TORONTO - Jane Wu, a remarkable 18-year old, has earned the title of "Canada's Top Teen Philanthropist" through Mackenzie Investments' first annual national contest. Mackenzie will make a $5,000 donation on Jane's behalf to Child and Youth Friendly Calgary (CYFC), the charity she has been supporting since she was 14 years old, and will reward Jane with $1,000 for her accomplishments. Five runners-up, from Victoria, B.C. to St. Hilaire, QC, are also being rewarded with a $500 grant to their charity of choice.

"Reviewing these nominations has been one of the most inspiring things I have ever done," says Brad Offman, Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy with Mackenzie Investments. "We have been astounded by these teens' dedication to the causes they care about. Jane's tireless and creative efforts across a variety of programs have enriched her community - she is the gold standard of a generation that understands the true meaning of philanthropy."

"Beauty and Brains"

Jane's proudest accomplishment was creating an annual conference for CYFC entitled Beauty and Brains. Learning that many female peers still perceived certain educational programs and careers to be more suited to men, the conference introduces young women to the full range of opportunities available to them and inspires them to pursue their dreams. Jane raised over $5,000 two years in a row to create a free event, attracting over 100 women in Calgary each year.

An avid community supporter since she was 12, Jane has logged thousands of volunteer hours including serving as Chair of the Calgary Youth Foundation (CYF) and Co-Chair of the Mayor's Youth Council, promoting dialogue between youth and municipal officials. She has also helped raise tens of thousands of dollars over the years for initiatives such as Opening Doors Rental Subsidies for Youth, a program which makes schools, churches and community halls cheaper to rent for organized activities.

"For me, philanthropy is the process of turning time, knowledge, heart and money into something truly priceless - real change," said Jane Wu. "This is a truly humbling experience for me. I've met a lot of young people who have done incredible things, so to me, this award represents what youth in Canada are doing for philanthropy."

National contest unearths teens' giving spirit

According to a recent survey conducted by Mackenzie, 93 per cent of teens aged 13-19 have been involved in philanthropic activity; a stunning number for such a young age group. The results of the Mackenzie contest, conducted in October and November of this year with the help of the Community Foundation of Canada, further proves that Canada's teens are committed to giving their time and money to support their communities.

Applicants were judged on criteria including: the breadth of their volunteering and fundraising efforts, their leadership and creativity, their hands-on involvement in their philanthropic pursuits, their length and level of involvement, and the impact on their community and their charity. Mackenzie also awarded five runners-up with $500 each for their charity of choice:

- Jessica Szeto, age 16, Scarborough ON; to support the Fu Hui (Canada) Foundation, Jessica traveled to Butuo, China to film the opening of boarding schools for impoverished children. Her documentary "The Children of Butuo" was nominated and screened at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

- Jeneece Edroff, age 14, Victoria BC; born with a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis, over seven years, with the help of the BC community, Jeneece has raised more than $1.25 million for Variety, The Children's Charity, through an annual penny drive.

- Calvin Mitchell, age 15, Ottawa ON; to support the charity Free the Children, Calvin spearheaded a fundraising group which raised enough money to build two elementary schools in Kenya.

- Olivier Cossette, 15, St. Hilaire QC; since 2003, when Olivier's mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, he has raised over $50,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, from collecting bottles and cans door-to-door to community garage sales and annual walks.

- Arnav Agarwal, age 16, Mississauga ON; since being inspired by visiting Mother Teresa's homes in Delhi, India at a young age, over the past two years Arnav has volunteered over 1,500 hours for the Mississauga, ON YMCA, leading Child/Youth/Family programs.

"Young Canadians are doing incredible work in their communities and around the world; not because they are required to, but because they want to make the world a better place," said Monica Patten, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of Canada. "In the heart of this charitable giving season, it's inspiring to see so many teens dedicating their time and raising funds to support the causes they wholeheartedly believe in."

Along with Monica Patten, a panel of high profile individuals selected this year's winner and finalists. They included: Danielle Silverstein, Executive Director, Jays Care Foundation, Malcolm Howard, Olympic Gold Medalist and supporter of the Canadian Athletes Now Fund, Carlos Bustamante, Host, YTV's The Zone and Brad Offman, Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy at Mackenzie Investments.