Award encourages innovation by city youth

The city is encouraging Chestermere youth who have an idea on how to improve the community to apply for the 2016 Dave Mikkelsen Award for Youth.
Created in 2010 in honour of former city Mayor Dave Mikkelsen, the award serves to support either a youth or organization that works with them.
“Former Mayor Dave Mikkelsen was a huge supporter of youth initiatives during his time on Council. This award honours that hard work while continuing to offer support to our young people,” said Mayor Patricia Matthews in a press release.
The $1000 award is given to the youth or youth organization for an idea that will contribute to the enhancement of the Chestermere community.
It is meant to recognize activities that support the sustainable development of youth in the community. This can include workshops, classes, post-secondary education, physical education or conferences.
“The creativity and passion shown by youth never ceases to amaze me,” said Mikkelsen in a release, “we have many energetic young people here in Chestermere and I am so pleased that this award gives them the opportunity to show caring and concern for their community.”
Applications are judged on a variety of criteria.
“There are several areas that the applications are judged on such breadth of impact, impact on number of youth in Chestermere, whether the group/individual applying ‎is from Chestermere or not, originality of idea, completion of budget information,” said Matthews.
Past winners of the award include Twelve-year-old Hannah Papke and Megan Desplanque.
“Each of the past winners of the Award‎ have had unique impacts on our community and the youth in it,” said Matthews.
Papke used her award to make the Loop Around the Lake fundraiser more accessible to youth.
Desplanque has started a YouTube channel for Chestermere youth.
Matthews said that she believes that the past winners have all been very successful in achieving the goals they set out in their applications for the award.
It is because of creative ideas like Papke’s and Desplanque that the City continues to promote the award.
“It spurs really creative ideas for the youth initiatives in Chestermere,” said Matthews.
“Former Mayor Mikkelsen left a legacy of engaged youth when he retired from office and Councils that came after him wanted to ensure ‎that continued while honouring his foresight,” she said.
The award is open to Chestermere youth ages 12 – 17 or to organizations that work with that age group.
To apply, applicants must submit an essay of up to 500 words describing how they would use money in support of the social, educational, spiritual or recreational experience for youth in Chestermere.
Matthews strongly encourages people to apply for the award.
“It’s really simple to apply and the judges are open to considering any application that involves youth in our community,” she said, “So be creative, don’t hold back and get your application in.”
For more information go to www.chestermere.ca/youthaward. The application deadline is Nov. 30.