Sudbury Catholic District School Board students from Marymount Academy, St. Benedict and Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary Schools have been presented with a unique opportunity to learn and appreciate the value of volunteer action in the City of Greater Sudbury.

In conjunction with Volunteer Sudbury, the 2007 Young Philanthropist Challenge will require students (in a four to six-person team) to select a nonprofit organization that provides a valuable social service to the community. The students will prepare a research paper outlining the history, past accomplishments, and future challenges of that organization. Upon completion of the research stage, students will prepare a report and later present their findings to a panel of judges. The team which best portrays their organization as accomplishing a valuable social cause through volunteer involvement will win the $5,000 first place prize.

The Challenge kicked off with a Media Conference on Monday at Better Beginnings, Better Futures. Two teams from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School have entered the competition in hopes of promoting two essential community organizations. Dayna Corelli, Kathryn Piché, Kyle Deegan, and Karen Lee will be representing the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth in hopes of raising awareness and appreciation for the social services that the organization provides. Veronica Summerhill, Erica Sorensen and Shannon Fyfe have chosen the Elgin Street Mission, which has worked with the people of Sudbury’s inner city since 1989. Both teams hope to be able to help their organization financially, but are pleased at being able to raise awareness for these nonprofit organizations.

All teams are actively working and preparing in hopes of winning the $5, 000 grand prize for their organization. Regardless of the outcome, it is certain that these young students will gain an appreciation for the value of volunteer organizations in Greater Sudbury.