DAREarts announced today that the recipient of the 2012 DAREarts Cultural Award is Dr. Christopher Spence, Director of Education for the Toronto District School Board. This award will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at the 10th annual DAREarts Leadership Awards gala, hosted by Jeanne Beker, host of CTV's Fashion Television, as the first public event in the newly renovated Arcadian Court in Toronto.
DAREarts is a Canadian, not-for-profit charity whose alternative arts education programs empower at-risk youth to become leaders and ignite positive change in high priority communities. Each year, DAREarts presents a Cultural Award to an individual who has advanced Canadian culture in youth. At the DAREarts Leadership Awards, six teens whose lives have been forever changed by DAREarts will also be honoured with leadership awards for igniting positive change in their communities.
Dr. Spence is an ideal recipient of the DAREarts Cultural Award. He is a community leader, organizer, visionary and educational innovator and is committed to helping parents and teaching staff give TDSB students the tools they need to succeed. He leads the largest Board of Education in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. Dr. Spence is an advocate for all students and taught in one of the at-risk communities where DAREarts runs its programs. "Dr. Spence is an ideal recipient of the 2012 DAREarts Cultural Award," says Marilyn Field, DAREarts Founder & President. "His values in life and education parallel those of DAREarts, as they both empower vulnerable youth to ignite change in their lives and communities...
"I'm truly honoured to receive this award," said Dr. Spence. "We have to believe in our students so they believe in themselves. One of the best ways to inspire that confidence is by giving children new and exciting opportunities to participate in programs exactly like what DAREArts provides to our school communities."...One of those "new and exciting opportunites"--though not the one he got this prize for--was believing in and empowering Muslim kids to pray, Saudi-style, without ever having to leave school property.
Great "values," you've got there, Chris. Way. To. Go!
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