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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. 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

LtoR: Edisana Ukpeh and William Canu

Molly Steeves

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

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! 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 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

Guest speaker Eternity Martis

“Name That Tune”

Khamsy Onyekere presents during Black History Month chapel

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. 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 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. 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. Ms. Shelagh Straughan, Senior School librarian

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.”

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. 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. 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 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.”

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

LtoR: Carmella Ylagan and Izzy Torzsas in the Junior 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

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,

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). 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! 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

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

LtoR: Debate team Michael Yip and Wesley Chan

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. The motions for the various impromptu and prepared debates touched on timely subjects, such as the Olympics and human 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.

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

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. 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. 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

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; 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

Carter Davis Emma Aitchison-Madill Bolu Abiola

Olivia Girimonte Wyatt Woloshyn Alexa Braganza Michael Moreau

Carmella Ylagan Christal Mattis Izzy Torzsas

Merryn Hamilton Tharun Shaji Isolde Ardies

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!

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 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

LtoR: Madison Miller and Anna Dobrinski

LtoR: Luca and Matteo Mascarin, Ben Ma

(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 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: • Current 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

• Alumni Emma Hak-Kovacs ’19, Roselle Torres ’20, Jiyun Yu ’20,

Chalene Gallagher ’01 and Angie Zhang ’20 • Staff 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.

Bolu Abiola

Carly Lin Dagna Jezioro

Vanessa Lolomari Sara Yang

Agnes Grabcova

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 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.

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

LtoR: Eleni and Antonia Patsias during Earth Hour