Youths of the year honoured for contributions to city
A quartet of young people have been recognized as youths of the year for their contributions to the community.
Qais Khan, Ashlee Hick, Sylvia Masich and Juri Sudo-Rustad were presented with the award during the “celebration of success” portion of Monday night’s city council meeting.
Khan was admitted into the College Heights leadership class a year early due to his outstanding record of volunteering at school functions.
Soon after, he joined the Rotary Interact Program and made significant contributions to Smiles, a pediatric Pen Pal program, and other Rotary initiatives.
His commitment was recognized by his peers who elected him Interact Club president in his first year.
Khan has also demonstrated academic excellence and is on the principal’s list.
Hick has an impressive list of volunteer achievements both in and out of school and is the valedictorian of her graduating class at College Heights Secondary.
She was also recently selected to speak at We Day Vancouver, a celebration of youth empowerment attended by 18,000 people from across the province. Her speech was about the Independent Anti-bullying and Positive Mental Health (ARK) Program, which she co-founded at CHSS.
Masich has been a dedicated athlete, volunteer and coach for the Prince George Track and Field Club for the past eight years.
Masich is also particularly committed to the Special Olympics and worked to have Special Olympics athletes included in the regular track and field training program.
Her efforts resulted in three Special Olympic athletes qualifying for the high school track provincial championships.
Sudo-Rustad was recently the youngest person ever elected to the board of the Prince George Community Arts Council and is its first-ever youth advocate.
She is an active advocate for youth and the arts in the community, and has won numerous awards for her own art.
She is currently studying on exchange in Japan.