This spring marked the thirteenth year of SJS’s participation in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI)—a program through which students have helped direct more than $60,000 to support local organizations. This remarkable achievement is the result of student initiative and sustained through our partnership with YPI and the generosity of the SJS community via Annual Giving.
Led by Ms. Ferguson, the YPI program invites students to explore pressing social issues in the Vancouver area, research local charities and present on the causes they are most passionate about.
All students in the grade participate in YPI. After conducting interviews, charity visits, and in-depth research, students present their case to their peers. From this initial round, faculty and students choose the teams to go forward to the finals, where a panel of judges award a $5,000 grant to one of the teams to give to their selected charity.
This year, with the inclusion of Grade 9 students for the first time, two grants were awarded—one for each grade level—highlighting our continued commitment to community service and student empowerment.
Grade 9
Grade 9 teams presented on a range of causes to the judges which included last year’s YPI winners—Ciara Cullimore, Alice Ao, Chloe Chen, Giorgia Cali—alongside parent volunteers Sadiq Abdulla, Suzie Craig, Jonas Cacchioni—and Trish Richards from Advancement.
- Kitsilano Neighbourhood House: Caleb Ong, Rex Jang, Tony Li
- MOSAIC: Rachel Kim, Angela Wang, Annika Liu
- Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS): Kajal Eigl, Rohan Sabur, Joanne Yiu, Amelia Wells, Laith Mahmood
- Take a Hike Foundation: Orest Galazda, Ryan Quek, Bernice Huang, Michelle Wong, Nadi Wong
Congratulations to the BWSS team! Their winning presentation directed a $5,000 grant to the Battered Women’s Support Services Synchronicity Second Stage Transition House Program, which provides critical housing and support to women and children affected by violence.
Grade 10
Next up, the Grade 10 cohort presented their finalists to the judging panel, made up of faculty members Brandy Stern, Daniel Ahn, Nicole Bereti, Aliya Minnema and Adam Walker, along with parent volunteers Cheng-Yi Tong, Justine Fisher and Amelie Nguyen, and Trish Richards from Advancement.
- Union Gospel Mission: Douglas Cassidy, Rosalina Malak, Andy Huang, Keiji Martinez, George Guan
- Developmental Disabilities Foundation: Alexandria Mar, Anna Li, Fiona Lui D’Souza
- Lookout Housing + Health Society: Tom Chen, Brian Liu, Daniel Che
- Chrysalis Society: Emma Lee, Reet Cheema, Tanvir Mundra, Harry Whyte, Purab Cheema
It was a very tough decision for the judges but after thoughtful deliberation, the award of a $5,000 grant went to the team supporting the Chrysalis Society, an organization providing housing and recovery programs for women healing from addiction, trauma and mental health challenges.
Thank You
This program would not be possible without the commitment of our students, the guidance of faculty and the generous support of our SJS community through Annual Giving. We also extend a special thank-you to the parent judges and volunteers who lent their time and insight.
YPI is a reminder of the power of youth-led philanthropy and the importance of giving students a platform to engage meaningfully with the world around them. Congratulations to all the students for their advocacy and commitment to community engagement—we look forward to continuing this tradition next year.
