Press Release: Recognizing, honouring and promoting student commitment
The award recipients of the 11th edition of the Forces AVENIR University Gala
It was at the magnificent Théâtre Capitole that 400 people joined together for the 11th Forces AVENIR Gala to pay tribute to the commitment of Québec university students. During the evening, grants totalling $114,000 were awarded to 12 individuals and 21 projects selected following a call for applications launched at all Québec universities. Once again this year, the event paid homage to the creativity, innovation and desire for surpassing oneself of today’s youth. Young people showing promise, who get steadfastly involved in forward-looking projects and who are a true source of inspiration for our society.
Hosted by the energetic Gregory Charles, the 11th Forces AVENIR Gala was also an opportunity to thank all those who have shown their commitment to Forces AVENIR. It should be pointed out that in September the organization received the 2009 corporate citizenship award in the “social commitment – small/medium enterprise” category bestowed by Korn/Ferry - L’actualité – National. President and CEO Mr. François Grégoire expressed his desire “to share this inestimable honour with all the partners and builders of Forces AVENIR” and pointed out that “for 11 years now, Forces AVENIR has been able to count on the collaboration of Québec universities, school boards, the provincial and federal governments, municipalities, numerous private businesses and many other individuals in the pursuit of its mission.” “Over the past few years, universities have strengthened the activities that pay tribute to student commitment and the practice of greater citizenship. For Québec scholarship programs, commitment has become an evaluation criterion that is just as important as academic success, just as it has also become a hiring criterion for Québec businesses,” added Chairman of the Board Mr. Gérard Veilleux. There is no longer any doubt that educational circles are developing more and more ways of acknowledging commitment for the well being of our society!
Valérie Ouellet, recipient of the 2009 Personality AVENIR Par Excellence award, is a doctoral student in water sciences at the centre for studies in water, environmental and earth sciences at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Québec City. Valérie has developed her mind through extensive travels and asserted her presence through a series of concrete gestures. She cherishes the dream of a world where all citizens are active and responsible and among other things set up a student chapter of the Canadian Water Resources Association, which led her to take the helm of an awareness and educational program about water intended for young people. Valérie is also involved with the AVES organization, where she is working towards establishing a system that will enable young people in the Bas-Saint- Laurent and Gaspésie regions to take part in cultural exchange trips abroad. She also has a special attachment to Peru and she gives of her time helping to raise awareness and educate Peruvians about water management and environmental protection.
The 2009 AVENIR Project Par Excellence was awarded to the Research and development of a rice husk furnace in Burkina Faso project set up by the six student members of the Groupe de collaboration internationale de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Their project took the shape of a rice barboiling centre and rice husk furnaces in Burkina Faso. Thanks to their commitment, women parboilers are now equipped with a depot, an area for drying the parboiled rice, latrines, a well and a building for sorting, storing and selling the rice as well as nine rice husk furnaces. The use of the furnaces will reduce operating costs and ensure higher quality and a greater yield. The Québec students’ involvement has changed the face of the rice processing industry in the town of Bama forever, boosting the economic development of an entire community and improving the living conditions of local women.
You are invited to visit the website at forcesavenir.qc.ca to watch clips of the gala, look at the photos and let yourself be inspired by the projects carried out by the recipients and finalists!
Forces AVENIR aims to recognize, honour and promote the commitment of young people in projects that enrich knowledge, arouse the desire for success and surpassing oneself, encourage the development of community thinking and thus contribute to the development of socially conscious, active and responsible citizens who are both dedicated to their community and open to the world.
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