A View From The Hill - Term Two | 2021

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T ER M T WO | 2021

March Madness Making the most of the delayed spring break. p. 2

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On the Cover: Will Letten This magazine is published twice each year for the parents, students and employees of Trinity College School. Please forward any inquiries and/or comments to communications@tcs.on.ca or contact the Office of Communications at 905-885-3192. If you would prefer to receive a digital copy of this publication via email, please advise the communications office: communications@tcs.on.ca A View From The Hill is published by the Office of the Headmaster VOLUME 36 NUMBER 2 2020-2021 Editor: Vikki Armstrong, Communications Manager Design: Chris Abbott Printing: Richard’s Printing Ltd., Port Hope Contributors: Faculty, staff and students of Trinity College School. With special thanks to TCS parent Austin Wang and the TCS communications stewards.

Trinity College School 55 Deblaquire Street North Port Hope, ON L1A 4K7 905-885-3217 • www.tcs.on.ca Canada Post publication mail #40050087

Savanna Barker and TianTian Dong show off their reusable Scott House mugs

4. Create Arts Awards are presented; audiences enjoy Bad Auditions… On Camera!; Arts Week resurrects the TCS Film Festival.

10. Explore Allies Against Racism and Black Student Alliance honour Black History Month; Wright and Hodgetts win House Debates titles; CAG leads Asian Heritage Month celebrations.

30. Give Dedication to service learning recognized; TCS repeats at EcoSchools platinum level certification; Grade 8 Hearts & Minds projects highlight key habits.

34. Challenge Hockey program emphasizes growth and skill development; alpine team finds fun in dryland training; spring sports continue despite province-wide shutdown.

The B Y

Open Door H E A D M A S T E R

S T U A R T

G R A I N G E R

ONE YEAR AGO, in my Open Door column, I wrote about the title of this magazine, A View from the Hill, and how it is a historical reference to Trinity College School’s topographic position atop the small town of Port Hope. We are at a high point. From my bedroom window, and many south-facing student residence windows, we can see Lake Ontario.

With some magnification, on a clear day, we might even be able to see the state of New York across the water. Looking northeast, we see the Northumberland Hills. Only large, mature trees prevent a westerly look over the town.

Being at a high point enables a longer view.

Like many of you, it feels to me like we have been climbing a pandemic mountain for the past year and a half.

And, we are near the summit! Perhaps, as we get close to the top we can afford ourselves the opportunity to look to the future – to TCS’s future – and begin to see some of the things we are most looking forward to, in the distance ahead.

Understanding that there will likely be restrictions still in place when Junior School student Kendra McAlpine celebrates I Read Canadian Day we return to school in September, • Impromptu chats with colleagues and students it is still a fun exercise to identify elements of life at the “School on the Hill” that we can • The Carol Services anticipate being able to return to - some sooner, some later.

• Visiting alumni and parents across the Here is a “Top 10 List” of things I am looking forward to: province, country and the world • Whole-school chapel and assemblies

• Awarding the next Half Day

• Attending sporting, arts and service learning events

There are dozens of other moments I look forward to. And I’m sure you have your own list too.

• Selecting food from the buffet in Osler Hall • Watching from my office Junior School students chatting, skipping and running together • Speech Day and Junior School Closing Ceremony, in person, together

But, the most important thing is for us all to be together again this fall. And we look forward to future days without barriers.

Without masks. Without green dots. Without screens.

With full smiles.

March Madness

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Create

LtoR: (top row) Waverley DiNova and Megan Zammit, Kyle Munns and Quinlyn Bright; (middle row) Frances Harvey and Thomas McLean; Lily Lai; Loretta Hu (bottom row) Sophia Bonham-Carter, Zoe Fingas (right), Alysia Wilson (note: some photos taken in prior school years)

Arts Awards THE YEAR IN THE ARTS featured many highlights, including virtual productions of the fall and winter plays, the first-ever online debating competition for independent schools, and culminating in the Arts Week presentation in May, which celebrated music, theatre, dance, film and visual arts at the School.

At this spring’s virtual Co-Curricular Awards presentation, eight students were recognized with Commendation awards, while 16 students earned Excellence awards for their arts involvements during 2020-2021. As well, Grade 12 graduates were acknowledged for their contributions specifically to the music program, Johnson Ringers and Chapel Choir.

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Distinction, which represents a superior level of dedication and achievement in the arts, went to: Sophia Bonham-Carter, Zoe Fingas, Frances Harvey, Loretta Hu, Lily Lai, Thomas McLean, Kyle Munns, Alysia Wilson and Megan Zammit.

And two standalone awards were presented: the Stevenson Award for Acting went to Grade 12 student Quinlyn Bright, who performed in both plays this year; and the Warner Dance Trophy was presented to Grade 12 student Waverley DiNova, captain of the Dance Troupe.

Winter Play A TALENTED CAST AND CREW gave everyone a dose of much-needed laughter as TCS presented the virtual production of Bad Auditions… On Camera, which was released via video on February 4.

The play, written

by Ian McWethy and Carrie McCrossen, was created specifically to be produced online, making it a perfect vehicle to bring together cast and members working on-campus and online, and audiences at home around the world. Directed by Bill Walker, Grade 12 student Isabella Ciano served as co-director, and Victor Svenningson ’74 provided technical direction.

Bad Auditions… On Camera is the story of a harried casting director (Kyle Munns) searching for a last-minute replacement actor to play a lawyer in a hit television crime drama. He’s got one day to fill the role, lest he get fired and have to move back to Arizona to live with his mother. He’s helped by his enthusiastic but easily-distracted assistant, Roger (Evelyn Maguire). The string of wannabe actors includes: Gina Marie (Sarah Bailey), a Staten Island mom who spends most of the audition trying to stop her child from burning down the house; stage actor Kellin (Quinlyn Bright), who puts the “ham” in Hamlet; barely audible Tandy (Ava Becker); overconfident and TV-obsessed Jeff (Bria Chalovich); social media maven Carmen (Valentina Conrad), trying to stay “on brand”; Greg (Ross Miller), who just can’t stay in the frame; Wendy (Sophia Bonham-Carter), the commercial actor who doesn’t want to “sell out” by doing dramatic TV; insecure and apologetic Phyllis (Camryn Chalovich); strangely over-dressed Rory (Carly Lin); Roger’s own technologicallychallenged dad, Tom (Zoe Fingas); and the talented but exhausted Uma (Grace Johnson).

Spoiler alert: Roger has been live-streaming the auditions and leaves it up to the audience to decide who should get the role. So tell us, who is the best choice to play the part?

Mr. Bill Walker, director

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Arts Week the Beatles’ Let it Be, under the direction of Anna Mastin.

Daily additions to the virtual art gallery portion of Arts Week reinforced the high quality and wide range of media employed by our students, from traditional charcoal and watercolour works, to digital images using photography, Photoshop, Audacity, QR codes and more.

For example, a piece Coffee House Vocals, clockwise from top left: Anna Dobrinski, Lily Wright, Alexis Stewart, Madison Miller, Jessica Bridges

by Grade 11 student Aiya Hyslop-Healy merged photography TCS SHOWCASED the talents of its Senior School with glitch art, in which the artist creates digital visual and performing artists through a week-long online “errors” to manipulate the source material. extravaganza in early May. The virtual Arts Week presentation featured our co-curricular theatre, dance and music groups, works by our visual arts students, and even included the return of the TCS Film Festival!

Thank you to our talented students, and to our co-curricular arts leaders, for putting together a wonderful showcase of artistic works that offered something for everyone.

Each day of the week, different artistic offerings were launched, allowing audiences to enjoy new works and revisit some performances from earlier in the school year, including the fall and winter plays. As well, audiences could view the String Ensemble’s performance from the annual Carol Service, and were treated to two additional pieces by the trio.

Ms. Jessie Ironside, director of co-curricular arts

Three short films created by students were entered into this year’s festival: The Bickle House Possession: Part I (by Grade 10 student Hudson Brown); The Taste of Love (by Grade 12 student Carly Lin); and Dreams of Graduation (by Grade 12 student Phillip Whan Tong). Special congratulations to Phillip, who led the charge to bring back the film festival this year.

String Ensemble, LtoR: Wesley Chan, Grace Lu, Agnes Grabcova

The TCS Dance Troupe used a combination of footage from on campus and videos taken by students at home to create several energizing dance numbers as an ensemble, under the direction of Ms. Stephanie Booth. The troupe encountered many obstacles and challenges while filming during this final spring term, yet kept their energy high, thinking outside of the box, to deliver a fun and enthusiastic series of performances. Special thanks go to Mrs. Maria Velasquez-Labrecque, administrator of the dance troupe, and Grade 12 student Carly Lin who helped with editing.

And the Vocal Ensemble, also known as “Coffee House Vocals,” was brought together virtually for a beautiful rendition of 6 I A View from the Hill

Dreams of Graduation, directed by Phillip Whan Tong

Arts Week

Rati Dube

Sam Bliemel

Star Raskind

Layomi Oladiran

Alysia Wilson

Jose Pablo Samano

Maggie McLean A View from the Hill I 7

Junior School Music WHAT DO YOU DO when a pandemic turns a music program upside down? Well, you adapt, but you never lose sight of what your core beliefs are as a music educator. That was my mantra going into the 2020-2021 school year. Our Junior School music program is a performance based program.

Students start their musical journey on Orff instruments and then begin learning to play a concert band instrument in the last term of Grade 5. Learning to play a musical instrument teaches our students so many lessons beyond the mechanics of their instruments. My many years in this profession have told me it is well worth the effort it takes. And so we began our COVID solution of “flipping the music classroom.”

LtoR: (top) Ms. Crawford, Sam Nadurata, Kennedy Adams, Landon Demrovsky; (bottom) Connor Demrovsky, Michael Hassard, Hannah Obomighie, Molly Steeves hold band rehearsal online

This year at TCS, Junior School music students learned essential skills in class to complete performance tasks at home on their chosen instruments. Thirty Grade 5 and 6 students began playing a musical instrument for the very first time, from home. Another 20 students in Grades 7 and 8 also started their journey of playing a concert band instrument this year, from home. The rest of our students continued to build their instrumental skills where they left off prior to the start of the pandemic.

This task was a major learning curve for everyone, including myself.

There was no doubt we needed some pretty spectacular tools to help us out. In September, students were introduced to MusicFirst, a learning management system, akin to Google Classroom, that would house eight powerful music software tools. Ear training, music theory, listening, analysis, sight reading, notation, sequencing, composing and recording all became resources at our fingertips.

The resilience and new learning of our Junior School students this year has been incredible.

Sitting at their desks in their homeform classrooms, students built skills together step by step that applied to their instruments at home. For example, students practiced their sight reading skills using an amazing program called Sight Reading Factory which produces endless new music to perform at the touch of a button.

Students created body percussions to practice performing this music together in the classroom. We never knew a simple desk setup could be so musical! Accompanied by a favourite song on YouTube, body percussion and sight reading also reminded our students of their love of performing together as a group. We had fun exploring and learning new ways of integrating technology into our music classroom.

Perhaps our most powerful software resource this year has been PracticeFirst. This intuitive program has revolutionized our students’ performance practice in the Junior School. By simply pressing record when they practised, our students received instantaneous feedback on their progress. The learning from these insights is immediate and has affected the quality of their performances. The results have been amazing. Their note and rhythmic precision has increased dramatically. Our Junior School students have become much more 8 I A View from the Hill

reflective musicians. They understand the power of reflection to decide the next steps in their learning.

Online this term, we enjoyed band rehearsals in a new format, taking pride in our efforts together.

In class, we joined together in breakout rooms and enjoyed hearing students take the lead in small groups on their instruments.

Our student’s adaptability, new learning and problem solving in the face of new challenges have been extraordinary this year.

From our beginners, getting that first warm resonant sound on the flute, to our experienced players, expanding their technique well beyond grade level, this year has been a wonderful success. I am so proud of each and every one of the students at the Junior School who took on this challenge of flipping our program upside down.

We did it! We persevered, we improved and everyone learned that music is a powerful force worth pursuing, always.

Ms. Emma Crawford, Junior School music teacher

Grade 6 student Jordyn Keystone

Singing favourite hymns in the winter weather

Chapel Music SEVERAL STUDENTS were game to keep singing and ringing this year, and while the ringers were able to enjoy distanced rehearsals in chapel (and a few performances for colleagues in the same grade), a handful of singers bravely met outdoors for most of the year. Fall and spring were lovely – winter provided some very cold Tuesdays for this hardy crew.

In May, as the school year drew to a close, four intrepid Grade 10 ringers continued to meet: Bria Chalovich, Kyra Fingas, Allen Tang and Isabella Wu (with help from Fr. Don, and Robin Xu augmenting the group for a Grade 10 chapel performance). Two Grade 11 students sang outdoors: Summer Xia and Anna Yang. But the focus turned, in a way, to the grad choristers who were approaching their final Speech Day.

and, say no more, a beautiful rendition of My Heart Will Go On from Titanic was part of the Leaving Class Chapel Service on Speech Day. We were sorry to miss having Carly with us – but seeing the final edit, and then watching it in a nearly empty chapel on Speech Day, were both emotional moments for me. I cannot fully express my gratitude to both Fr. Don and Dr. Fingas for making this very special video a reality – thank you.

Mr. Randy Mills, organist, choir and bells

While there had been some hope earlier in the term for cohorted, in-person activity for the grads, by May this possibility had faded. Handbells to the rescue! Ten grad choristers were able to hold a few distanced rehearsals inside the Memorial Chapel – before this also became impossible.

What to do now? One member had moved off-campus – Carly Lin – and sadly could not join us. Five boarding student ringers – Sahil Amin, Echo Li, Grace Lu, Natasha Pinto and Kaylie Tsang – were able to be recorded by Fr. Don, mid-May, for Speech Day. The four day student members – Sophia Bonham-Carter, Zoe Fingas, Evelyn Maguire and Braden Shaw – were not able to join us, however, or meet as a group themselves. Another hurdle!

Thanks to the kind suggestion of Dr. Debbie Fingas, Zoe’s mom, a plan was hatched. The day student ringers could be recorded: outdoors, individually, following all protocols – at the Fingas home. The Fingases have made many videos for their church and the local La Jeunesse choir, and Dr. Fingas had everything ready for a quick set of recording sessions one week before Speech Day. She expertly added these four cameos to Fr. Don’s original video

Grad ringers’ Speech Day performance

Grade 10 bell ringers A View from the Hill I 9

Explore Allies Against Racism THE ALLIES Against Racism group continued its work in the Junior School community. Members from Grade 5 students to Grade 8 students worked together to mark February – Black History Month – in a meaningful way. Connor Demrovsky, Johnson Lin, Antonia Patsias, Rowan Christ, Caden Keystone, Hannah Obomighie, Edisana Ukpeh and Nicolas Canu developed “spotlight videos” for their classmates.

The goal was to shine a light on the stories of influential Black Canadians like Willie O’Ree and Chloe Cooley.

Sam Nadurata developed the idea of shining a spotlight on members of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour community within the Trinity College School alumni community. Sam, Kennedy Adams and Molly Steeves developed interview questions that were sent out to Jessica Eruchalu ’16, Cameron Snaith ’96, Aman Bhargava ’18, Vanessa Fong ’99 and Warren McLeod ’93. With the support of the communications department and the philanthropy and alumni department, these alumni spotlight videos were sent out to the whole TCS community on social media platforms.

The month of May was Asian Heritage Month and Victoria Wang, Antonia Patsias, Edisana Ukpeh, Tristan Merepeza and Caden Keystone developed a presentation that they shared with the Junior School student body during an assembly. May was also Jewish Heritage Month and Fiona Hartleib, Jordyn Keystone, Stella Schmidlin, Kennedy Adams and Kennedy Belfon developed a presentation to share with the community.

LtoR: Edisana Ukpeh and William Canu

Molly Steeves

When the remains of 215 Indigenous children were discovered in an unmarked grave in Kamloops, British Columbia, the Junior School community was deeply saddened. It was decided that students and staff would wear orange or black to mark a day of mourning for the lives of these innocent children.

The members of the Allies Against Racism are to be commended for helping to lead their own community in awareness and activism.

Ms. Heather McClure, faculty advisor to AAR

Jewish Heritage Month presentation in May 10 I A View from the Hill

LtoR: Johnson Lin and Kate Kennedy present on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Black Student Alliance BLACK HISTORY MONTH at TCS was a huge success this year. In the Senior School, we started the month off by having the School tune in to the national bestselling author of They Said This Would Be Fun, Eternity Martis. She discussed what it is like today on Canadian university campuses for BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Colour) students and how the power of storytelling can be an incredible tool for resilience. She had a great question and answer session where she responded to students’ burning questions, from what more institutions should be doing to combat racism to what her current favourite reads are.

Speaking of favourite reads, Ms. Shelagh Straughan and Ms. Viola Lyons had the library decked out in books that were about Black folks or by Black authors. From biographies to young adult fiction, the library had students and staff covered if they were interested in reading a variety of stories about the Black community. Thank you, Ms. Straughan and Ms. Lyons!

Guest speaker Eternity Martis

Next, the Black Student Alliance gave a chapel presentation to the School. The theme was “Black Resilience.” The group discussed topics of police brutality, how COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting Black communities as well as Black history and black accomplishments. The presentation outlined how Black history is happening currently. Our ancestors’ history is important to remember, but there is so much to learn from the Black community in the last year.

Throughout the month, the Black Student Alliance collaborated with the TCS culinary services team to have amazing dishes that were inspired by Black culture. From jerk chicken and rice and peas to curry fish and dumplings to chicken massa and joloff rice, throughout the month, the kitchen provided recipes from Africa and the diaspora. At dinner, the sounds of soca, afrobeats reggae and dancehall filled the Davies Student Centre and Olser Hall for students to enjoy while they ate. We are thankful for the culinary team and all of their hard work during Black History Month.

To finish the month off, the Black Student Alliance hosted a Langmuir Cup event which was a “Name That Tune” game. Students from each house were quizzed on their knowledge of Black music artists. We featured songs from the 1960s up to the present day. Students got to flex their impressive musical knowledge and win Langmuir points for their house. We also had a Themed Thursday where students were encouraged to wear Pan-African colours to show their Black History Month support. The hallways were flooded with a sea of red, green, black and yellow in support of the Black Student Alliance and Black History Month.

The month and its events were incredibly successful. I would like to thank a few people who made it possible. Thank you to Chef Patrick McLean and the entire culinary team for meeting with Black students and taking and making their suggestions. Thank you to Ms. Straughan and Ms. Lyons for

“Name That Tune”

Khamsy Onyekere presents during Black History Month chapel

your hard work to make sure TCS is supporting Black stories.

Thank you to Ms. Rachel Stephens for your continued support of the Black Student Alliance. Thank you to the Black Student Alliance leaders, Bolu Abiola, Rati Dube and Kamsy Onyekere, for your continued leadership and passion for making TCS a more inclusive community. Thank you to the Black Student Alliance members for your initiative and ideas, this month wouldn’t have been possible without you.

Ms. Zoe Walwyn, staff supervisor of Black Student Alliance A View from the Hill I 11

Bottom Row: Megan Zammit, Ava Becker, Alexis Stewart

BookIt THIS YEAR’S Senior School reading marathon, BookIt 2021, is in the books – and the online format was even more successful than anticipated! The 33 students and staff who participated between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 were enthusiastic and engaged, with many remaining on the live event link for the full 12 hours.

to join in the fun events which took place each hour of the event.

Ms. Barb Brough led participants through a Book Scavenger Hunt, while Ms. Kristen Richardson presented a game of Book Trivia, and Grade 12 student Kyle Munns had everyone up and active for a spirited session of Just Dance. A special shout-out to Ms. Kathy LaBranche for capturing images and video during the event.

In December, students learning on-campus were able to pre-register to receive a BookIt kit, which included treats such as tea, hot chocolate, gummy “bookworms,” stickers, a commemorative bookmark illustrated by Grade 10 student Neyha Billing, scratch & win tickets for book-related prizes, and playing cards for the Book Bingo and Bring Your Own Book games. As well, all participants were able to download the bookmark, bingo and other games online

Overall, participants read 8,608 pages, mainly in print but also with two people reading on tablets. This is an incredible feat that speaks to the enduring love of reading amongst students and staff. Just as importantly, BookIt was a wonderful opportunity to continue to build a sense of community and connection during this period of online learning.

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Ms. Shelagh Straughan, Senior School librarian

Library Fun

White Pine

TCS students taking part in the White Pine reading program joined with the Black Student Alliance for a virtual conversation with author Zalika Reid-Benta, in May. Ms. Reid-Benta read from her White Pine Award-nominated book, Frying Plantain, which tells stories set in Toronto’s Little Jamaica. The book resonated with all readers, and particularly those from the Islands. As one student said, “It makes me feel like I’m sitting in my Grammy’s house.”

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GSA

TCS STUDENTS and staff offered a visible sign of their stance against bullying during Pink Shirt Day events in the Junior and Senior Schools in late February. Pink Shirt Day emerged out of an incident at a Canadian school when a Grade 9 boy was bullied on his first day of classes for wearing a pink shirt. A group of classmates wanted to show their support and the next day they handed out pink shirts for all the Grade 9 boys to wear, as a sign that bullying is never okay. Today, schools around the globe participate in the annual event. In the Senior School, the Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) worked with prefects to encourage everyone to take part. In an email to students and staff on behalf of the GSA, Grade 10 student Bria Chalovich wrote, “As well as focusing on the problem of bullying, Pink Shirt Day shines a light on the relevant issue of toxic masculinity. It brings to our attention how the gender norms that boys are taught from a young age can have harmful effects on them, which can result in them bullying anyone who does not conform with the societal gender norms.”

In addition to asking everyone to wear pink, it was suggested that male students could wear an item of clothing or accessory typically seen as feminine, in order to break down gender stereotypes and show that how each person chooses to present themselves and express their gender identity should be treated with respect.

In March, the GSA joined with Trinity Students for Social Justice (TSSJ) to organize the making of personal pronoun buttons for students and staff. This student-led initiative was conceived as a means of standing up for others and helping our school community become more inclusive. The buttons are a way to encourage the correct use of pronouns. For many people, pronouns (such as he/him, she/her or they/them) are an important part of their gender identity. For others, the buttons are a visible sign of their support for a culture of respect for all gender identities.

Students surveyed the School, asking for those interested in taking part to share their personal pronouns for display on their button. Then, a group of students set about creating the buttons and making them available for others to pick up.

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As part of the School’s ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all, the faculty professional development day in May included an engaging session created by the GSA. A dedicated group of students contributed to the information session under the guidance of GSA faculty advisors Ms. Kerri Dunn and Mr. Andrew Woodward. The goal was to inform faculty about different aspects of sexuality and gender, as well as to provide practical ways to promote respect and acceptance within the School.

Finally, each June is designated as Pride Month in countries around the world, and it was hoped that this year the School would be able to kick off this month with a community flag-raising event on campus. However, with governmentmandated online learning still in place, our students once again found innovative ways to honour Pride Month.

The GSA used social media to reach out to our global community and share information and insights on Pride and the continued efforts to ensure basic human rights and a sense of belonging are extended to members of the LGBTQ+ community at TCS and around the world. The first social media posts noted the history of the GSA at TCS and other schools, which began as the Gay-Straight Alliance and later broadened its name to be more inclusive. The GSA shared its mission statement, “to create a safe and non-judgemental school environment, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity…to fight homophobia on campus and in our community, solve problems pertaining to LGBTQ+ people and issues, and educate members of the TCS community. Together, we will create a more welcoming and knowledgeable school community.”

While we are far apart, the Pride flag flies high over TCS, and our rainbow crosswalk awaits the return to campus of our students and staff, as we walk together, building a school community where all feel welcomed, included and heard.

LtoR: Madison Narciso and Emma Aitchison-Madill on Denim Day, India fundraiser poster created by the COVID-19 Signage Group

TSSJ MEMBERS OF Trinity Students for Social Justice (TSSJ) led their peers in taking a stand against sexual assault by participating in international Denim Day on Wednesday, April 28. Denim Day is a campaign to show solidarity for survivors of sexual assault and to address harmful behaviours surrounding sexual violence. Senior School students and staff at Trinity College School were encouraged to wear denim, such as jeans or a jean jacket, for the day. Some even took to social media to post photos of themselves participating, with #denimday, to further raise awareness.

TSSJ members explained the history of Denim Day: “This campaign began in response to the Italian Supreme Court overturning a rape conviction due to their belief that the victim would have had to help remove her tight jeans, implying consent. The following day, local women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work to show their support for the victim. Since then, the campaign has gained traction and seen international participation for the past 22 years!”

PeaceOverViolence leads this global awareness day which today involves millions of participants worldwide annually.

Among the themes of the Denim Day is to address myths and misconceptions around sexual violence, challenge victim-blaming and other harmful behaviours, support resources for healing and advocate for policy change.

collect $5,300 in donations to purchase a high flow ventilator for the Sri Narayani Hospital and Research Center.

India has been particularly devastated by the pandemic, with estimates of more than 25 million cases of the disease and deaths reaching the 300,000 mark by late May. Hospitals were overwhelmed and equipment such as ventilators was sorely needed. The Sri Narayani Hospital has been in operation for nearly 20 years, serving the underprivileged in southern India.

Students involved in TSSJ, which is overseen by faculty member Campbell Hall, put the call out to fellow students, staff and the broader community, initially challenging each Senior School house to raise $150. Most houses far surpassed this goal, with Wright House raising more than $1,000!

“I have been so impressed with this student-initiated fundraising effort,” said Mr. Hall. “It has been absolutely amazing to be able to work closely with a group of young people who are so focussed on making a difference. It has also been incredible to see the community’s response.

We are indeed grateful for everyone’s generosity.”

In May, a fundraising drive hosted by TSSJ to support COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts in India surpassed its goal, raising more than $5,800. In partnership with the charity Canadians Sharing Locally and Globally, TSSJ was seeking to A View from the Hill I 15

House Debates

LtoR: Michael Yip, Wesley Chan, Salem Elfirjani and Kyle Munns compete in the Senior finals

SINCE 1984, Senior School students at TCS have explored and enhanced their skills in the medium of debate through the annual House Debates program. This year, the 38th edition of House Debates, was special in that new formats were introduced in response to COVID-19 restrictions, allowing for greater audience participation and facilitating a mix of in-person and online participation during the preliminary and semi-final rounds.

SEMI-FINALS

LtoR: Carmella Ylagan and Izzy Torzsas in the Junior finals

Debating the resolution that “public policy must draw on science alone,” four Senior teams and four Junior teams participated in this semi-final round of the House Debates program on Tuesday, February 2: Hodgetts (for) and Orchard (against); Bickle (for) and Rigby (against); Burns (for) and Scott (against); and Brent (for) and Wright (against).

Judges – from both the natural sciences and the social sciences – reported that teams were well-prepared, presenting strong arguments as well as evidence of quality research. Intriguingly, significant time was spent debating what science is, discussing whether “science” can include the social sciences (or not) and how general society understands the nature of science. It was special to see so much teamwork among debaters – with some debaters bridging in and others on-campus. The same among audience members and facilitators! With true TCS flair, everyone made an effort to ensure all participants were comfortable and included.

Congratulations to Michael Yip and Wesley Chan of Bickle House, the top Senior team of the day,

LtoR: Debate team Marie-Anne Urrutia and Eleanor Harvey 16 I A View from the Hill

and to Marie-Anne Urrutia and Eleanor Harvey of Wright House, the top Junior team of the day.

Disagreeing with the resolution, the School voted overwhelmingly that public policy should not draw on science alone.

FINALS On Monday, March 15, the House Debates program came to a fitting conclusion with the Junior and Senior finals, livestreamed online for students, staff and parents to watch. The resolution for both debates was that “the internet sustains democracy”; a sign that the debates would be hotly contested, a poll on this issue showed that the school community was deeply divided (37% in favour, 53% against, and the remainder undecided).

LtoR: Mr. Healy looks on as Kyle Munns speaks during semi-finals

In the Junior division, Izzy Torzsas and Carmella Ylagan of Burns House faced Marie-Anne Urrutia and Eleanor Harvey of Wright House. After a great round of thoughtful debate, the judges – Ms. Kathy LaBranche, Ms. Barb Brough and Dr. Greg Hodges – gave top honours and the Dr. Michael T. DuBroy Junior House Debate Trophy to Wright House.

In the Senior division, Michael Yip and Wesley Chan of Bickle House faced Kyle Munns and Salem Elfirjani of Hodgetts House, a strong contest between some of the School’s most experienced debaters. The judges – Ms. Pam Dew, Mr. Greg MacPherson and Mr. Myke Healy – awarded the Tom Lawson Senior House Debate Trophy to Hodgetts House.

Thank you to our student facilitators, Merryn Hamilton and Riley Christensen, and to Ms. Kim Vojnov and Mr. Myke Healy for helping out with set-up and keeping things running smoothly!

LtoR: Debate team Michael Yip and Wesley Chan

Well done to all! This year’s House Debates program was certainly one for the memories!

Dr. Andrew Woodward and Ms. Steph Feddery, debate coordinators

Debate Team THE ONTARIO Student Debating Union (OSDU) hosted its Senior Provincial Championships virtually for the first time ever, as 120 students from across the province gathered online the weekend of February 26 to 28.

Under the guidance of debate coach, Mr. Greg MacPherson, two teams represented TCS at the OSDU provincials: Grade 12 student Kyle Munns and Grade 11 student Neyha Billing; and Grade 11 students Riley Christensen and Isolde Ardies.

rights, public housing, de-extinction, vaccine funding, and the celebrity status of CEOs, among others. The top debater for TCS was Riley Christensen, who finished 24th.

Thanks go to the organizers of the event for successfully transitioning to the online format, providing students with the opportunity to hone their debating skills and to build connections with peers throughout the province.

The motions for the various impromptu and prepared debates touched on timely subjects, such as the Olympics and human A View from the Hill I 17

JS Co-curriculars AS THE LARGER school community adapted to the shifting demands during the pandemic, so too did the Junior School co-curricular program. Things continued to look and feel different than in previous years, but the focus on fun, the arts, the outdoors and physical activity was ever present. While on campus and online, Junior School students enjoyed a whole host of activities led by our creative and energetic faculty.

While we roamed the halls of Boulden House this winter, students enjoyed many fun activities: design challenge, chess club, yoga, indoor and outdoor skating, broomball, art club, fitness training, gym games, origami, woodworking and outdoor games. Along with the regular activities, students also enjoyed a few special events such as Winterfest, scavenger hunts, talent shows, magic and a variety of homeform challenges. While learning online, the co-curricular fun did not stop as students enjoyed activities such as: bike club, photography, cooking, hiking and basketball skills, all facilitated virtually. Students were also able to play instruments from home, so Tottenham Band rehearsals could resume for the first time in over a year.

A great deal of thanks and praise should go out to all of the teachers and coaches who helped to make our program so varied and interesting this school year. Thanks also to our amazing Junior School students for their adaptability and enthusiasm, ensuring that co-curriculars were the very best part of the school day.

Mr. Alex Gordon, Junior School faculty

18 I A View from the Hill

Grace Lu

Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan

Ben Powles

Alec Hueston

Jack Moser ’20

Duke of Ed IN MARCH, the world acknowledged the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, founder of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DOE) Awards program. Created in 1956 and brought to Canada in 1963, the awards program emphasizes youth involvement in areas of service, physical activity, skill development and adventurous journeys. The focus is on the setting and achievement of personal goals, with students able to earn recognition at the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels based on meeting the awards criteria. Over the past 65 years, millions of young people in more than 130 countries have earned awards through the program.

In keeping with our school mission of developing habits of the heart and mind for a life of purpose and service, TCS has been encouraging students to take part in the DOE program for several years now.

Even given current pandemic restrictions, students have worked diligently to complete their awards goals and we are pleased to announce six students, including two graduates from the class of 2020, have achieved recognition.

Grade 12 student Grace Lu has earned the Silver award, a feat which included the completion of a 10-day hike to Stella Point, one of the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro. To meet the physical recreation requirements of the award, Grace has played on the TCS squash team and pursued personal fitness goals. She played the violin and piano as her skills requirement, and to attain her community service hours she served as a steward in both the music and academic departments, and performed with the Chapel Choir during previous Week Without Walls programs.

During the expedition in Kawartha Highlands, Alec was joined by Grade 10 student Ben Powles, who also earned his Bronze award this year. Ben played rep football and hockey, played the piano, and volunteered in the nursery and as a Sunday school teacher at Trinity United Church.

Jack Moser, who graduated in June 2020, completed his Bronze award requirements while a student at TCS, including participating in the Grade 10 canoe trip to Camp Wanakita. Jack was an avid golfer in addition to pursing personal fitness goals, took driving lessons to obtain his G2 licence, and served as a Sunday school teacher at St. Andrew’s Church.

Fellow class of 2020 graduate Naomi Larocque has also earned a Bronze award. Naomi took part in the Grade 10 canoe trip, was a member of a gymnastics club, worked towards her Grade 8 piano exam and volunteered at a local retirement residence.

Congratulations to all of the students earning DOE honours, particularly in the face of the immense challenges of the past 15 months. Well done!

Current students are encouraged to continue to work towards attaining their DOE goals and keeping their online record books up to date. The DOE Ontario office has made many accommodations in light of the pandemic to ensure students can realistically achieve awards.

Mrs. Jen Powles, TCS DOE program coordinator

Grade 12 student Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan earned a Bronze award over the course of her TCS career, which included participating in the Grade 10 canoe trip to Camp Wanakita; playing on the badminton team; learning guitar and make-up design, and volunteering as a tutor through the School’s partnership with Rebound Child & Youth Services.

Grade 10 student Alec Hueston earned his Bronze level recognition by participating in a two-night, three-day canoe trip in the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. Alec participated on the harriers team, was a member of the TCS improv group, and served at a local retirement residence where he enjoyed getting to know senior residents.

A View from the Hill I 19

Around the School

20 I A View from the Hill

A View from the Hill I 21

Madison Narciso

Karina Lee

Emily Brown

Grace Johnson

Public Speaking Contests THE GRADE 11 Public Speaking Contest was held online on February 25 and 26. The 10 competitors, comprised of the top student from each in-person and TCS Connect English class, spoke on a non-Canadian figure who has made a significant impact on the world.

This contest was initiated by the late Sir Edwin Leather ’37 to encourage students in the art of public speaking. The competition is generously supported by the TCS Parents’ Guild, who donated the trophy some years ago and who provide the prize money for the winner each year.

The event was hosted by Head Prefects Graham Hall and Addy Malpas. They entertained the viewers by providing interesting facts about each speaker as they were introduced as well as honouring Black History Month with descriptions of significant, contemporary Black people.

Each year, the judges, teachers and students are impressed by how the finalists deliver their speeches with confidence and poise.

In particular, the unique format of presenting online to a camera rather than a live audience made the speakers’ delivery even more impressive this year. Thus, the task of judging the contest was both challenging and enjoyable. After much deliberation, the judges decided to share first place between Karina Lee, for her speech on Ruby Bridges, and Madison Narciso, for her speech on Maya Angelou. Karina’s engaging, genuine and articulate delivery was exemplary. Meanwhile, Madison deliberately unfolded Angelou’s story, impressing all with her poise and eloquent delivery. Both speeches balanced interesting, little-known facts with engaging anecdotes, highlighting why Bridges and Angelou are significant figures.

The other Grade 11 finalists and their topics, in alphabetical order, were: Bolu Abiola, Barack Obama; Emma Aitchison-Madill, Ronald Reagan; Isolde Ardies, Collette; Carter Davis, Henry Ford; 22 I A View from the Hill

Olivia Girimonte, Buddha; Christal Mattis, Wangari Maathai; Tharun Shaji, Henry Ford; and Wyatt Woloshyn, Mark Twain.

The Grade 10 Public Speaking Contest was held online on May 13. Speeches focused on Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their field and/or the world around them. Every Grade 10 student researched, prepared and delivered a speech for their English class. The top student from each class then participated in the finals, which were broadcast through a webinar.

The competition was generously sponsored by former faculty member, Mr. Peter Kedwell.

The event was again hosted by our head prefects, who entertained the viewers by providing interesting facts about each speaker as they were introduced as well as answering questions posed by the audience between speakers.

After much deliberation, the judges decided to share first place between Emily Brown, for her speech on Romeo Dallaire, and Grace Johnson, for her speech on Lincoln Alexander. Emily impressed all with her poise and eloquent delivery. Meanwhile, Grace’s passionate and engaging delivery was exemplary. Both speeches balanced interesting, little-known facts with anecdotes, highlighting why Dallaire and Alexander are significant figures.

The other Grade 10 finalists, in alphabetical order, were: Alexa Braganza, Karen Kain; Merryn Hamilton, Irene Uchida; Michael Moreau, Jacques Plante; Izzy Torzsas, Roberta Bondar; and Carmella Ylagan, Dionne Brand.

Thank you to the judges, Mrs. Viola Lyons, Mr. Doug Mann, Mr. Rick Traugott, Mrs. Barbara Piccini and Mr. Peter Kedwell, for their time and careful deliberations. As well, thank you to Mr. Myke Healy for hosting the webinars and helping make the online finals possible.

Ms. Barb Brough, head of English

Public Speaking

Carter Davis

Olivia Girimonte

Emma Aitchison-Madill

Wyatt Woloshyn

Carmella Ylagan

Christal Mattis

Merryn Hamilton

Tharun Shaji

Bolu Abiola

Alexa Braganza

Michael Moreau

Izzy Torzsas

Isolde Ardies A View from the Hill I 23

Math Contests THIS YEAR’S math contests, hosted by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo, offered a unique challenge for students as they moved from in-person to online events in tandem with government mandates.

TCS “mathletes” persevered and showed great commitment in writing the contests, and all are to be congratulated. Students who earned scores in the top 25% worldwide were honoured with Distinction awards in a fun video created by the math department faculty!

The math contest season begins in the fall with the Canadian Intermediate and Senior Mathematics Challenges, which are written by students invited by the math department based on previous years’ results. Earning Distinction and school champion status on the intermediate test was Allen Tang, and on the Senior contest, Grace Lu. The Grade 9 Pascal Contest was written by 12 students, including five eager mathematicians from the Junior School. Placing in the

top 25% globally were Grade 9 students Eason Fan, Christina Jia and Celina Zhou, and Grade 8 students Landon Demrovsky, William Liu, Arjun Sharma and school champion Nicolas (Zhanchen) Shi. Of the 13 students writing the Grade 10 Cayley Contest, five achieved Distinction: Jack Sprayson, Cindy Shui, Tae Kim, Tanay Langhe and school champion Srijan Velamuri. Some students also chose to further challenge themselves by writing the Grade 10 Galois problem-solving contest, with Tae Kim earning Distinction and school champion status.

On the Grade 11 Fermat Contest, congratulations go out to Sara Yang, who placed in the top 25% worldwide and was our school champion.

At the Grade 12 level, the math contests are particularly challenging and this year even more so as students wrote the Euclid Contest remotely, under alternate supervision, during the Spring Break in April. Students from Grades 10 through 12 chose to take on this challenge, and our school champion and Distinction winner was a Grade 10 student, Jack Sprayson, earning a top 25% placement amongst the more than 17,000 students writing this contest around the globe.

The math department would like to say a special note of congratulations to four graduating students who have been dedicated to, and achieved remarkable results on, the math contests throughout their TCS careers: Grace Lu, Anna Yang, Lily Lai and Zoe Fingas.

As we look ahead to the fall, a reminder that all students are welcome to take part in the annual math contests. Speak to your math teacher about how you can become involved!

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DECA PROVINCIAL COMPETITION Students from the TCS DECA Chapter competed at DECA Ontario’s Provincial Competition in mid-February, with this year’s competition being the first ever held completely online. Members rose to the challenge and altered their training to meet the needs of a virtual competition.

The mission of DECA is to instill professionalism and prepare youth to respond to authentic business cases and market demands through competitions, workshops and other events. At the Provincial Competition, the School’s top regional competitors challenged students from across Ontario for a chance to earn a spot to the International Career Development Conference (ICDC).

The following students earned a top-21 spot in one of their oral competitions:

• Riley Christensen (Automotive Services Marketing)

• Anna Dobrinski and Madison Miller (Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making)

• Michael Yip (Business Services Marketing)

• Dagna Jezioro (Principles of Finance)

• Kaitlin Miller (Principles of Marketing)

Bolu Abiola was selected through the Leadership Development Academy to participate in DECA’s Emerging Leader Series at ICDC in April. The goal of the leadership series – which was also held online this year – is to empower DECA members to provide effective leadership through goal setting, consensus building and project implementation.

The TCS chapter leaders had this message to share: “We would like to commend all members for making it to the Provincial Competition. We are all super proud of your hard work and dedication to the club.” A special shout-out goes to three of the leaders graduating this year (Kyle Munns, Michael Yip, and Ben Ma), whose contributions have made this a better chapter than it was before they joined.

We welcome all students interested in joining the TCS DECA Chapter for the 2021-2022 academic year; contact Mr. Mao for more information.

Mr. Peter Mao, faculty advisor to the TCS DECA Chapter

ICDC The week of April 19 to 23, I had the privilege of attending the DECA International Career Development Conference for the Leadership Development Academy. The week started with the opening ceremonies, where they presented various awards to different chapters. The keynote speaker

LtoR: Madison Miller and Anna Dobrinski

LtoR: Luca and Matteo Mascarin, Ben Ma

for the night was Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World and star of CNBC’s The Profit. He spoke about various topics including advice for building a personal brand, the importance of diversity, and how to be successful in business.

The night ended with a performance from Svet Radoslavof, an internationally recognized electro violinist. The opening ceremonies were very informative as well as entertaining.

For the rest of the week, I attended the Leadership Development Academy. It was focused on four main themes: Aspire, Elevate, Ignite and Thrive. The Aspire section was about learning the value of mentoring and coaching skills in the corporate environment and the importance of a mentor. The Elevate section was about DECA and how it can help our futures. The third section, Ignite, was about learning the latest trends and guidelines for professional behaviour, interactions and appearance. The final section was Thrive. This section’s main focus was on ethical leadership. We learned about principles such as integrity, trust and transparency that help in making wise choices and ethical decisions. The lessons learned in these sessions were highly informative, and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Thank you so much to Mr. Peter Mao for leading the TCS DECA Chapter through the whole competition schedule this year.

Bolu Abiola, Grade 11 student A View from the Hill I 25

(Clockwise from left): Enjoying a snack after Mr. Aboud’s presentation to CAG on life in the Middle East, LtoR: Maranda Wang and Eason Chen hang Lunar New Year decorations, Alex Torzsas speaks about the Bahamas as part of an International Day video

CAG LUNAR NEW YEAR In early February, Cultural Awareness Group (CAG) led the TCS community in celebrating Lunar New Year, with students wearing red to usher in the Year of the Ox. CAG organized presentations for advisor meetings, where students watched a video about Lunar New Year celebrations that take place around the world and another explaining the different Chinese zodiac signs, and then played a fun Kahoot to test their knowledge. Other videos were watched as well that highlighted celebrations in various Asian countries and the meaning behind red envelopes, the food, and references to celebrating Lunar New Year in the USA, which was then followed by a couple of discussion questions for the advisor groups. The CAG team also put together a Lantern Riddle Contest in celebration of Lunar New Year. Clues were attached to paper lanterns around the Cirne Commons and pairs were welcome to answer the clues by filling out a form. Thank you to the TCS culinary team for putting together wonderful meals featuring Asian cuisine.

Also in February, CAG members enjoyed taking part in the Black History Month activities hosted by the Black Student Alliance (read more on page 11).

CULTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT Grade 12 student Carly Lin wanted to find a way to use photography as a vehicle to unite people. The result of her efforts was a photography exhibit showcasing the work of students, staff and alumni, held in the School’s lower gym the last week of March.

Refocus: The Stories of Us provided an opportunity for members of the school community to share photographs taken around the 26 I A View from the Hill

world that speak to our different cultures and our shared humanity.

As Carly explains, “Reflecting upon the rising numbers of racial issues during the pandemic, I learned that one of the causes of prejudice and discrimination is ignorance, or a lack of knowledge about the group being targeted. Photography to me, is a unique medium that offers me a glimpse into foreign worlds. Every time I walk out of a photography exhibit, I always feel fascinated by how much I resonated with the stories told in the photographs. I may not have fully understood what was being represented, but there was an empathetic connection, which I believe, is the first step towards understanding.”

Carly put the call out prior to the December Break for submissions and, with the help of her peers in CAG and supported by Mrs. Rachel Stephens, selected 30 images and three videos to be displayed, along with explanations of the pieces by the photographers. Each day during the week, students in their grade cohorts and staff had times to visit the exhibition. Visitors were encouraged to take the opportunity to contribute funds which went to two worthy charities: the Black Youth Helpline and the AAPI Community Fund (which supports a range of organizations that empower members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities). Anyone who made a donation of $10 or more was entered to win a photo of their choice from the exhibition.

Thank you to the photographers and videographers who shared their work with our community: •C urrent students Agnes Grabcova, Aya Al-Ali, Carly Lin, Vanessa Lolomari, Loretta Hu, Dagna Jezioro, Bolu Abiola, Kaitlyn Chan, Sara Yang, Mika Romao Vandepol and Cindy Shui

•A lumni Emma Hak-Kovacs ’19, Roselle Torres ’20, Jiyun Yu ’20, Chalene Gallagher ’01 and Angie Zhang ’20 •S taff members Ms. Jennifer Park, Ms. Adrienne Ross, Mr. Brent Hurley, Ms. Leisa Wierenga, Mrs. Kathy LaBranche, Mr. Adam Bishop, Mr. Myke Healy and Mr. Tim Clutton

INTERNATIONAL DAY CAG worked to highlight our diverse school community through virtual International Day initiatives in early May. In advisor meetings, Senior School students had the chance to experience different cultures through videos and a slideshow presentation, in the hopes that this would inspire understanding and conversation about the many cultures represented at TCS. Students watched a video put together by the Caribbean Council leaders, who hail from a variety of locations – U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Bahamas. They highlighted the customs, food and folklore of the islands, from their love of salt fish to the legend behind the moko jumbie dancers seen at events, all set to some wonderful Caribbean music!

Then, students viewed the International Day video, which included CAG members from areas including Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia and China talking about some of the differences between their home regions and Canada, and their favourite foods and traditions from home (our students really love their food!). They also spoke about challenges their countries are facing, such as the impact of COVID-19 and environmental issues, and shared reasons why people should come to visit their home regions.

To replicate the traditional parade of nations held during a typical International Day on campus, CAG created a slideshow of students wearing cultural clothing from this and previous years. Students were able to vote on their favourite submissions in various categories such as “most colourful” and “most creative.”

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH International Day fell within May, which is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and other countries. CAG organized social media posts for the month, starting by explaining that the month is “a time to reflect and celebrate the contributions and achievements” of Canadians from Asian cultures. “Diversity represents one of Canada’s great strengths, and to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to reach their full potential and participate in Canada’s civic life, Asian Heritage Month offers the opportunity for Asian Canadians.”

A highlight of the month was guest speaker Thanh Vu ’08, an alumnus and ultramarathon runner from Vietnam. Ms. Vu provided an inspiring talk about her experiences as a runner, beginning with her time on the TCS harriers squad, where she was one of the slowest runners on the team, to becoming the first South Asian woman to complete the Four Deserts Marathon Series. Noted as the most difficult running challenge in the world, participants must complete 250 km in total runs across the Namibia, Gobi, Atacama and Antarctica deserts within one calendar year. Each run takes seven days, and runners are required to carry their own gear throughout. After graduating from TCS, Ms. Vu attended the

Guest speaker Thanh Vu ’08

prestigious Schulich School of Business and then landed what she called a “dream job” at Bloomberg in Singapore. She spoke about her decision to walk away from that job in pursuit of her running goals, and how she views her achievements as a way to inspire others to follow their own dreams. “At the end of the day, you want to be an ambassador for what you stand for, and to let your voice be heard,” she said. She also spoke of the importance of inspiring young women in her home country of Vietnam; she hopes to show these young women that they can pursue their education and lead the way for others in their community or their family by attending university. At the end of the presentation, she told students: “You own your own narrative. Create a legacy you are proud of.”

In a joint CAG and Caribbean Council meeting, alumnus and TCS residential assistant Maya Saunders ’16 gave a presentation on her home country of Turks & Caicos, as well as her Indo-Guyanese heritage on her mother’s side. She spoke about the geography and history of Turks & Caicos, including the Indigenous names, as well as music and festivals such as the Junkanoo (or street festival). And she talked about the history of Guyana, including when indentured workers were brought to the islands from India and China, and the influences of Indian and Chinese culture on current Guyanese life, such as in its cuisine.

Also in meetings, CAG members researched and collected information on Asian countries, highlighting many facets of their influence on a global level, from Buddhism to the dominance of K-Pop. The recent and upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing were noted, as were the Chinese Space Station and the WeChat app. Students also wrote about their favourite topic – food!

– such as the delicious tom yum goong soup of Thailand and the many varieties of pickles (jangajji) found in South Korean cuisine.

Many of these different cultural aspects were featured in social media posts to wrap up Asian Heritage Month.

A View from the Hill I 27

Cultural Photography Exhibit

Bolu Abiola

Carly Lin

Dagna Jezioro

Sara Yang

Vanessa Lolomari

Agnes Grabcova

Kaitlyn Chan 28 I A View from the Hill

Mr. Myke Healy

TEAC THIS YEAR’S Polar Bear Day was held in conjunction with March Madness. Hosted by Trinity Environmental Action Club (TEAC), the day has become a chance to share messages about climate change and the small acts each of us can do to step up for the environment. The goal is to give all of the inhabitants of this planet, including polar bears like our beloved mascot Trina, a fighting chance against the damage being done by humans to the environment. TEAC leaders Karina Lee and Jade Barnard led a cast of students in a special video that included some simple steps we can do for our planet, such as turning off taps to reduce water waste, using refillable water bottles, shopping sustainably (e.g. by buying thrift clothing), recycling right, using LED lightbulbs and more. These messages tied in with TEAC’s initiatives throughout the year, such as the “clean plate challenge” to reduce food waste, reminders to use reusable shopping bags and ditch the plastic, and tree planting days to both beautify campus and reduce carbon dioxide in the air. As part of Polar Bear Day, a “ski lodge” Themed Thursday invited students and staff to wear warm sweaters as the heat around campus was turned down by 3 degrees to conserve energy. Also, a Kahoot eco-knowledge quiz was held during lunchtime for Langmuir Cup house challenge points.

In late March, members of the school community turned off the lights to shine a spotlight on our planet during international Earth Hour. TEAC invited everyone to turns their lights off for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. local time, wherever they were in the world. Karina and Jade noted, “Earth Hour is an annual environmental initiative to help shine light on climate change and the threat to biodiversity.” They encouraged people to take part in activities suggested by the Earth Hour organization, and send in photos with #EarthHouratTCS. Photos showed TCS students, staff and families playing board games, doing homework, playing outdoors and in the Arnold Massey ’55 Athletic Centre, watching movies and more, all with the lights out and in some cases by candlelight.

And the period of online learning this spring did not deter students and staff from making a commitment to the environment by honouring Earth Week (April 19-23) around the globe. Karina and Jade

Students TEAC leader Karina Lee shares eco-tips on Polar Bear Day

LtoR: Eleni and Antonia Patsias during Earth Hour

kicked off the week during Monday morning virtual assembly by asking everyone to get outside and get some fresh air for at least 15 minutes at some point in the day. Other events included environmental sign-making, building sculptures from recycled materials, calculating your carbon footprint and sharing photos for the #donthugmehugatree challenge.

Thursday was International Earth Day. To mark this global initiative, the Junior School watched a video created by TCS Environmental Coordinator Alison Elliott. They, too, made window signs, on this year’s theme of “Restore Our Earth.” Senior School students and staff were tasked on Thursday with taking a photo of themselves participating in an action to “Restore Our Earth,” such as a litter clean-up or growing a new plant, using #TakeCareofthePlanet. Students and staff could pledge to take steps for the environment, such as reducing food waste, switching to reusable products, or donating old clothes, to be entered into a draw. During afternoon chapel service, Karina and Jade gave a presentation on behalf of TEAC to share more information and ideas on how we can all work to restore the Earth.

A View from the Hill I 29

Give

Distinction recipient Kyle Munns at Primrose Donkey Sanctuary during Week Without Walls 2019

LtoR: Silver service award recipient Ava Becker with Pat Moss Society Award winner Natasha Pinto helping Northumberland Humane Society in 2018

Distinction recipient Kaylie Tsang takes a break from volunteering as Trina the mascot

Distinction recipient Zoe Fingas visits with a resident at a local seniors’ residence during Week Without Walls 2019

Service Learning Awards THIS YEAR, our students poured their hearts into the School’s service learning programs, with awards recipients amassing nearly 8,500 cumulative hours of service. While the service mandate at TCS extends beyond the Ontario curriculum expectation of 40 hours, 67 students earned at least double that standard, with 32 Bronze (80+ hours of service), 23 Silver (120+ hours) and 12 Gold or Distinction (200+ hours) awards presented during the virtual Co-curricular Awards ceremony in May. Six students earned Gold awards this year: first-time recipients Zoe Fingas, Kyle Munns and Kaylie Tsang; and repeat recipients Aya Al-Ali, Grace Lu and Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan.

30 I A View from the Hill

Students holding stewardships, in some cases in multiple areas at the School, were recognized for their commitment, with 13 students earning their steward tie for the first time, and five students recognized as repeat recipients. And our peer mentors for each Senior School house were also honoured.

The service learning portion of the ceremony also included two special awards: the Armour Memorial Prize for yearbook editor went to Sam Bliemel; and the Pat Moss Society Award, which signifies a student who embodies the mission of “youth helping youth,” was presented to Natasha Pinto.

Ms. Kim Vojnov, director of service learning

How We Give

Pink Shirt Day

Pet Crafts Club

MasterKey Chapel

Earth Day clean-up

Threads for Creds clothing drive

Tidying up the vestry A View from the Hill I 31

LtoR: Savanna Barker and TianTian Dong show off their reusable Scott House mugs

Wright House takes part in an environmental Kahoot game during a house meeting

Sustainability Environmental sustainability at TCS is seen in our collective awareness and action towards a “greener” future. A future where the Earth is restored, climate change is stopped, and all life on the land and in the water that we depend on is healthy. Sustainability is seen in our habits every time someone chooses reusables over disposables, chooses to recycle instead of creating landfill, or grow some of their own food instead of purchasing it in packaging from far away.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS The Sustainability Awards recognize the student leaders who, through Trinity Environmental Action Club (TEAC), as a house green rep, or as a sustainability steward, contribute to the building of this awareness and action for a better future. The Sustainability Awards recognize the leaders of our MOGO movement. Doing “more good” instead of just “less bad.”

Students who commit to environmental leadership and service for one year receive the TCS sustainability tie with its chains of green leaves. The following students were recognized for a full year of MOGO leadership. Congratulations to Bolu Abiola, Emma Aitchison-Madill, Morad Aref, Chloe Chen, Carter Davis, Tea Efovi, Sanne Healy, Kristie Lam, Matteo Mascarin, Eadyn Meier, Sydney Mueller, Emma Olazabal Salgado, Nadia Simmonds, Allie Vahramian, Megan Zammit and Yarik Zhyliaiev.

Students who engage in a second full year of environmental leadership and service receive the sustainability pin, in the shape of a leaf. Congratulations to Aya Al-Ali, Jade Barnard, Sarah Deleeuw, Aaliyah Garland and Karina Lee. 32 I A View from the Hill

GREEN CUP The Green Cup Challenge runs all year long with green reps enacting campaigns in their house to reduce our cumulative footprint, learn more about environmental problems and solutions and take action to restore our Earth. One boarding house and one day house are awarded the trophy, with the points going towards the Langmuir Cup. With 293 points and 239 points respectively, this year’s winners are: Scott House and Wright House!

Congratulations on all your MOGO, and a dedicated effort all year to make TCS greener.

ECOSCHOOLS CERTIFICATION TCS was proud to re-certify at the platinum level of EcoSchools Canada in spite of the numerous challenges presented by COVID-19 protocols and restrictions. TEAC, the Senior School green reps, the sustainability office team, and so many students and staff continued to prioritize doing MOGO for a healthier planet. We were able to acquire 163 points by logging actions and campaigns in 29 different categories related to energy use, waste management, biodiversity, environmental education and more; this was way beyond the 101 points required to achieve platinum level. Our platinum level means we are also receiving Green Flag designation from the Foundation for Environmental Education’s global network. Congratulations, everyone!

Ms. Alison Elliott, environmental coordinator

Hearts and Minds Projects OUR GRADE 8 students have worked hard on their Hearts and Minds projects over the past six months, demonstrating perseverance and commitment in finding ways to be a positive force in their communities. Designed as a culminating experience of the Junior School, with a focus on the TCS habits of the heart and mind, this project combines inquiry, community and service.

Students work collaboratively in groups to support a community of their choice, based on a personal interest.

This, the second year of the project, has been particularly challenging as the students have had to adjust, re-think and re-plan in response to the ever changing impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on their personal, social and school lives. There is no “class” for this project, with much of the work done outside of school hours, encouraging students to develop important communication, time-management and organization skills along the way. They really needed to channel those TCS habits of the heart and mind, not only to care for themselves, but to discover ways to support others in a year like no other!

Hearts and Minds logo by Atticus Hodges

This is a project that encourages independence and personal growth, with opportunities for reflection at key intervals. Each project is unique in its focus, plan and presentation. As much as the work is now complete, it is hoped that the students use their learning to continue to find ways to contribute to their communities.

The TCS habits of the heart and mind shine through in each and every project, not just in the final presentation but in the journey each student took over the six months of this project. A huge thank you to all the mentors, who guided, motivated and inspired their students to recognize and value these habits in themselves and in the people around them.

Here is a sample of this year’s Grade 8 Hearts and Mind projects: • Translating the school prayer into American Sign Language • Building a bat box and chimney sweep house to protect endangered species • Volunteering at a local food bank • Collecting funds to support local children to play sports • Making animal toys and treats for a local humane society • Teaching a lesson to the entire Junior School about the importance of Black Lives Matter • Collecting donations of hygiene products to support people in need • Organizing a weekly online book club for all Junior School students

Therapeutic horseback riding infographic created by Grade 8 students Shanen McFadden and Grace Mayer

• Photo book essay documenting life in Boulden House during this historic school year • Proposing new outdoor play equipment for the Junior School

• Raising awareness of therapeutic horseback riding

Congratulations to all Grade 8 students for the compassion, open-mindedness, and courage they showed over the course of this extended, year-long project. You have indeed made your communities a better place for all.

• Positivity podcasts

Ms. Sarah Torrible, teacher librarian

• Teaching Grade 5/6 classes a lesson on upcycling and sustainable fashion

A View from the Hill I 33

Challenge

Hockey NO ONE expected a season like 2020-2021, as navigating through COVID restrictions became a challenge and also the norm. From our first day in the rink on September 14 to the last day (March 5), one of the toughest restrictions, having to practice in co-ed grade cohorts, became one of the developmental strengths of the hockey program. In all, 68 athletes played hockey at TCS over the course of the season – a testament to the passion for Canada’s national winter sport.

Most inspiring was to watch our athletes demonstrate their passion for hockey. While we were unable to play any games against external competition, the players came to the rink every day with drive, competitiveness and a tremendous work ethic.

The year started with both on-ice and off-ice training where athletes built strength, skill and friendship.

Much of our practice time was dedicated to developing individual skills (passing, shooting, skating, stick handling), and individual and team tactics. Hoping we might still get a few games in towards the end of February, players worked on offensive zone entries, offensive zone play, neutral zone regroups and fore-checking, and defensive zone coverage, among other things.

By the end of the fall season, players were allowed to begin competing one-on-one with no contact. This allowed for more development of offensive and defensive principles with limited pressure. It also allowed us to begin to compete in small area games with reduced numbers.

In the week leading to the Christmas Break, we split each grade cohort into two teams and competed in a week-long competition of small area games and full ice three-on-three. The competition week had many highlights with players demonstrating their talent and working together in teams to battle for the “title.”

34 I A View from the Hill

Following the long winter break and lockdown, players were eager to get back on the ice at the end of January. All showed their resilience and passion for the game as some new, stricter guidelines for health and safety saw us back to less challenges for the puck and more physical distancing on the ice. Undaunted and often working with fewer skaters, the intensity and work ethic never waned. In our final week, each group competed in a skills competition with winners in each category being announced at the end of the day. Top scores and times were posted by Grade 11 students Garrett Joss, Abby Hicks and Lauren Jackson, with Rachel Bannister and Ben Boon earning best scores for goalies.

The season was clearly toughest on our graduating players. On the girls’ side, we hoped to continue building our success from last year. We had ended the 2019-2020 season on a high note, finishing third in the CISAA league – our best finish in program history. The 2020-2021 team was eager to continue that progress.

Graduating players Sam Trask, Ashley Hayley, Beth McArthur and Grace Beggs were excellent leaders and role models all season.

Each of their contributions will forever leave a mark on the team as we carry on their positivity and dedication. A special note of appreciation to our two defenders from Newfoundland, Sam and Ashley, who represented the Bigside hockey team for four seasons, joining us in the fall of 2017. Their combined feistiness and enthusiasm was an East Coast recipe for success, and their passion for the game was contagious. They will be greatly missed. Beth’s contributions began in 2019 and added to our defensive strength.

She also brought an offensive flare to her game that we hope the up and coming defencemen will embody. The Bigside girls are eager to get back to games and put all of this practice to work.

LtoR: Ashley Hayley, Sam Trask, Grace Beggs, Beth McArthur

The 2020-2021 version of Bigside boys hockey looked to continue its climb up the standings in the CISAA Division 1 league. Hopes were for a “middle of the pack” finish that would come with a few good wins against some of the School’s biggest and oldest rivals.

Although the team brings an “offence first” philosophy to its play, what may have stood out most was the team’s defence. With top goaltending and six returning defencemen from last year’s national championship tournament, the team looked to be tough to play against. Graduating goalies Ty Gadbois and Ethan Murree were extremely dedicated and saw a lot of pucks this season as practices were very offence-heavy. Grade 12 defencemen Tristan Ranno, Braden Shaw, Nicolas Di Marco, Malcolm Skeete and Blake Hudson, along with Nicholas Little and Sebastian Graham, would certainly have been one of the strongest defence groups we have had at the School since the mid-1980s.

Our graduating forwards know how to put the puck in the net and would have been a force to be reckoned with. Returning Bigside players Émile Hameury, Nico Deichmann and Quinton Gibson are all very good offensive players who generate lots of offensive chances. The Grade 12 cohort will also say goodbye to longtime TCS players Connor Ford, Grant Frost, Cooper Reed, Evan Kauffman, Dylan Ceccato and Lucas Dingsdale. All of these players have made significant marks on the hockey program.

A final note of appreciation to all players for keeping the spirit of the game alive this season. Thank you to our fellow coaches – Mr. Trevor Clark, Mr. Elias Aboud, Mr. Trevor Gardiner, Mr. Danny Minnings, Mr. Christian Eriksson and Mr. Jay McCulloch – for their hard work and creativity in keeping practices engaging and meaningful despite many restrictions. We can’t wait to get back to Bears hockey for the 2021-2022 season.

Mr. Rick Traugott and Ms. Jacqueline Priolo, coaches

LtoR: Ethan Murree, Blake Hudson, Connor Ford, Sebastian Graham A View from the Hill I 35

Volleyball THE VOLLEYBALL season during this 2020-2021 school year was a huge accomplishment given the situation we have been facing. With several groups of girls from all four grades, there was a mix of players with various skill levels including those who took a leap of faith and tried the sport for the first time.

Each grade had designated coaches which helped push the girls, making them better all-around volleyball players. Ms. Jennifer Petrolito, Ms. Cheyne Cole and Ms. Rachel Pearson coached the Grade 9 and 10 girls, and Mr. Tim White and Mr. Grant Elson coached the Grade 11 and 12 girls. As a cohort team, each grade worked on their blocking, spiking and overhand serving skills over the season.

Being able to pass the ball to others during the entire season made a big difference to the way we practiced. We were able to practice our digs and passes, which are major skills needed in volleyball.

The teams would end by scrimmaging, and the girls would long to keep playing minutes after practice was over. Morning practices were held as well, which was believed to be an energizing way to start the day.

This season was anything but normal and I speak for the team when I say the competitive aspect of volleyball and playing interschool competitions was truly missed.

The coaches continued to keep a tradition going for the Grade 12 girls, giving them roses on their last practice.

This was a special and touching moment for the graduates, honouring their commitment and effort towards volleyball.

As our TCS community continued to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions set, the teams continued to keep up good spirits even though our in-person season was cut short due to the lockdown after December Break. All the girls made an effort to show up at the given times and put their heart and soul into each practice. It was a delight to see that everyone left the season with developed skills, alongside building friendships and continuous love for the game.

A big thank you to all the coaches who took the time to train and cheer us on no matter what. To all the graduating girls, thank you for making this a great season, and good luck in your future endeavours. To the returning girls, I hope the coming seasons may be normal and an even more enjoyable experience than this.

Natasha Pinto, Grade 12 student

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LtoR: Coaches Murray, McGee and Richardson lead dryland training activities

Swimming ALTHOUGH this year resembled no other, it did not affect the team’s attitude and perseverance. Due to the many restrictions and lockdown this season, the swimmers were not able to train in the pool as much as they would have in previous years. In the absence of a regular swim season filled with monthly competitions and almost daily training, the swimmers were able to work on their techniques and strengths almost as if they were in the pool.

To follow health protocols, mask-wearing was required, and the team was separated into grade cohorts with a staff member in each cohort. Each practice was different from the last and the coaches found new ways to engage the athletes in workouts, mostly conditioning and strength training. To end the season off on a high note, the coaches organized fun activities such as Just Dance, yoga, fitness Monopoly and a well-deserved pizza party.

A big thank you to the coaches, Ms. Erin McGee, Ms. Kristen Richardson, Mr. Matt Murray and Ms. Sydney Keiser, for making this a great season, and to the swimmers for their enthusiasm and commitment to this sport.

Karina Lee and Kristie Lam, Grade 11 students

A View from the Hill I 37

LtoR: Daniel Mikoluk, Luke Vrooman, Aidan Gibson, Aiya Hyslop-Healy, Mackenzie Heid, Aya Al-Ali, Maddy Wiseman, (top right) Mrs. O’Grady and the Grade 10 alpine skiers take to the ice; (bottom right) Dr. Hodges and Mrs. O’Grady show off their alpine gear

Alpine Skiing THE BIGSIDE alpine ski team made the most of a changed season to develop fitness and a sense of team camaraderie.

The dryland component of the year encouraged cohorted friendship and fun. Athletes learned what it means to prepare for a competitive alpine ski season by making gains in dryland programming. Using a variety of training models, skiers worked on setting their balance clocks, developing core strength, enhancing their athletic awareness and refining their movement mechanics.

From “Alpi-Ball” to the “Bucket Blast,” HIIT workouts to visualization training, the members of this team made the most of their opportunities. Among the highlights was time spent doing hill work on our own infamous Mt. Trinity. While the advent of snow would typically mean training trips, on-hill work and our CISAA league racing schedule, this year had the team continue with their commitment to dryland. Afraid of no weather, all team members braved the elements to continue their efforts in circuit training and alpine-specific exercises.

The wonder of winter was enjoyed in a different way as students were able to make use of the many amenities at TCS, including the outdoor rink, during this unique season.

Ms. Annie Fickel, Mr. Josh Hamilton, Mrs. Ally O’Grady and I extend our thanks and appreciation to every athlete on this year’s Bigside alpine team.

Dr. Greg Hodges, coach 38 I A View from the Hill

LtoR: Dryland training, skier Jackson Howell finds another route down the hill

Boys Basketball ALTHOUGH COVID restrictions prevented the basketball teams from playing competitively, the players were fortunate enough to be able to work in grade cohorts to enhance their skills. Each team gave the returning players the opportunity to further hone their abilities, and for new players to get a taste of organized basketball at TCS. More than 80 students were involved in the program during the winter season. Mr. Luke O’Connell, Mr. Will Langford and Mr. Nick Stratford acted as the coaches for the Grade 9 and 10 teams, while Ms. Cristy Drake, Mr. Danny Hickie and I shared duties as the coaches of the two senior grades.

With the larger numbers of players sharing the court, teams utilized fast-paced drills to keep players engaged and to develop fitness. As the season progressed, opportunities developed to fine tune skills and techniques associated with the sport. Hard work and enthusiasm were commonplace amongst the teams during the practices. The play was both spirited and friendly, as the athletes encouraged each other and worked towards common goals. Many players demonstrated significant progress with their shooting technique and in their overall understanding of the game.

Nicholas Damiani

When the School was forced to go online due to the provincewide lockdown in January, the teams used this as an opportunity to think creatively about practice. Some students had access to their own courts and used this as a chance to maintain their skills.

Others followed online workouts for the benefit of their fitness.

The highlight of this online period was having a chance to host Owen White in a Zoom lecture. Owen grew up in Port Hope and later attended Brock University. He led the Badgers to the 2008 CIS National Championship and won the Jack Donohue Trophy as the tournament’s most valuable player. Owen offered insights into what it takes to play at the next level and then generously offered his time to answer many of the players’ questions at the end of the presentation.

Once the students returned to campus, on-court sessions were able to resume. Each group developed its own routines and points of emphasis. The Grade 9 group focused on shooting techniques, as well as dribbling and driving. Time was also spent developing skills in three-on-three scenarios. The Grade 10 team focused on shooting and breaking down game-like situations. The Grade 11 team was characterized by a love of the sport. Fueled by this energy, the players engaged in many transition drills to utilize their speed and athleticism. Finally, the Grade 12 team consisted of many good friends who enjoyed the opportunity to be on the court together. They worked on their three-point shooting abilities and team dynamics. Both the Grade 11 and 12 groups benefited from early morning skills sessions with Director of Athletics, Ms. Drake. As an experienced basketball player and coach, she utilized increased court space in the mornings to enhance shooting, dribbling and footwork techniques. Mr. Hickie also offered additional gym time during the week for students to

Jephthah Arukhe

work on their own. A number of students took advantage of this during the season.

While the season was not what was expected, the students made the most of their opportunities and participated with spirited enthusiasm. Sadly, the program must say farewell to a number of graduating players who made significant contributions to the School’s competitive basketball teams. The following are thanked for their efforts over the last few years: Kai Blackstock, Ayo Eyesan, Nolan Finn, John Grieve, Graham Hall, Aidan Hew, Aaron Lancaster, Luca Mascarin, Philipp Moell, Josh Paddock, Eric Wang and Ryan Weng.

Mr. Courtney Christ, coach A View from the Hill I 39

Spring Athletics THIS SPRING presented many challenges for our coaching staff and athletes. With an adjustment to the timing of spring break, the season started earlier than expected. Therefore, to kick off the season our coaches were tasked with engaging athletes while there was still snow on the ground. Both coaches and athletes took on this challenge with a positive attitude while engaging in the following spring programs: tennis, rugby, soccer, golf, track, rowing, baseball, badminton, ultimate Frisbee and Activity for Life.

The prevailing sentiment of the season was the resilience that our coaches and athletes displayed. They attended early morning practices, ran in cold weather, threw pitches in arenas and hit golf balls off of turf. There was great compromise and teamwork as teams worked around gym schedules and shared spaces, and adhered to the enhanced safety and health protocols. What we were most thankful for though was the chance to be involved in our spring sports, which we missed last year.

Disappointingly, the season was modified when the lockdown order was issued following the April break. From the fields, we went to our computers. Teams and Activity for Life participants would meet on Mondays to be engaged in a variety of activities.

Coaches focused on improving student fitness by using videos, online workouts, or creating their own high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. Other teams took this opportunity to delve into the rules of the games, the strategies needed to be successful and what skills are most important. Students were also provided the chance to socialize with one another through online ice breakers, team building exercises and cooperation games.

This season, like the previous two this school year, was not what we had hoped for. However, a great athlete is defined by their attitude, perseverance and resilience when challenged by exceptional circumstances. That is certainly what both our students and coaches were faced with. Any participant who continued to stay active should be proud of themselves and their efforts. We also want to thank our coaches for providing the opportunity for our students to be engaged. Now that our last athletic season has concluded for this school year, we look optimistically to the 2021-2022 season.

Ms. Cristy Drake, director of athletics

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#HoppyEaster

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55 Deblaquire Street North, Port Hope, ON L1A 4K7 • 905-885-3217 • www.tcs.on.ca