By Silvet Ali

Ten students from Laval are among the winners of the 2009 Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation entrance awards which recognizes students for their leadership skills, community involvement, academic achievement, and interest in innovation. The millennium excellence awards program is Canada’s largest national, undergraduate merit scholarship program. Seven students from Laval received local awards of $4 500 each and one took the provincial prize of $20 500. Émilie Coulombe and Tristan Desjardins-Drouin won national, which will award them each with a $25 000 scholarship. 19 year old Coulombe was thrilled when she first heard the news. "I couldn't speak, and then I started crying. I couldn't believe it. When I filled the form back in December, I never thought I'd win this amount of money. It's really fantastic," she said.

An investment for the future

The goal of the Millennium Scholarship program is to assist students who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to fulfilling their community’s unmet needs in pursuing a post-secondary education. “An investment in the education of these outstanding citizens is an investment in our so

ciety’s future,” said executive director and CEO of the foundation, Norman Riddell.
Coulombe, who has been a dancer since she was four years old, proposed the idea of integrating traditional dance in schools to win the top honour. "I think it's important that young people know more about different cultures and traditions. This idea helps to avoid racism and promote more art in schools," explained Coulombe.
The number of local and provincial awards are distributed in proportion to the population of each province. There are only 121 national prizes awarded each year across the country and they are given to the most exceptional applicants. Coulombe feels flattered to be part of such a distinguished group. "My family is really, really proud. It gives you the confidence to go for your goals and elaborate on more projects in the future," she said.

The road ahead

Coulombe recently completed her final semester at Collège Ahuntsic and is set to attend Université de Montréal to study Literature and Drama this fall. Outside school hours, she is a member of a dance troupe called Les Pieds Légers and works as a dance instructor. She also volunteers to help newly-arrived immigrants learn French at Centre d’Aide. "I strongly believe it's important to be able to communicate. It's easy for me since I speak French and it's a way to help out society," she explained.
Coulombe is planning to use the scholarship money for her Bachelors degree and hiring an acting coach to help train for her audition to the l'École nationale de théâtre. Last year, she wrote and starred in a play called "Osmose génétique" which was presented at Collège Ahuntsic. In ten years from now, she hopes to be doing more plays, along with continuing to teach. "I really like to communicate my passions. Through teaching, acting, dancing, all these things are related to communication and expression. I would like to be able to do more theatre, as well as teach others," stated Coulombe.
For more information on the Canada Millennium Foundation and a complete list of this year's laureates, please visit http://www.millenniumscholarships.ca