Toronto, Ontario, August 12, 2025 – TVO Media Education Group (TVO) is proud to mark five years of meaningful partnership with the Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement through the Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP). Since 2021, TVO has hosted 43 student leaders from Grades 10-12, providing immersive hands-on experiences that foster leadership, build transferable skills and open doors to career pathways in media, education, and technology.
Over the course of five weeks, TVO staff collaborated to deliver interactive workshops and real-world work experiences that empower students to explore their potential. Weekly mentorship sessions offer space for deeper conversations on topics like career aspirations, public speaking and positive study habits are tailored to the students interests and goals. The program aims to help self-identifying Black students gain placements in organizations to develop leadership and transferable skills, with the long-term goal of increasing Black representation in underrepresented careers.
The impact of the program is tangible as many of the students that have previously or currently enrolled in the program have received offers to post-secondary institutions and several of the student leaders have received scholarships and awards while enrolled in the program. For many BSSLP alumni, their time at TVO was pivotal to igniting a passion for journalism, sparking creativity in game development or equipping them with valuable transferable skills they’ll carry forward in their academic and professional journeys.
“The TVO team had a front-row seat to witness the students’ curiosity, bold ideas, and remarkable growth. While the program is designed to empower Black youth, it also offered us, as an organization, the opportunity to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them,” said Cathy Jung, Vice President, People and Culture at TVO. “I’m proud to be part of this ongoing journey, one that truly brings to life TVO’s mission to inspire learning that changes lives and enriches communities.”
Discover how five summers of collaboration are shaping futures and creating impact. Hear directly from four of our BSSLP alumni on how the program impacted them here.
To explore more from this year’s BSSLP, including mentor spotlights and a behind-the-scenes look at what the student leaders have been working on, visit the TVO.me LinkedIn page.
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ABOUT THE BLACK STUDENT SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Established in 2019, the Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP) was designed to empower Black students by fostering agency, leadership, and civic engagement and is led by Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement. This innovative summer program for Black students in Grades 10 to 12 focuses on two main areas: Experiential Learning, through work placements, and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). This program underscores the organization’s commitment to supporting student achievement and developing future leaders.
ABOUT TVO MEDIA EDUCATION GROUP
TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVO Docs, TVO Learn, TVO ILC and TVOkids, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. TVO is a registered charity funded in part by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information.
Media Contact: Genevieve Grant, TVO | ggrant@tvo.org