EXCELLENCE FUND – ANIK BISSONNETTE Scholarships – Health – Artistic development

Nothing is dearer to my heart than being able to give Quebec’s young people the means to achieve their ambitions and shine on stages around the world. This fund helps protect the physical and mental health of these athletes at a crucial time of life, an ever more pressing issue that I have worked on tirelessly in recent years.

GOAL $ 1.8 M

That is why I am appealing to your generosity. The students have all the courage, perseverance and talent they need, but they also need your financial support to develop – as both artists and citizens – in the best possible conditions. Their success is in your hands.

Anik Bissonnette

The Scholarships

Give the young people of today and tomorrow the opportunity to reach the stars, regardless of their financial situation. Help us ensure the long-term health of our scholarship program and secure the future for our students.

The École supérieure’s foundation has helped numerous talented young people achieve their full potential. It offers support scholarships to students from lower-income households, and excellence scholarships for deserving students, both to recognize their exceptional work and to facilitate their transition to the professional world.

A scholarship recipient’s testimonial

Having received scholarships for almost my entire time at the École supérieure, it is partly thanks to the foundation that I am now working in the profession that I trained for diligently for 11 years. Without the foundation, the dream of dancing for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens would have remained just a dream.

Without a scholarship or financial aid, it would have been impossible for me to continue my training. I would have had to leave the school. The support I received from the foundation and its donors was a real source of motivation. I came to realize that people believed in me and in my talent, and that my family’s financial situation would not stop me from achieving my goal. Working hard and giving my very best every day was my way of thanking them and showing my gratitude.

Health

Give young athletes access to the best specialists and injury-prevention techniques, as well as a range of services that help them learn in a healthy environment. Help us provide ongoing health services for current and future students.

For The Health And Wellbeing Of Our Young People

A pioneer in prioritizing the physical and mental health of its students, the École supérieure is one of the first institutions to offer mental preparation coaching as well as nutrition and performance improvement workshops.

With your help, the foundation plans to improve the resources and assistance available to students. The demands of dance are evolving, and students need to adapt and prepare. Your support will make it possible to:

• Increase the number of one-on-one meetings between students and our physical and mental health specialists

• Ensure weekly sessions with our mental preparation and performance improvement specialist;

• Continue running workshops in psychology, mental preparation, nutrition, cooking, foot care and physical conditioning

• Enhance workshops on maintaining a healthy body image and sense of self-esteem, and on preventing anxiety and eating disorders

Resuming Training Sooner After An Injury

When a student is injured in class or rehearsals, they must sometimes wait up to 12 weeks to obtain an appointment for a medical examination (MRI or other scan). During that waiting period, the young athlete must pause most of their training, which not only delays their training and expected progress but causes anxiety and loss of motivation.

With your help, the foundation will be able to offer some students medical imaging scans at a private clinic. The benefit will be considerable, because this is an expensive examination that few can afford to pay for themselves. And it will considerably shorten the time required to obtain a diagnosis and return to training. An MRI costs approximately $850, a significant expense for many families.