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Branden Trochymchuk has been described by colleagues as an intelligent, articulate, well-rounded, and driven young man who embraces life and constantly challenges himself to learn and grow. Branden is 16 years old and attends Grade 11 at St. Ignatius High School in Thunder Bay and spends summers in the Township of Hornepayne, 450 km northeast of Sault Ste. Marie.

Branden is involved in a wide variety of different programs and organizations, volunteering much of his time outside of school. Branden is one of 60 Student Advisors to the Ministry of Education and regularly attends conferences in Toronto to participate in roundtable discussions on various policies or initiatives being developed by the Ministry. As a part of this position he is also the leader for the SpeakUp Forum Student Team at his school, a program created by the Ministry to obtain feedback from students. Branden is a firm believer in strengthening the student voice, and continues to coordinate sessions in schools throughout his region to empower students to get involved in their schools.

Branden belongs to Common Bond, a social justice group at his school where they participate in clothing drives, Christmas Cheer and visit the homeless shelters. Through Common Bond he is also the Catholic Leadership Day Facilitator (an annual event) as well as a Grade 8 Retreat Facilitator. He is the Safe/Accepting Inclusive School Committee Student Rep for his high school and a Natural Helper for the Student Assistance Program. He has taken the Safetalk Suicide Alertness Training and is a Canadian Red Cross Beyond the Youth facilitator. It has always been important to Branden that troubled teens have someone to turn to, knowing that sometimes, kids will turn to a peer before turning to an adult. A big part of this position is being able to direct his peers to the appropriate source of help in a gentle and timely manner. Branden is also a facilitator of Cyber Seniors, a program to help seniors with social media, computers, cell phone usage, etc. To top this all off, Branden now has a part-time job. 

Branden is continually finding new ways to get involved in his local community. With a strong interest in history and politics Branden also has aspirations to one day, serve as a Member of Provincial Parliament. “I just want to make a difference and be an active person in my community”, says Branden. For now, Branden is focussed on school as his top priority but continues to balance a busy schedule, continuing always with his volunteer work.

Youth Engagement Showcase

The Youth Engagement Showcase has collected nominations of engaged youth, aged 29 and under, from rural communities across Ontario. Four finalists have been selected to be featured in a short video documentary. The Youth Engagement Showcase will profile some compelling stories of youth engagement to highlight the impact these young leaders can have in their local communities and to demonstrate how rural communities of various shapes and sizes, are successfully engaging and supporting youth in addressing local challenges.