North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Bowinn Ma announced the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship: three $500 community scholarships, awarded to one graduating high school student each from Carson Graham Secondary, Sutherland Secondary and the Squamish Nation.
“I have been helped by so many in my community and this is an opportunity to give back,” said MLA Ma. “Young people are our future and my hope is that this investment will encourage them to continue building a better world.”
These three community scholarships are personally funded by MLA Ma and will be awarded to a graduating high school student from Sutherland Secondary, Carson Graham Secondary, or the Squamish Nation who:
- Is enrolled in a post-secondary institution
- Has demonstrated a commitment to social justice
- Has overcome barriers or disadvantages in their life
This year's winners are:
- Meghan Ingborg of Carson Graham Secondary
- Jordanne Burgess of Sutherland Secondary
- Jewel Jacobs of the Squamish Nation and a graduate of Carson Graham Secondary
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1. Meghan Ingborg
The first recipient to receive the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship is Meghan Ingborg of Carson Graham Secondary. Ingborg has been the leader of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club at Carson for the past 3 years and was a member of the SOGI District Youth Council in Grade 11. She has also been a leader of the Carson Graham Mental Wellness Club, a leader of the Carson Graham chapter of Jack.org, and was on the planning team for Jack.org’s “Talk at the Top” for the past two years. In addition to a number of other volunteer activities, Ingborg is a member of the Carson Graham concert choir and chamber choir. She is an advocate for students and passionate about social justice.
“I’m honoured to have received the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship,” said Meghan. “Social justice is something extremely important to me and I’m eager to put this money toward my goal of becoming a high school teacher where I can hopefully make a difference in the lives of youth and help them fight for what they believe in and be comfortable with who they are.”
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2. Jordanne Burgess
The second recipient to receive the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship is Jordanne Burgess of Sutherland Secondary. As a student of Sutherland, Burgess applied her passion for social justice by being a member of the Sutherland Girls Group (recognized by the City of North Vancouver with the Outstanding Squad Award) as well as encouraging diversity within her school. She also has volunteered at the North Shore Neighbourhood House and Capilano University Serious Fun Camps. Due to her own struggles with mental health, she strives to help other youth like herself and also bring awareness to mental health issues that youth face. She is also passionate about promoting LGBTQ+ positivity and inclusiveness in the community. Burgess plans to attend university in the Fall of 2018 to study science or math and looks forward to continuing her advocacy work in mental health for the rest of her life.
“I am so grateful and extraordinarily honoured to be receiving the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship,” said Jordanne. “I plan to attend Simon Fraser University this fall to study science and look forward to the many adventures and opportunities my future holds. I will continue my advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community and for people with mental illnesses alike.”
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3. Jewel Jacobs
The third and final recipient for the 2018 graduating year to receive the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship is Jewel Jacobs, a member of the Squamish Nation and a graduate of Carson Graham Secondary. She will be pursuing her post-secondary education at Capilano University and plans to be an Indigenous Rights lawyer working for social change. Jewel has been an active citizen in her community and has continued to develop her leadership skills by volunteering to teach and share language with students from other schools and by participating in the Canadian Roots Youth Exchange on Reconciliation. In addition to community work, Jewel presented to the entire student body this year on what reconciliation means to her and she has been an active participant in cultural events and often shares her culture with other people. Furthermore, she is also an advocate for the revitalization of the Squamish language.
“I am grateful to Bowinn Ma for this scholarship opportunity and I am excited about the next step at Capilano University to study and become an Indigenous Rights lawyer,” Jacobs says, “As John Borrows says: ‘we need to explore how we can take that law (Indigenous) and carve it in new and beautiful ways (Borrows, 2017)’”
