Alyssa Moledina joined JGI Canada in September 2008 as a leader of the Roots & Shoots Club at the University of Toronto Schools. Alyssa has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and has dedicated much of her time towards raising money and awareness for the Aga Khan Development Network, an institution whose goal is to eradicate global poverty. She is a passionate contributor to several extra-curricular activities including soccer, Model United Nations and Student Council. Alyssa is in her final year of high school and plans to pursue a career in the fields of Actuarial Science and Business Administration.

Anna Bishop became involved with Roots & Shoots through the 2008 JGI Global Youth Summit, which was one of the most amazing experiences of her life. Anna is seventeen and lives in Guelph, Ontario. Her passion for the environment started when she participated in the Community Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). During CELP she went winter camping, learned what it meant to be an active citizen, and led Earthkeepers, a program for fifth graders that teaches about ecology and environmental stewardship. Anna used to lead her high school’s environment club and currently co-leads Student Outreach, a social and environmental justice club.

Habiba Javer is new to Roots & Shoots but has been engaged in youth initiatives for a long time. She has been involved with the Aga Khan Ismaili community, where she dedicates her Saturday mornings to teaching religion. She has also volunteered with the Daily Bread Food Bank and at the Cummer Lodge in North York helping seniors. Habiba enjoys reading, dancing and outdoor activities. She firmly believes that “it only takes one leader to initiate community change”.

Izzy Hirji has been a Roots & Shoots volunteer for the past three years and founded a Roots & Shoots group at the University of Guelph. He loves being involved in both environmental and humanitarian initiatives and is passionate about volunteerism and its benefits to developing community. He is currently in his 3rd year of a B.Sc. degree in zoology at UofG, with aims of becoming a veterinarian in great ape conservation. He also loves photography and spending time outdoors, especially on his bicycle!

Jeremy Bannon has been a member of Roots & Shoots at Cameron Heights high school in Kitchener for over three years and has organized many successful school events. He was the emcee in his school’s environmental workshop, he co-lead the Day of Silence for three years to raise money for AIDS victims and awareness and he also led a fair-trade fundraiser to raise money to employ Kenyan women to plant trees. Jeremy aims to mold his passion into a life of influence and a more positive world.

Julia Coburn became involved with Roots & Shoots through the 2008 JGI Global Youth Summit, which opened the doors to collaborate with other Summit participants on rewarding international projects.  She believes one of the greatest strengths of Roots & Shoots is these international connections. Julia has been involved with a wide range of projects and volunteer activities over the years—including a divestment campaign with STAND, a cruelty-free egg campaign with UTCARE, volunteer assisting individuals with spinal cord injuries, and writing reports for a responsible investment initiative—making Roots & Shoots’ multi-faceted program a perfect fit.

Katie O’Connell has been involved with Roots & Shoots for two years as a volunteer and as the co-founder and leader of an active group in Etobicoke West.  She enjoys being involved in activities relating to water, forests, conservation, and social justice issues.  She is currently working on her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies at York University and hopes to one day work in the field of Restoration Ecology.      

Kaylee McRae was introduced to Roots & Shoots by volunteering at McMaster University’s Reason for Hope week in 2006. Since 2007, Kaylee has been the co-founder and leader of an active group in Etobicoke West. Kaylee currently attends City School, where she is involved in their EcoSchool program, and wishes to pursue marine biology in post-secondary studies.  In summer of 2009, Kaylee will join the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation as an intern.  Kaylee loves dancing, eating scrumptious vegetarian meals, scuba diving, and sharing her passion for the natural world with a compassionate ear.

Shailyn Drukis was introduced to Roots & Shoots while meeting Dr. Jane Goodall during a visit to her city, Kitchener/Waterloo. Shailyn spends the majority of her time volunteering and organizing various events. She has volunteered with a group called Food Not Bombs Since 2007, and enjoys helping out at her local AIDS Committee. Shailyn can be seen in her community promoting peace and motivating people to create change. She likes to “Live simply so that others may simply live” as Gandhi put it, and she recently won a YMCA Peace Medallion for her outstanding community involvement.

Shannon Trebilcock has been involved with Roots & Shoots since 2005 when she founded the Mac Roots & Shoots group. She acted as the group leader for three years while completing her undergraduate degree in Biological Anthropology at McMaster University. Shannon spent time with Dr. Jane, who inspired her from a young age, during the group’s “Reason for Hope” week. Shannon will be travelling to Uganda in February 2009 to volunteer for JGI Uganda and Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Shannon hopes to attend graduate school for Primatology and is passionate about wildlife conservation and environmental issues.

Rohit Mehta became involved with Roots & Shoots through the 2008 JGI Global Youth Summit. As a founding member and past President of the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance, he is passionate about youth environmental education and action. A member of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, Rohit is keen on spreading awareness about climate change. In high school, he started an organization called Volunteering Peel, which provides volunteer opportunities for high school students. He has also attended a learning expedition to the Arctic with Students on Ice Expeditions. Rohit is currently studying Environmental Management at the University of Toronto at Mississauga.

Tracey Hamilton has volunteered for JGI Canada since 2003, working as Roots & Shoots Intern in 2004. She believes that we must listen to our minds and hearts and use wisdom, compassion, and the spirit of hope to make the world a better place for all. Her passions include protecting great apes, humane education, animal rights, mental health issues and working with kids and animals. Halfway through a BSc in Zoology with a minor in Philosophy at the University of Guelph, Tracey has taken time off recently to do some soul searching and volunteer for causes close to her heart.