A Grade 12 student at Anderson Collegiate, Katie Zeppieri has distinguished herself as a leader in her community at all levels.  Her service to others has already had an immeasurable positive impact, not only at Katie’s school, but in Ajax, Durham, Canada, and the world.

In June of 2005, Katie and another Anderson student were selected to represent Ontario youth at the United Nations Regional Consultation on Violence Against Children – North America Region.  Over a two-day period Katie represented the voices of children in both the youth assembly and the full assembly.  The views she expressed became part of the North American Resolution to the United Nations and will be presented later this year at the General Assembly. 

In her local community, alongside members of the Durham Regional Police Sexual Assault Unit and the Durham Region Intimate Partner Violence Empowerment Network, Katie recently co-chaired a Student Conference on Partner Abuse which included 300 students from eight Durham secondary schools, each of which left the conference with a plan of action for their school. 

In the final semester of the 2005-06 school year, Katie Zeppieri developed a series of five lessons on the subject of diversity education.  After field-testing them on Grade 9 students at Anderson C.V.I. she presented the lessons over a 10-week period to all classes in Grades 5 to 8 at Dr. Robert Thornton Public School…making a personal impact on the lives of more than 250 students.  In recognition of the material’s excellence, the Superintendent of Education in Whitby distributed copies of Katie’s Diversity Resource Manual and CD to all elementary schools in Whitby, and soon it will be in every elementary school in the Durham District School Board. 

For the past two years, Katie Zeppieri has been the chosen leader of the selective Students Together Against Racism (STAR) program in Durham.  She has provided leadership to countless initiatives at her school including Amnesty International, the White Ribbon Campaign, Multi-Cultural Month, Black History Month and the Fostering Hope Campaign which supports a foster child in Malawi.  In addition to these many worthwhile endeavors, Katie Zeppieri is the President of her Student Council and an Honour Roll student. 

In the words of her Principal, John Morrison, “Katie possesses extraordinary insight into human nature and has a tireless commitment to equity and understanding.  Her passion for human rights and the dignity of each individual is the driving force in her life.”