Empowering Future Leaders: EMSB Students Shine at Voices of Olympia Canada Awards Ceremony

The English Montreal School Board has recognized a group of exceptional young women and students for their outstanding achievements in the 2024–2025 Voices of Olympia Canada (VOOC) competition

This prestigious, project-based learning initiative empowers high school girls across Canada to explore global citizenship through the lens of gender equality, human rights, and social justice. The VOOC competition challenges students to engage in critical discussions on gender inequalities and their impact on the empowerment of girls and women. Rooted in the principles of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the program brings international conversations into the Canadian classroom, encouraging students to analyze systemic issues, propose solutions, and communicate their findings with clarity and confidence.

This year’s theme, “Where Are the Girls in STEM Thirty Years After the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action?  inspired students to investigate the persistent barriers that limit girls’ participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through research essays, video submissions, and public speaking presentations—including at the United Nations event Beijing+30: Time to Stop Gender Gaps in STEM Education—these young scholars emerged as changemakers and advocates for equity.

Among the honorees were three teams from EMSB schools whose projects received high praise from the VOOC jury:

First Prize went to Marymount Academy  International Team A – with a $2500.00 prize!
Project Title: The Building Blocks of Inequality: The Impact of Early Play on Women’s Paths to STEM
Teacher: Dimitra Thomakos

Team Members: Shaya Catarina Fadel, Drisana Ravichandran, Saïa Wallis, Bo Kyung Chung, Ophélie Bernier

Awarded Jury Mention for:

• Best Essay
• Best Oral Presentation
• Most Innovative Project
• Best Project Promoting STEM Education Among Young Children

Also recognized was Marymount Academy International Team B
Project Title: The Leaky Pipeline Phenomenon: The Attrition of Women in Specific STEM Fields
Teacher: Dimitra Thomakos
Team Members: Jihyo Lee, Rediet Sissay, Sara Cagũeñas, Sneha Sakary, Taehee Kim

Awarded Jury Mention for :

• Best Attempt to Address Root Causes of Attrition in STEM Education and Practice

 The spotlight shined on Vincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount  as well
Project Title: How Male-Dominated Institutions, Lack of Role Models, and Societal Expectations Limit Career Advancement for Women Within the Healthcare Sector
Teacher: Paola Russo
Team Members: Gabriella Argento, Sophia Cantello, Hailey Di Spirito, Aparna Padinjare, Himali Patel, Christina Thangathurai

Awarded Jury Mention for :

• Original Project on Gender Gaps in Leadership Positions in the Health Care Field

 These students have not only earned prestigious recognition but have also amplified their voices in the ongoing dialogue about gender equality in education and the workforce. Their work exemplifies the power of youth-led advocacy and the importance of inclusive education. The EMSB wishes to thank Educational Consultant Anne Beamish and Anna Villalta, Assistant Director of Educational Services for their invaluable collaboration and support throughout this initiative.

 About the English Montreal School Board
With a youth and adult sector population of more than 35,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec. Established on July 1, 1998, when the province created new boards along linguistic lines, the EMSB network consists of 73 schools and centres. For more details, visit the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca