The David Ellis Scholarship (2009)

view/download pdf

Why We Remember David

Every year in Canada, 60 young workers are killed on the job.

David Ellis was killed on his second day at work.

He was 18.

Every year in Canada, 60 young workers are killed on the job. More than 60,000 are injured, many of them seriously.

David Ellis didn’t get the chance to fulfill his dreams.

But in his memory – and in honour of all the other young workers killed or injured on the job – the United Steelworkers is making sure young workers know the risks and know their rights on the job.

That’s why in the week of April 28, the International Day of Mourning for workers killed and injured on the job, Steelworkers go into high schools across Canada and talk to students about staying healthy and safe in the workplace.

And that’s why we’ve established the David Ellis Scholarship for the sons, daughters and grandchildren of Steelworkers.

In David’s honour, we will fight to make sure that young workers all come home from work healthy and safe.

The David Ellis Scholarship

The David Ellis Scholarship will make five $500 scholarships available to selected students to help continue their education at university, community college or another educational organization.   

The scholarships will be awarded to high school students who write winning essays or produce videos on health and safety as selected by a panel of judges. Details about how to apply for the scholarship are on the back panel of this brochure.

The scholarship is available only to high school students who are sons, daughters or grandchildren of Steelworker members.

The David Ellis Scholarship is part of the New Worker Awareness program.

To mark the International Day of Mourning for workers killed and injured on the job, the United Steelworkers go into high schools across Canada to teach students about their risks and rights in the workplace. We run radio ads, provide print materials and encourage our members across the country to talk to students about health and safety.

How to apply for the David Ellis Scholarship

Five scholarships of $500 will be awarded to five high school students who submit a winning essay or video on health and safety themes.

The Scholarship is only available to high school students who are the son, daughter or grandchild of a member of the United Steelworkers.

Students may choose between two themes for the essay or video:

Spreading the word: How I would make high school students aware of their risks and their rights in the workplace
How to be a workplace survivor: My personal experience with health and safety on the job

Essays must be between 750-1,000 words in French or English. The winning essays will be judged for creativity, style and content.

Essays must be typed and mailed or e-mailed (email preferred). Each essay must have a cover page with the student’s name, high school, home address, home phone number, and e-mail address, as well as the name and union local of the sponsoring member of the Steelworkers. Or, create a three to five minute video. Submit it to ‘YouTube’ and then email the  ‘YouTube’ link to dellis_scholarship@usw.ca.

Submissions must be post-marked or e-mailed no later than June 26, 2009.  The winners will be notified by August 21, 2009.  Essays may be sent to:

David Ellis Scholarship
United Steelworkers, Health, Safety and Environment Department
234 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 800
Toronto ON  M4P 1K7
dellis_scholarship@usw.ca

We reserve the right to publish the winning essay or video in United Steelworker publications or website. No materials submitted will be returned.