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	Sarah Steadman

December 9, 2006

YMCA Peace Medal awarded to Hamilton YAC member

Hamilton Community Foundation reports on the recognition given to one of its youth advisory committee members:

Sarah Steadman, a Hamilton Community Foundation YAC member, was awarded the YMCA Peace Medal facing competition from a strong field of ten youth, all of whom had made multiple contributions.

Craig Kielburger of Free the Children was guest speaker at the breakfast ceremony attended by about 400. Twelve Hamilton YAC members were sponsored to attend by the Hamilton Spectator and were part of a small seminar with Craig after the main event.

Sarah was the YAC member who took on responsibility for Hamilton's role in the pilot project with Canadian Heritage in spring 2006 that resulted in record numbers of applications (24) and the distribution of $14,000 to 17 different youth groups. Her diligence and thoroughness in this project made HCF very proud of her.

Sarah's accomplishments include initiating MADPIG (Making A Difference, Political Action Group) at her school, an organization that dealt with issues of corporate dominance in schools. They successfully had their board terminate a 40-year contract with Coca-Cola. They ran a campaign for Make Poverty History, lobbied successfully for changes allowing physically disabled students access to the building, and raised awareness in the school about the issue of child soldiers.

When a student passed away, Sarah instituted a campaign to tell people about organ donations and then raised funds (one grant came from our YAC POET program) to build a memorial garden at their school.

Sarah also organized a ten-day trip to Mississppi with 120 students after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005.

As a YAC member, Sarah gave 100% effort and was always available to help with and organize grant reviews, site visits, and presentations. She has been a positive leader for change in her school and community and was indeed a worthy winner.

Sarah has begun studies at the University of Western Ontario in London, where one of her first moves was to try to integrate into the Youth in Philanthropy program in that area.