By Keneisha Walters, Journalist
Eleven-year-old Trevon Costa could easily have vested his interest like many his age on becoming the next pro-athlete but rather, this Toronto youngster who attends Carleton Village Public School is on a quest to making a difference on the global stage.
Such effort is already paying off for him in his local community, as he was recognized in a recent award ceremony for his civic leadership.
Each year since 1978, Tony Ruprecht, MPP for the Toronto, Davenport riding has recognized local community members for their outstanding contribution and leadership in building the community. This year Trevon was among the 43 recipients for Ruprecht’s “Good Citizenship Award for Junior”.
The honour recognizes students of various ethnic backgrounds who are chosen by their schools as the best among their peers in demonstrating responsible citizenship. Through this award, students are celebrated for demonstrating such characteristics as being kind, showing respect for other people’s feelings, helpful towards younger children and the elderly and having a responsible attitude towards their teachers, parents, and peers.
“I feel good and appreciated,” says Trevon on been honoured. “I love helping other people. Since I started grade 1, I’ve always been nice to people not just my schoolmates, but to teachers and others in the outside community.”
Ruprecht encouraged the award recipients at the ceremony held on Thursday, December 9th at Queens Park in downtown, Toronto, to continue to make a difference.
“We are proud of you and your accomplishments,” he told them. “You are important to us because you have become the example for the future and for other students to emulate.”
The MPP persuaded the group of elated youngsters to be persistent on their journey of revolutionizing our society and to continue to sacrifice and go beyond the extra mile. Ruprecht told the packed room of awardees and their proud parents and well-wishers that Canada embraces those who will stop at nothing to make a difference locally and internationally.
In addition to his accolade, Trevon was also chosen along with 5 of his peers to represent his school at Free the Children’s “We Day 2011” which took place at the Air Canada Centre on September 30th. The “We Day” event which is co-founded by Canadian child rights activist Craig Kielburger started in 2007 as a means to educate young people about global issues
affecting our world. The event was also formed in an attempt to encourage youths to fundraise for Free the Children, which is a children’s charity organization founded by Kielburger.
With such an honour bestowed upon the sixth grader, it has propelled him to look far beyond his local community and is now setting his sight on an international mission to help those less fortunate. His largest commitment yet to date is a humanitarian effort which he has signed on to, to help raise funds to build reservoirs in Equador and Haiti so children can have access to clean drinking water. This is a mission that Trevon is eager to get started, as he believes in making a positive impact, globally.
An avid skateboarder, who one day hopes to become a software engineer, Trevon is the second of three children for his parents. When asked how his siblings, 15-year-old sister, Tiana and 7-year-old, Tyrece feel about his award; “I am more trusted than I use to be by my younger brother,” he jokingly states.
