Paul Ash Educational Award

Open to full and part-time students who will be enrolled in any year of study of Child and Youth Care or Early Childhood Education at any campus where the eligible programs are offered.

Application assessment will consider

• Financial need
• Commitment and interest in program
• Good academic standing
• Self-identification: Historically Indigenous Black / African Nova Scotian

About the award
Paul Ash has been a champion and trailblazer for African Nova Scotians in equitable education for decades, from his work on the BLAC Report, with BEA, becoming a Principal of a P-12 school, to being the Director of African Services Division, a Superintendent of Schools to now being the current Executive Director of African Canadian Services Branch for the past several years. Paul’s own personal academic story is not only inspirational, it is the story of low expectations that African NS students experience in the school system to eventual triumph in becoming a high academic achiever making incredible changes to the very system that oppressed him. Paul’s unwavering commitment to support the African NS learner in both P-12 and the Post-Secondary system is exemplary.

He has directly supported the funding of African Nova Scotian cohorts at NSCC, as well as funding for the African Canadian Tutoring Program and the African NS Student Emergency Fund. Paul is not only an incredible partner in education, he is someone who truly deserves to be highlighted and recognized as an unwavering advocate and change maker in the field of education for all Black and African Nova Scotian people in the province of Nova Scotia.