Awarded Recipients

2007 CIIM Canada Giovanni Caboto Award - Frances Tibollo

Frances Alexandria Tibollo is a 19-year-old young woman and currently a full time student at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia where she is in her second year of her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Honours Political Science and International Development Studies. She completed her high school diploma at De La Salle College "Oaklands" Toronto in June 2006 with honours. Frances holds a second degree black belt in the martial art of Teakwon-Do.

Frances is the Founder and President of the Oaklands Foundation a not for profit organization concerned with education and development in impoverished nations. The primary objective of The Oaklands Foundation is to raise money that will fund projects to improve the quality of education in developing areas. She believes that the first step in reducing poverty worldwide is to provide a positive learning environment for students. She is working to help foster a community of future leaders who embody integrity and compassion. Frances is currently the Atlantic Representative and International Relations Delegate for the Canadian Catholic Students Association, Delegate to the North American Co-ordination for the International Movement of Catholic Students- Pax Romana, Vice-President of The Development and Peace Society at St. Francis Xavier University as well as an active member to several other on-campus initiatives. Frances has taken part in several International Youth Forums, most recently The World Bank's Youth Open House, as well as the International Youth Forum- "The Power of Youth for Peace" in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt where she was the North American delegate selected to address the First Lady of Egypt at the welcome ceremony as well as participate in the forum. Frances has been featured in several newspapers such as the "People who make a Difference" column in the Toronto Sun, The Brampton Guardian, 24Hours, and the Catholic Register. She is currently working on a co-operative development project where she and a group of youth will return to Nigeria Summer 2008 to create a cooperative development project with the community and schools spending the money raised by the Oaklands Foundation thus far.

Frances is the eldest of three children, daughter Michael and Silvana Tibollo. She enjoys reading, writing, and singing classical music. Frances is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish and French and is currently studying Mandarin. She hopes to encourage other youth to be active and involved members of not only their home communities, but also called to be active members of their global community.