Inspire your students to succeed
Operation Back to School is a Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal initiative that offers an annual series of free presentations at Greater Montréal high schools.
The goal of these presentations, led by members of the business community, is to make young people aware of the importance of education and to encourage them to stay in school to build a better future for themselves.
Over the past 24 years, more than 4,300 business women and men have gone back to school to share their experience and passion with close to 165,500 high school students and to encourage them to stay in school.
Every year, business people visit 200 groups and meet with 5,000 young people.
Who is Operation Back to School for?
Operation Back to School is for Greater Montréal high schools, Francophone and Anglophone, public and private. Community organizations in the metropolitan area that work to combat early school leaving are also encouraged to host speakers.
What is the goal of these encounters?
Operation Back to School is designed to encourage school retention. The presentations help young people understand that success requires hard work, perseverance and determination. They also show that obstacles are to be expected and that it is important to forge ahead in pursuing your dreams.
These encounters create closer ties between schools and businesses by providing young people and teachers better information about the job market and business people an understanding of the realities younger generations face.
Stay-in-school scholarships
After participating in Operation Back to School, teachers can nominate a student from their group, who distinguished themselves through regular attendance and determination, to receive a $1500 stay-in-school scholarship.
A selection committee, made up of members of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, will pick the winners from the nominations received.
What Operational Back to School participants have to say…
“I really enjoyed your presentation and hearing about your career; they are incredible sources of motivation and inspiration.”
“Each presentation is a great and unique experience in and of itself. I recall a few students I think my words touched. I sincerely hope I convinced them of the importance of continuing and persevering until they achieve their career objectives.”
“I’ve been teaching for almost 20 years, in often intense working conditions. As a teacher, because of my community and personal involvement, I want to find new ways to support my students in their education.
The OBS program is an opportunity that my students appreciate enormously. On behalf of them, I would like to thank everyone involved in this important initiative. The presentations and scholarships are an ever-present reminder of the importance of continuing efforts and staying in school. In the interest of our young people, I hope this initiative will be around a long time.”
“I will never equate the mere fact of quitting with the idea that a student isn’t up to the task, because I am proof that you can succeed despite difficulties. I try to motivate young people to persevere by showing them that behind every failure there is a lesson to be learned.”
Awarding of the 2019 stay-in-school scholarships
A look back at the awarding of the 2019 scholarships.
See our photos
From left to right : Maroua Harras – École secondaire Évangéline; Félix Pierre Gravereaux - École secondaire Eulalie-Durocher; Frédéric Bourque - Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Laval; Owen Erb - St. Thomas High School; M. Frédéric Plamondon Simard, directeur, Investissements et Planificateurs financiers, Montréal-Est, Banque Nationale, et responsable des projets caritatifs pour le Regroupement des CPA de Montréal; Natacha Provost-Charrette - Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Laval; Michel Leblanc, président et chef de la direction, Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain; Jisi Esber - École secondaire Édouard-Montpetit; Darine Haddad, directrice, marchés locaux , RBC; Michelle Adams, conseillère principale, communications et communautés, Aluminium, Rio Tinto; Alexia Morrissette - École secondaire Marie-Anne; Joanne Bergeron, vice-présidente, Développement durable, Aéroports de Montréal; Meg-Anne Poirier - École secondaire Monseigneur-Richard; Kim Simmonds, première directrice, Gestion des applications, CN; Frédérick Poissant - Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Huntingdon; Émily Filiatrault-Bertrand - École secondaire Monseigneur-Richard; Debby Cordeiro, vice-présidente, communications et image de marque, Pomerleau; Mélanie Dunn, présidente et chef de la direction, Cossette; Alexandre Hamel-Martin - École secondaire Père-Marquette; Myka Narcisse Chapleau - École secondaire Amos; Andrée Mayer-Périard, directrice générale, Réseau réussite Montréal; Marie-Élaine Normandeau, directrice générale, Montréal Relève; Marie-Ange Jadotte, enseignante, École secondaire Père-Marquette; Ekta Patel - École secondaire Lucien-Pagé.
Information:
ore@ccmm.ca
Tel. : 514 871-4000, ext. 4095
For 23 years, Montréal Relève has been working on the socioeconomic development of the metropolis by increasing access to professional exploration experiences. Through internships, conferences, visits and workshops in preparation for succession, MR annually supervises more than 2,200 adolescents and young adults in their career choices. MR has several projects and programs addressed to different clienteles, including Student Business, its flagship program.
See how you can make a difference:
www.montrealreleve.ca