December 20, 2019
B’nai Brith Canada
WINNIPEG – The organizers and winners of a B’nai Brith Canada initiative have been named to 2019’s “Fascinating Manitobans” list.
The list is released by Ace Burpee, a popular Manitoba radio host and social-media personality, and showcases 100 noteworthy difference-makers in the province each year.
Highlighted on this year’s list were Adriana Glikman, B’nai Brith’s Program Coordinator, and Varina Penner, the student who won last year’s Diverse Minds competition with her book, “A Bear Like Me.”
Diverse Minds is an exciting educational initiative that promotes diversity and teaches valuable lessons of inclusion to both elementary and high school students. The contest invites high school students to reflect on the value of a society rooted in mutual respect, by writing and illustrating a story aimed at elementary school students (Kindergarten – Grade 5).
The inaugural competition took place last year in Manitoba and, because of its tremendous success, we have launched in four regions across Canada for the 2019/20 school year: Manitoba, Hamilton, Montreal and Edmonton.
The winning book in each region will be published in a colourful hardcover format and distributed to all local elementary schools and public libraries.
Cash prizes will be awarded for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place books, and the Top 10 Finalists will be celebrated at an awards ceremony in June, 2020.
“Thank you to Ace Burpee for publicly highlighting the incredible impact that this important project is having on students across this country,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “This contest is about peer-to-peer learning and creating school communities where diversity is embraced. It is an important staple in B’nai Brith’s community-service efforts.”
The goal of Diverse Minds is to empower our youth to become role models for each other and to understand that their impact reaches beyond their classrooms.
We invite eligible students to participate in the competition and send in their books before the submission deadline of March 9, 2020.
For more information, visit www.bnaibrith.ca/diverseminds
