Conclusion of Operation Back to School 2012: 11 stay-in-school scholarships awarded to deserving high school students

MONTREAL, May 30, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal yesterday awarded stay-in-school scholarships to eleven deserving students who had attended presentations as part of Operation Back to School, which took place from March 1^st to April 30 of this year. The ceremony, which was held in the offices of Ernst & Young, officially concluded the 2012 edition of this Board of Trade program, which brought together business people and Grade 9, 10, and 11 students from the metropolitan area.

"It was with great enthusiasm that the Board of Trade continued Operation Back to School for a 16^th consecutive year, since we firmly believe that student retention plays a fundamental role in developing our knowledge economy and ensuring the creation of wealth in our city," stated Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

"Also, through the involvement of the program's ambassadors, eleven students who stood out through their commitment and motivation were each awarded a $1,500 scholarship. These scholarships will be deposited into a Universitas Fund in order to help the students who wish to pursue post-secondary studies," continued Mr. Leblanc.

Students of the following high schools and community organizations were rewarded:

• Rania Azizi, École Marie-Anne (Ahuntsic-Bordeaux)
• Kimberley Crockett, Howard S. Billings Regional High School (Châteauguay)
• Alan-Jason Garellek, Education Plus High School (Saint-Laurent)
• Pierre-Git Guerrier, École Louis-Joseph-Papineau (Saint-Michel)
• Karim Oswaldo Maciel Tabares, Centre Gédéon-Ouimet (Mercier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve)
• Nicolas Olivares Vergara, École Père-Marquette (Rosemont-Petite-Patrie)
• Thomas Scott Peralta-Corrales, Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Côte-des-Neiges (Côte-des-Neiges)
• Patrick Perron, École secondaire Louis-Riel (Mercier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve)
• Anthony Ricard, École secondaire Eulalie-Durocher (Mercier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve)
• Samuel Jean-Claude, École Amos (Montréal-Nord)
• Sabrina Savard, École secondaire Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Longueuil)

"The Board of Trade is pleased to see that business people once again responded positively to the appeal this year. More than 300 presenters offered their time and energy to meet with the city's 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th graders, speaking to them about their professional experience, and thereby becoming a source of inspiration for many of the youths. The business community's response shows the importance it places on student retention," added Mr. Leblanc.

"The students who attended the Operation Back to School presentations were able to exchange ideas with business people, share their concerns, and their vision of professional life. We hope that these meetings will prompt these young people to continue with post-secondary studies, and also provide a better understanding of the job market. Indeed, we are encouraging business people and schools to participate in great numbers in the next edition so that even more students can be made aware of the value that society as a whole places on their success and educational achievement," concluded Michel Leblanc.

The Board of Trade thanks is Gold ambassadors—ArcelorMittal, Ernst & Young, and Vidéotron—and Silver Ambassadors—Comptables agréés de Montréal, L'Oréal Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Montreal Hooked on School, and Ubisoft. Operation Back to School is made possible through the financial support of MR³ Montréal Relève, in collaboration with Youth Fusion and Universitas Trust Funds.

The speakers who took part in Operation Back to School, as well as the business community as a whole, are also invited to further their collaboration with the next generation by offering students a one-week career internship this summer, through the Student Business project, thereby helping them to choose their eventual professions. For more information, please go to www.projetclassesaffaires.ca.

The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.

Karine Abdel
Interim Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: [phone], extension 4015
[email protected].ca