Thirteen young Chinese from various parts of Canada have won the 2024 Lin Huang Cai Zhen Award

The winners of this year's Jean Lumb Award once again reflect the intelligence and passion of young Chinese Canadians. This year's winners include six from Ontario, five from British Columbia, and one each from Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The award winners are spread across the country, from the British Squash Queen who plans to study computer science at Harvard University in the United States, to the Supergirl from Dartmouth, Saskatchewan. Their perseverance and incredible spirit carry the hopes and dreams of Canadians. Other winners include a student from Toronto whose innovative research links genes to post-traumatic stress disorder, a pianist from Class 11 in Edmonton, a young winner from Vancouver who created a learning platform using artificial intelligence to assist learning, and many more highly talented winners who work in disciplines such as social ecology to children's special needs, digital music to biomedical sciences.

Arlene Chan, the eldest daughter of Lin Huang Caizhen and the president of the Jean Lumb Foundation, said, "I would like to congratulate this year's winners and welcome them as members of the Lin Huang Caizhen Award. Their new thinking shines brightly for the future community. In addition, I would like to thank the judging panel, who invest a lot of time in approving hundreds of applications from students from various provinces every year. Lastly, I sincerely thank our sponsors who have supported us over the years, especially the University of Toronto at Scarborough, which is one of our long-term supporters.

This year, the 27th Lin Huang Cai Zhen Foundation is awarded the Annual Scholarship to recognize outstanding Chinese high school students from all over the country. Since the establishment of this award in 1998, there have been over 160 awardees who have worked in their respective fields and made positive contributions to our community. They are spread across the country, from the Nunavut region to various parts of the world, including lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers, graphic artists, educators, accountants, and dentists.

The Lin Huang Cai Zhen Award aims to recognize the hopes and dreams of Chinese Canadians throughout history, whose hardships and sacrifices paved the way for future generations of Chinese. Jean Lumb, also known as Lin Huang Caizhen, is the first Chinese American woman to receive the Canadian National Medal, in recognition of her tireless efforts to speak up and advocate for the Chinese communities in Toronto and across Canada.

2024 Lin Huang Cai Zhen Award winner:

Academic Award from the University of Toronto at Scarborough - Olivia Li Ngan Sun, Li Aihong from the University of Toronto Affiliated School in Toronto, Ontario

Li Aihong participated in Youreka Toronto's volunteer service, serving as a high school investigator and working with undergraduate students at the University of Toronto and other students in most areas. She collaborated with three other work units and worked hard for eight months. Finally, she presented her innovative research at a regional seminar, linking genes with post-traumatic stress disorder, and won first place in the national promotion. She founded an organization that currently has eight branches in different schools in most regions, providing research opportunities for students interested in this field. She has received the Science Achievement Scholarship from McMaster University and the Outstanding and Academic Excellence Scholarship from the President of the University of Waterloo.

Li Aihong is studying in the Department of Neuroscience and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo.

University of Toronto Scarborough Admission Award - Bryan Cheng, Zheng Haiyang from Markville High School in Markville, Ontario

Zheng Haiyang's achievements in design are showcased in the digital world, and he shares his artworks through YouTube. He runs a channel called Robiz Slides, where he distributes his animated art works in the style of Q-version comics. He has gained over 2000 subscribers and 200000 clicks, equivalent to over 1600 hours of viewing time, and has a stable click through rate in the YouTube short film category. In terms of music, he is a double bass player for the Markville String Orchestra and has six years of playing experience. At last year's Kiwanis Music Festival in Toronto, he achieved second place and received a gold rating, followed by a platinum rating, and was invited to perform at the OMFA provincial level.

Zheng Haiyang is studying in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus.

Toronto University Bachelor's Award - Hiu Lam Sara Lo from St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham, Ontario

Lao Xiaolin discovered her interest in chemistry while undergoing swimming training. She participates in various volunteer work, such as tutoring, delivering meals to the elderly, and registering and translating patients at emergency centers. Xiaolin also studies Japanese to improve her language skills and integrate into Japanese culture. As an active and proactive person, she is committed to enriching her experience through serving the community while maintaining high academic achievements. She firmly believes that actively serving different groups will provide new experiences. Xiaolin aspires to become a comprehensive leader and set an example by connecting others with relevant resources to promote their development and set a good example.

Xiaolin is studying in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

Chung Kotcheff Family Art Award - Charlotte Yi Chia Kiang from Ross Sheppard High School in Edmonton, Asia

Jiang IKEA started learning piano at the age of four and obtained the ARCT Piano Performance Level Diploma from the Royal Canadian Academy of Music at the age of fourteen, which is the highest certificate awarded to this subject by the academy. She was the champion of the 2018 Steinway Piano Competition, reached the finals of the Canadian Music Competition and Vancouver International Music Competition in 2019, won the gold medal at the IPPA Conero International Piano Competition in 2023, and won the Canadian Music Competition and ACNMP John Weinzweig Senior Group championship. She won the championship at the Crescendo International Competition and made her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York at the age of seven. At the age of eight, she was invited to perform piano solo at the Chen Center for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In addition to playing the piano, she also joined the 10th IB concert band and the 10th to 12th jazz bands as the lead saxophonist.

IKEA is studying in Class 11 of Ross Sheppard High School.

Dorothy and Jung Shao Lu Community Service Award - Parker Zhang, Zhang Jinzhen from Walnut Grove High School in Langely, British Columbia

Zhang Jinzhen serves as the chairman of the Student Union Graduation Committee, the secretary of the Student Union, and the representative of the graduating class. He advocates for a more fair and inclusive learning space and plans graduation activities to boost morale. As the editor in chief of Crocodile Communications, he is responsible for managing the communication website and guiding the writers. He has served as Vice President of the WGSS Green/Ecological Team and President of the Youth Power Society, responsible for coordinating efforts to raise awareness of food safety on their social media platforms, organizing a team of thirty volunteers to help the food banks in Meals on Wheels and Langely, and organizing the annual Christmas food donation event. As the Vice Chairman of the British Columbia Youth Legal Leadership Branch, he leads the branch, helps young people seek justice, organizes social media posts, and presides over youth legal conferences.

Jin Zhen is studying in the Department of International Relations and Economics at the University of British Columbia.

Murphy&Chung Chartered Accountants Movement Award - Ocean Ma from J.N. Burnett High School in Richmond, British Columbia

Ma Lingyang is a teenage squash player who has ranked first in the country five times. She is a three time national champion and won two gold medals for the British Columbia team at the 2023 Canadian Winter Games. At the age of fifteen, she made her debut at the 2022 WWF World Junior Championships. She represented the Canadian national team in the 2023 and 2024 World Junior Championships, competing for the championship and leading her teammates to sixth place in 2023. Ling Yang is a bronze medalist at the US Junior Open, champion at the Canadian Junior Open, two time champion at the Asia Pacific Junior Open, two time champion at the Northwest Pacific Junior Open, past champion at the British Columbia Junior Open, three time champion at the British Columbia Junior Open, champion at the Ontario Junior Open, and winner of the Massey Gold Cup and Ernie Rogers Bowl awards for two or three years. Among numerous honors, she was honored with the 2022 Kevin Kydd Youth Service Award, which is presented to individuals or groups who selflessly inspire, guide, or coach young squash players.

Ling Yang studied computer science at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University and joined the Harvard Women's Squash Team.

Choi King and John C. Mah Memorial Innovation Award - Eric Jujian Zou from Markville High School in Markville, Ontario

In August 2023, Gu Jian co founded Articula with others to help new immigrants overcome language barriers and build confidence in communicating in English. In August 2023, he ranked fifth in the Summer Youth Influence Challenge and was appointed as a member of the Microsoft Startup Center in October of the same year. In November, he won first place in the Queen's Young Entrepreneurs Competition, and in December, he won first place in the Entrepreneur Marathon Challenge. In May of the same year, he participated in the VitalConnect collective design of a medical program that utilizes the internet to monitor the life support index of chronic disease patients, reducing hospital costs and ensuring patient safety. In March of the same year, he collaborated with others to design a computer learning financial program for Adwise users to learn. In November 2022, he co developed EZTimes with others, a software that allows individuals to set short-term and long-term goals and daily work schedules according to their own requirements.

I am studying at the University of Waterloo, majoring in Applied Science and Electrical Engineering.

AMI Wealth Group Human Rights Award - Samantha Fung from Mississauga High School in Mississauga, Ontario

When Feng Lingyi was studying in Class 5, her father encouraged her to volunteer for students with special needs. During the period of COVID-19, she needed isolation and could only study online. The loneliness and depression made her think that the situation of children with special needs would be worse. She has a concept of "encouraging children with special needs through music" to form a youth group that aims to help raise awareness among people with special needs. Over the past two years, a core group consisting of her and four friends has recruited more than 200 young volunteers and raised over 165000 Canadian dollars to provide one hour music therapy courses at 22 schools in Mississauga, Toronto, Oakville, Binton, and Ottawa. The reason why this plan can be effective is through mutual assistance among participants, thereby unleashing their respective leadership abilities.

Lingyi is currently pursuing its International IB Diploma at the World Federation Institute in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Kwai Chun Wong Excellence Award winner - Brant Lee from Sands High School in Delta, British Columbia

Li Haowen has always been interested in technology and medicine, and when he learned that British Columbia University offers a preparatory course in biomedical engineering, he was overjoyed. He is the champion of multiple subject competitions. In the tenth class, I challenged the eleventh and twelfth classes and won the Junior Scholar Award with an average score of 99% and 98%. In his spare time, he also participates in volunteer work, including serving as an Air Force student in the 819Skyhawk Squadron, hosting the Geering Up Engineering Training Camp at the University of British Columbia, and volunteering at a local elementary school. His participation in the community helped him establish good interpersonal relationships. These experiences helped him grow, improve his interpersonal skills, and become less reserved.

Haowen is studying in the preparatory program of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia.

Fay and John Wong Environmental Protection Award - Alexandra Chow from Eric Hamber High School in Vancouver, British Columbia

Zhou Yunyun has been a member of the Environmental Protection Association since the eighth class and the executive team since the tenth class. As the president of the association, she is committed to becoming the first certified environmental school by the Vancouver Board of Education. She is also a co-founder of the Sustainability Alliance, leading two projects together: setting up pilot projects in multiple libraries to test the sustainability of using sugarcane paper. She joined Youth 4 Climate Justice and the Vancouver School Board Sustainability Connection since Class 10 and was responsible for training. In the Technovation Girls competition, she co created an application to help young people cope with environmental anxiety. She is a member of Ocean Wise's Youth Ocean Program. She is committed to building inclusive and sustainable communities, cultivating public interest in protecting the climate correctly by creating a wave of environmental awareness in her community through common sense.

Junyun is studying in the Department of Arts and Sciences at McMaster University, with a concurrent focus on Environmental Science.

Ample Ace Holdings Ltd Technology Innovation Award - Hinson Chan from Eric Hamber High School in Vancouver, British Columbia

Chen Yuxuan's technological journey began with EduBeyond, where he created an artificial intelligence platform based on Natural Language Processing (NLP). He collaborated with the development team of the Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley on the development of Retrieval Agreed Generation technology. He used wireless power to provide two-way communication to CanSat satellites. This is a small satellite device launched in this year's CanSat competition in Canada. In June of this year, his microcontroller software enabled his team to represent Canada at the CanSat event at the European Space Agency. He created a Python Library database that is crucial for EduBeyond's workflow, with over 12000 developers downloading it from his database. He hosted a YouTube channel with over 1700 subscribers and 150000 views, showcasing his engineering and programming projects as well as a complete documentary about 'Land Checkerboarding'.

Yuxuan is studying computer science at Stanford University.

Jeffrey W. Lem and Susan Chong Lem Leadership Award - Evelyn Lee from Erindale High School in Mississauga, Ontario

Evelyn served as the co chair of the Student Activity Committees SAC and DECA at the school from 2022 to 2023, and also served as a student representative member of the Peel District Education Bureau. In January 2023, she established the 'Voice of Students' conference for the Peel District, and was the first to propose joining the Indigenous Student Committee, which was unanimously approved and received support from the Ontario Department of Education. She is committed to initiating the primary school commitment culture curriculum and collaborating with the commitment culture and mental health guidance committee. She joined the DSB Student Council in Horton District and co founded the Flourish Foundation. She served as the Fundraising Director of FUSE Society from 2022 to 2023 and was promoted to the Ontario President of the organization from 2023 to 2024. She is a member of the Canadian Youth Parliament and served as the Youth Coordinator for the Canadian Youth Parliament from 2022 to 2023. Her list of contributions and participation reflects her commitment to excellence, service, and philanthropy.

Evelyn is studying at Queen's University with an Honours degree in Business Administration.

Foon Hay Lum Communicative Award for Overcoming Adversity - Abigail MacLeod (Yin Yue) from Woodlawn High School, Dartmouth, Scotia

Abigail is a proud 17-year-old Chinese who was adopted at the age of two when she was still a baby. She was found on a bus and sent to an orphanage. She was born with cleft palate and hearing impairment, and has undergone six surgeries. She just had her seventh surgery this summer. She once served as a volunteer at the Skagershah Walk Association and won the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver Awards. She didn't give up and moved forward towards her goal. No matter how others look at her, she will continue to thrive. She doesn't let others' opinions of her influence her own. She believes that in order to overcome adversity and obstacles, you must overcome yourself. No matter what obstacles you encounter, you can become your true self and cherish yourself.

Abigail is studying at Woodlawn High School.

Pioneer of Chinese Canadian Women

Ms. Lin Huang Caizhen was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia and has twelve siblings. At the age of twelve, she lost her education and went to work to support her family. In 1935, she moved to Toronto and opened her own grocery store at the age of eighteen. She has six children, nine grandchildren, and one great grandson, and has been a partner and director of a Toronto Guangzhou restaurant for 23 years.

Ms. Lin Huang Caizhen is the first Chinese Canadian woman and the first food operator to actively participate in community work and receive the Canadian National Medal. She actively advocated for the amendment of family reunification immigration policies for Chinese families in Congress and was recognized for her contributions to saving Chinatown in Toronto and other cities. She is also the first to achieve multiple honors in the Chinese community, including:

First Chinese woman to become a member of the board of directors of Women's College Hospital

First Chinese woman to become a member of the board of directors of University Settlement House

The first Chinese restaurant owner and the first woman to achieve outstanding accomplishments in the Toronto Chinese food industry have been awarded the Fran Deck Award

The first Chinese female to become a member of the board of directors of Rotary Laughlin Center

From her life, we can witness the history of Chinese Canadians. She represents the hard work and sacrifice of generations of Chinese Canadians, who are able to enjoy everything today.