YMCA Celebrates Youth Across Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent

At the Y, we nurture future potential and grow leaders of tomorrow. Through our work, we support the development of healthy, caring adults – fostering stronger futures for our communities.

The annual YMCA Celebration of Youth Awards is one example of our commitment to investing in young people across Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent. The awards honour graduating or recently graduated high school students whose outstanding achievements contribute to the well-being and future of our society.

Celebration of Youth highlights the importance of volunteerism and community service, in addition to academic or athletic pursuits.

YMCA staff and community volunteers review written applications and conduct in-person interviews to select the successful candidates. In May 2026, 20 incredible young people from Sarnia-Lambton were recognized for their accomplishments. In June, a further 11 accomplished youth from Chatham-Kent were celebrated.

Each honoree receives a $1,000 scholarship toward their post-secondary education.

This program wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing generosity of our amazing partners in both communities. Thank you so much to our award sponsors!

Click here to view the full 2026 event details for Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton, including our wonderful award recipients, local partners, and volunteers.