Lakeland Youth Awards

Arts & Culture

• Awarded to a young person who has built community through one or more of the following areas; vocal, visual arts, music, multimedia, dance and theatre/drama.

Entrepreneurship

• Awarded to a young person who has demonstrated initiative and creativity through designing and successfully initiating their own business and/or through developing an innovative product or service.

Environmental

• Awarded to a young person who has contributed to the community's environmental health and/or public environmental awareness.

Ambassador

• Awarded to a young person who represents youth in a positive way and sets an example for other youth.

Leadership

• Awarded to a young person who has shown significant and continuing leadership that improves the quality of life of others and encourages their peers.

Personal Triumph: 

• Awarded to a young person who has surmounted obstacles with optimism and hope and has demonstrated perseverance, determination and a passionfor life.

Service and Caregiving

• Awarded to a young person who has volunteered meaningfully in local charities, organizations and community-based groups and has demonstrated the meaning of building a caring community.

Social Action & Justice: 

• Awarded to a young person who has taken a stand to bring awareness to an issue or cause through a positive, proactive and solution-focused approach.

Sports & Recreation

• Awarded to a young person who has promoted health and fitness or has excelled in athletics and/or recreational activities and has demonstrated quality teambuilding, cooperation and leadership skills.

Unity in Diversity

• Awarded to a young person who has made a significant contribution to promoting unity and celebrating diversity within our community.

Youth Ally

• Awarded to an adult who is a role model to youth in their community and selflessly volunteers their time to help youth. Their work encourages young people to be confident in themselves and to strive for their fullest potential.

Guidelines

• Nominees must be between the ages of 12 and 21, except for the youth ally award, who must be above the age of 21.
• Nominees must live in the Lakeland. "The Lakeland" refers to communities in Northeast Alberta situated north of the North Saskatchewan River and commonly served by Lakeland regional media and services, including (but not limited to) Cold Lake, Bonnyville, St. Paul, Elk Point, Lac La Biche, and nearby rural areas.
• Nominees must have completed their volunteer work or community contributions within the Lakeland during the 2025 calendar year.
• Nominees can not nominate themselves.
• Nominees (or legal guardians of minors who are nominated), must consent to their nomination.
• Nominees and/or their guardians will require written consent by completing a City of Cold Lake consent form before the voting date (May 13.)  
• Nominators are asked to ensure that they have the verbal consent of the nominee before submitting a submission (no surprise nominations, please)

Click here to download the written consent form 

How to Nominate

Individuals are invited to submit a short paragraph or a video. Nominations can be sent to youthcouncil@coldlake.com.

Nominations must include:

• The name of the candidate, and, if the candidate is a minor, name of their legal guardian;
• The phone number and email address of the candidate (and legal guardian if applicable);
• The category the candidate is nominated for;
• The reasons why they believe the candidate should win their respective category.
• Indication that the nominator has asked for the consent of the nominee (and the nominee’s guardian, for minors).

Winner Selection

The submissions will be shared with the members of the Cold Lake Youth Council and they will vote on the winner. Winners will be notified the week of May 18 to 22.

Winners will receive a plaque acknowledging their win.  Winners who are students will also have their schools informed, and schools may wish to acknowledge students in their own unique way. 

The Could Lake Youth Council would like to give special thanks to the Portage College Community Social Work students who’s generous fundraising efforts have supported this program.