Guelph student recognized with Student Trustee Servant Leadership Scholarship Award – guelphtoday.com

Guelph student, Kellyanne Mangali, is recognized with this year’s OCSTA-OSTA Student Trustee Servant Leadership Scholarship Award. 
The Grade 12 student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Secondary School, is one of two students to receive the award, an initiative developed by the Catholic Board Council Executive of the Ontario Student Trustees Association (OSTA-AECO) and OCSTA. 
The scholarship recognizes students in Ontario who exemplify strong leadership and outstanding service. 
“It feels really incredible,” Mangali said. 
“The president of OSTA-AECO told me that I won the award. I called my parents. It was just great.” 
Mangali was heavily involved in her school community over the last four years. She held multiple leadership roles including student senate president, link crew leader where she supported and welcomed new students, and she helped to organize multicultural events to celebrate the diversity of her fellow students. 
“I was on the student council at my elementary school at St. Patrick Catholic School in Grade 8. But there wasn’t much to do because of COVID. In Grade 9, I wanted to see what was being offered in high school, so I applied for senate assembly,” Mangali said. 
“I just loved the feeling of seeing students happy at school. It can be very stressful, especially in Grade 9 with the transition from elementary school to high school and meeting all sorts of new people.” 
Supporting her school community is something that Mangali says she values deeply.
"The multicultural festival at Lourdes, was brought back after a hiatus from COVID. I was a student representative for the parent council and the festival was their event. So, I worked with them on this,” Mangali said. 
“It was so great because I know at Lourdes especially, the diversity we have at school is incredible. There are many different cultures and with our exchange students as well, you can see a sense of community where people share and just enjoy everyone’s culture through food and music. Food, of course, is the most popular”
The 18-year-old also supported various environmental initiatives and served as a student trustee for the Wellington Catholic District School Board this past year. 
“I was able to offer a student perspective at board meetings and run initiatives such as a mental health symposium.”
Mangali also began a chess club and tournament at school. 
“I was an avid chess player at my elementary school and I was so excited to do it again in high school,” she said. 
In Grade 11, Mangali was the senate student president at Lourdes. 
"That got me a spot on the board student senate and then I was able to connect with the director. Everyone helped to make my dream come true of having a secondary school chess tournament,” Mangali said. 
“I have to say, there are so many people and parents that came up to me and said, 'I’m so glad my kids have this to look forward to in high school because they were avid chess players'.” 
In September, Mangali looks forward to attending the University of Guelph. 
“I am staying local. I am going to be in the Biomedical Science program. I hope to become a doctor or maybe a radiologist or pediatrician,” she said. 
Mangali says something she can apply from her past leadership roles is all the communication skills she has gained during her time at Lourdes. 
“I used to be a big introvert. But then I realized that by joining all of these clubs and councils, I was really able to branch out and do more public speaking. I was able to communicate more effectively,” she said. 
“And that’s such an important thing in life. I know that will definitely help me, moving forward.”  
For students interested in leadership roles at school, Mangali says joining in can open up a world of new opportunities. 
“I really got to meet and learn from people. Leadership also teaches you so much about life outside of academics. And you can learn to communicate with others.  This will really benefit you,” Mangali said. 
“One of the biggest things I learned was just to put yourself out there because you never know what can happen if you just speak up.” 
If you would like to apply to become a Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.

This story was made possible by our Community Leaders Program partner.
Thank you to Macho Movers for helping to expand local news coverage in Guelph. Learn more
© 2025 GuelphToday.com

source