UFCW Canada Local 1000A is proud to congratulate the recipients of our 2012-2013 scholarships. Forty-two scholarships, worth $500 each, were awarded this year to members or children of members enrolled in post-secondary education based on a 500-word essay contest.
“I was ecstatic when notified that I was the recipient of this scholarship,” said Daniele Ruberto, who worked as a grocery clerk at the No Frills store in Woodbridge. “I am extremely grateful for this scholarship and thank UFCW Local 1000A for their generosity and support. Thank you for caring about student success.”
President Pearl Sawyer said the union office received so many great submissions for the 2012-2013 scholarships.
“I want to thank everyone who took the time to apply for sharing your thoughts with us. For those who didn’t win this time, I strongly encourage you to try again later this year.”
Olga Skoryak, a Local 1000A member who works as a cashier at Jim Casciaro’s No Frills, was among those awarded a scholarship.
“I just wanted to say that you never know if you don't try,” she said. “Although it took time to write an essay, it felt very rewarding and satisfactory to be handed a cheque, especially when it comes as a surprise to you. I am glad that I applied for this scholarship and definitely would recommend it to anyone.”
2013 marks the tenth anniversary of the local union’s scholarship program. Since its inception in 2003, Local 1000A has helped hundreds of students and their families in the face of escalating undergraduate fees.
The increase has been drastic. In the 2003-2004 school year, Ontario students paid an average of $4,923 in undergraduate fees. In the 2012-2013 school year, students paid an average of $7,180—a jump of 46 per cent.
“Every student deserves a fair chance at higher education and it is shameful that students in Ontario have to pay the highest undergraduate tuition fees in all of Canada,” said Sawyer. As for Ruberto, he said the scholarship has already been extremely useful to purchase textbooks for school, both in the beginning of the school year and before the second term began. “[It] is extremely useful especially in light of tuition fees, which are rising at an alarming rate,” Ruberto said. “There is no doubt that this scholarship program would be beneficial for many students and families, many of which cannot afford post-secondary education and are striving to make ends meet.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour, of which Local 1000A is an affiliate, has been consistently calling on the Ontario government to drop tuition fees and reexamine per student funding for colleges and universities. The OFL has also urged the provincial government to address the problem of increasing student debt and tuition fees.
Along with pushing for zero tuition fees through the OFL, Sawyer said the scholarships continue to be the union’s way of providing some relief for students and families during what is often a financial trying time.
“The dream of higher education should not be put beyond the grasp of our province’s students,” said Local 1000A Recorder Dan Gilbert, who oversees the scholarship program. “Our program is about helping as many students and families who are part of our union family to achieve their goals.”
Congratulations and Best of Luck to Our Scholarship Recipients!
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