Inaugural winner of John West Scholarship “honoured” by recognition

August 19, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

Before former mayor John West died in late 2013, he left a lasting legacy for Aurora – namely, seed money for a scholarship to recognize the leaders of tomorrow.

Sally Falk, a recent graduate of Aurora High School, was named the inaugural recipient of the John West Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship last week.
Receiving the honour from Mayor Geoff Dawe, alongside Al Downey, Aurora’s Director of Parks and Recreation, near the start of the August 11 Council meeting, Ms. Falk was hailed for her tireless work not only in bettering the lives of the school community, but in the greater community around her.

“John West expressed he was not only looking for a person who succeeded academically but, more importantly, was involved in school and community activities, volunteerism and giving back to the community,” said Mr. Downey. “He wanted to recognize those individuals who were going to implement change, influence decisions and lead us into that unknown tomorrow.”

They found just what they were looking for in Ms. Falk, who Mr. Downey said has displayed many qualities to set her apart from her peers. These include her time serving for several years on her school’s Council, their Eco Council, York Region’s Presidents’ Club, and Aurora High’s Relay for Life Committee. Outside school walls, she has been active as a founding member of the Ontario Board of Directors for the Global Green Alliance, an active volunteer with the Rise and Shine Community Breakfast hosted by Aurora United Church, co-founder of A Night of Arts, which raises money for computers to benefit schools in rural Ukraine, and her participation in local panels ranging from a Human Rights roundtable hosted by the Aurora Public Library to The Auroran’s all-candidates meeting during the last provincial election, where she served as a panellist.

“It is evident her abilities are impressive, endless, and she is just one of those students you know will be a positive force for change in the future,” said Mr. Downey.