Russell Peters awards the inaugural $20,000 Russell Peters North Peel
Scholarship

TORONTO, June 30 /CNW/ - Russell Peters presented graduating student, Randy Adams with the first Russell Peters North Peel Scholarship at last night's commencement at his Alma Mater, North Peel Secondary School. The award worth up to $ 20,000 is intended to finance up to three years of college to a graduating student with strong academic standing and attending a college in the fall. Adams has been accepted into the Electrical Engineering Technician program at Georgian College.

Peters attributes much of his success to having attended North Peel Secondary and wanted to find a way to give back to the community and to a deserving student. "When I was a teenager, North Peel was the best thing that ever happened to me," says Peters. "I finally felt like I belonged."

Listed on the Forbes list of the highest earning stand-up comics in the US in 2009, Peters donated almost half-a-million dollars to the Brampton Civic Hospital last year. He continues to tour and just set a new attendance record in Australia for the largest comedy show in Australian history with over 13,300 people attending his show at Sydney's Acer Arena. Peters first book, 'Call Me Russell' will be released by Doubleday Canada this fall and he has just announced that he'll be hosting two galas at Toronto's Just For Laughs on Friday, July 9th at Massey Hall. Tickets on-sale today, Wednesday, June 30th at 10 AM.

North Peel is the largest vocational school in Ontario, with 750 students. Through 20 hands-on programs including auto service, chef training and horticulture, it prepares students to enter the workplace, college and apprenticeship programs. The school is located at 1305 Williams Parkway in Brampton.

Note to media: Photo of Russell Peters available at www.peelschools.org

For further information: Media contacts: Sonya Bhatia, Publicist, 647-801-8488