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Youths recognized for community spirit Three local youths were among more than 100 nominees for this year's Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) Junior Citizen of the Year Awards. Nominated in Halton Hills were Laura Crawford, 14, Heather MacKinnon, 17, of Georgetown and Noah MacDonald, 10, of Acton. The youths, nominated through The Independent & Free Press are recognized annually by the Ontario Community Newspapers' Association (OCNA) and its Junior Citizen of the Year competition, for their outstanding contributions to their communities as leaders of tomorrow. None of the three Halton Hills nominees were selected as winners in the competition. There were 12 winners from across the province. Crawford is a member of the 756 Wild Goose Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets and the Precision Drill Team. At school she is enrolled in the International Prep program and is a member of the Athletic Council, School Band, Junior Girls Varsity Basketball Team and also plays recreational soccer. Last year she was also chosen to attend the U.S. Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama for a week where she was named the "Astronaut with the Right Stuff." Last year while in Grade 8, Crawford won the Mathematics and Science award. Through her involvement with the Cadets she carries out citizenship duties including poppy sales for the legion, Remembrance Day parades, serving at veteran's and legion award dinners, and as a band member in Santa Claus parades. She has also participated in the Bell Walk for Kids helping to raise money for the Kids The Ontario Community Newspapers Association, through The Help Phone. Independent & Free Press, recently honoured three local youths with MacKinnon received Junior Citizen of the Year certificates for their community involvethe nomination for being a ment. Accepting the certificates from Independent & Free Press "self-motivated, communi- managing editor John McGhie, were, from left, Noah MacDonald, ty driven, people person." Laura Crawford and Heather MacKinnon. Photo by Ted Brown She was the valedictorian of her Grade 8 class, raiser because their brother, models good sportsmanship. was appointed to the Halton Alex Ringuette, suffers from He was recently elected class Catholic District School Board acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Prime Minister by his classas a student trustee for the MacKinnon has also sup- mates based on a campaign on 2006/07 school year and her ported her family through diffi- anti-bullying and respect for all involvement as a volunteer on cult times in their lives, is students, and is an altar server various initiatives such as Crop involved in the North Halton at St. Joseph Church in Acton. for Cancer, Relay for Hope, Women's Institute and has conThis past summer MacDonald Walk for Prader-Willi Syn- sistently maintained an academ- ran a charity campaign to raise drome and North Halton ic average above 80 per cent. money for Muscular Dystrophy Women's Institute. Although not the oldest, research. His young nephew Ben Recently MacKinnon and her MacDonald is considered a suffers from that disease. He sister Karen hosted a successful leader in his family of six sib- called the campaign "Buzz for fundraiser in town raising more lings (four brothers and two Ben" and he and friends shaved than $7,550 in total to be split foster-brothers), he sets a good their heads raising more than between three different cancer example for his brothers, helps $1,500 to donate to the Canadian charities. They held the fund- them mediate disputes and Muscular Dystrophy Association.