In addition, Ayesha was recently presented with the Trustee Laurie French Student Leadership Award by the Lennox and Addington Community Council for her leadership and community impact.
“It's such an honour to be recognized by TD and the Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington,” she says. “I am so overwhelmingly grateful to be awarded alongside so many passionate young people across Canada. Our youth are the cornerstone of our future, and seeing organizations invest in what that future looks like—and being part of it—is so amazing!”
Erin Stinson, EISS Head of Student Services, says the moment Ayesha started at the school in Grade 10, after moving to the area from a much larger community, she knew she was an exceptionally driven student.
“Ayesha created a safe, supportive space for racialized and Indigenous students in our school to come together and share their lived experiences, both within our walls and outside in the greater community,” Stinson says. “She has become an outstanding leader, and a voice bringing awareness and creating opportunities for all students in LDSB. We are extremely proud of her, excited for her future, and grateful to call her an Ernestown Eagle.”
Principal Tyler Wilson echoed Stinson’s sentiments, “In 2024, Ayesha was recognized as Loyalist Township’s Junior Citizen of the Year—a testament to the leadership and care she brings to everything she does, and a reflection of her desire to make the world a better, more equitable place,” he says.
“But more than any one achievement, Ayesha’s character is what leaves a lasting impression. She is grounded, compassionate, empathetic, and full of quiet strength. She lifts others up and makes them believe in themselves and others on a deeper level as a result. Ayesha is one of those rare people who you meet and sense right away that they will make your life better.”