This article is part of the AV俱乐部 Difference series, introducing and showcasing some of the 50 innovative projects in development.
Students are getting an added boost. On Friday, February 11, TD Canada Trust announced a $1 million donation to AV俱乐部 to establish the Black Student Opportunity Scholarship. The announcement came in conjunction with the Black History in Canada Education Guide Launch.
The scholarship will be given to聽one or two聽students from Grade 7-12 who聽participate in Imhotep鈥檚 Legacy Academy, a program aimed at supporting black youth in Nova Scotia. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage junior high and high school students to plan for the future and reduce the financial barrier facing black students.
鈥淭his contribution will have a lasting impression on our program,鈥� says Kevin Hewitt, a member of the Imhotep鈥檚 Legacy Academy Steering Committee. 鈥淣ow that TD has thrown down the gauntlet, who else wants to help?鈥�
Black students are typically underrepresented in universities. The goal of the academy is to bridge the educational gap in the black community.聽Based at AV俱乐部, the academy includes an after-school program for Grade 7-9 students involving math and science activities. Currently 75 students are in the program. This year the academy will launch a virtual tutoring project to help 60 high school students. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited,鈥� says Dr. Hewitt. 鈥淭he scholarship can be an incentive for students to participate and stay in the program.鈥�
This scholarship fits into the aspirations of the academy. Dr. Hewitt hopes to have the program be a model that extends to other parts of Canada. 鈥淥ur vision is to have Imhotep鈥檚 Academy in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary,鈥� he says.
Students aren鈥檛 the only ones who benefit. Parents get the added bonus of having part of their children鈥檚 educational costs covered. Hewitt hopes the scholarship will be another way to entice parents to support the program. 鈥淧arents are another voice to encourage kids to come to our sessions each week,鈥� says Dr. Hewitt. 鈥淭hey will know that it will pay off in more ways than one.鈥�