Desjardins Foundation Prizes: A decade of initiatives to keep youth motivation strong

Sometimes, all it takes is a teacher’s inspiring initiative for kids to discover the joy of school. And to support these initiatives, for a tenth year, the Desjardins Foundation Prizes are back.

“An elementary school teacher told us that she wanted to create an educational podcast to help strengthen the language skills of her students, who come from diverse and sometimes disadvantaged backgrounds. But the school couldn’t afford to fund it,” says Nancy Lee, Executive Director of the Desjardins Foundation. “Lots of schools have stories like this. There are plenty of people working in education who have great ideas to really get students motivated. And they’re often quite simple. The problem is the lack of funds.”

This critical need for additional resources in schools led to the creation of the Desjardins Foundation Prizes in 2016. The goal of these prizes is to help school staff develop inspiring initiatives for kindergarten, elementary and high school students in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta. Now more than ever, it’s essential to keep youth motivated at school. Studies show that students who like school, who are interested in attending and enjoy what they do there have higher grades, greater ability to persevere and are less likely to want to drop out.

Since the Desjardins Foundation Prizes were created, over 670,000 young people have participated in exciting projects thanks to nearly $10 million in support. “By investing in education, we’re closing the gap and giving young people the drive to believe in themselves, move forward confidently and reach their full potential,” explains Nancy Lee. “Together, we’re taking action to give every young person an equal chance.”

Over the past 10 years, the Desjardins Foundation Prizes have brought nearly 4,000 projects to life. Here are two that show the variety of initiatives we’re supporting.

A build-a-skateboard workshop to build young people’s confidence (video in French only)

At Wilfrid-Léger High School in Waterloo, Estrie, Marie Lapchuk-Dubé’s class started a workshop where students build their own skateboards. The goal is to boost students’ self-confidence and provide them with a stimulating lunchtime activity. The teacher tells us that it helps students experience success, boosts their self-esteem and motivates them to invest more in their learning.

Thanks to the Desjardins Foundation Prizes, the school was able to purchase the materials needed to make the skateboards and invite a community expert to help introduce students to the sport. What did the students enjoy most? They were able to work on a project they’re passionate about from start to finish, while building their self-confidence.

“Seeing a project like this through is more than just an achievement. Students start to feel that school really is this positive thing, and that’s magical. They’ve gone through so many challenges and working on a project like this gives them confidence. It’s wonderful to see them so fulfilled,” says Ms. Lapchuk-Dubé.

Brewing accomplishment, one pot at a time (video in French only)

The “Teatime” project was driven by the desire of Marie-Eve Gaudreault, a teacher at Saint-David elementary school in Saint-David-de-Falardeau, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, to provide her students from underprivileged backgrounds with a rewarding experience. The initiative aims to build young people’s confidence through developing a small business, while also forging ties with people in their community.

Thanks to the Desjardins Foundation Prizes, the school was able to get everything it needed to start creating different flavours of tea. After producing the tea bags, the students sold it in boxes. But the most fulfilling aspect of the project was visiting a seniors’ residence to spend some time with members of their community.

“The Desjardins Foundation Prizes helped us make this wonderful project a reality. Without this funding, it would have been very difficult,” says Juliette Fontaine, another teacher involved in the initiative. “It reminded me just how important educational initiatives and my role as a teacher are.”

Spread the word: It’s a great way to get youth motivated

Do you know someone who works at a school or a community organization? Tell them about the Desjardins Foundation Prizes! The application period runs from October 1 to 31 every year. The Desjardins Foundation Prize winners for 2025 will be announced the week of December 1. To learn more, visit the Desjardins Foundation Prizes webpage.