Connections - Fall 2015 by Hamilton District Christian High

CONNECTIONS Fall 2015 Vol. 9 Issue 1

A HAMILTON DISTRICT CHRISTIAN HIGH PUBLICATION

Aviation Mission Across the Globe | p 4 Reflections of Haiti | p 16 The adVENTURE Continues | p 18

THE OFSAA EXPERIENCE

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Features

HDCH MAGAZINE Fall 2015 Vol. 9 Issue 1

The World Comes to HD

Read what it’s like to live and study abroad.

Celebrating the Timeless Harry Meester

Beautiful Music in the Dominican Republic

Feeding the Body, Mind and Spirit

This year marks Harry’s 35th year on staff at HDCH.

These students will be forever changed by a single week.

Evelyn Hielema feeds the body, mind and spirit at Knights Eatery.

CONNECTIONS Principal’s Message Hello and thanks for reading the HDCH Connections magazine. This is a magazine that takes a tremendous amount of time and energy to put together. So, before I go any further, I want to say thank you to the creative team, the editors and the photographers who were involved. For me, receiving the Connections magazine is kind of like getting a yearbook. When it arrives I am excited and it takes all of my discipline to refrain from flipping through the pages over and over to see the pictures and read the stories. Like a yearbook, the Connections magazine gets picked up time and time again so I can re-read a story or be reminded of the great things that have gone on. I am excited to share that this version of Connections continues the tradition of weaving the thread of God’s faithfulness to HDCH and its community through our nearly 60 years. This magazine reflects our mission of cultivating character through learning for a life of service to God. And while this magazine can only capture a few moments time, these moments are some of the threads that make up the fabric of what it means to be a Christian School.

Editorial Team Adrianne Sprogis Duncan Todd Cheryl Webb Send all address changes to: Connections c/o Hamilton District Christian High 92 Glancaster Road Ancaster ON Canada L9G 3K9 For advertising information email asprogis@hdch.org Letters to the Editor We invite questions, comments, story ideas, as well as any general feedback you may have on Connections. Please email the editorial team at info@hdch.org. Circulation 6000 All contents © copyright 2015. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without express permission. On the cover Grade 12 student, Meghan Schenk, goes in for the spike as HDCH hosts the OFSAA Girls “A” Volleyball Tournament. Photo by Hank Rintjema. Connections is a bi-annual publication of Hamilton District Christian High.

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Read through it cover to cover or piece by piece—it’s your choice—and until we meet, be well!

See you around, Nathan Siebenga, Principal

hdch.org | Fall 2015

HAMILTON DISTRICT CHRISTIAN HIGH

Visit our website: www.hdch.org

Construction Update The summer has been action-packed with

note are Aerloc, who will be the curtain wall

have good experience with projects where

construction on the new Learning Centre.

supplier, Mechanical Drywall will be doing

the buildings continued to be used during

As soon as the building permits were

the steel stud and drywall work, and Silo Tech

renovation; we have safety procedures in

secured in July, Schilthuis Construction

will be providing the structural steel.

place to ensure that students can learn and

began work with the demolition of the

In our estimation, students will be able to

facility renewal can continue at the same time.

east and north walls of the existing school.

start enjoying the new learning spaces by

Watch for updates on construction progress

At the time of this article, the blocklayers

the end of October or the beginning of

via social media. We are very excited that

have been busy building up again with a

November, with an official opening planned

the Learning Centre is becoming a reality,

geometric foundation and an open space for

for early in the new year. We’re grateful that

and we can’t wait for you to see the finished

the indoor tree. Throughout September, our

our team of architects, builders and trades

project in action.

families will see structural work ongoing with steel erectors joining the project. Many local trades are involved in the project, including Besseling Mechanical, which is taking care of the plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning), and LJ Barton, which is doing the electrical work. We are pleased that some of the subtrades involved have deep connections with HDCH– some are our alumni! D&D Masonry staff are laying brick, and Cayuga Displays will be doing the millwork. Some other trades of

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AVIATION MISSION ACROSS THE GLOBE Marcel Boers ’04 is about to embark on one of the greatest journeys of his life. By: Charlene Hone

“I remember being called down in the

After he graduated from Canadore in 2007,

In just a few short weeks, Marcel and his

early days of Grade 12 to figure out what

God provided work in London, ON as an

it was I liked doing,” said Marcel. “We had it

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with Air

boiled down to ‘something with airplanes’

Canada Jazz.

and ‘working with my hands,’ but I never

“When I started work in London, I thought,

wife, Kelly will be leaving on a consecutive four-year term mission to Angola, Africa with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Marcel will serve as an aircraft mechanic, and Kelly will offer her time as a teacher at the local English school. “Missions was never something that crossed my mind as a career choice,” said Marcel. “I used to think it meant doing a short term thing here or there, and the really hardcore people who wanted to go long-term would have to learn some weird language and

considered something that combined both. He recommended a career in aircraft maintenance, and I’ve never looked back. It’s crazy to think how everything that has happened since is directly related to that conversation we had in Grade 12.” Once Marcel graduated from HDCH, he knew what college he wanted to attend, and what program he wanted to take, but he wasn’t

pastor a group of people in the jungle. Wow

quite ready for post-secondary studies.

was I way off!”

Instead, he took the year off to work at a golf

Marcel’s journey towards overseas missions

course and drive a zamboni. The following

work began in Mr. Aper’s guidance office at HDCH.

summer, Marcel moved to North Bay to begin the Aircraft Maintenance Technician course at Canadore College.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

okay, this is good. Let’s give it five years and then see where life goes,” said Marcel. In his fourth year with Air Canada Jazz, Marcel married Kelly and started looking for other work opportunities with different airlines around the world, including MAF. A couple of months later, Marcel received notice from his employer that the air base would be closing—two months after his fifth year with the company. “Normally a layoff notice is unfortunate news to receive, but I took this as God’s way of telling me that if I wasn’t going to move on after five years, He would make sure I did,” said Marcel.

Beginning in the spring of 2015, Marcel’s

“It really is a lifeline for many missionaries

(www.marcelandkelly.blogspot.ca) that

job will be to keep the fleet of three aircraft

and villagers in 30 countries around the

get updated more frequently. If you wish

based in Lubango, Angola maintained and

world,” said Marcel.

to support Marcel and Kelly financially,

ready to fly. MAF uses these planes to bring

While the Boerses’ are in Africa, there are

visit their webpage https://mafc.org/

spiritual and physical transformation to isolated villages. Partnered with roughly 1500 other organizations like Compassion, World Vision, and Samaritan’s Purse, MAF delivers medical supplies, mail, groceries, doctors, etc. to areas that would otherwise take days or weeks of driving or hiking.

several ways you can stay in touch. The

missionarypages/boers/ or email Marcel

easiest way is to sign up for their quarterly

directly at mboers@maf.org.

newsletter which updates what they have

Marcel and Kelly have been very encouraged

been doing and what lies ahead. They also

to see friends, family, and even complete

have a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/

strangers partner with them on this journey,

marcelandkellymaf) and a blog

and they are excited to see where the next few years lead.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

By: Jessica Alkema

ave you ever wondered what it would be like to leave the comfort of your home environment to embark on the adventure of living and studying abroad? Every year we are privileged to welcome students from various places of the world to the learning community at HD. While living in a new environment and studying in a different school system can be fun and exciting, it can also be an incredibly challenging and difficult experience. Recently the students in one of the ESL classes at HD wrote a letter to their peers at HD to describe what it is like to be immersed in a new language and culture, far from the comforts of home. See a couple of excerpts from those letters below: Letter to an HDCH Student:

“I am the person in your class who sits beside you. I want to tell you what it is like to live in a new country, go to a different school, and learn all your subjects in your second language. Based on my experience, it is essential for you to be brave enough to talk to people in your second language even though sometimes the situations make you feel embarrassed because people may not understand what you say, or you cannot understand what they are saying. Because English is my second language, I always need much more time to understand and digest the material that we learn in class. Sometimes, I even feel hopeless about my life because no matter how much effort I put in my learning, I still struggle with the barrier of language. In other words, I feel like I always stay at the same place in my learning and never move forward. You cannot imagine how hard life is when you experience it by yourself; living in a new country without family and friends, feeling lonely and helpless, struggling with an unfamiliar culture and environment, and studying and communicating with people in a different language. I feel like I have to do that all by myself. However, thinking positively, studying abroad can also be a valuable experience and in some ways I have become stronger. I have become more confident in speaking English with Canadian students and teachers.”

“My first language is Chinese, but teachers spoke English in class and they spoke so quickly, so I could not understand what they said. I felt so sad about my grades. I tried my best to work hard; however, it did not work. One time, I wanted to give up studying in Canada, but I knew it was my choice to go abroad to study. I told myself, “You have to work harder than before; you have to overcome many challenges and you will finally succeed.” Anyway, I wish you could be a friend to me and chat with me about everything that you are interested in. I also want to make some Chinese food for you to try. Chinese food reminds me of my hometown. Another big challenge for me is getting used to winter in Canada because in my hometown I had never seen that much heavy snow. I think I was lucky that I survived the winter last year. I have lived in Canada for one year. Everything has already changed. For example, before I was afraid to speak English with teachers or my classmates, but now I always talk to them in English and they help me improve my speaking skills.”

“I am happy with my grades because they have become higher and better than before. I didn’t give up studying hard, and I learned that success requires perseverance. Now I also can understand what teachers say in class. Studying in Canada is meaningful and I will remember it forever.”

hdch.org hdch.org | Fall 2015 | Fall 2015

PHOTO: HANK RINTJEMA

The World Comes to HD

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hdch.org | Fall 2015

The OFSAA Experience

PHOTOS: CBC

This past March, HDCH was in a league of

Earning our way into this tournament had

its own with talented athletes, enthusiastic

been our goal as a team from the beginning of

fans, championship competition and a sea

tryouts in November. Competing in OFSAA was

of incredible volunteers. All of this activity

definitely a highlight of my senior year at HDCH.

culminated in a fantastic hosting of fifteen

It was a very fun experience to be able to be a

teams from around Ontario for the Girls’‘A’

part of this tournament.

OFSAA provincial volleyball championships.

I would have to say the most exciting part about

HDCH tournament organizers took this

this whole experience was feeling the bond and

opportunity to get the students directly involved with the planning.

sense of community I had with my team. We

“

play our best volleyball of the season; this was

challenged each other and worked together to

We worked very hard to make this an exceptional experience for the athletes. The students showed a lot of initiative and worked hard on the details to make this event a success. -Brad Heidbuurt

”

Students were actively involved with everything

the best feeling. The person who led our team throughout the whole season was our coach, Mr. Blyleven. From the moment he said, “I’m excited to have a team of thirteen,” he pushed us to be a competitive team. He saw the potential in us and pushed us to reach our full potential and to never settle. Every person on the team was a key component

from designing the event logo and updating the OFSAA website to helping with logistics and volunteering as linesmen, scorekeepers and team hosts. A group from the communications technology class provided commentary and live-streamed each game on all four courts using tricasters. This hands-on preparation for a real event was an exceptional way for students to gain valuable work experience.

to our success. Despite the varying ages and grades, we were a cohesive team on and off the

hdch.org | Fall 2015

The grade 12 setter for the Girls Volleyball team,

court. We were able to continue to encourage

Rebecca Powell, reflected on the experience

each other when we were down, and celebrate

from an athlete’s point of view:

every victory.

“I had the opportunity to compete with my

Having the chance to play in this competition

fellow teammates in the Single A Girls’ OFSAA

when it was hosted by our school was an

volleyball tournament this past year.

awesome experience.

Getting the opportunity to compete in a loud gym surrounded by fellow students and peers was exhilarating. I was humbled by all the support and encouragement that we received from the school community. This experience will continue to be one of my favourite memories from my four years of high school.”

This event was an example of just how exceptional our community can be. As a school, our goal was that this tournament would look and feel different than any other event our guests have attended. The welcoming spirit of HDCH infused the tournament from the breakfast banquet that was held at the Warplane Heritage Museum, through the round robin games, to the Gold medal presentation at HDCH. OFSAA was an intensified example of what happens at our school day in and day out. Our dream at HDCH is to be a place where exceptional Christian learning happens so that it can bless the Hamilton district region. Coaches, referees, athletes and parents from other teams have sent emails and made a point of thanking us in person for the quality of this event. We are so grateful for this feedback and so proud of our students for being such exceptional ambassadors.

PHOTO: HANK RINTJEMA, GARY YOKOYAMA, ERIC BRINK

This event was an example of just how “exceptional our community can be. ” - Nathan Siebenga

hdch.org | Fall 2015

Back in 1972 a young Student Council President and honorary member of the Short Student Club helped HDCH celebrate its 15th anniversary. Today, Harry Meester remains an integral member of the HDCH family. In fact, nobody knows HDCH better than he does. As a student, parent, teacher and director, Harry has seen some changes around here and this year we happily celebrate his 35th year on staff at HD.

CELEBRATING

35 YEARS

THE TIMELESS

HARRY

MEESTER By: Adrianne Sprogis

When the Meester family emigrated from the Netherlands to the Kingston area, they heard about a new Christian school and soon moved to the Hamilton area to be a part of HDCH. Harry’s high school class was the first to enjoy having an actual gymnasium. “We had a lot of great school parties in that gym, and watched many basketball and volleyball games from the gym balcony,” says Harry. The social landscape was changing rapidly during those years and Harry speaks about some of the teachers that particularly impacted him. “I remember several who helped us navigate the events of the time (Vietnam, race riots, protests) and helped us to understand how our faith was timeless. Teachers like Veldhuis, Hoytema, Nienhuis, DeVries and others allowed us to have risky discussions when we needed them. They shaped my thinking.” After HDCH, Harry had no plans on becoming a teacher and originally wanted to go into law. After taking an aptitude test during his undergrad degree at McMaster University, he found he had the personal profile of a teacher. Embracing his profile results, Harry attended teachers college at McArthur College, Queens University. At that time, the baby boomers were all finishing high school and for the first time boards of education were laying off teachers. Hiring had stopped but Harry was able to secure a teaching position at Toronto District Christian High School. Wanting to move closer to Hamilton, Harry applied to a new Smithville Christian School that was just being built, but the only position that opened up was at HDCH. Harry moved back to Hamilton and taught geography full time from 1980 – 2006. He remembers fondly

hdch.org | Fall 2015

the great field trips in the Earth Science course. He developed new curriculum and introduced Economics to the grade 13 students. As a teacher, encouraging kids to get excited about learning and helping them to discover the relevance of school to their lives was most rewarding. “I loved leading classroom devotions daily for years, sharing in students’ personal lives.” He smiles recalling teaching his own kids and their friends and being called “Dad” by a big crew. Both Hamilton and the HDCH community were fortunate to have Harry back, as colleague Aline Koiter attests: “When Dave and I first moved to the Hamilton area to begin working at HDCH, we lived in a two-stall garage that was converted into an apartment on nearby Dickenson Road. Neither of us was familiar with the area, and we were not sure where to begin exploring and connecting with the community. Soon after we moved in, Harry came walking down the driveway, knocked on our door, and introduced himself. He and his family lived just down the road at the time. As is their nature, they warmly welcomed us to the HDCH community and invited us to their home and to their church. Throughout our years of collegiality and friendship, Harry has remained one of those steadfast people in our circles who graciously and willingly shares support, compassion, and wisdom.” Over the years, Harry seemed to revel in his profession, being deliberate in messier collaborative learning, more risk-taking, and more fun in education. He is happy to see the evolution where students are getting out of the building, into the city, into the world to apply their learning, and he notes, “The breaking down of silos at school allows students to catch the relevance more easily. Project based learning encourages kids to take ownership of their learning.” One of the biggest changes that Harry has seen over the years has been the transition

from curriculum-centred teaching to studentcentred learning where the teacher facilitates the learning instead of being the master of the curriculum. “School is more about learning than teaching. That’s a big mind-shift, and it puts a focus on building trusting relationships, empathy and understanding.” Given his natural connection with youth, it’s no wonder that they enjoy working together collaboratively. Katie Bosveld (’15) writes: “While working with Mr. Meester as leader of the Student Ambassador Team (SAT), it was immediately clear that he goes above and beyond the duties of an Ambassador of HDCH. Mr. Meester works hard to create the environment of community in HDCH.

Harry is pleased to have helped set the stage for the school’s renewal. Going forward, he is excited about the increasing diversity in the HDCH community with the transition from a “Reformed Dutch school” to a multidenominational and multi-racial school. He is proud of the ability of HDCH to provide excellent learning experiences for a wide variety of students, complemented by robust bursary support. Harry notes, “HDCH is authentic and unpretentious” “The good news of Jesus Christ makes a difference in every part of life and it’s clear that this is God’s school. There is a lot of love for the school among alumni, families and friends, and a powerful sense of community within the school through staff and students. The school is a happier place now than ever.” – Harry Meester

This is demonstrated by his genuine interest in the wellbeing of his students. Each week, when meeting to plan SAT’s activities for that week, Mr. Meester would sit down and sincerely ask me how I was doing. He quickly became a strong mentor for me. He wasn’t afraid to hear how I really felt - whether it was a difficult biology test or an essay I had no motivation to do, he wanted to know how everyday life at HDCH was going. This is such a great example of Mr. Meester’s character. His passion for creating a community of love and support is evident and is a huge asset to HDCH. His care and kindness towards others is a perfect example of what Hamilton District Christian High School strives to be. HDCH has become a better place thanks to him.” As Director of Recruitment and Advancement, Harry is an exceptional ambassador, representing HDCH at numerous public functions, sharing the story of HDCH and bringing the school into the City’s educational fabric. “I love this gritty and vibrant city of Hamilton. It’s been my home for half a century and the school is a great fit for the people of Hamilton. Our once-isolated school is now a widely respected strand of Hamilton’s educational fabric.”

Top 5 Things you Didn’t Know about Harry • Is a dual citizen • Was pretty good with the submachine gun in the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry • Says that he can’t get lost anywhere • Likes refurbishing old toys • “Poppa” to 3 (soon to be 4) grandchildren

hdch.org | Fall 2015

4 countries + 9 days + 18 students + 3 chaperones = one amazing journey through Europe!

By: Emily Zwart ‘15

From the Code of Hammurabi in the Louvre, to the lingering effects of nationalism in Western Europe, from remembrance to reconciliation, from unspeakable atrocities to masterpieces that celebrate creativity, this trip spanned the historical, cultural, social and political forces that have shaped European culture over millennia.

BERLIN In Berlin, we learned a lot about the dangers of totalitarianism; we saw the worst that man could do to his fellow man, and we saw how families, communities and nations were torn apart by fear, suspicion, intolerance, and hate. But, we also saw the power of memory, the beauty of restoration, the impact of forgiveness, and the desire for peace. We took a train from Berlin to Apeldoorn, and visited the National Liberation Museum and Grosbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

WAR & FREEDOM Reading the inscriptions, we were reminded that war is painful, and that freedom is hard won. In Amsterdam, Anne Frank gave a face and a human story to the scale of suffering we saw at the concentration camp near Berlin. We saw, again, both the agony of war, and the remarkable desire of people to offer help and hope to victims of oppression. Of course, we also had a chance to experience the beauty and history (and the flavours!) of this incredible city. On the way to Ypres, we stopped at Bruges - a beautiful medieval town in Belgium – where we picked up Belgian chocolate, ate waffles, and toured this incredible UNESCO World Heritage site.

UNTIL THE DAWN BREAKS Ypres, as we know from grade 10 history, was the site of an important World War I battle. Since 1928, the people of Ypres have been honouring those who gave their lives in

the cause of freedom with a daily last post ceremony. This year, HD was selected as one of the groups to present a wreath at the memorial. Our note said, “‘Until the Dawn Breaks’ Hamilton District Christian High School, Canada.” At Vimy Ridge and Juno Beach, we reflected upon the impact of two world wars on the formation and character of our nation, we saw what it might have been like in the trenches, and on the beaches, and we were moved by sacrifice and remembrance.

INSPIRED IN PARIS We ended, exhausted but inspired, in Paris. There, we experienced a very different kind of history. We saw the impact of Louis 14th and Napoleon, and we witnessed the art and architecture (and the food) of this great city. After touring Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower, we finished the day with an evening cruise along the Seine. We were sad to say good-bye to Europe, but we were excited to head home and share all our stories about this amazing trip!

emily’s top 5 highlights from Europe

1. The East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall 2. The boat tour in Amsterdam 3. Bruges – you can smell the chocolate and waffles! 4. Juno Beach and Arromanches – walking on the beaches and seeing what happened on D-Day 5. The boat cruise in Paris – listening to French music, eating macaroons, watching the Eiffel tower, lit up, drift by.

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hdch.org | Fall 2015

MUSIC

M IN

in the

BEAUTIFUL

U P IC AN RE

By: Kasia Konstanty On March 12, twelve choir members and two chaperones from HDCH departed for the Dominican Republic. During the weeklong stay coordinated by EduDeo Ministries, our group partnered with high school students from Emanuel Christian School in preparation for an outreach concert for the wider community surrounding the school. Broken up by trips to the beautiful Dominican beach, the market, and visits to a number of Christian schools, the combined Dominican and HDCH group practiced their musical pieces with determination, culminating in a wonderfully inspiring performance on a balmy March night.

JACOBA Throughout the trip, I began to understand music more in the way that they do, and it changed things for me. When we stopped trying to make our music perfect and started doing it as praise to our amazing Father, we couldn’t help but have that overflowing passion coming out of our music. Crying, laughing, and dancing together over songs brought us together as a group, and helped us to realize that music should be personal and meaningful, rather than just notes on a page.”

HEATHER “Each day gets progressively better. It’s been such a great experience getting to learn, bond and perform every day.”

hdch.org | Fall 2015

JACOBA

SASHENKA “One thing that really stuck out for me during the trip was the amazingly beautiful people of the Dominican Republic. They are such loving, generous and welcoming people right down to their core! I felt so at home while staying there. The Dominican people have so little, and yet they just want to share that which they do have. They have so much joy and passion for the Lord! Coming back into our North American way of life just made me stop and realize how much we have, but how little we use it to show God’s love to others. We need to open ourselves up so that we can be used by God and be bold for Him. He will be faithful to use us if we have passion for Him. I don’t want to miss out on being a blessing to those in need, like the people of the Dominican were to us.”

“One of the many things that I learned while in the Dominican Republic was how to put passion into music. As Canadians, we look at music very technically and the goal is perfection. Dominicans see music differently. They learn music by ear, and seem to feel the music rather than play it. Their music is so full of passion.”

HEATHER “All throughout the trip, God kept making himself apparent to us, showing us that even though life gets hard and we might not understand why, his love is still there for us, and we can still find joy and comfort even in the midst of brokenness.”

Our students developed amazing relationships with their Dominican friends, using dance and song to overcome any language barrier. This group will be forever changed by the partnerships they discovered during a single week in the Dominican Republic.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

Reflections of

HAITI The trip was an incredible blessing for all of us. During the week, we had opportunity to learn about the vision of Mission of Hope, worship with the people of Haiti, plant trees for people that needed them, speak with people in the surrounding villages, ask them about their needs, and pray with them. Through these experiences, our students showed incredible leadership, growth and learning. Each one took opportunity to pray with individuals in the village, to play soccer, basketball, or other games with the kids, and to speak words of encouragement to the people we met.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

Over March Break, eleven students and two chaperones went to Haiti on a service trip to work with the organization “Mission of Hope”. By: Brad Heidbuurt

BRITTANY

ASHLEY

“Haiti has and always will hold a special place in my heart. Every day I catch myself looking through photos or thinking of something I did or someone I met on the trip. Being in Haiti is something that I will never forget.”

“The experience has shown me how truly blessed we are to live in a country as well off as Canada. Being in Haiti made me appreciate things in life that we typically take for granted, like clean water, hot water, not having to worry about having enough to eat or finding a job. This trip was a blessing to me and helped me grow in my faith. I love Canada and while it’s a beautiful country, I think I left my heart in Haiti, and I can’t wait to go back.”

ERIC “On our beach day, we drove to a beautiful resort with water more clear than a pool. What made my day was snorkeling at a reef where beautiful fish were everywhere when swimming around the coral. When we left, we reflected on what a great trip this has been: this is a beautiful country with even more beautiful people.”

NICOLE H. “It’s good to be back and to see our families again, but I miss Haiti so much. I miss the kindness of the people and the smiles on their faces. I miss the excitement of the kids and the hugs they never seemed to run out of.”

LYDIA “The one word that comes to mind when I think about how I felt in Haiti is ‘peace.’ There’s something about removing all of the distractions that seem to take up so much of our time here and focusing on prayer, worship, thankfulness, togetherness, and service.”

ABBY “I really appreciated the morning devotions and the evening reflections as a time to pause and think about everything that was going on and thank God for the many ways we saw Him at work. We are called to use the incredible experience of living among a new culture as a way to enrich our lives. We had the opportunity to serve people far away, but now we have the opportunity to serve people in our own communities!”

VICTORIA “Among many things I’ve learned from the trip, one of the simplest but very important things has been how much we have been truly blessed with. In Haiti it was so easy to count our blessings each day; for health, food, shade, rest, friends, Bibles, and clean water. These are things we tend to overlook on a daily basis!”

DAVIS “During our visit in the village of Mesaye, we talked with and prayed with a few villagers about their past life, presence in a community, and future needs. This was a nice change from the other visits because I really liked learning how the littlest things can affect their lives.”

JANELLE “While in the small village in Cabaret, we decided to buy trees to plant on our trip. A lot of villages in Haiti don’t have a lot of trees which doesn’t create a lot of shade in the everyday heat of Haiti. It was such an amazing experience to just be able to plant some trees and know and see that they were so happy and felt so blessed! After we were done planting trees we got to play with the kids. It was an amazing time filled with so much laughter.”

We learned what a blessing it is for us to share our faith and speak of God’s goodness to his people. We also felt the blessing of sharing in people’s needs, sorrows, disappointments and troubles. We learned of the incredible faith of the Haitians, and we are now challenged to openly and confidently share our personal faith with our own communities at home.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

The HDCH Venture program is thriving in its first year in action By: Adrianne Sprogis

The adVenture Continues “Venture is a ‘Class of Opportunities’ where you meet people who can mentor you in your future career, go to places you wouldn’t be able to visit on your own, and are able to serve your community.” – Justin Luth, Venture Student.

An emergency trauma unit seems like an unusual location for a group of high school students. But at McMaster University Medical Centre on a sunny Tuesday morning, almost a dozen students dressed in full scrubs connected with medical professionals and participated in a trauma simulation that demonstrated the various roles and procedures in a typical trauma treatment scenario. It was just another day for Venture students at HDCH. Whether it’s learning about the robotic milking technology at Maplebrae Dairy Farm, interviewing a Superior Court Judge at the John Sopinka Courthouse or rolling up their sleeves at CityKidz and the Salvation Army in Hamilton, the Venture Program engages HDCH students in a variety of academic and vocational opportunities. September 2014 marked the first year of HDCH’s Venture Program, which offers students the opportunity to meet core course requirements while exploring career options, developing their own sense of vocation, and being part of ‘real world’ workplace placements and internships. The vocational interests of HDCH students are as diverse as the teens themselves, and represent a microcosm of our community. In order to

hdch.org | Fall 2015

connect with this wide range, field trips and guest speakers are planned based on individual aspirations and potential career directions. In its first year, eleven students participated in the program and almost 20 more have enrolled for September 2015. “The program is designed to incorporate both business and non-profit career opportunities and also looks at how these two areas are closely connected,” explains Richard Van Egmond, Director of the HDCH Venture and Co-operative Learning Programs. “Many for-profit businesses contribute very significantly to charitable and community-based causes, and many charitable groups we connected with embody excellent business practices and financial management strategies to accomplish their goals.” THE FIRST YEAR In 2014, students in the Grade 10 year had a range of experiences, including field trips, class speakers, leadership events and campus projects. Venture students acted as team hosts and tournament officials during the school’s hosting of the OFSAA volleyball championships in March and they assisted in the planning and organization of a Career Day event for Grade 9

students. With some help from Chris Ozolins, a professional disc golf player from Hamilton, the students have also been busy developing plans for a disc golf course for the HDCH campus. “One of my favourite experiences in the program so far has been visiting CityKidz, a non-profit organization in Hamilton. It was nice to experience a small taste of some of the many things that must happen for this organization to run, and to appreciate all the effort that goes in to welcoming kids from across Hamilton each week. I especially enjoyed this because I have an interest in mission/ non-profit work, and I like seeing the types of good things going on around Hamilton and the way people are helping each other.” – Madeleine Schaafsma, Venture Student In the coming year, these students will be part of a number of short-term mentorship at placements including: Redeemer University Communications Office, Vandermolen Dairy Farms, Econotech Automotive, Deerview Seniors Home, Westmount Terrace, World Renew, McCallum Sather Architects, Village Chiropractic Clinic and the Ross McBride Law firm.

A highlight for Richard was seeing the class grow in a variety of leadership, public speaking and organizational skills. “It was gratifying for me to see the students provide an in-depth overview of their year-long learning to members of the Board Executive, and share their excitement about the Disc Golf project.” COMMUNITY AT LARGE The program has been well-received in the community, with businesses and organizations supporting the program by hosting tours and placements, providing resources, and connecting with the class as speakers. Initially, the biggest challenge had been coordinating short-term placements for the Grade 11 year. Businesses and organizations are familiar with the traditional full semester co-op format. Since not as many schools offer this option to their students, many employers at potential placement sites are not aware that the high school program in Ontario also allows for students to spend up to 5 days at a work experience placement as part of a credit course. “I have been impressed by how quickly employers and organizations are willing to implement an opportunity and agree to take one of our students,

once they have the information about how this works and what the benefits are,” notes Richard. Richard is pleased with the positive responses from the mentors, hosts and guests throughout the year. “Two common feedback themes were along these lines: a program like this would have been really valuable to me when I was in high school, and, I like how student interest and initiative drive what you do as a class--what a great way to help students explore and consider various career options.” LOOKING FORWARD We are looking forward to next year and seeing how a new group of Grade 10 students entering the program will continue to build and develop Venture. As well, it will be exciting to see how our Grade 11 Venture students will further develop their skill sets at their placements and experience deeper learning as they work with their independent course options and begin developing their career portfolios. Through a flexible timetable that supports both independent and shared learning experiences, Venture students engage in learning designed to develop critical problem-solving capabilities and the academic skills required for success in their post-secondary lives.

“Venture is a place where you stop thinking that ‘someday I will be at my goal,’ and you start to believe that ‘today I am on the road that brings me to my final goal.’” – Lesley DeBoer, Venture Student. Continues on page 20 >>

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Cooperative Education links the academic learning process with the workplace through practical work experiences that are integrated with the learning objectives of the program of studies. It offers the opportunity to bring a potential future employee into your workplace. We are always looking for more businesses and organizations to join with us in this program! We invite you to consider partnering with us in one of the following ways:

Getting Involved with VENTURE

Visit a class (e.g. topic speaker, expert audience panel for a student presentation, participate in a mock interview session)

Be a community mentor for a student in Venture (e.g. offer feedback support, resources, and advice on project topic for a Grade 11 project; personal or email contact)

Be involved as a placement for a Workplace Learning Placement host (1-5 days on site, Gr. 11 student)

Provide a full semester Co-operative Education placement for either a 1/2 day or full day training, work and learning (Gr. 11 or 12 student)

For more information about the Venture program, contact Richard Van Egmond at HDCH 905.648.6655. Advertisement:

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hdch.org | Fall 2015

KNIGHTS EATERY By: Adrianne Sprogis

hen Evelyn Hielema arrives at the school at 8:45, she is already at her second job of the day. After driving our students safely from Jarvis to Hamilton on the school bus, she prepares for a busy day at the Knights Eatery. Knights Eatery, the newly branded school cafeteria, has stepped up to the lunch plate, bringing more healthy foods to our growing students. This movement, led by Mrs. Hielema and with the support of interested staff, makes it clear that HDCH school food will never taste the same again. Evelyn is passionate about the evolution of the cafeteria, promoting a healthier attitude toward traditional cafeteria food. Once considered a “tuck shop,” the Knights Eatery now serves between 75 - 150 meals a day offering the closest thing to home-cooked meals outside of the students’ home kitchens. To encourage students to come back regularly, Knights Eatery features different specials each day. Some items are so popular that students will find them every day, but Evelyn works hard to provide a delicious variety. “It’s a joy when students and staff are excited about what’s on the menu for the week and ask me to make something again soon!” Evelyn explains that it is an ongoing challenge to stay current with what students and staff are excited about eating; there can be a big difference in taste buds from one year to the next. Using fresh ingredients (and a little love), Evelyn continually adds new and exciting items to the menu. “Sometimes I have requests from staff and students and I will try it out if I feel it will work.” Occasional student surveys also help with ideas about what they would like to see on the menu. An example of a recently-added menu item is the lunch-sized Chicken Parmesan. Evelyn strives to keep food prices affordable without compromising on quality or taste. Evelyn understands that the students who are very busy or who live

more independently sometimes treat lunch as their main meal The recent addition of a refrigerated salad bar allows students to make their own salads, pitas and wraps. Fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits are now available for quick snacks and there is a daily hot soup. Evelyn makes a conscious effort to serve fewer items with buns/bread and to add more fruit and vegetables to the menu. She regularly offers daily healthy lunchtime suggestions in the morning announcements, and notes that today’s students are more open to healthier options than when she first started. “I would say some tastes never change. Kids still love french fries, pizza and cookies, but I don’t serve fries often and we make the pizza fresh every day so we can put on our own healthy toppings. We also have a vegetable garden, which the cafeteria hopes to benefit from.” Evelyn enjoys the open door feeling in the cafeteria. “It’s very special when students come in just to chat.” About eight part-time student staff help her to keep the kitchen running smoothly and she comments that, “It’s rewarding to watch the students working in the cafeteria gain some great skills.” When not at school, Evelyn likes spending time with her children, grandchildren and friends. She plays a little golf, enjoys relaxing with a good book and attends a Women’s Bible Study. She loves touring the countryside with her husband on their motorcycle. Evelyn tells me that she looks forward to the surprises and excitement of each day. “Going forward, with my student staff, we’ll do our best to make the cafeteria a welcoming place for our students, staff and guests. We have an awesome atmosphere here where Christ is centre. We are all connected and encouraged to use our gifts. It’s a lot of fun at HD!” Evelyn finishes up her day in the cafeteria by cleaning up, planning menus and work schedules, ordering food, and taking care of anything else that needs attention. Then at 3:00pm it’s back on the school bus for the ride home.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

PHOTOS : HANK RINTJEMA

EVELYN HIELEMA

“With my student staff, we’ll do our best to make the cafeteria a welcoming place for our students, staff and guests. We have an awesome atmosphere here where Christ is centre. We are all connected and encouraged to use our gifts. It’s a lot of fun at HD!”

Team of students stream the action online

LIVE … FROM THE OFSAA GIRLS’ A

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS … By: Scott Radley It used to be that if you were a high school athlete competing in a game out of town, your parents and siblings found out how you did later that evening when you walked through the door at home and threw your bag of stinky gym clothes onto the floor. Or by taking a day off work and making the trek to see you perform live.

It costs the host school nothing except volunteer hours. But it’s making school sports accessible in a way it never has been before. And it’s not just at HDCH.

could gather in the gym in front of a big screen and watch their friends compete a championship game.

“We’ve definitely had a rise in streaming,” says OFSAA communications co-ordinator Devin Gray. “It’s almost like in championships, it’s now expected.”

Not anymore.

That may be a tiny bit of an overstatement. Today he figures less than half of the provincial championship tournaments are aired live. Most of those that are being done are indoor sports which are far easier to cover than events like downhill skiing and golf.

It’s not just streaming, either. High schools are one of the most fertile spots in society for social media. For an athlete, having their name and photo pop up on Twitter – OFSAA has official Twitter accounts for all their championships that are passed on to the organizers to use from year to year – is a big deal. Having a big athletic moment richochet around the online hotspots is no insignificant thing.

Today, such Rockwellian ideas have given way to a surge in social media blasts and online coverage driven largely by students. This high-tech adjustment to the way we do sports is allowing mom and dad and grandma and anyone else to follow and even watch the action in real time from wherever they are. “It’s crowdsourced yearbooking, essentially,” Hamilton District Christian High School principal Nathan Siebenga says.

Each year at convenors’ meetings, the topic is raised organizers are told to feel free to take a crack at it.

Consider what’s happening at his school this week during the OFSAA girls’ A volleyball championships. For those out of the high school loop, that’s the Ontario championship for small schools.

The benefits are obvious. In addition to allowing parents and grandparents to watch – you can check out Wednesday’s playoffs at www.ofsaa.on.ca/girlsvolleyball – live streaming allows reporters to keep up on local teams’ performances without having to travel which should lead to greater coverage. The extra eyeballs could also make attracting sponsors easier. And allow university coaches to watch possible recruits.

PHOTO: GARY YOKOYAMA

While the games are going on, 25 or 30 HDCH Grade 10 communications technology students and another group from Toronto District Christian High are operating three cameras, directing, doing sound, onscreen graphics and providing play-by-play of every bump, set and spike at three different locations. Then streaming it online. Think of it as TSN for teens, by teens.

But he expects that within three years the number will exceed 75 per cent.

hdch.org | Fall 2015

“It’s something we’re encouraging for sure,” Gray says.

Then there’s the potential for a new kind of community-building that never before existed. Rather than sending busloads of students to an event, kids

“Wouldn’t that be cool?” Gray says.

“That’s social cache for them,” Gray says. The HDCH students behind this began preparing for this in the fall. They used the recent SOSSA championship and the Ontario college volleyball championships as practice runs. Then on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, they worked as many as 12 hours a day to cover every single point of the entire event. The down side to all this? With the ability to watch their kids play, a whole bunch of parents are likely frittering away their day at the office with their computer screens locked onto volleyball rather than being otherwise productive. Siebenga laughs at the thought. “I hope they have a Boss Button.”

Reprinted with permission from The Hamilton Spectator. | sradley@thespec.com | 905-526-2440 | radleyatthespec

PHOTO: HANK RINTJEMA

Restorative Relationships at HDCH By: Duncan Todd & James Apers

RESTORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS SEEK TO HONOUR EACH MEMBER OF THE HDCH COMMUNITY, STUDENTS AND STAFF, AS “FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE” In order to fulfil our mission at HDCH of cultivating character through learning for a life of service to God, we focus on four design principles: 1. Christ-Centered 2. Unified Learning Mission 3. Relevant to Teenagers 4. Restorative in our Relationships WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RESTORATIVE IN RELATIONSHIPS? Restorative relationships seek to honour each member of the HDCH community, students and staff, as “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). We believe that restorative relationships enable each person to have a voice in order to share his or her story: both the joys and the trials. Through dialoguing with each other and sharing their stories, restorative relationships help students and staff to develop a sense of empathy with each other. The term restorative comes from the philosophy of Restorative Justice. Our HDCH Handbook states: “Restorative Justice is a philosophical approach to living in community that emphasises justice as restoration when relationships are broken. Its focus is on affirming, building and restoring relationships at the school.” (p10). In community, relationships do break down. When harm has been done or something has happened to break community, our overarching desire at

HDCH is not to punish but to restore, to seek what needs to be done to make things right. In order to restore, we aim to involve those who caused harm and those who were harmed or affected in any way in the process of making things right. Our desire is not to do things to students or for students, but with them, as illustrated in the diagram below.

HOW DOES RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WORK AT HDCH? What can students expect when something has happened, when there has been a negative incident or behaviour that breaks community? • Firstly, students can expect to tell their story: they will be listened to, given an opportunity to tell what happened from their perspective, and provided an opportunity to express their needs in the situation. • Secondly, students can expect that they will hear the stories of others and how what happened has affected them. • Thirdly, students can expect both to hear ideas and contribute their own ideas for what should happen to make things right, in order to remedy any harm and to restore broken community

(Adapted from: Social Discipline Window – Paul McCold, Ted Wachtel; 2000)

Our goal is for all our interactions to tend toward the restorative “with” quadrant, working in high support and high expectations. This should be evident not only in our response to incidents, but also in our pedagogy, in our classrooms, and indeed in all interactions with one another.

• Finally, students can expect to be restored to the school or classroom community with an understanding not only of the consequences of their actions, but a deeper, and hopefully empathetic understanding of how their actions affect others in the community. WHY DO WE BELIEVE IN BEING RESTORATIVE? We believe restorative relationships are the best way to build a community of grace at HDCH in a way that honours the dignity of every student and staff member. We believe that at the heart of the Christian message is the concept of “with” – Immanuel: God with us.

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Come and See The best way to see if HDCH is right for you is to come and experience our community for yourself. Drop by the school to take a tour, attend a class, meet teachers and staff and enjoy a meal from our cafeteria. We look forward to meeting you!

CONNECTIONS Return undeliverable Canadian address to:

HAMILTON DISTRICT CHRISTIAN HIGH 92 Glancaster Road Ancaster, ON Canada L9G 3K9 P. 905.648.6655 F. 905.648.3139 e. info@hdch.org

/HDCH.info /HDCH_Info HDCHtube hdchuknight.com

92 Glancaster Road, Ancaster, ON 905.648.6655 info@hdch.org

To learn more, or to submit a registration application, visit www.hdch.org

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