As Antonio Pipitione walks the halls of York University for the first time this fall, he does so with immense gratitude for his the Catholic education, and perhaps even more so for the people living its mission, that helped get his young life back on track.  

It wasn’t long ago that all eyes were on the new graduate of Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School as recipient of the Governor General’s Academic Medal for the highest academic standing in his school, thanks to his combined Grade 11 to 12 average of 97 per cent. Despite the achievement, Pipitone was quick to share some of his earlier academic struggles that far fewer saw at the time.

“When I was in Grade 9, I was scoring in the 50s in my classes, and I had no real plans to go to university. I was only worried about finding a way to get my OSSD — that was my biggest fear at the time,” he told The Catholic Register. 

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Raised by a Catholic family and a student of Catholic schools all his life, Pipitone noted that growing up with financial instability was something that shaped his ambition, a drive he always had, with goals of one day giving back to those in his own position. In his earliest high school years, and admittedly surrounded by the wrong crowd going down the wrong path, he recalls having to make a choice. 

“At that time, I became really close with my high school chaplain, Mrs. Linda Izzo, who helped me learn how to give back. She had a lot of faith, even in students like me who were struggling. I had thought about going into construction and following my family's path, but it was the encouragement from my family, friends, teachers and my girlfriend that played a big role in supporting me and encouraging me to want to do better,” he said. 

That Christmas, Pipitone achieved a remarkable academic turnaround, going from near-failing grades early on to near the top of his classes. 

However, it was his pursuit of opportunities beyond the classroom, and founding his own company, Hire a Teen, that took his path through Catholic education to the next level. 

Operating as a student-run business that connects local homeowners with teenagers seeking work opportunities and assisting young people in finding valuable work experience, Pipitone founded the project in January 2025 when he was just 16. In June, Hire a Teen became an officially registered company.

He recalls the initiative beginning during a vulnerable period in early-to-mid Grade 11, when he and many of his friends struggled to find part-time work that fit school schedules and still offered useful skills. Knowing no other way to get started, Pipitone beat the streets. 

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“I started off just going door to door and asking if people wanted their snow shovelled. From there, I did every odd job you can think of: gardening, window cleaning, moving, painting. I realized that I wanted to have a bit more of a community impact with my peers, and I thought, ‘Why don't I make this into an ecosystem where students can be hired directly?’ ” he said. 

Hire a Teen has already begun sharing jobs with students, as the McLuhan graduate aims to scale meaningful work and mentorship opportunities for those in need of both. 

The teen has also recently taken on other leadership and community roles, having founded and led the Entrepreneurship and Leadership Club at McLuhan to create a hub for students interested in starting businesses or developing leadership skills, as well as having served as the business development lead at Olive Tree Builds.

Most recently, he was appointed the incoming budget lead for the Toronto Youth Cabinet, a youth organization he joined as a continuation of his desire for advocacy, especially for those facing financial instability or poor resources.

Despite all his success, Pipitone has seen his fair share of challenges, whether through juggling business and academic responsibilities or facing rejection in his business. Thankfully, he credits his work ethic built through his transformative time at a Catholic secondary school as having kept him strong. 

Now, he’s sharing those same lessons with others. 

“It has been a hustle thus far, but I have no regrets at all. To anyone who's trying to start something like this, my advice is to start early, and even if you can’t, just get started. I stopped waiting around for resumes and emails to come back. Just take action on anything you put your mind to, whether it be something big or small,” he said. 

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This fall, Pipitone will study business administration at York’s Schulich School of Business. There, he hopes to build more authentic connections and continue to pursue entrepreneurship alongside his studies. He has already shown his now-trademark initiative by organizing gatherings and activities such as a beach outing for incoming first-year classmates so they can form those relationships early.

With clear goals ahead of him, what stands behind him is a four-year transformation from a student unsure of his future to a Governor General’s medallist, youth advocate with an entrepreneurial spirit and new pupil of a top business school, driven by strong Catholic education’s supportive relationships and a personal desire to create the same opportunities for others.