Bridge Magazine 2013 for Alumni by Collingwood School

bridge june2013

THE MAGAZINE OF COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL

JUNE 2013

Tiffany Lion â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;13 and Hannah McKinney â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;14 prepare to gasket the mainsail on the Tall Ships adventure in the Southern Gulf Islands. Every year, a small group of Senior School students participate in the ultimate team building experience, where each student engages in all facets of ship life, from galley work to anchor watch, navigation to knots, plus also chronicle their journey on film. The biggest lesson to be learned on this tall ship is that working together positively and progressively yields the greatest reward.

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The Three R’s It’s hockey, hockey, hockey all time for the three Reinhart boys

Harvard Bound for Hockey Alexander Kerfoot proves that love of sport fuses with love of learning

cover 8

Change Starts Here A dynamic mother-daughter duo create change for young women in sub-Saharan Africa

The New Morven: The Centre of It All Get acquainted with the hub, the highway and the heart of the new School

An Alumni Voice Political analyst Taufiq Rahim ‘00 checks in with us from Libya

Class Notes

Introducing: The Alumni Exec

What is a Lifer?

Talking With: Roger Hatch

welcome to bridge Preparing young people to thrive in meaningful lives . . . At Collingwood, we see these words daily – in our publications, on our posters, and even on our computer screens where they are embedded in the desktop image. These eight words are Collingwood’s mission, and they drive our programs, our practices and our faculty in an ongoing endeavour to provide the best possible educational experience for our students. So we often ask ourselves - what is “meaningful”? And - are we fulfilling our mission? This edition of Bridge offers stories that provide compelling aﬃrmation that we are on the right track. Our cover story takes you to sub-Sarahan Africa with an alumni family to learn what has brought new meaning and a new mission to their lives. Read about our new “3R’s” – three brothers who have the talent to achieve their goal of playing professional hockey as well as an alum who will be combining hockey with a Harvard education. Meet another of our alumni who went from Collingwood to two Ivy League schools and then on to Dubai to seek insight into the

editor in chief Susan Hazell contributing writers Shelley Williams Barb LaBounta

challenging issues in the Middle East. Whether it is educating and empowering young people in an impoverished land, striving to reach the Canadian dream or grappling to find solutions for complex global issues, these alumni are all pursuing their own path. They have all determined what is meaningful to them. And they are clearly thriving. We wish you and enjoyable read and all the best for a wonderful summer!

design & art direction Barb LaBounta photography & illustration Jake Francis Sharifa Samuels Kim Spicer

bridge

is an annual publication of Collingwood School 70 Morven Drive West Vancouver, BC

www.collingwood.org

Shelley Williams

staff & contributors

Tucked in the corner of one of the Visual Arts studios we spy the exquisite artwork of Sabrina Wang ‘14. Sabrina excels in academics and is a brilliant pianist, yet also finds ample time to pursue her artistic ambitions. Her AP Studio Art courses challenge her use of technique while allowing her to explore themes that are meaningful to her. The Visual Arts have always ﬂourished here, whether in a portable or their current temporary home. When renovations are complete, light and airy studios in the Parents’ Wing will be the new home of art for future students.

R’s

H T E

H T R

HOCKEY DREAMS COME TRUE AT THE REINHART HOUSE 4

magine stepping onto the ice for your NHL debut in your own hometown, your family and friends watching proudly from the stands and the cheering of thousands of fans ringing in your ears - it’s every boy’s dream.

For Max Reinhart ’10, the dream came true on April 6, 2013. A 2010 Calgary Flames draft pick, the 21 year old was playing with Calgary’s farm team when he got called up for the Flames game in Vancouver. “I found out the night before and then it all happened so fast; it was a whirlwind of emotions, interviews and travelling. It seemed like just 10 minutes had passed and all of a sudden I was in the warm-ups. I’d walked down that same hallway with my dad when I was a little boy and it was surreal being down there as a player. You can’t prepare yourself for playing in front of 20,000 people.” That was Max Reinhart’s moment. And chances are very good that younger brothers Griffin ‘12 and Sam ‘13 will soon have their professional debuts on the rink. It’s not surprising that Paul and Theresa Reinhart’s three sons would aspire to be pro hockey players, given Paul’s eleven years in the NHL – nine with the Calgary Flames and two with the Vancouver Canucks. What is surprising - and impressive - is considering the depth of talent in hockey, all three of them are in line to follow their father into the pro league. All of the boys will tell you that they weren’t pushed into hockey and that their parents encouraged them to participate in all sports. They played soccer, tennis and golf, as well as hockey. But they’ll also tell you that they were typical hockey-loving Canadian boys and that hockey was in their blood. Fortunately for them, because of Collingwood’s High Performance Learners’ Program (HPL) that offers the flexibility for students to pursue their athletic and artistic goals, they were able to follow their dream of becoming professional hockey players while also pursuing their education.

run over by an opposing player. The skate blade went through his skate and a tendon was cut, necessitating surgery and weeks of rehab. “First, I have to get my foot healed and then do a lot of training. I’ll go back to the Islanders’ prospect camp in the summer for a week and then continue training again and show up to camp next year. I’m hoping to make that team but if I don’t I’ll play another year back in the Juniors with the Oil Kings.” Sam, the youngest of the family at age 17, plays for the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. Last year he led the team in scoring and was named WHL Rookie of the Year. This spring he captained the Canadian U-18 team to a win in the IIHF Ice Hockey World U-18 tournament in Sochi, Russia. Despite a shoulder injury in the final game, Sam was still able to hoist the trophy in celebration of the win – one of his favourite hockey moments to date. Despite the injuries and the setbacks, the Reinharts are driven by their goal to play in the NHL. Max reflected on his taste of life in the pro league. “In Junior you’re really close to your teammates. Then you get into pro and all of a sudden you’re not with a billet family; you’re living by yourself; paying for everything yourself; it makes you grow up a lot faster. You’re completely independent except for the couple of hours that you’re at the rink in the morning. The last month has been a really good experience for me to learn what it takes to play in the NHL. Once you have a taste of it you really want to get back to it. That’s pretty much all I’m working for this summer and I’d be disappointed if I wasn’t there to start the season.” Griffin, Max and Sam

Middle brother Griffin, 19, is Captain of the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings and was a fourth round draft pick by the New York Islanders in 2012. He was sidelined by an injury in May during their WHL playoff series with the Portland Winterhawks when he was accidentally 5

Max looks back on his Collingwood years and the support he received while in the HPL with appreciation. “You don’t have a lot of time for school work with all the travel. The beauty of the program is that the timetable is flexible and your teachers are willing to help you learn the full year’s information in a shortened time. You can get your education while you pursue your dream. I actually felt like I was ahead of the curve in a lot of situations.” Griffin echoed Max’s comments. “The program was the biggest help to me in my grad year, because my team went all the way to the finals and to the Memorial Cup. A lot of the teachers at Collingwood put in extra time to work with me and made tutors available because I only had about a month to catch up. I wouldn’t have had that kind of support and couldn’t have done it all at any other school. I started at Collingwood in Kindergarten and in Grade 8 I actually went to Sentinel for their hockey academy but I came back to Collingwood for Grade 11 for my education, because of the flexibility of the program.” Sam also went through the HPL program. “I was in Grade 10 when I started to play on a major midget team, and then went to the Canada Games that year so I missed two weeks in February. Then I joined the Kootenay Ice to finish the season and go into playoffs. So I missed the last month of school. Mr. Waterhouse and the teachers were great; they gave me a lot of extra work and support and they helped me to catch up.” Sam spent a lot of time on the road this year. “We’re on the bus for days on end so there are a lot of study sessions. The team takes academics seriously and they make us take it seriously. It’s important to have an education and we all know that.” Paul, Sam, Max, Theresa & Griffin

Sam won’t be eligible for the draft until 2014 and is regarded by many as a potential first round draft pick. “Next year I’ll be going back to Kootenay and it’ll be my draft year which will be a huge year for me. It’s an unpredictable business; you have no idea where you’re going. Any team that wants me will be great with me.” None of the boys have their eye on post-secondary education at this time but they are well aware that a hockey career doesn’t last forever and they heed their parents’ advice about having other plans. As Sam notes, “Both of them have been pushing school so it’s not all about hockey for us. We rarely even talk about hockey at home. You’re only making your money out of hockey a certain amount of time; it’s not like you’re set for life, so you have to have a backup plan for when you retire.” Their remarkable talent aside, what is equally impressive about the three Reinharts is how mature and modest they are. Despite their success, they remain deeply appreciative of the support they have received from Collingwood that has allowed them learn their 3 R’s while pursuing their goal to play professional hockey.

HARVARD BOUND FOR

HOCKEY? KERFOOT COMBINES PASSION FOR THE SPORT WITH AN IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION

he Reinhart boys aren’t the only elite hockey players to have gone through Collingwood’s HPL program. Alexander Kerfoot ’12 also participated in the program during senior school. While in Grade 11, he competed in the Telus Cup national midget championship where he was the leading scorer and was named as the tournament’s MVP. In Grade 12 he played with the BCHA league’s Coquitlam Express, the Canada West gold medal winning team. During that year, he won the most sportsmanlike award and rookie of the year award and in June of 2012 he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils. Following graduation, he was playing with the Coquitlam Express when he suffered a serious shoulder injury. “I got injured in the summer, missed the first couple of games and came back to play some games but reinjured it and had to stop playing.” After surgery in December, he went through a long period of rehabilitation and didn’t get back onto the ice until late May. “My focus now is on training and getting ready for next year. This summer I’ll go to the New Jersey camp at the end of July and I want to be ready for that.”

Alexander has always had his sights on both hockey and an Ivy League education. In September, he will be entering Harvard University to pursue a liberal arts degree and to play hockey in the NCAA league. “If you want to play hockey, you’re not allowed to play Major Juniors so that’s why I chose to play in the BCHL. I like the direction of the hockey program [at Harvard]. They’ve been bringing in a lot of really good players recently and I want to be a part of that. I think I can still develop my hockey at Harvard and also get an excellent education.” Alexander also needed the ﬂexibility and support that the HPL program could offer. “Mr. Poole and the teachers made it really manageable for me to keep up with my classes, especially when I was going on road trips and missing full days. They’d give me homework in advance, and stay in touch with me. That’s the thing about Collingwood - for people like me who are pursuing their goal, the teachers really go out of their way.” Focus, determination, goal-setting . . . this young alum has what it takes to succeed in both his sport and his studies.

CHANGE STARTS HERE

ONE DYNAMIC MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO CREATE CHANGE FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN THE HEART OF AFRICA

lumni parent Lotte Davis left Africa when she was just nine years old, but her connection to the continent never left her. Decades after moving away, she returned with her family to build schools in some of the most impoverished areas of Africa and to fulfil the hope of an education for a new generation of African children. Growing up in the 60’s, Lotte was passionate about the importance of education for women and pursued a university education “to have a voice and start making a difference.” Armed with her education, savvy marketing and design skills and incredible determination, Lotte and her husband John founded AG Hair in 1989, now a highly successful hair care business whose products are found in thousands of salons throughout North America. After their daughters Courtney ’02 and Mackenzie ’05 had graduated, Lotte “realized that I had both the time, and through the business, the resources to help other girls who were less fortunate to try to attain their potential. I was born in Africa and I think I left a piece of myself back there as I’ve always been drawn back to it. I did a lot of research and found out that there is nowhere else in the world where women suffer from more poverty and injustice than in sub-Saharan Africa. So that was my starting place.” The statistics are shocking. According to the Women Leading Change website, 75% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa have never been to school and 24 million girls cannot afford to go to school. Through AG Hair, the Davis family created the Women Leading Change Foundation to help African girls become the catalysts for change in their own society. After locating an NGO based in Africa to assist them, in 2008 the family travelled to Africa, visiting the most marginalized rural areas. “Once we got there and started visiting some schools it just became blatantly apparent - this is what we need to do. And the sense of joy that you get from being able to facilitate this is addictive – you can’t stop doing it once you start.” The family had already built a water project that serviced three villages. Now it was time to start building schools. Funds are raised through the sale of AG Hair products, fundraising and through partnerships. In 2012 the

foundation partnered with Chatters Salons throughout Canada to raise funds to improve one of the schools. Chatters has committed to raise at least $100,000. In 2012 the foundation began to focus on providing scholarships as well, in order to assist students to go to university. Asked why they chose to focus on women, Lotte explained, “There is such an imbalance in Africa. The imbalance that I experienced growing up in the 60’s is nothing compared to what happens in Africa. Yet when women get knowledge, they share it with the community and they develop a great sense of confidence with the education they receive, so even if they never leave the area, they have the confidence to help other women. They marry later, they have children later, they have fewer children and they make sure that their children get an education. So it changes the whole cycle.” Of that first trip to Africa, Courtney recalls that, “It was amazing. We explored rural areas with horrible conditions that you can’t even imagine – but beautiful kids who were so eager to be part of a school. What really brought it home was meeting the women. We had a lot of opportunities to meet younger women and learn what they’ve been through. When we went into Uganda we met some of the older girls in schools who were really working hard to get their education, and I could relate to that. We were on two completely different continents pursuing our education, but we were both working towards the same goal. So we shared that same passion, and that really spoke to me. These girls were trying to go forward and change their lives.”

Lotte & Courtney Davis

Courtney describes the visits to Africa as life-altering experiences. “It changes you forever. It brings a greater understanding of what’s happening in your life and your true social responsibility. To be there, to be in places where there is no sewage system, and to see what these women have been exposed to – it’s jarring. You haven’t experienced that level of inequality in your life before, where somebody can abuse you and there’s no justification for it, but the man is considered to be in the right and that’s just the cycle of how it goes. You see that it’s your social responsibility to help these women get an education so they can stop the cycle. The best thing you can do is to assist them get an education and help them help themselves.” Since 2008, WLC has raised close to $1,000,000 and has built five schools in sub-Saharan Africa. Lotte and John have made numerous trips to Africa, with John supporting the cause and the foundation every step of the way. Courtney’s work schedule has so far allowed for two trips. “My current involvement is speaking to women my own age or who are graduating from high school to help them understand how they can become involved if they are looking for passion projects. I share my story about how I was at Collingwood for 12 years, and suffered from learning disabilities, and how I had teachers who supported me and because of them I went from a ‘C’ student to graduating with honours and going to university on scholarships. Initially my report cards were below standard, but I worked with Michelle Embury for

Lotte, in a sea of students

many years. She totally changed my life. I didn’t know how to learn before she started working with me. She taught me different ways of reading and learning and memorizing information. And I discovered that everyone learns things differently, and they may need time and one on one support to get there.” “My goal is to help these girls get the same support that I received, so they can have the same confidence level and change their life. So I’m involved at a fundraising level at this stage, and through telling people my own story and the story of Women Leading Change.” Courtney credits her Collingwood education for giving her the ability and confidence to overcome her learning disabilities and go on to the University of Western Ontario where she did a degree in commence and marketing, followed by a communications degree in New York. “I wanted the hard skills of business and also the marketing/communications aspect.” She then worked for six years in the fashion industry, managing the sales of designer Alexander Wang, during which time the business grew from under a million dollars in volume to $90,000,000 in sales. Since September, she has been working for Lululemon in Vancouver. When asked about the extremes between working in high end fashion in New York and building schools in Africa, she noted that, “Yes, they’re extreme, but where they converge is that I became passionate about learning and developed the confidence to speak about what you’re

working on and to learn new things. That’s what we’re giving these girls; it’s not just about reading and biology; it’s about how you develop the confidence to get your next job and to keep moving forward with whatever you choose to do. I can relate to having challenges in school and I can speak to them about my personal experiences.”

inspired and inspiring

Lotte with husband John

In the spring of 2013, Courtney spoke to Collingwood’s graduating class about Women Leading Change. It was a powerful, deeply moving experience for the students. After hearing her speak, the grads decided that the Grad 2013 legacy gift would fund scholarships for two girls from one of the sponsored schools to go to university for a year. The same determination, focus on education and pursuit of a goal displayed by Lotte and Courtney has also been exhibited by Mackenzie, the Davis’s younger daughter, who graduated in 2005. “Since she was three years old, I knew she was going to be an actor, and she has never veered from that her entire life. She took acting lessons all the time she was in Vancouver,” recalls Lotte. Mackenzie obtained a degree from McGill in literature then went to New York for further studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Shortly after her graduation, she began acting in movies. Mackenzie now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles but remains invested in WLC. Lotte notes, “She’s a part of it when we are in Africa; she visits the villages and she understands the progress and what is happening. It’s important to both of them. They’ve both been there and Mackenzie with friends in Africa

when you’ve been there you own it. You can’t go there and not own it, and you realize when you are there how fortunate you are and that it’s not that hard to pay it back.” Lotte credits Collingwood for developing a sense of social responsibility in its students. “This school has engendered kids with a sense of social responsibility. They grow up with it; they see role models. You expose them to it; you make them realize how important it is. We all have a responsibility to take care of other people.” The schools built so far have been in Uganda and Kenya; two are all-girl schools and the other three are mixed. “Sometimes it’s in a community where they are desperate for schools and there may be 800 girls and 500 boys in need so we’ll build it. More building is in the future, notes Lotte. “In the fall we are going to South Sudan to start building another school. I think we’ll have to stay there for a long time because the education level is so horrendous after 30 years of war.” The Davis family believes passionately that “investing in girls’ education may be one of the highest return investments available in the developing world.” With Lotte’s leadership and Courtney’s increasing involvement, they are improving the lives of thousands of African children and their families. And so Lotte has reclaimed the part of her she felt she left behind so many years ago. Committed, articulate and inspiring, this remarkable alumni family’s heart is as big as the continent they cherish.

THE ONE TO WATCH Is it possible for an aspiring young actor, fresh out of acting school in New York City to become Hollywood’s next big thing? If you’re Mackenzie Davis, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” This willowy blonde ‘05 alum of Collingwood School was the buzz of last year’s Sundance Festival in Drake Doremus’ Breathe In. Armed with a degree in English

WOMEN LEADING CHANGE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 2012 NAOMI KADI KATANA Degree/ Program: Profession: Favorite Subjects: Strongest Subjects:

and Women’s Studies plus two years at the improv-heavy Neighborhood Playhouse, she was a natural for this largely improvised production.

And that’s just the beginning of a career that is on a meteoric rise. Suddenly more scripts became available to Ms. Davis and she’s been busy ever since. In the can and awaiting release is The F Word, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Adam Driver. In post-production are Are We Officially Dating? (with Zac Efron), Halt & CatchFire, and We Gotta Get Out of This Place. Displaying a sense of

Bachelor of Education Arts Teacher Languages (English, Kiswahili) English, Kiswahili, Business Studies

This 19 year old is the third in a family of five siblings. Her father abandoned the family when she was 10, leaving them to survive on the little her mother earned. Naomi admires her mother for how she carried on, and also for supporting her desire for education. She often missed school when finances were not available or the family would go without meals to meet the school fees. Naomi believes receiving a higher education will help change her life through better employment opportunities, and that she can have a direct impact on her community, including improving health through a better understanding of nutrition, infectious diseases and sanitation.

adventure while building a varied filmography, next to be shot is The Kitchen Sink, a horrorcomedy where vampires, zombies and teenagers unite to take on an army of invading aliens. Now that sounds like fun!

Her dream is to work with great directors like David Lynch and Michael Haneke. This hard-working and super talented young actor will no doubt make her dreams a reality. Guess all those acting lessons paid off!

SWALEHE PILI NCHAPORE Degree/Program: Profession: Favorite Subjects: Strongest Subjects:

Bachelor of Science Information Technology Undecided Biology, Chemistry, Math, Reading Biology, Chemistry, Geography

Pili is the middle child of three and has attended both primary and secondary public school. Her parents have managed to pay for school fees but with difficulty. She has performed in music festivals and attained the national level in agricultural competitions. She considers her mother her role model; she has taught her that being a woman does not limit you. Pili feels education will yield better employment opportunities, and improve her health and environment. A university education will allow Pili to support her family and to be a role model in her community.

the new morven

THE CENTRE OF

Welcome to Collingwood’s Village Square – the

senior or creating some House spirit led by their

heart of our new School. Each and every day, after

House Captains. Their Housemasters are not far away

their morning greeting from Mr. Wright, Ms. Evans

with offices located adjacent to the Village Square so

or Mr. Hatch, students will step into this space

students can drop by for a quick visit anytime. This

heading to their lockers before first class. At their

hub, shared by students and adults, will connect

lockers, clustered into six groups for each one of our

them with each other and much of the rest of the

six Houses, students will have the opportunity to

school. Students and teachers will pass through this

connect with fellow Housemates from every grade,

space countless times during the day on their way to

perhaps checking homework with a classmate,

a class or to one of our three new gymnasiums for PE

getting encouragement or friendly advice from a

class or House Games at lunchtime. They’ll have easy

MACKENZIE

HOUSSIAN

GEER

BYRD

IT ALL

House System 2012-2013 Head Boy Adam Wray

Head Girl Hailey Reeves Grad Executive

Jack Huebner Natalie Ludwig

Berkley O’Sullivan Nicole Parker

House Captains Byrd House Zamaan Jiwani Jessica Kim

Geer House Alex Ainsworth Heidi Hoeberechts

Groos House Ilia Katiraee Leigh Sawchyn

Houssian House Nicholas Ludwig Michaela Vince

Mackenzie House Amar Mainra Victoria Konantz

Senft House John Choi Sarah Won

Senior Master Roger Hatch

access to the new state of the art Library overlooking this open atrium, the new theatre for drama and tech rehearsals, or the cafeteria where they can enjoy their lunch. They will also ‘hang out’ in one of the smaller seating areas to chat with friends, work with classmates or look down into the gym and cheer on Collingwood during a championship game. It will be the centre of a bustling community of learners. We can’t wait for our students to bring the heart of our school to life in September 2014!

GROOS

SENFT

What is a Housemaster? Housemasters provide personal, social and emotional advising, academic support and career counselling to the Grade 8 - 12 students in their House. They strive to create School spirit in a collaborative and caring environment. Who are the House Captains? There are two elected House Captains for each House. They work alongside their Housemaster and together with the other House Captains, form the Student Executive. Their job includes creating and fostering House spirit, organizing special events and helping with House assemblies.

an alumni voice

TA U F I Q R A H I M ‘ 0 0

Taufiq Rahim is a Dubai-based political analyst and the Executive Director of Globesight, an advisory firm for strategy in emerging markets and complex political environments. He is also a co-founder of Project Encounter, a UAE-based nonprofit initiative that promotes constructive engagement between the Middle East and the West. Taufiq received his A.B. in Public and International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and his Master’s in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he was also a Teaching Fellow in Contemporary Political Islam. Taufiq was a Visiting Fellow at the Dubai School of Government and served as an Expert Advisor to the United Nationals Alliance of Civilizations for the Doha Forum. In 2012 he sat on the Steering Group for the Project on Cultural Dialogue & International Security at Chatham House and was named one of the Top 99 Under 33 Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. He has worked across four continents with public, private and social sector organizations. We caught up with him while he was working on a project in Libya. After completing your Master’s degree at Harvard five years ago, did you envision that that you would be living in Dubai and doing what you’re doing now? Going into graduate school I expected to work with the United Nations (UN) somewhere on the other side of the region; I ended up doing that in Beirut in the UN office implementing the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, in the intervening summer of my two-year Master’s program. For me, I’m always chasing the impact of my work, especially over a long horizon, and after working in international development before graduate school, and then with the UN for a brief stint, I realized, that I needed to have more exposure to the private sector which is why I ended up doing management consulting for two years, based in Dubai just after Harvard. These days, through my own firm Globesight, based in the UAE, I’m starting to put together a comprehensive approach to strategic advisory for public impact, based on my previous experiences; it’s a work in progress given the challenges of the (Middle East) region. How has your diverse background shaped your view of the world; in particular your desire to improve understanding between the Muslim world & the West? 16

Being from a background rooted in East Africa and South Asia, growing up the West, with a pluralistic religious upbringing, all reinforces a sense of relating to difference and understanding what it means to be different. Yet, I’ve always been integrated into the environments I have lived and worked in. This has always contributed to my desire to empower others to have that same sense of truly engaging with other narratives. It was one of the reasons I co-founded a non-profit to that end with some colleagues (one from Syria the other from New York), where we run an exchange into the Gulf region. How do you see the situation in the various countries in the Middle East? Are you any more or less optimistic about certain countries than you were six months ago? The situation from country-to-country varies. I’m answering these questions from Libya, where I am temporarily on a project. Definitely, democratic transition from decades of dictatorships was never going be easy for any of the four countries that saw a revolution lead to a regime change (Libya, Yemen, Tunisia and Egypt). And for a place like Syria, it is hard to be optimistic in the face of what are now nearly 100,000 deaths. What is clear is

that in these new political environments where societies have been suppressed for so long there is a ‘release’ of ideologies and that can be overwhelming. It is in these volatile situations that organized radical groups can take advantage and it is up to more progressive forces to not just provide a counter-narrative as a countervailing force but also to build coalitions across differences in order to do so. On the whole, let me say, that I’m most optimistic about Tunisia which is still moving in the right direction. The conflict unfolding in Syria is being called one of the greatest humanitarian disasters since World War II. What do you think can be done by the international community to reverse the violence? In the short-term there is no solution. Syria today is very much like Iraq was in 2007. However, what can happen is that every avenue for a solution and for dialogue must be open. It is far too late to tip the balance in favour of the rebels by arming them because the situation is already a proxy war, and doing so will simply lead to more escalation and even more grotesque violence (not to mention that the rebels themselves are not a consolidated force). I would put a wholesale arms embargo on all sides, enable track two conversations from all sides, and try to put into place interim ceasefires in select areas, and then go from there. In general, how significant do you feel social media has been in the ‘Arab Spring / Arab Awakening’ – and how do you see social media playing a role in the future in these political/social upheavals? Social media is simply a vehicle for communication but as noted Canadian thinker Marshall McLuhan used to say, “the medium is the message.” In that sense the speed of communication has created a much more transparent form of direct interaction between the people and power. Twitter and YouTube, despite heavy government regulations, thrive in the autocratic countries of the Gulf as a result. Yet, social media has also meant that people begin to confuse the frequency of superficially communicating with the value of the ideas that are being expressed. There is no replacement for reasoned, evidenced-based thinking to help

form the future of the region, even if it doesn’t have a hashtag. That being said, if you’re a government in the Middle East (democratic or not), without a social media presence you will lose out on a core audience. If you were advising Canada on its engagement in the Middle East and surrounding regions, what would your advice be? Approach the region with humility rather than arrogance (which is generally the Canadian approach) and look for opportunities rather than just seeing crises. Canada is at its best when it engages widely across societies, offers engagement rather than isolation, and leverages the diversity of its own citizens to build capacity and discover pathways to cooperation. There is a lot that Canada can offer the Middle East as countries are going through this period of transition. Similarly, there are tremendous opportunities for Canadian professionals and businesses. What advice would you give to graduates, from high school or university, looking to work in international affairs? Go do something interesting abroad, even if the pay is low! Nothing can substitute for interesting work in a complex environment. You will learn at a much steeper curve. Finally, given all your travels, do you see yourself returning to Vancouver one day? Inshallah, as they say.

1989

Jeff Bryant

1991

David Maurice Smith

1992

alumni class notes

Steven Myhre

A graduate of Collingwood’s first grad class, Jeff graduated with a BA in Political Science and a Law degree from UBC. He has been practicing law since then and last year became a partner at North Shore Law LLP in North Vancouver. Jeff practices in the areas of family law, estate litigation, employment law, and civil litigation.

A note from Clyde Smith, father of David Maurice Smith, Head Boy for 1990-1991 We were a founding family. From the first day Collingwood School has impacted lives in a positive way. David has found his passion in photography. He and wife Krista Jane live in Manly, Australia. In 2012 David was named Australian Emerging Documentary Photographer of the Year by Capture Magazine.

Founding parent Pamela Myhre sent us these notes How well I remember lining up with Steven and other families waiting to be assigned their classes on opening day in 1984. He settled well into his new school, with the leadership of his teachers and Headmaster, David McKenzie. After graduation we moved to Victoria where Steven graduated from UVic and now works as a Pensions Analyst. He and wife Angie recently became parents to Matthew.

Stephanie Roberts (Burgon)

1994

1993

I’m living in St. Johns, Newfoundland and working for the same engineering firm I previously worked with overseas. My job in Afghanistan was as a civilian HR and finance coordinator; I spent two years in Kabul and one in Kandahar. I’m married to Leslie Roberts and we had a baby boy on December 28, 2012 named Jamie. Life is good!

Mariko Tanaka

I got married to Takumi Seo last October and just had the wedding ceremony in Tokyo on May 3, 2013. I worked for Fuji Television for five years and am now working for an advertising agency in Tokyo.

Rebecca Scott

I’m getting married July 5th, 2013 to Tim Crottey at the Vancouver Club. We first met at Collingwood’s Wentworth campus at after school pick-up! Tim’s three children attend Collingwood, as do my niece and nephew. I am a clinical counsellor for adolescents on the North Shore and Tim works in construction in West Vancouver.

1996

John Hibbard

My wife Julia and I welcomed our 2nd child to the world when Calder joined his brother Grayson on May 10th. This past weekend I co-organized the 8th annual Vancouver Marathon of Sport to raise money for the Special Olympics. With help from other Collingwood alumni we raised over $53,000 for the charity, bringing our total to over $300,000 as part of the yearly event focused on connecting the next generation of fundraisers to a great cause through sport.

Thomas Sanderson

1997

Deb Berto, mom of Thomas’96 and David’99 Sanderson, shared this news Thomas and Carson had their 4th child, Cara on March 4. Thomas is just finishing the first year of a dual Master’s program with another Masters in Engineering from MIT and an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He recently received the Harrison Smith Memorial Award, given annually to a first-year student who has made outstanding contributions and shown great leadership.

Riley Senft

Sarah O’Connor and I got married August 18th 2012 at the top of Grouse Mountain. It was an awesome day and we were joined by Collingwood alumni Josh Maclean, Trevor Thomas, Bryce Quan, Emily Hamer, Stephanie Nesbitt (Hume), Stacie Pilot, Nicole Wein (Nemeth), and Sarah Greenwood in addition to David Speirs and Roger Hatch. We both finish residency this year; Sarah in Family Medicine, myself in Anesthesia and we are planning to move to Vancouver this summer.

Kyle Wilson

1998

Sian Bevan

2001

My wife Fiona and I had a daughter last summer, named Sophie Rose Wilson. Now that my mom Judy Wilson-Neil (founding parent and former Director of Admissions at Collingwood) is retired we are lucky to have plenty of access to the best grandma/babysitter ever!

Erin O’Neill

My husband and I welcomed our first little one on February 22, 2012 - Madeleine Clara Malta. As for me, I’ve been at the Canadian Cancer Society for the last four years when I’m the Director of Research. Sian holds a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Medical Biophysics.

After a proposal in a hot air ballon over Tuscany, Erin O’Neill & Tyler Weese were married August 5th, 2013 in Vancouver followed by a celebration at a Winery in Ontario where they currently live. In attendance were over four dozen Collingwood alumni students & family members. They are now living in Toronto; Erin works for Rogers Communications and Tyler works for Scotiabank. 19

2004

Rigobert Kefferputz

As a Naturopathic Doctor I’m an advocate of evidence based medicine; as such I combine modern research with traditional ideologies. My focus includes chronic pain relief, longevity, family medicine, cancer, detoxification, digestion, allergies, hormonal imbalances and sports medicine.

Kelsey Smart

2005

Stephen Winstanley

2008 & 2011

Kelsey reports that she has been working at Freedom 55 Financial with Vancouver’s brightest young professionals on their financial planning since 2008. She has been electively pursuing her CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and CHS (Certified Health Insurance Specialist) professional designations since 2010 and is chomping at the bit to obtain those long-awaited letters behind her name, expected in December of 2013.

Rachelle Morris and Spencer Morris

I received my Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in January 2013, and passed the New York State bar exam in February 2013. I am currently living in Washington, DC, and pursuing the start of my career in international law and policy as a Legal and Policy Fellow at the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR) focusing on business and human rights.

Dad Dennis Morris sent us an update about Rachelle and Spencer Rachelle graduated from Dartmouth in 2012 with both a liberal arts degree and an engineering degree. She’s doing a lot of travelling, usually to San Diego or Laguna Beach, in her new job as a management consultant for a Boston based company, managing to log 20,000 miles in December alone. Rachelle’s brother Spencer is at Berkeley and is training six days a week at rugby. He still finds time to visit fellow ’11 grad Graham Laver in his fraternity study. Spencer starts in the Haas Business School in the fall. Dennis also notes that the Haas are the founders /owners of Levi’s, so every day should be “jeans day!”

2010

Tanya Rashid

From Sohail Rashid, Tanya’s father Tanya will be graduating this year from the University of Manchester with an (Hons) LLB Law Degree, three years after her Grade 12 graduation. She has been accepted into a Master’s LLM Programme at King’s College, London. Her future programme consists of a Canadian accreditation at Osgoode Law in Toronto, and a second LLM Master’s in Intellectual Property at Berkeley, as well as writing her requisite Bar exams in New York State.

Focus on Wendy Fok ‘00 Wendy has been admitted to Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design’s Doctoral Program. She is also an Assistant Professor leading the Digital Media and Design Program at the Gerald D Hines College of Architecture. Wendy’s admission to Harvard is the latest in her extensive academic accomplishments. After graduating from Collingwood with a lengthy list of awards in all four strands, she studied Mandarin and Chinese History at Tsing-Hua University in Beijing and French at the Sorbonne in Paris. She then enrolled at Columbia University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. Following a year of studies at the University College of London, she enrolled at Princeton and graduated with a Masters of Architecture and a Certification in Urban Policy and Planning. In 2009 she was the winner of the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award and the Premier Prix winner of the École des Beaux Arts de Fontainebleau in France. Her firm, WE-DESIGNS.ORG, LLC was selected in 2011 by Twenty+Change as one of twenty Emerging Canadian Design Practices. Wendy’s art installations have been displayed globally, including in Dubai, Vancouver, Toronto, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Athens, Venice and Prague. She recently completed a show of her installation works at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre.

Wendy with her installation at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center

Kudos to Dr. Shahrzad Joharifard ‘01

Congratulations to Dr. Shahrzad Joharifard ’01 (Princeton University ’05 and Duke University School of Medicine ’12) on her receipt of Princeton University’s Mari J. Scheulning P07 Award. The award honors an alumnae and a current student-athlete for their work serving underprivileged people and communities. Dr. Joharifard received the award in recognition of her service to African communities over the past eight years while completing her medical degree at Duke University.

Email your Class Notes to alumni@collingwood.org Information may be edited for clarity and space

introducing... C O L L I N G W O O D S C H O O L A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N. Our motto, Friends . . . Family . . . Connections . . . says it all. We help to keep alumni and alumni parents connected with each other and with Collingwood by publishing our e-newsletter, AlumNotes and annual Bridge magazine, organizing alumni events and 10, 15, 20 and 25 year class reunions, and maintaining the Alumni Directory and the alumni website. The 2012 – 2013 Alumni Executive Committee Shannon O’Neill ‘99 - Chair Chair and Board of Governors member since 2010, Shannon graduated from Queen’s University and works as an online and print media advertising consultant with the Yellow Pages Group for Western Canada. Christopher Daniel ‘07 A former Head Boy and one of three Daniel brothers to attend Collingwood, Christopher graduated from the Sauder School of Business and is articling at KPMG. Malcolm Ert ‘05 A Collingwood lifer, Malcolm obtained his BA at the University of Victoria and since returning to Vancouver he has worked in the financial services industry, specializing in personal insurance. Nikos Kallas ‘97 Nikos graduated with a BA from the University of Western Ontario and after travelling he joined the family business, Metropolitan Fine Printers, where he has been President since 2010. Kirsten Morrison (Holmes) ‘91 A founding Collingwood student and parent of two daughters at Collingwood, Kirsten is the proprietor of a business and also sits on Collingwood School’s Capital Campaign Executive Committee. Sara Pedlow (Askari) ‘03 A graduate of McGill and UBC, Sara practices law with the firm of Burns, Fitzpatrick, Rogers, Schwartz & Turner and is married to Alex Pedlow ‘03, a Collingwood lifer.

From left to right: Kirsten, Malcolm, Shannon, Christoper, Sara, Nikos

w h at i s a l i f e r ?

eginning in 1996, Collingwood initiated and recognized its first ‘Lifers’ group – students of Collingwood School who attended from Kindergarten or Grade1 to Grade 12. In 1996, there was no Kindergarten program at Collingwood so Grade 1 to Grade 12 defined those initial lifer pioneers. The 1996 Lifers totalled 12 students, as listed below. Of note, one of these 12 is now a teacher and Head of Modern Languages at Collingwood School and another is now on the school’s Board of Governors. Collingwood really has become a part of their daily lives! First Lifers 1996 Michael Bassett Caroline Dey David Ellis Katie Gilbert Jamie Houssian Aleya Karim

Ali Pirbhai Tink Plumb Tom Sanderson Sam Sinanan Jaime Tiampo Stefan Walsh

Over time, the Lifers group has grown steadily and this year the school has a remarkable 41 Lifers! Remarkable given that there are many educational options open to families today and professional/business relocations have become a much more regular occurrence. Lifers are recognized during the third term with a special luncheon by the Headmaster at ‘The Lodge’, the Headmaster’s home. They are given a commemorative Lifer t-shirt and the luncheon, attended by many of

the students’ former Kindergarten and early elementary teachers, provides an opportunity for a trip down memory lane. Students and former teachers pore over old yearbooks and photo albums, swapping stories, and fondly reminiscing about special grade projects (Gr. 2 Penguins anyone?), the fear and trepidation of the first public speech, Sports Day and so much more. We salute all our Lifers, past and present, who have literally grown up with us at Collingwood.

talking with... ROGER HATCH

We caught up with Roger Hatch, who’s been with us since nearly the beginning of the School and is one guy who alumni fondly remember. After many years at the Junior School, he returned to the Morven Campus in the new capacity of Senior Master: he’s a friend to all of our Houses and an advocate at all alumni events. Here are his candid and endearing answers to our questions. If you could have dinner with three people, living or not, who would they be and why would you invite them? Barack & Michelle Obama - gracious, wise, engaging; James Taylor – an amazing singer & entertainer; Robbie Deans – coach of Australia rugby team the Wallabies. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would that be? Why do you want to go there? Hong Kong – to watch the very best rugby 7’s players in the world compete. Whom do you admire most? My wife and best friend, Madelaine. What’s the most important lesson you’ve ever learned? Never look back when you’re moving on. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Going on a sunny outdoor adventure with family and friends. Which historical figure do you most identify with? Nelson Mandela or Ben-Hur! What is your greatest extravagance? Travel and fine wine.

Which talent would you most like to have? The ability to ﬂy like an eagle. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? To learn how to live more in the moment. Carpe Diem. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Raising my sons, Kevin & Danny, to be happy, values laden ‘characters’. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? A care giver. If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? An eagle. What do you most value in your friends? Their sense of adventure and their tolerance for my very ‘suspect’ sense of humour. What is your motto? Carpe Diem!

Klatle Bhi, local artist and storyteller became an artist in residence at our Wentworth campus. This father of four, all students currently enrolled at Collingwood, has chosen to leave a legacy for the School in the form of a totem pole, which will be installed in front of the main entrance once finished. Eager students come to visit Bhi as he carves, sitting enraptured as he explains the symbolism of the carving and also tells stories from the Squamish Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture. The smell of shavings will be missed when the project is complete, but the lessons learned from Bhi on honesty, vision and leadership will never be forgotten.

Our Class of 2103 is comprised of 107 outstanding young women and men. To date they have received 584 offers from 136 universities around the world and over $2.4 million in scholarships. We are proud of your accomplishments and know you are ready to thrive in meaningful lives. Congratulations to you all!