November 04, 2005
Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Oscar Lathlin and Attorney General Gord Mackintosh joined together in presenting a record number of Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation Awards at the fifth annual ceremony held last night in Winnipeg.
"Bestowed in memory of the dreams of the late Helen Betty Osborne, these awards also symbolize the dreams shared by many Aboriginal youth to have access to educational opportunities," said Lathlin. "The work of the Helen Betty Osborne Foundation helps channel the grief from the tragic events that cut short the life of a promising, young Aboriginal woman from northern Manitoba into an inspiring educational legacy for future generations of Aboriginal youth."
Selected by an independent panel of scholars, 14 awards were presented in two categories including:
Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation general awards, and
Aboriginal and Northern Affairs/Civil Engineering and Technology awards.
"All the recipients should be proud of their hard work and dedication to personal excellence that has led to recognition from their own community," said Mackintosh. "I am proud to have introduced the act that honours Helen Betty through a scholarship fund that reminds us of the important work that remains to be done in dealing with violence against women, racism and ensuring equal justice for all Manitobans."
Mackintosh also congratulated the foundation’s board members for their work including Helen Betty Osborne’s sister Cecilia who is an active member.
Established by the province, the Helen Betty Osborne Foundation presented the first scholarship awards on National Aboriginal Day in June of 2001. Since that time more than 40 awards totalling $104,000 have been presented to students.
More information on the Helen Betty Osborne Foundation can be found online at http://www.helenbettyosbornefdtn.ca/.
The 2005-06 recipients are:
GENERAL CATEGORY - 10 awards of $1,500
Andrea Rose
Program: BA/B.Ed.
Year 1, University of Winnipeg
Tara Monkman
Program: Science
Year 4, University of Winnipeg
Irene M. Balfour
Program: Aboriginal Community Development
Assiniboine Community College
Denise Woodford
Program: BA/B.Ed.
Year 1, University of Winnipeg
Sandra Starr-McDonald
Program: Aboriginal Self-Governance Administration
Year 2, Red River Community College
Jim Ducharme
Program: Aboriginal Community Development
Assiniboine Community College
Richelle Kapilik
Program: Medical Radiologic Technology
Year 1, Red River Community College
Wendy Ross
Program: MA
Year 2, University of Manitoba
Lavina Bighetty
Program: Bachelor of FN and Aboriginal Counselling
Year 3, Brandon University
Christine Hudrick
Program: Social Work
Year 2, University of Manitoba
ABORIGINAL AND NORTHERN AFFAIRS/CIVIL ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS - four awards of $5,000
James Chychota
Program: B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
Year 4, University of Manitoba
Allison Davies
Program: Civil Engineering
Year 3, Red River Community College
Cory Simpson
Program: Civil Engineering
Year 3, University of Manitoba
George Ahmo
Program: Engineering
Year 3, University of Manitoba
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