TORONTO, August 28, 2001 -- As York University gets into high gear to welcome approximately 40,000 new and returning students next week, the University is setting its sights on a special group of incoming students who bring to York not only superior academic strength and community leadership, but also their own compelling backgrounds and stories. The following students are among this year's recipients of York University's prestigious scholarships and awards.

• Academic leader inspires others, has string of eclectic hobbies, interests: Chinese violin, Bonsai gardening, sculpture, J.R.R. Tolkien

Yaakov (Jacob) Roth, 16, may be at the top of his class at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT), but it's his list of unique hobbies and interests that sets him apart. He is a talented sculptor and ceramicist, an Er-Hu (Chinese violin) player, an amateur Bonsai gardener and landscape artist, and a member of the Tolkien Society of England -- a group dedicated to the work of celebrated fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien.

A recognized Bible scholar, he is the winner of CHAT's Victor and Edith Seaton Award for the Highest Academic Average for 1999-2000 and 1998-1999. He has been involved in several CHAT committees such as the Israeli Affairs Committee and the Politics Committee. Also notable is his involvement as a peer tutor in science, math, English, and Jewish Studies.

Roth, who has been admitted to York's Faculty of Pure and Applied Science with an 96.5 per cent admission average, is the winner of the John S. Proctor Scholarship, one of four York Awards of Distinction. These awards are valued at $32,000 (plus the cost of first-year residence, approximately $4,000), and earned by students with outstanding academic records and accomplishments in community service, leadership, the arts, or sports.

• Talented musician, scholar has a knack for languages, working with children with disabilities

Cristina Raimondo, 18, a talented violinist and gymnast, continuously looks for new ways of assisting others. She has volunteered for nearly a decade at the Bloorview MacMillan Centre (a facility for children with disabilities and special needs) inspiring other students from Earl Haig Secondary School in Toronto to follow in her footsteps.

Raimondo also became the voice and front-line face of Earl Haig, having co-hosted the school's morning radio program for two years, volunteered more than 335 hours at the school information centre, and been an active member of Earl Haig's Leadership Council.

Raimondo, who is also fluent in Italian, Estonian, French and Spanish, has been admitted to Glendon College (Yorkís bilingual liberal arts faculty) with a 97 per cent admission average to study English. She is the winner of an Alumni Entrance Scholarship, one of York's Awards of Distinction.

• Aspiring child psychologist assists parents of multiple births, mentors "at risk" children

Michal Gordon, 18, is on the right track towards reaching her goal of becoming a child psychologist. Not only is she active in Youth Assisting Youth, a program that matches youth mentors with "at risk" children, but she is a highly dedicated volunteer with the "baby brigade" of the Toronto Parents of Multiple Births Association, an organization that assists parents of multiple births cope with the demands of newborns.

"Working with children has always held a unique sense of accomplishment for me," says Gordon, a Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT) honours student and this year's editor-in-chief of CHAT's school yearbook. "Seeing them learn, grow and mature into the positive people they can become is indeed most rewarding," she says.

CHAT was recently presented with a Black History Month Award in recognition of Gordon's work with the Toronto Committee on Community, Race and Ethnic Relations and for her efforts towards building relationships and better understanding between the City's Afro-Caribbean and Jewish Youth Communities.

Gordon, who has been admitted to Yorkís Faculty of Arts to study Psychology with a 93 per cent admission average, is the winner of an Alumni Entrance Scholarship, one of York's Awards of Distinction.

• Gifted writer, eloquent and passionate speaker, destined for career in international law

Iris Antonios, 19, is well on her way to realizing her career aspirations in either human rights or international law. She was chosen to speak on behalf of her schoolís delegation to the Model UN conference, and has been chosen class valedictorian, an early indication of her promising future and leadership in world affairs.

Antonios achieved honours standing during every year of her high school career at Bramptonís Turner Fenton Secondary School, where she was editor of both her schoolís student newspaper and yearbook. She recently headed her schoolís documentation team at the Canada First Robotic Games, a robotics competition sponsored by business and industry to motivate students to take math, science and technology courses. She received the Turner Fenton Principalís Award of Merit, the Peel Board of Education Award of Distinction, and two Ontario Secondary School Teachersí Federation Marion Drysdale Awards for creative writing.

She has also served as a Sunday school teacher and a childrenís workshop counsellor at the Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Athanasius at the Canadian Coptic Centre located in Mississauga, Ontario.

Antonios, who has been admitted to Yorkís Schulich School of Business with a 96 per cent admission average, is the winner of the Bruce Bryden Scholarship, one of York's Awards of Distinction.

• York University claims Toronto's Top OAC student for second consecutive year

Tatiana Kachira, 18, not only graduated at the top of her class at Kipling Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke, but was the Toronto District School Boardís top OAC student, with a stunning 99.5 per cent graduating average ñ no small feat considering that she emigrated from Russia less than three years ago and spoke little English when she first arrived.

Despite that fact, Kachiraís hard work and perseverance garnered her a 94 per cent in OAC English, which she considers to be among her greatest personal achievements. She has even entered several poetry contests and has had several poems published. But it's math and science that are truly her passion. She had perfect grade scores in each of OAC chemistry, finite math, physics and calculus.

She has participated in the environment club, and has written for both the school newspaper and yearbook. As a peer tutor in math and science, she has made a significant difference in the lives of others, including the schoolís caretaker Geraldine Coyle, 39, who is trying to overcome a learning disability and earn a high school diploma. Coyle writes, "Thanks to Tatiana, in just a couple of months I learned more about math than I ever did in years. Not only does she go the extra mile to help others ñ she runs a marathon!"

Kachira, who was voted class valedictorian, will be studying math and physics at Yorkís Faculty of Pure and Applied Science. She is the winner of a Presidentís Scholarship, awarded to high school students who present the highest entrance average. Valued at $5,400 per annum, they are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study. Kachira is also the recipient of a York Science Scholarship valued at $2,000.

Last year top OAC honours went to identical twin brothers Raktim and Nilava Ghatak, also from Kipling Collegiate, who also achieved above 99 per cent. They are currently entering their second year of study in math and physics at York.

• Shades of The West Wing: American student aims to become White House staffer, chooses Canadian education to expand global outlook, career options

Emily Gould, 18, is poised to take Washington D.C. by storm. Her lofty ambition is to become a member of the Presidential staff in the Oval Office, Secretary of State, a foreign journalist, or all of the above.

Gould, who graduated from North Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon, participated in a student exchange program to France during the past two summers, and attended the University of Oregon to study French through a special program that gives high school French students the opportunity to hone their skills.

Gould is a National Merit Scholar, a past winner of the University of Rochester Xerox Award for Excellence in the Humanities, and a past winner of the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators Award for Excellence in Foreign Language. She has also served as the president of her schoolís Thespians and Drama Society.

Gould, who has been admitted to York's Glendon College to study French and International Relations, is the winner of Yorkís Global Leader of Tomorrow Award, presented to international students who have achieved outstanding academic achievement and have a demonstrated record of community service, achievement in the arts or sports, and excellence in other areas of individual endeavour. Valued at $10,500, it is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study.

• International Baccalaureate student, activist seeks to bring peace, stability to her native Colombia

Carolina Navia, 18, says she wants to return to her native Colombia upon graduating from the International Bachelor of Business Administration (IBBA) program at York's Schulich School of Business to assist her country in finding peace and economic prosperity.

An International Baccalaureate graduate from Colegio Bolivar High School (a bilingual American school) in Cali, Colombia, she has demonstrated extraordinary academic and leadership abilities. She has served as president of her school's student council and National Honour Society, and was a student representative to the school's governing board. Last year she helped to organize a major youth march in Cali, protesting the cycle of violence in her country.

Navia is the winner of a Schulich School of Business Dean's Scholarship for International Students, valued at $5,000, and an Entrance Scholarship, valued at $4,000.

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For more information, please contact:

Ken Turriff
Media Relations
York University
416-736-2100, ext. 22086
kturriff@yorku.ca
YU/089/01