Reflecting on the Third Annual YPAR Conference: A Celebration of Black Youth Leadership

On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement hosted the Third Annual Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Conference at Toronto Metropolitan University. This in-person event was a powerful celebration of Black youth leadership, social change, and academic achievement, where Black students presented the research they developed during the Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP).

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Screening with the Hon. Jean Augustine at Central Technical School

The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement hosted a screening and conversation on November 30th of Steadfast: The Message and the Messenger which tells the story of Jean Augustine's journey from Happy Hill, on the small island nation of Grenada, to being the first Black woman elected to Canada's House of Commons and the first Black woman to serve in Canada's federal Cabinet. 

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Westview Centennial graduate excels in post-secondary thanks to Youth Participatory Action Research

First-year York University student Awwal Abass has achieved so much since graduating from Westview Centennial Secondary School and it all stems back to his participation in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). Abass recently finished his participation in YPAR in 2021 and is currently studying Law and Society at York University in the faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

We were able to catch up with Abass and ask him a few questions about YPAR and its impact, click below to hear what he had to say!

Learn More About YPAR's Impact On This Westview Centennial Graduate

TDSB makes history with first student-led Youth Participatory Action Research Conference

The YPAR Conference, Using Student Voice to Inform School Policies and Practices is the first of its kind in the country. It allowed what 13 Black-identifying students have researched and transformed it into an exciting opportunity for them to present their research and findings to TDSB staff and education partners. Throughout the conference they were able to share their experiences, perspectives and realities with attendees surrounding Pathways and Transitions, the Black identity in K-12 education, and equitable learning opportunities for Black students

Learn more about the YPAR Conference: Using Student Voice to Inform School Policies and Practices

Black Student Summer Leadership Program brings student closer to his dreams

Nathaniel Cato-Simms is one step closer to his dream as an auto mechanic through the Black Student Summer Leadership Program. The Black Student Summer Leadership Program offered by the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement provides registrants with paid summer learning opportunities, mentorship and training. During the program, students are matched with a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, representing a variety of employment sectors, and relevant to the students’ field of interest.

Learn More About the Black Student Summer Leadership Program