Congratulations Class of 2026!
In the Spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, Youville Centre would like to acknowledge that the land on which we inspire, educate and nurture, is the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People. On this land, on June 17, 2025, Youville Centre hosted their 38th graduation ceremony, along with M.F. McHugh Education Centre and St. Nicholas Adult High School.
Executive Director Nastaha McBrearty welcomed everyone to the celebration, highlighting that the 7 graduates are joining the 656 young mothers who have earned their Ontario Secondary School Diploma through Youville Centre.
Before moving into the ceremony, Natasha took a moment to speak directly to the graduates, saying “Although I am still new in my role as Executive Director, I have already had the privilege of witnessing the strength, determination, and courage that each of you brings to this community.
Graduation is a major accomplishment for any student. But today, we are celebrating something even greater. We are celebrating young women who have balanced school, parenting, relationships, responsibilities, setbacks, appointments, sleepless nights, and all of the unexpected things that life can bring, and who keep going.
You did not arrive at this moment by accident. You earned it. You earned it through persistence. You earned it through showing up. You earned it by continuing to believe that your goals mattered, even when the path was not easy. And I want you to know that all of us at Youville are deeply honoured to be part of this milestone in your lives.
I also want to acknowledge the incredible team around you, the educators, counsellors, child development staff, teachers, administrative staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters who walk alongside students and children every day with care, patience, and belief in what is possible.
This graduation is a celebration of you, graduates. It is also a reflection of the community that surrounds you and the future you are building for yourselves and your children. We could not be more proud of you.”
Again this year we welcomed St Nicholas Adult High School Guidance Teacher, Heather Marshall, as our Master of Ceremonies. As a former St. Nicholas Adult HS staff member at Youville Centre until June 2023, Heather continues to have a special connection to Youville and this year’s graduating class.
Dignitary Greetings
Heather introduced our many dignitaries, with inspiring messages of congratulations:
- The Honourable Mona Fortier, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier; was not able to attend but shared a message with our graduating class;
- Lucille Collard, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier; spoke in person;
- Councilor Stéphanie Plante, Ward 12 – Rideau/Vanier; spoke in person;
- Cindy Simpson, OCSB Vice-Chair and Trustee, Youville Angel and former Executive Director of Youville Centre; spoke on behalf of our Education Partner, the Ottawa Catholic School Board; and
- Andre Potvin, Chair, spoke on behalf of the Youville Centre Board of Directors.
Andre opened saying “On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is my privilege to celebrate an extraordinary group of graduates. Today is about more than completing a program or earning a diploma. It is about the courage to believe in a better future and the determination to build it, one day at a time. Each of you arrived here with your own story, your own challenges, and your own dreams. Along the way, I’m sure there were moments of uncertainty, sacrifice, and hard work. Yet you kept moving forward. You chose growth over fear, hope over doubt, and possibility over limitation.” and concluded with “To our graduates, thank you for inspiring all of us. Your success is a testament to the power of perseverance, community, and hope. Congratulations on all that you have accomplished. We are proud of you, we believe in you, and we cannot wait to see what comes next.”
Each year, a principal from one of our Education Partners shares a few words for our graduating class. This year, Margarita Ziroldo, Principal of MF McHugh Education Centre shared a few words of congratulations.
Alumna Speaker
As part of our ceremony annually, we have an alumna of Youville Centre come back to speak to our graduates about their journey, and to share words of wisdom for the days and years ahead. This year, our speaker was Julie who attended Youville Centre in 2010-2011. Julie shared her story for our 2026 May Mother’s Day campaign, you can read more here. Julie shared a special message to our graduating class. Some excerpts are included below, and her full speech will be in our Annual Report when it is released in September 2026.
“As mothers, it’s easy to spend all of our time focusing on everyone else. But today, I hope you take a moment to recognize yourselves. To recognize how hard you’ve worked. To recognize how much you’ve grown. And to recognize everything you’ve overcome to be sitting here today. Because you deserve that recognition. I also hope you realize that your children are watching. They may be too young to understand it today, but one day they will. One day they’ll learn about the sacrifices you made. The challenges you faced. The obstacles you overcame. And they’ll see an incredible example of perseverance and strength. So today, celebrate.”
Julie finished with: “And as you walk across that stage today, remember that this diploma represents so much more than finishing school. It represents courage. It represents resilience. It represents determination. And it represents a future full of possibilities. Congratulations, graduates.”
Diplomas and Bursaries
After this inspiring and moving message from Julie, the seven graduates walked across the stage, one by one, to receive their diploma. Their teachers prepared personal anecdotes to share, and bursary awards were announced. Graduates were photographed with any bursary donors present or with Directors from the Centre’s Board who were onsite for the ceremony.
M.F. McHugh Education Centre Principal's Award
Samatha was the proud recipient of the M.F. McHugh Education Centre Principal’s Award. The Principal’s Award is given to a student who has exemplified academic persistence, and a dedication to their own learning. Each and every day, Samantha demonstrated the M.F. McHugh standards of growth mindset, pathway building, and project-based learning.
She has successfully demonstrated how working hard and advocating for herself can lead to accomplishing her goals.
Congratulations, Samantha!
Spirit of Youville Award
Our 2026 Spirit of Youville student was chosen because she embodies the Youville “voice”. Over her time at Youville, Lorelei has demonstrated personal growth, leadership skills and academic perseverance while developing her parenting skills along the way.
Lorelei shared a touching message with the graduates and the audience, saying “When I think of the Youville Center, one word comes to mind: opportunity. For many of us, Youville has been much more than a school. It has been a place where we were given the opportunity to continue our education, access support and resources, and care for our children while working towards our goals.
I feel incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. Not every young mother has access to a place like Youville – a place that understands the realities of parenting while pursuing an education. I consider myself fortunate to have been a part of a school that believed in my potential and provided the support I needed to succeed. The opportunities available here have helped shape not only my education, but also my confidence as a mother and as a person.
This graduation is especially meaningful because every graduate sitting here today has made a choice. Despite carrying the immense responsibility of being a parent, we chose to come to school. We chose to keep going on the hard days. We chose to work toward our diplomas while raising our children and building better futures for our families. I would say that this has been one of the best choices we have ever made.”
Alumnae and Second Generation Bursary Awards
Next, Alumnae and Second Generation Bursary Award recipients were presented. We were pleased to be able to award some of our recipients in person at the ceremony this year. More information about Alumnae and Second Generation Bursaries, and our 2026 recipients, including photos, can be found on our Alumnae Bursary website page here: http://www.youvillecentre.org/our-impact/alumnae-bursaries/
Thank You's and Acknowledgements
Thank you, to every one of our bursary donors, and special thanks to those who have continued to provide bursaries for our graduates for multiple years. These donated bursaries make a huge impact on two generations, as our graduates pursue their post-secondary education and create a better life for themselves and their children.
We are grateful to our photographer (& alumnae, Class of 1997!) Christina (Tia) MacPherson-Abdulla of Tia Photography for donating her professional skills to capture the special moments you see pictured from our graduation! Big thanks as well to Versailles Academy of Make-Up Arts, Esthetics and Hair, for the group of students who donated their time and skills as hairstylists for our graduates this year!
Many thanks to our dedicated staff in the Child Development Program, Intensive Treatment Support Program, Support Staff and Teachers for supporting our clients through their journeys and for the extensive planning and effort involved in making this day a great success!
Want to learn more about how you can support our future graduates?
If you are interested in supporting Youville Centre with a financial donation, to support the programs and services we offer that help our clients work towards their high school education, please visit our donation page here.
Interested in supporting a graduate with a bursary? Contact us at info@youvillecentre.org to learn more.