Excitement was in the air for more than 50 students from across Niagara as they arrived at NC’s Youth in Care Gala on March 20.
Organized by NC’s Recruitment team, the Youth in Care Gala celebrated the accomplishments of the student attendees who ranged in age from 14-21 who participated in various Learning Like Champions initiatives throughout the 2024-2025 year – resources designed to prepare youth in care for postsecondary education.
NC’s Ali Ryder served as emcee for the evening and welcomed more than 50 students to the Youth in Care Gala.
Dressed in their best in outfits donated through the Education Foundation of Niagara and their Prom Project initiative – a program that provides free formal wear for students in the Niagara region who cannot afford prom outfits – the students walked the red carpet into the Armoury at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake which had been transformed into a gala-worthy event space with black and gold décor, floral centerpieces and a floral photo wall.
“This celebration is all about recognizing the resilience of these amazing students,” said Dorita Pentesco, Senior Director, Marketing and Student Recruitment. “Whether they attended a workshop, participated in on-campus events or completed a postsecondary application, we are beyond proud of them for taking the steps to advance their education and we want them to know that the whole NC community is cheering them on.”
Throughout the academic year, the Gala attendees participated in the Ontario Education Champion Team (OECT) initiative – an initiative that aims to increase the awareness, participation and the success of youth in care at all levels of education, while preparing them for employment. The Ontario Education Champion Team initiative of Niagara is comprised of representatives from Family and Children’s Services, the John Howard Society of Niagara, District School Board of Niagara, Niagara Catholic School Board, Brock University and Niagara College.
During his address to the students, Dr. Chris McGrath, Vice President, Students, discussed how NC is working to address the gap in access to education for students from equity-seeking community and sovereignty groups through the Strong Students, Stronger Futures Scholarship that began in Fall 2025. This renewable scholarship was created to cover the cost of tuition and ancillary fees for eligible First Nations and Former Youth in Care (FYIC) students.
“The Strong Students, Stronger Futures program will allow you to leverage your strength and fulfill your potential,” said Dr. McGrath. “And if you choose to join the NC family, I can guarantee that we’ve got your backs.”
The evening concluded with an inspirational speech from Lonnie Bissonnette, base jumper, two-time Paralympic bobsledding champion and a former youth in care. Bisonnette shared the story of his journey from humble beginnings to becoming the world’s best para-bobsledder, highlighting that anything is possible if you work hard and never give up.
When reminiscing on the program’s successful year, Sherilyn Brown, Student Recruitment Project Supervisor shared the following:
NC’s Recruitment team were all smiles at the Youth in Care Gala on March 20.
“When we began this journey, we set out with a vision to develop and initiate strategies to engage youth in postsecondary initiatives and through the outstanding efforts of our community partners, more than 200 youth in care have accessed and benefited from the OECT initiative and we look forward to expanding our programing in the years to come.”
Other OECT events that were held throughout the year include:
Financial Aid, Scholarship, Budgeting, OCAS, QUAC Sessions – Participants learned how to complete their university and college applications, apply for scholarships and OSAP and learned budgeting techniques.
Postsecondary Exploration – Youth attended post-secondary college and university exploration sessions, NC and Brock Open houses and Academic Upgrading sessions.
Indigenous Student Success – Youth who self-identify as Indigenous attended Indigenous workshops and community events.
Employability Workshops – Youth participated in a series of workshops including Resume Building and Interview Preparation at John Howard Society of Niagara.
John Howard Society Job Skills Training – Employment age youth were given the opportunity to receive job training certificates to aid in boosting their resume and employment options. These included Smart Serve, Organized First Aid and CPR and Safe Food Handling.
Mentorship Support – In addition to the one-on-one support provided by Niagara College, students had access to the “Learning Like Champions” monthly newsletter and website which served as a powerful resource for youth in care to access resources, register for events, view updates and connect with OECT partners.
