Monika Daultrey is Centre Wellington’s Youth Citizen of the Year.
The Centre Wellington District High School (CWDHS) student received a certificate on May 1 from Mayor Kelly Linton, who said it was a pleasure to announce the recipient of the Youth Citizen of the Year / Alvin Shortt Award.
“This person has been very involved in a lot of inclusion activities and started a few organizations over the past few years,” said Linton.
“She’s been very busy keeping her grade average up, while also working at Zehrs.”
Linton called the letters of nomination received from Daultrey’s teachers “unbelievable.”
He said if he had a copy of Daultrey’s 17 Tips to Surviving High School booklet when he was in school, “I would have done a lot better … maybe as good as my daughter.”
In addition to the certificate, Daultrey was presented two tickets to the official awards ceremony on May 16.
“I’m really happy,” said Daultrey. “I was really hopeful when I sent in the application.”
She also expressed her appreciation for the letters of support from her teachers.
As a student at John Black Public School, Daultrey participated in numerous clubs.
“My older sister was in the GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) … so I wanted to be in the GSA. But once you are involved … you attend a number of forums and meet all of these really awesome people who are involved,” she said.
Daultrey plans to obtain a bachelor of commerce from the University of Guelph, where she will major in management economics and finance.
“I’m really excited,” she said.
In her application, Daultrey stated, “I have demonstrated leadership most through my involvement in school and a project I have started.”
Daultrey is president of Centre Wellington District High School’s GSA, an inclusive and supportive group that meets to discuss ways to “educate and promote acceptance and equality for the LGBT community.”
Over the three years she has run the club, Daultrey has attended GSA forums and has organized numerous events at CWDHS to celebrate the LGBT community and to raise awareness in an effort to provide a safer and more inclusive space for students.
Daultrey is also a member of the Upper Grand District School Board’s Student Senate, which consists of students from each school in the board.
“Additionally, I have written a guide book (17 Tips to Surviving High School) that … will be distributed to the grade nines in the fall,” she stated.
“It is a compilation of all of my study tips, exam preparation and execution tips, organizational suggestions, time management information, etc. It’s purpose is to help minimize the stress that comes with the transition into high school.”
Daultrey also helped coordinate last year’s anti-bullying week.
“We organized a ball pit to be constructed, painted and filled so that students could make a friend at lunch. We launched twitter posts showing the labels put on kids who are bullied, and we made daily announcements regarding the subject of bullying and its impact on students,” Daultrey said.
Her work with the GSA includes presentations to classes in her school, at JD Hogarth, and staff at CWDHS.
Following a trip to a GSA forum, Daultrey started a club called Humans Understanding and Giving Support (HUGS), which ran daily at lunch and provided students with the opportunity to meet someone new.
“It was a safe space that was available so that students never felt that they had to eat lunch alone,” she stated.
In her four years at CWDHS Daultrey make the honour roll each year and has won departmental awards in Grade 10 university level English, Grade 11 mixed math and Grade 11 university level history/law.
Daultrey has also worked as a cashier at Zehrs in Fergus and been recognized with a customer service pin.
“I try my best to go above and beyond what is expected of me in everything I do because school and work is one of the most important things to me,” Daultrey stated.
In her nomination letter Kim Sonnet of the CWDHS support staff described Daultrey as “a hardworking, dedicated student” who “strives for excellence, defining her life goals early in her high school career and creating a path way towards them.”
Sonnet added Daultrey “is compassionate toward everyone, believing in equality and human rights.
“She embraces her days with a smile on her face and a determination in her little but mighty steps. I cannot think of a more deserving student to receive this award.”
Arts and English teacher John Mahnic stated in his nomination letter, “I have been teaching for 33 years, and I am proud to say I have never had a student with as strong a work ethic as Monika Daultrey.”
“I’ve talked with many of her teachers who are equally impressed with her attitude, effort, organizational skills, and outgoing personality,” Mahnic added.
