The Making of This Edition - YMM Parent - Issue 5 2
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Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is home to many incredible people. The youth in the community are no exception.
That is why the Top 20 under 20 program was developed – to celebrate some of the most influential youth in the Wood Buffalo Region.
Kiran Malik-Khan
Kiran Malik-Khan is a national award-winning communications specialist, freelance journalist, and social media consultant. She loves telling community stories, and is a strong advocate for inclusion, diversity, women’s rights, and multiculturalism. Got story ideas? Contact her via Twitter: @KiranMK0822.
Christina MacKay
Christina MacKay has been a resident of Fort McMurray for the past 12 years and is mom to three young boys who were born and raised here. She has 15+ years experience working in government public relations, media relations and marketing, and also enjoys doing freelance writing in her spare time.
Mahi Prajapati
Mahi Prajapati is an ambitious grade 12 student attending Westwood Community High School. Through being passionate about serving her community and helping to create positive change for people around her, she has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girls Inc, Alberta Health Services, Chamber of Commerce, Aloha Mind Math and the YMCA. In addition to this, she has also worked at Neuraura Biotech Inc, and Wood Buffalo Sports Connection throughout the summer.
She is excited to have the opportunity to be a part of this collaboration, helping to highlight the amazing youth around the community, and inspire more youth to act upon their passions and create the change they want to see.
Alisha Rajpura
Alisha Rajpura is compelled to explore possibilities and use her potential to express passion through literature. She has developed relationships through experience and volunteerism as an advisor, tutor, and poet in Fort McMurray.
As a diligent daughter, student, and advisor, she has always admired storytelling as it cultivates character, develops understanding, and enhances perception.
Alisha enjoys nurturing and kindling hope in little learners. She encourages them to harness their skills and pursue their dreams. Alisha is interested and determined to benefit humanity through using her acquired knowledge to assist those in need.
Aarushi Vasal
Aarushi Vasal is a grade 11 student at Westwood Community High School with a desire to pursue a career in medicine in the future.
Her admiration for STEM has led her to participate in science fairs over the years. Aarushi’s love for music shines through her active involvement in the theatre arts community. She performs at the annual Oilsands Rotary Music Festival in many disciplines.
Aarushi is passionate about giving back to the community and does this by regularly volunteering with numerous non-profit organizations. She is an avid reader in her free time.
Momin Syed
Momin Syed is the Communications Coordinator for the Fort McMurray Public School Division (FMPSD). Momin has been a FMPSD volunteer since 2011, during this time he has helped organise numerous Robotics, Inventor’s Fair, Multimedia and Coding events. Momin is a Miner’s Heart recipient and a Composite High School graduate.
Momin believes in the power of stories; he loves collecting them and telling them to anyone who will listen. There is so much knowledge and growth that comes from sharing stories. He is incredibly thrilled to have this opportunity and looks forward to “Doing What’s Best for Kids”.
Umar Shad
Umar Shad is an avid volunteer and is a commited member to the Mayor’s Advisory Council Of Youth General Assembly.
Countlessly poking his nose wherever assistance is needed, his passion of creating a difference in his community has always found a way to present him with numerous opportunities. One of those opportunities allowed him to collaberate with YMM and interview outstanding youth in Wood Buffalo while also getting a chance to write about them!
Sahar Saifee
Sahar Saifee is a freelance writer and communications professional who is compelled to grasp the world around her and put it into writing and photography.
She has worked and volunteered as a communications advisor, social media coordinator and as a writer for local newspapers and organizations in Edmonton and Fort McMurray.
An avid reader, news junkie and passionate writer, she always admired the path of storytelling. Sahar enjoys the world of arts, fashion and culture.
Saharsaifee.ca
Fareedah Sadek
Fareedah Sadek is a first year university student at the University of Ottawa studying political science. She is passionate about writing both fiction and non-fiction and you can always find her talking to a friend, listening to music or reading a book.
Irene Olayinka
Irene Olayinka is a first-year student at the University of Toronto, and recent graduate from Westwood Community High School. She was a recipient of the 2022 TD Community Leadership Scholarship and has volunteered with numerous community organizations including the Mayor’s Advisory Council of Youth and Alpha Hub. When she’s not busy forgetting to answer her emails, she is an avid reader and is always available to make stellar book recommendations.
