Ramanrishi Singh Walia believes media is the key to changing the world.
The young man from Patiala wants to see an end to female infanticide in his native Punjab. He also wants to work in reversing the state’s falling water levels, and in population control.
On the other hand, Sharanjit Singh Tagger sees technology as the way forward. When his father passed away from blood cancer he was left as the sole provider for his entire family and went to work as a mechanic.
He wants to further his education so he can contribute positively to reducing the carbon footprint created by modern cars.
Both will be getting an opportunity to realize their dreams thanks to a unique global initiative called Class Act Canada (www.classactcanada.com).
The program, which is being run by Sprott-Shaw Community College, has awarded the pair with full-ride scholarships to any campus here in B.C.
Walia and Tagger are two of ten 2009 Class Act Champions chosen from Canada and around the globe. They have been given an all-expenses paid education at a Sprott-Shaw Community College valued at up to $100,000 per scholarship.
The prize also includes books, airfare to and from their hometown, food and lodging, and transportation to and from the selected campus.
Sprott-Shaw is a 22-campus global post secondary institution with campuses in Canada, Jordan, India, China and Vietnam. The institution employs 250 people globally and educates over 4,500 students in 140 programs annually.
It is the oldest college in B.C.
Class Act Canada was born this August from the philanthropic mission of the college’s President and CEO, Dean Duperron, when he decided to offer $1 million in free education to ten individuals looking to improve not only their lot in life, but also their community’s.
“I am so thrilled to announce the top 10 winners,” said Duperron. “With more than 4.3 million votes cast by more than 50,000 people from 63 countries, we are so pleased to have showcased British Columbia as an international education centre while providing 10 deserving people with an all-expenses-paid higher education.”
“These worthy candidates have all shared their dream with us. I know they will be good students but one day they will also likely become excellent entrepreneurs, employees and global citizens.”
Duperron, who is born and raised in B.C., has devoted his entire career to working as an educator. His own rags to riches story began with a spell living on the streets of Vancouver as a homeless teen.
The 53-year-old knows firsthand how essential education is to rising out of poverty.
“Sleeping under tarps on construction sites, in alleyways and parking lots while scratching for pennies makes for appreciation of things many take for granted,” he said reflecting back on his humble beginnings.
“Education and life gave me a chance, now my family and I want to give back,” he continued.
“I believe with the opportunity to become educated, an individual who is living in poverty or with extreme challenges has a door opened to not only change their own life but to change an entire community.”
Duperron and his wife Sherri, who are active philanthropists, brought in a number of partners for their Class Act Canada campaign: the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Fair at the PNE, the Vancouver-based ideas company New Market Multimedia Inc and Free the Children, an international organization of more than one million children which helps children through education.
The web based competition took place over 3 months from September to the end of November 2009.
Prospective candidates entered a 60-90 second video via the Internet outlining “what I would do with a degree/diploma from Sprott-Shaw College.”
Over the 3 months, a total of 7.7 million votes were cast and the contest reached nearly every country in the world.
The contest had three rounds of voting.
In the first round, the public cast their votes to select the top 100 videos worldwide.
A second round of public voting was then opened up again and reduced the number of candidates to twenty.
The final round was in the hands of select panel of judges who selected the ten Class Act Champions.
Judges for Class Act Canada include Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts, the Vancouver Board of Trade’s Darcy Rezac, Craig Kielburger, co-founder of Free The Children, Province editor-in-chief Wayne Moriarty and former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford.
For more information go to www.classactcanada.com.

2009 Class Act Champions

Name: Shiyun Tang
Nationality: Chinese
Gender: Female
Location: Vancouver, BC
 
Name: Graham Anderson
Nationality: Canadian
Gender: Male
Location: Kaslo, BC
 
Name: Shannon Yun
Nationality: Korean
Gender: Female
Location: Burnaby, BC
 
Name: Sofia Sagir
Nationality: Ukrainian
Gender: Female
Location: Donetsk 77,
Donetsk Region, Ukraine
 
Name: Ramanrishi Singh Walia
Nationality: Indian
Gender: Male
Location: Patiala, Punjab, India
Name: Edwin Levita Llancay
Nationality: Cusco
Gender: Male
Location: Cusco, Peru
 
Name: Sharanjit Singh Taggar
Nationality: India
Gender: Male
Location: Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
 
Name: Yuna Shin
Nationality: Korean
Gender: Female
Location: Pyoung-taek city,
Kyoung ki do, Korea
 
Name: Pasion Maribet
Nationality: Filipino
Gender: Female
Location: Bauang, La Union, Philippines
 
Name: Mark Jefferson Grospe
Nationality: Filipino
Gender: Male
Location: Manila, Isabela, Philippines