallah@hatleystrategies.com