When Yonatan Alem goes to his first Electrical Techniques class at St. Clair College this September, he will be the first person in his family to attend College.
"I'm excited to come to St. Clair, it's a big accomplishment," he said.
Lorraine Goddard, Stephanie Zekelman, Ashley Dunn, Gracie Friesen, Yonatan Alem, Barry Zekelman and President Michael Silvaggi at Windsor Main Campus on Aug. 13, 2025. (Rich Garton/St. Clair College)
And the recent graduate of Catholic Central High School is doing it with the financial help of Stephanie and Barry Zekelman, whose foundation is helping Alem and three other students attending St. Clair College who have been part of United Way Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent's On Track to Success program.
"It means a lot. It takes a weight off me and my mom because I didn't come from a well-off family," Alem said. "What they're doing is God's work right now."
For more than a decade, the Stephanie and Barry Zekelman Foundation has played a key role in growing On Track to Success, helping local youth and families build brighter futures through success coaching, mentorship and the provision of financial assistance.
This year, the Zekelman Foundation established a new bursary fund for four On Track to Success graduates, now enrolled at St. Clair.
"Our future is our youth," said Barry Zekelman. "I just told every one of them that we depend on them more than they depend on us. We need them to foster our future and build a community."
The Zekelmans came to St. Clair's Main Windsor Campus on Aug. 13, 2025, to meet the students and learn more about their path to St. Clair.
"We wanted to give them that launching pad, and they earned it," said Stephanie Zekelman. "Not only are they volunteering, working, taking care of their parents, they're making the grades. And that's all we can ask for."
The United Way's mission through the program is to assist economically disadvantaged students find their way towards graduating from high school, and get enrolled into college, university or a trade education.
"Thanks to the generosity of the Zekelmans, four remarkable On Track to Success students now have the opportunity to pursue their post-secondary dreams without the burden of financial worry," said Lorraine Goddard, the CEO of United Way Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent.
According to the United Way, keeping kids in school can improve many life outcomes, including health, higher life-long earning potential, and lower the chances of at-risk behaviour, while building up a skilled workforce and helping local youth prosper.
There are currently 200 students enrolled in the On Track to Success program. Over the years, 93 per cent of students have graduated on time and 80 per cent of recent high school graduates are actively enrolled in a post-secondary program.
"Their gift is more than a bursary It's an investment in the potential, ambition, and future of our youth," said Goddard. "We are truly grateful for the Zekelmans' commitment to helping young people thrive."
Another one of those young people receiving the bursary is Ashley Dunn, who is going into her third year of Business Administration - Marketing at the College. She's been involved with On Track to Success since Grade 9.
"My family is low income, so I do want to rise above that, and I do want to try to make a better life for myself and even provide for my family eventually, too," Dunn said. "It's relieving, because the money has always been something I'm worried about."
"So just having this money, it's a relief. I can focus on school and have that be my main priority," Dunn added.
Aside from being enrolled in the United Way program at some stage of their lives, the students also share another common trait: they are driven to make an impact.
"It's the young generation that comes out and builds us up, so if we can give back and contribute in any way to help them with their education and with their dreams and goals, then we're going to be a part of that. It's our responsibility," said Barry Zekelman.
"They're nice young adults. And we just hope they keep their nose to the grindstone and take this opportunity to heart and really do well and make us proud."
