Right side of the law for bursary recipient Articles / Inside the TPS Jun 22, 2012 - 01:31 PM

There was a time when Quentin “Vercetty” Lindsay was known to police for all the wrong reasons.

He hung out with the wrong crowd, participated in illegal activities – including drug dealing – and was constantly on the run from 31 Division officers. He dropped out of his high school at age 16 and was kicked out of a New York school his mother sent him to with the hope that a new environment would help her son turn his life around.

Lindsay returned to the Greater Toronto Area two years later and enrolled in Nelson A. Boylen Collegiate Institute where a counsellor saw some potential in him. While in Grade 12, she encouraged Lindsay to apply for bursaries and scholarships so that he could pursue post- secondary education.

Ironically, the first academic award he won was the 31 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) bursary.

“I was so excited,” recalled Lindsay who was the guest speaker at the Division’s CPLC 12th annual bursary presentations on June 14.

“At first, I told myself this was free and easy money, but as it sunk in that I was the winner of an award that’s associated with the police, I realised that the same cops who used to be chasing me were now contributing in some way to my education to make me a better person. That was overwhelming.

“It also made me realise that there are people out there in the community who care about youths. My parents did not have the kind of money to send me to college or university and I didn’t even know what a bursary meant until my counsellor provided me with an explanation. Furthermore, it was a struggle to make it through high school, so I did not feel like I could get to university, much less make it through. The 31 Division CPLC bursary changed all of that negative thinking.”

A very talented artist, Lindsay won several more bursaries and scholarships and is now enrolled in the College of Art Design (OCAD). He was also part of a group of artists who created a 400-foot bike-themed mural at the intersection of Dupont St. & Dundas St. W.

Lindsay encouraged this year’s bursary winners to pursue their dreams.

“There are people out there who care about you and are willing to help you achieve your goals,” he told them.

“Don’t let them or yourself down.”

This year’s bursary award recipients were Carly Torraville, Lavon Brown, Brandon Mohabir, Chalisa Burce, Joyce Acquaye, Anthony Harvey and Ingrid Medrano.

Torraville and Burce graduated from Downsview and James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School respectively and are enrolled in Seneca College’s Early Childhood Education program; C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute graduate Mohabir is pursuing heating, refrigeration and air conditioning studies at Humber College and Brown – who graduated from Emery Collegiate Institute – is pursuing Community and Business Services studies at Sheridan College.

Acquaye, a graduate of St. Basil The Great College School, is enrolled in Everest College’s Early Childhood Education program, Harvey, who graduated from Westview Centennial Secondary School, is pursuing General Arts & Science Studies at Seneca College and Medrano, who graduated from Madonna Catholic Secondary School, is enrolled in Seneca College’s Financial Service Management Studies program. Ingrid Medrano was unable to attend the ceremony.

31 Division unit commander Supt. David McLeod, S/Sgt. Rick Blanchard, CPLC chair Vivian Broersma, bursary chair Ellen Hudgin, Member of Provincial Parliament Mario Sergio and Councillor Anthony Perruzza congratulated the recipients.

“I don’t usually wear my Sunday best, but I did so today because this is a special occasion,” said Perruzza.

“The CPLC took it upon their own to raise money and honour young people for their achievements. We would not be here without the kind of commitment, passion and desire to help young people by giving them a little push. This is what this is all about and the police have been a wonderful partner in all of this from the beginning. They have been there all along by participating in the fundraising and actually helping out. They are an inspiration behind this because they want to see our young people do well.”

Retired Supt. James Parkin was instrumental in establishing the bursary program for students attending schools in 31 Division.

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