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RBC announces 2009 Aboriginal Student Scholarship Awards
and After-School Grants Project recipients
TORONTO, October 28, 2009 — As part of its ongoing
effort to support Aboriginal youth learning, RBC today announced
the recipients of the 2009 RBC Aboriginal Student Scholarship
Awards and the RBC After-School Grants Project.
This year, the RBC Aboriginal Student Scholarship Awards
program granted 10 deserving students with scholarships, up
from eight in 2008. RBC also donated a total of $90,000 to
programs serving Aboriginal youth through the RBC After-School Grants Project.
"We understand the crucial role a good education plays
in helping Aboriginal youth achieve success in life,"
explains Kirk Dudtschak, senior vice-president, Strategy and
Human Resources at RBC. "Our commitment to Aboriginal
youth and to Aboriginal communities is to offer our support
at every stage of a child's education, from early childhood
through college or university."
The annual RBC Aboriginal Student Scholarship Awards
provide $4,000 annually, for a maximum of four years, to selected
students pursuing a post secondary education. These funds
can be used to offset the costs of tuition, textbooks, supplies
and living expenses during the academic year. Since the program
was launched in 1992, 88 students have received the award,
and $1,000,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded. RBC
also considers scholarship recipients who are interested in
careers in financial services for summer and post-graduate
employment.
RBC's After-School Grant Programs offers a wide-range
of activities including organized sports, art classes and
computer tutoring-activities that help address the wide-range
of what a child needs to develop fully, while bridging the
gap between school and home. RBC has supported the After-School Grants Project since 1999 and has donated a total of $19
million in funding to more than 198 organizations across Canada.
"We feel it's important to support a wide range of programs
that help kids to stay in school and flourish," adds
Dale Sturges, national director of Aboriginal Banking, RBC.
2009 RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program Winners
- Alyssa Whiteduck, Pikwakanagan First Nation,
Ottawa, ON
- Amanda Carling, Métis, Winnipeg,
MB
- Chelsey Shortman, Mikisew Cree First Nation,
Goodsoil, SK
- Cinthia Jean, Métis, St-Leolin, NB
- Greg Campbell, Moose Cree First Nation,
Timmins, ON
- Judy Klassen, St. Theresa Point First Nation,
St. Theresa Point, MB
- Kevin Hall, Status Indian from Lake Babin Band,
Vanderhoof, BC
- Nicolas Sky Lee Johnson, Métis, Vernon,
BC
- Renée LeBlanc, Métis, Wedgeport,
NS
- Sarah Scout, Status Indian from Blood Band,
Calgary, AB
Aboriginal recipients of the RBC After-School Grant Program
- St. John's Native Friendship Centre, St. Johns,
NL
- Centre d'Amitié Autochtone de Val-d'Or,
Val'd'Or, QC
- Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, Toronto,
ON
- YMCA of Sault Ste Marie, Garden River First Nation,
ON
- Saddle Lake Boys and Girls Club, Saddle Lake, AB
- Side Door Ministries, Yellowknife, NT
- Kia-how-eya Aboriginal Centre of Surrey Aboriginal
Cultural Society, Surrey, BC
For more information, including eligibility criteria for
the annual RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program, visit www.rbc.com/careers/aboriginal_student_awards.html.
For more information about the RBC After-School Grant Program,
visit www.rbc.com/careers/stay_in_school.html.
About RBC and Aboriginal Canadians
RBC has a proud history of strong relationships with Aboriginal
peoples. We are committed to serving Aboriginal governments,
communities, organizations, businesses and individuals by
creating opportunities for sustainable economic development
through: access to banking and capital; community and social
development; employment, education and training; and procurement.
RBC also provides donations and grants that support Aboriginal
interests in three key areas: the environment, specifically
water; youth literacy and education; and culture and heritage.
RBC invested over $1.9 million in support of Aboriginal community
initiatives. For more information about these programs and
more, visit www.rbc.com/publications
and click on "A Chosen Journey".
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Media contact:
Matt Gierasimczuk,
(416) 974-2124 or matthew.gierasimczuk@rbc.com
Janet Gibson Eichner,
(416) 974-7622 or janet.gibson-eichner@rbc.com
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