“Education is the foundation for a civil, developed and healthy society.”

Derek Dabee decided to run for a seat on the Seven Oaks School Division Board of Trustees when he heard a longtime Trustee was retiring. He saw it not only as an opportunity to contribute to the continued development of the public school system, but also as a chance to give back to the larger Seven Oaks community.

Derek has long been known for his volunteerism in the community and is a recipient of the City of Winnipeg Outstanding Volunteer Award for Recreation. He has worked with a wide variety of organizations and groups including the Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre, the Manitoba Round Table for Sustainable Development and has poured his time and energy into the areas and issues that he is passionate about.

He is a long-time advocate for equity and diversity, having served on both the City of Winnipeg Task Force on Equity and Diversity and the Civil Service Equity Employment Policy Committee. Derek has also worked tirelessly on local and provincial levels promoting sports, human rights, and culture within the Caribbean community.

For many Winnipeggers however, Derek is perhaps best known as the Founding President of the Burton Cummings Community Centre and as a member of the Maples Community Centre Board who helped spearhead the first youth cricket pitch in the Seven Oaks Area.

Derek will turn his attention as a Trustee to the educational needs of students and families in the Seven Oaks School Division, with a particular eye on building new schools, recreation, and sports facilities. He also looks forward to helping the Division explore the learning opportunities offered by new technologies and to providing additional support for teachers as they prepare young people for the challenges ahead.

In Derek’s eyes, supporting students as they explore their education and their own connections to the community will ultimately bring people together and make the entire Seven Oaks School Division stronger.