ATCO reached out to every corner of Alberta with a program that encouraged more than 400,000 students to think about leadership and making a difference in their communities.

Celebrating Excellence, launched in the fall of 2009, rewarded 166 Alberta students with a trip of a lifetime to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver; another 83 runners-up received laptop computers.

One boy and one girl from every Alberta constituency, along with a parent or guardian, were escorted to Vancouver to cheer on Canada’s sports heroes. The student winners also received Olympic souvenirs including Team Canada jerseys, mittens and scarves. For some of the young leaders the trip to the Olympics was their first trip away or their first airplane ride.

The students, in Grades 4 through 12, submitted short compositions explaining how they pursue leadership in sports, arts, culture, education or community involvement.

ATCO received thousands of entries from young Albertans. Entries ranged from stories about how they are contributing time to charities, volunteering in their communities, helping older neighbours and reaching out to immigrant newcomers.

The youth leadership initiative was undertaken in partnership with the Government of Alberta through its Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat. The Government of Alberta provided the winners with tickets to Olympic sport and medal celebration events and invited them to Alberta House in downtown Vancouver.

Students enjoyed an awe-inspiring day in Vancouver and came home with life-long memories.

Celebrating Excellence was the largest and most comprehensive youth development initiative ever undertaken by ATCO, and was intended to reflect the long-standing commitment to the communities where our people work and live.

Read a collection of student submissions.