National Philanthropy Day Award Given to Grade 12 Student

September 24, 2021

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GNS

Taya Lee ’22 has been no stranger to the spotlight lately. In the Spring of 2020, she founded School Helpers, an online tutoring organization helping students across Vancouver Island. The organization has since gone National, providing virtual tutor access across Canada.

Her work with School Helpers was a large reason why she was awarded the 2021 National Philanthropy Day ‘Giving Hearts’ award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy.

“It was actually really moving for me to receive this award, because I do all these things I really love,” said Taya. “The fact that I got an award for something I can share with others is really exciting for me.”

The growth of School Helpers has been exponential, but Taya says there are no plans to slow down. “To be honest, my favourite part of the organization is that we now have an executive team, and I like being able to collaborate with everyone who’s gotten involved so far.”

School Helpers now boasts over 100 volunteer student tutors, and has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters Victoria and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society to expand their reach.

For receiving the award, Taya was featured in a news story for CTV Vancouver Island, highlighting her achievements

“It was a very interesting experience,” she remarked. “I didn’t know about all the things that had to be done behind the scenes, like re-recording different answers a few different times.”

National Philanthropy Day Vancouver Island is set for November 15, with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Vancouver Island Chapter) hosting a series of events and providing awards to deserving community members and organizations. The Giving Hearts Awards provides an opportunity to gather to celebrate outstanding acts of generosity in the community.

Congratulations, Taya!