2025 Community Awards Spotlight – Charlotte Kennedy

Charlotte Kennedy – Inspiring Youth

This year was the first time the Municipality presented the Inspiring Youth honour since the category was created in 2024.

This award recognizes and celebrates the incredible achievements of youth aged 12 to 21 in Mississippi Mills who inspire and motivate others or who demonstrate outstanding initiative. 

Charlotte Kennedy is a longstanding and trusted member of the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre (MMYC). Their meaningful contributions have also been felt in the broader community through advocacy, leadership and social responsibility.  

Charlotte is a quiet, but powerful leader and mentor. Most notably, their impact was felt through participation in the Youth Centre’s THRIVE program, where they worked collaboratively with peers to amplify youth voices, particularly those who may be overlooked, to shape a more youth-centred community.  

They also play an instrumental role in community engagement and civic action, helping support the Youth Centre’s Truth and Reconciliation Vigil, Charlotte took the lead in crafting the Youth Centre’s land acknowledgement, to ensure it was aligned with the youth centre’s values of respect and inclusivity.  

Recognizing the importance of harm reduction, they also helped advocate for naloxone kits to be available at the youth centre. 

They have assisted with many Youth Centre fundraisers such as the annual haunted house and community dinners; and they have helped shape programs, influence policy and create a more inclusive and compassionate environment for other youth. Charlotte is a wonderful example of the tremendous impact youth can have when they feel empowered, heard and supported.  

Charlotte’s nominators had this to say about them: 

“Charlotte has been a role model amongst their peers and a proud representative of their community. They have demonstrated their strength as a public speaker at major events such as Mississippi Mills Youth Centre community dinners and the candlelight vigil held in honour of Orange Shirt Day. Their kind and caring nature is seen when working collaboratively with youth and as an advocate for social causes.” 

“Charlotte is an outstanding student who consistently performs at a high academic level and always does so with a smile! Their work ethic, genuine curiosity and commitment to learning is highly evident in our school community. In the classroom, they are an engaged and thoughtful student who excels in a variety of subjects, and they are well respected amongst their educators.” 

Congratulations, Charlotte, for inspiring others with your selfless volunteerism.