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Toyota Earth Day Scholarships encourage young Canadian environmentalists to live Earth Day, every day

(Toronto, ON) - Fifteen exceptional Canadian high school and cegep students, who have combined a passion for environmental stewardship with academic excellence, are being given a helping hand as they embark upon their post-secondary school pursuits. Announced on April 22, Earth Day, these 15 are the 2009 award-winners in the Toyota Earth Day Scholarship program.

"These students are involved in an array of inspiring projects that are having a significant impact in their communities," said Jed Goldberg, President of Earth Day Canada. "They are truly stepping forward as the environmental leaders of tomorrow."

"How Canada's youth engage with the world now says a lot about how they'll shape the world tomorrow. That's why we're so pleased to honour these 15 students who have demonstrated exemplary academic and environmental excellence over the past year," said Yoichi Tomihara, President of Toyota Canada Inc. "Over the past seven years, the Toyota Earth Day Scholarship has celebrated 100 inspirational students across the country committed to improving our environment. I'm confident these passionate student leaders will help show all Canadians how they can live Earth Day, Every Day."

The Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program was established to reward and encourage environmental commitment and action among students. It is awarded as an entrance scholarship to graduating high school students entering their first year of post-secondary education. Recognizing that environmental leaders will come from a broad range of academic backgrounds, winners are selected regardless of their intended program of study. Now in its seventh year, $500 000 have been awarded to 100 exceptional young students in Canada.

In addition, one winner will be chosen from among these finalists to receive a Panasonic notebook computer and a trip to the World Changing Careers Symposium in Vancouver, organized by past Toyota Earth Day Scholarship national winner Alysia Garmulewicz.

For more on the Toyota Earth Day Scholarships and the winners, click here.