Jay Neilson wins provincial Millennium Scholarship

News Release
MSF

June 16, 2006 - Four students in the region are among the winners of the 2006 Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation Entrance Awards. The awards recognize university- and college-bound students for their leadership skills, community involvement, and academic achievement, as well their ingenuity and talent for implementing new ideas.
The following students have been rewarded for their good citizenship, fresh ideas and academic excellence:
Nipigon, ON - Julian Faust, Nipigon-Red Rock District High School - Local award
Stratton, ON - Jay Neilson, Rainy River High School - Provincial/Territorial award
Thunder Bay, ON - Katrina Hiiback, Hammarskjold High School - Local award
Thunder Bay, ON - Suzanna Stewart, Port Arthur Collegiate Institute - Local award
Local award winners will receive a one-time $4,000 award. Provincial/territorial award winners will receive a $4,000 award, renewable up to three times (for a possible total of $16,000). National award winners will receive a $5,000 award, renewable up to three times (for a possible total of $20,000).
Jay Neilson is an advocate for drug-free and smoke-free living. As a leader within his school, he has been able to initiate numerous activities to promote a healthy lifestyle.
He has involved the wider community in activities such as a “Meet the Police on the Court not in the Court” volleyball game between the local force and students. He introduced, and this past year organized, the school’s Don’t Start/Quit and Win contest to encourage students not to smoke. Jay wanted his message to reach beyond the high school and brought the contest into the elementary school as well. In 2004, his school achieved the highest level of participation in northwestern Ontario and a prize of $2,000. Last year he organized even more activities for the contest. Despite coming in second, Jay is proud of his contributions to the health of his community.
“The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation’s entrance awards are more than just money in the bank,” said Andrew Woodall, Director of the Millennium Excellence Award Program. “The Foundation offers support, guidance and a community for these remarkable individuals who have the potential to assume leadership positions in all walks of life. The Foundation is pleased to recognize them for their past successes and is proud to help them reach their future goals.” The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation awarded a total of 1,051 entrance awards this year. Ontario is home to 399 laureates - 42 national, 89 provincial/territorial and 268 local.
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is a private, independent organization created by an Act of Parliament in 1998. It encourages Canadian students to strive for excellence and pursue their post-secondary studies. The Foundation distributes $340 million in the form of bursaries and scholarships each year. Since its inception, it has awarded 700,000 bursaries and scholarships, with a total value of more than $2 billion, to Canadian post-secondary students.
In Ontario, over the same period of time, it has distributed 266,810 bursaries and scholarships at a total value of $790,585,660 million.