Mira Stephenson
A native of Rothesay, New Brunswick, Mira Stephenson is being honored for her dedication to volunteerism and community service and her commitment to bring about impactful change in the lives of youth in the greater Saint John area.
She has been involved in a number of large-scale leadership initiatives. As chair of Youth for Youth, she led a committee in planning and hosting fundraising concerts showcasing the talents of local high school and university students to raise funds and awareness for the Teen Resource Centre and at-risk youth in the Saint John area.
Through her work with Go Girls! during high school, Stephenson mentored middle-school girls. She was then a founding member of a mentoring program for girls at her own school where she focused on teaching the importance of positive self-image and living a healthy lifestyle to reach their full potential.
In addition to her focus on youth, she is a long-time volunteer with Alzheimer’s patients and those with related dementia diseases. She developed a volunteer program at her high school to involve students in volunteering and planning special events at a local nursing home.
Stephenson serves as vice-president of events and programming for Dream Team at Western University in London, ON, where she will be leading awareness campaigns and fundraising for the Southwestern Ontario Make A Wish Foundation. She volunteers on the Heart and Mind Study and has been involved with Kennebecasis Valley Oasis Youth Advisory Committee, Model United Nations and UN International Day of the Girl Child events, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Outflow, and Amazeatorium. She has spoken in the community on the importance of youth engaging in volunteerism and community service.
Stephenson is a 2018 graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Rothesay Netherwood School where she was on the field hockey and rowing teams. She received a scholarship to Western University where she is currently studying Health Sciences. She is the recipient of the W.D. Burley Award, and Rothesay Netherwood Schools’ Community Service Award and RNS Head’s Award, the Teen Resource Centre’s Teens Who Care Award, and a Duke of Edinburgh Medal.