Tina Merali:

2011 Hadassah Ksiensk Distinguished Service Award

Tina Merali is an extraordinary teacher but far from being your typical Canadian. She was born in a small town a few hours from Beirut the capital of Lebanon and lost her father while still an infant.


She was taken to boarding school while aged only three so her mother could work and provide for the family.
Yet At only 15 Merali was whisked off to Calgary from Lebanon where a marriage was arranged in 1980 with a cousin here whom she had never met. The marriage however failed to work and less than two years later they divorced. Merali was left all on her own in Canada without a home, a family and friends and worse; with a murky status in regard to her continued stay in Canada.

She got a job as a babysitter for a Lebanese family in exchange for room and boarding, she also negotiated a visa to remain in Canada as the civil war in Lebanon meant her return would put her in danger. Her babysitting career led her to another family from family from Iran and while doing this job she enrolled in Henry Wisewood High School.

With this sort of history it is expected to wonder what kind of inspiration Merali would be to her students. That is history indeed because Tina’s determination to succeed has led her to impeccable personal success as well as guiding students in her care to set high standards for themselves.

And this support is necessary in Merali’s job as her centre caters for the students’ needs in education, integration, and linking student mentors with their peers says Deborah Sydorchuk from the Calgary Assessment Centre.


Merali has since been a Spanish language, ESL teacher as well as youth counselor and currently works in the administration side of things as the Coordinator of the Wellness Centre at Forest Lawn High School.

It is obvious through all her work that Merali believes in the ultimate freedom of individuals to make decisions that determine their life and lifestyle. And in her job at the Wellness Centre she has cultivated lasting and respectful relationships among 25 services providers to the centre she deals with as well as the students that are the benefactors of those services.


This is evidenced in one particular endorsement of Merali for the 2011 Hadassah Ksienski Distinguished Service Award from Anastasia Kochie a student of Forest Lawn.

“I’m a ‘girl’ but born in the wrong gender, I knew when I was 7 years old. I was scarred of dressing up as a girl. I feared what people were going to do to me in public. I’m so happy seeing Mrs. Merali because she always making me feel safe and confortable in school.

I have lots of friends who went to her asking for help. IN 2009 I have some problem with my family and I had to move out. I didn’t know where to live I was only 16 at the time and Mrs. Merali helped me to find a place to live as well as encouraging me to come to school everyday.


Mrs. Merali is not a teacher to me, she is an awesome sweet mom and I would love to meet you and tell you all how awesome she is who have always helping people and work her butt off to make Forest Lawan High School a better place for everyone to study.”

Merali is married to Taj Merali and they have three children.