Montréal, May 5, 2016 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal celebrated the end of the 2016 edition of Operation Back to School yesterday by awarding seven high school students with scholarships in the amount of $1,500. The scholarships, awarded during an event at Bell’s offices, marked the official end of the 20th edition of the Board of Trade’s program, which took place from March 7 to April 30. During those eight weeks, approximately 60 business professionals hosted more than 180 conferences in high schools throughout Greater Montréal.
“Student retention is one of the main pillars for growing our economy and our society. Without education, there is no prosperity, progress, or innovation. The Board of Trade is incredibly proud to have been associated with promoting student retention over the past 20 years. We know we still have a long road ahead of us, but we’re pleased to see that thanks to increased mobilization by all members of society, graduation rates have been on the rise since 2009,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
During the past 20 editions, more than 4,000 businessmen and women have shared their experiences with nearly 150,000 high school students. Among other things, the students learned that success is only attained through constant effort and requires a lot of determination, courage, and self-confidence.
“I’d like to thank our guest speakers for their involvement and loyalty. They’ve shared their passion and generosity year after year as well as their personal experiences with the students. Our youth need support and encouragement every day and they are greatly motivated by meeting successful professionals from different industries,” said Mr. Leblanc.
“I call upon society as a whole to continue working together to bring dropout rates down to zero. We’ve still got some work to do and we must increase our efforts to support students in their academic success,” added Mr. Leblanc.
“I was thrilled to be named patron sponsor of the 20th edition of Operation Back to School. The scholarships awarded yesterday are a tribute to the hard work and determination of these seven students and I am convinced that this recognition will strengthen their perseverance and their drive to excel by helping them attain their career goals!” said Ms. Martine Turcotte, Vice Chair, Quebec at Bell, Chair of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and patron sponsor of the 20th edition of Operation Back to School.
The following high school students and community organizations received awards:
- Adam Arbia, André-Laurendeau high school
- Brahim Farik, centre Gédéon-Ouimet
- Claudia Mariel Sainz-Padilla, Rosalie-Jetté school
- Edgard Alan Felix Santos, Amos school
- Erika Desjardins, Henri-Bourassa high school
- Erly Viviana Campos Riobo, Calixa-Lavallée high school
- Kadiatou Traoré, centre Gédéon-Ouimet
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Operation Back to School was made possible thanks to the financial support of Montréal Relève and the participation of its GOLD ambassador: Bell, as well as its SILVER ambassadors: AcelorMittal, the Regroupement des CPA de Montréal, EY, and Ubisoft Montréal. The Board of Trade would also like to thank its community partners: Academos, Youth Fusion, and Montreal Hooked on School. |
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
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Source:
Guillaume Bérubé
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4042
gberube@ccmm.qc.ca
For information:
ore@ccmm.qc.ca