12 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 3, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com
At Oakville Christian School our mission is:“Nurturing Excellence in a Christ-Centred
Academic Environment”
• An academic school where Christian morals and values are taught and modelled.
• A student body that ranks in the top 10% on Canada’s national CAT3 tests.
• A science program that produces regional science fair winners every year.
• Athletic teams that compete in 9 different sports, starting as early as Grade 2.
• Extracurricular opportunities that meet theintellectual, physical, social and spiritual needs of all students.
• Christian service involvement in the community.
• A music program that trains vocal & instrumental groups who represent the school at differentcommunity functions.
• Fully networked computer lab - networked computers in every classroom.
• A family atmosphere with 275 students.
• On-site before & after school care.
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CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Oakville Christian School112 Third Line, Oakville (905) 825-1247
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■ By Angela BlackburnOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF
Six Oakville youths werenominated — and one, DevinCastilloux, 14, was selected —as an Ontario Junior Citizen ofthe Year.
The youths, nominatedthrough The Oakville Beaver,are among more than 100youths, recognized annually bythe Ontario CommunityNewspapers’ Association(OCNA) and its Junior Citizenof the Year competition, fortheir outstanding contributionsto their communities — asleaders of tomorrow.
Castilloux is among 12selected from the nomineesacross the province as winners.
“We had 138 nominees. It’s avery difficult choice to pair itdown to 12 winners,” saidOCNA Junior Citizen Co-ordi-nator Nancy Burman.
“He’s the boy with a flag,”said Burman referring toCastilloux and his mission toforever remember Canadianveterans by having them sign alarge Canadian flag.
“We are very happy for Devinand his work. The stories writ-ten about Devin would makeany parent proud,” saidCastilloux’s dad, MikeCastilloux who said his familywill be attending the awardsceremony in Niagara Falls atthe end of March.
“His project has caught theattention of many people. He isquiet about most of his interac-tions with veterans and goes togreat lengths to honour them,”said Mike Castilloux.
“He made a promise to hisveterans to remember andnever forget. His flag project ishis, but he will tell you it willalways belong to the veterans,”said his dad.
Castilloux’s flag projectbegan when he was 11.
His Boy With a Flag projectbegan with him collecting vet-erans’ signatures on a largeCanadian flag to be flown onthe Peace Tower at ParliamentHill.
However, the gesture wasconsidered defacing the flag soit could not be flown. Castillouxthen collected signatures on alarge white flag that would havethe Canadian flag sewn to itscorner, which resulted in morethan a 1,000 signatures hang-ing in the Senate at the launchof Veterans’ Week.
More than 800 Canadianmen and women who fought inconflicts from World War I to
the war in Afghanistan havesigned the Thomas A. BlakelockHigh School student and 540Gold Hawk Squadron cadet’sflag.
Castilloux has met PrimeMinister Stephen Harper, hasbeen honoured by the govern-ment of Canada and connectedwith many veterans.
Castilloux has alsoembarked on a new project toassemble similar flags for eachprovince and estimated it willtake about 10 years to com-plete.
While Castilloux is describedas a very likeable, presentableyoung man, he not onlyapproached Legions acrossCanada of his own accord, butworks as a kitchen assistant atthe Bronte Legion.
A corporal in his cadet corps,Castilloux earned the RoyalCanadian Legion Medal ofExcellence in his first year, anhonour usually bestowed onfourth-year cadets.
“Devin is definitely unique.
He is the first person to volun-teer to help or hold a door openfor someone. It is not unusualto see him pick up a piece ofgarbage and put it in thegarbage. Ask him why and youmight hear something aboutkeeping Canada beautiful.Devin has little interest in famefor himself, but instead shows amature perspective for doingthe right thing that makes theworld a better place for all of usto live in,” wrote his teacherJanet Davis in his nomination.
Among the other localyouths nominated through TheOakville Beaver — still otherswere nominated throughOakville Today — FionaBurgess was selected as thewinner there.
Burgess is said to lead byexample. When she realizedthat people in Africa were inneed she took the initiative andcreated Oakville Teenagers inAction (OTIA), which raisedenough money to build aschool in a village in SierraLeone. She also went to Ghanaand facilitated a LeadershipWorkshop for about 20 people,giving the people the skills theyneed to be able to create changewithin their own communities.
Other nominees includeEmily Harris, 17, who wasnominated by her teacherRichard Lachance.
Harris has been involvedwith student council at T. A.Blakelock for four years —president in her last year.
Harris was also a member ofher school’s Wellness Counciland stage manager for the SearsDrama Festival in Grade 11,and was a photographer for herschool’s yearbook committee.
In Grade 12, she is a peermentor for younger students,tutors French students andwrites a column for the schoolnewspaper.
“Emily tries to have a posi-tive and helpful personalitywith students as well as teach-ers. She tries hard and is drivento succeed,” wrote Lachance.
Among her many awards,Harris has received the StageManager Award, Contributionto Life Award, French Award,Leadership Award and FashionAward.
Besides attending leadershipconferences, and completingher French Immersion whiletravelling in France, Harris par-ticipates locally on the TakingSteps Against Breast Cancerschool team, takes part in theannual Polar Bear dip, is a reg-
Flag project earns Oakville air cadetOntario Junior Citizen of the Year awardFive other youths nominated through The Oakville Beaver
Devin Castilloux
Fiona Burgess
Emily Harris
■ See Oakville page 16
