Past & Present Fall 2011

Crescent School

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Fall 2011

From tHe editor’s desK

on the cover Photo by Betty Ann Armstrong 2010 House Day Clockwise from bottom: Nicolas Christodoulou, grade12, Bradley Carlin, grade 9 and Kevin Kwan, grade 5

EDITOR: Sue Gillan (P ’02), Director of Communications and Marketing COPY EDITOR: Laura Pink CONTRIBUTORS: Angela Barbieri Neil Campbell (P ’94) Sue Iwan Anne-Marie Newton Jill Palmer Laura Pink PHOTOGRAPHERS: Betty Ann Armstrong Lizz Armstrong Angela Barbieri Sue Iwan Sue Gillan (P ’02) Many members of our Crescent Family DESIGN : Chris Simeon, September Creative Communications and Harmony Printing Ltd.

Ninety-nine years ago, at the beginning of September, Crescent School opened for the very first time. Instead of 690 boys spread over rambling state-of-art facilities and grounds, the first Crescent school year consisted of a couple of dozen boys in the living room of Headmaster Jimmy James’ home at 43 Rosedale Road. He was ably assisted, not by an extensive faculty and support staff of 120, but by the ministrations of his wife Elizabeth who, although she remained very much behind-the-scenes, was always on hand to offer medical and maternal care when needed. In 1913, and for the next decade to come, life for a young boy was fairly straightforward. The Crescent lads all lived a few blocks from the School and got there on bikes, or they walked. After-school activities were largely spontaneous and self-initiated. The boys were free to explore or fish in the ravine behind their homes, wander to Yonge Street to buy an ice-cream or play hide and seek in the large homes and grounds of their classmates. Television, internet, video games and social networking would have been the stuff of science-fiction stories had they even been remotely envisioned. It was a simpler existence than we know today, and the social currency of choice was face to face encounters – connecting in the moment with all emotions bared. Character played a role in those early classes of Jimmy James. He was a firm believer in developing character in his charges as an early Crescent School prospectus can attest: The purpose of the School is: “to train boys in character, in knowledge, and in games. It is the aim of the School to develop right and vigorous characters, at an early age, and to guide boys in their responsibilities to their fellows.”

As it approaches its 100th birthday, Crescent School continues to evolve as the place where boys can discover their best selves by exploring and developing their social, emotional and academic intelligences in a safe environment where failure is seen as a way to build character, develop resiliency, and ultimately achieve success. Jimmy James would be proud.

Table of Contents Headmaster’s Message ........................... 2-3

From the Advancement Office ................... 32

Board Report .............................................. 4

An Alumnus Returns............................ 33-34

New Board Members .................................. 5

Message from President of the Crescent Alumni Executive, Andrew Flynn ’88................................. 35-36

Crescent Parent Association Report ......... 6-7 Past and Present is published twice a year for the entire Crescent Family and friends by The Communications and Marketing Department Crescent School 2365 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M2L 1A2 Phone: 416-449-2556 Fax: 416-449-7950 Email: sgillan@crescentschool.org Website: www.crescentschool.org

Crescent School and Character .............. 8-10 Past Presidents Luncheon......................... 11 Crescent Says Goodbye: David Budden, Ross MacDonald, Aldonna Stremecki, Ross Turvey .......... 12-19

Alumnus of the Year 2011 Recipients ....... 37 Evolution of the School Crest ................ 38-39 Alumni Profiles .................................... 40-43 Alumni University Branch Visits ................ 44

Thanking Our Volunteers...................... 20-21

Alumni Events ...................................... 45-47

Coyote Green Jacket Golf Tournament .... 22-23

Where are they Now ................................. 48

School Leaders 2011-2012 ....................... 24

From the Archives..................................... 49

Prize Day 2010-2011 ........................... 25-27

Life After Crescent ............................... 50-51

Athletic Awards ......................................... 28

Class of 2011 University Placement .......... 52

Athletic Achievements ............................... 29

Crescent School’s Upcoming Events.......... 53

Tooting Our Horn ................................. 30-31

In Memoriam ............................................ 54

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Coming to our Senses Headmaster’s message One of the joys of summertime is the opportunity to immerse oneself in reading.

One Sunday morning I glanced at the New York Times supplement in the Toronto Star.

An article entitled “The Elusive Big Idea” (August 13th, 2011) piqued my interest.

Neal Gabler argued eloquently that “we are living in an increasingly post-idea world – a world in which big, thought-provoking ideas that can’t instantly be monetized are of so little intrinsic value that fewer people are generating them . . . .” He believes that “at a time when we know more than we have ever known, we think about it less.” The big ideas that come about, he argues, are “material, not ideational” and “while these ideas may change the way we live, they rarely transform the way we think.”

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eCently I’ve been thinking a great deal about the significant impact the internet is having on our culture, our students, our parents, our teachers, our habits of mind, and Crescent School. We find ourselves at a remarkable point in human intellectual evolution.

We have a universe of facts at our keyboard fingertips in North America – about ourselves, our world, and if the privacy settings have been carelessly overlooked, about others.

Sometimes the orbits of the internet world and the human world intersect beneficially; at other times they collide. One of our jobs as adults and educators is to recognize the subtle and overt forces at play, and to delicately balance societal expectations of the future with the immediate and long-term good of the individual boy.

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He has a point. Our boys are umbilically connected to the greatest information system in the history of the world – the internet – and that fact alone is dramatically shifting the way we should teach and the way our boys should learn. Content, once king in the 3 to 12 classroom, is so 20th century. Data and information have little currency. Yes, our boys need to learn the skill of separating the wheat from the chaff – but they seem well along that path by the time they hit their middle school years. Teachers’ longtime contentment derived from knowing more “stuff ” about a specific topic, the very foundation of the ivory tower, has been breached. A middling middle school student has far more time, energy and expertise to access the world wide web of information than most busy classroom teachers.

So, as Gabler suggests, perhaps we need to teach our boys how to think, to provide them with an opportunity to reflect on ideas, not just to collect the fools’ gold of data. Gabler is quite articulate on this.

“In the past, we collected information not simply to know things. . . . We also

collected information to convert it into something larger than facts and ultimately more useful – into ideas that make sense of the information. We sought not just to apprehend the world but to truly comprehend it.” Our immediate first goal, at least, may be to unshackle our students from their so very comfortable seat in front of their computer – and have the sheep look up from their grazing.

Our teachers know this, and have always known this. They strive to inspire the boys to think critically and to create new ideas, not just parrot what they glean from their computer screens. The trouble right now for our educators and our students is that there is so much noise out there that the essential

In North America, despite the numerous and pervasive methods of “networking” we may be living the most disconnected lives ever. Despite having largely uncensored, nearly instantaneous virtual access to just about everything, ironically we may actually be living more “filtered” lives by increasingly experiencing our world and one another sieved through computer media. We have the potential to forget the occasionally messy but dizzying pleasure in establishing “real” connections with others because it’s easier than ever not to have to, and it’s far less emotionally and physically risky. The omnipresent medium ensures that we remain safe, secure but lonely. One might argue that the juice has not been worth the squeeze.

boys, but these pervasive and powerful tools for communication are merely the contemporary manifestation of a constant and fundamental human need: to belong.

We don’t wish to be outsiders.

One of the major qualities of a school like Crescent is that we still insist on the primacy of conversation and real, live connections with friends and associates.

We believe that there’s much wisdom to crowdsourcing, but not all crowds are wise, and sometimes a conversation with a mentor – a person whom we know and who means something to us, and who is concerned for us, warts and all – trumps all the internet data-driven bells and whistles that entertain and delight us.

One of our jobs as adults and educators is to recognize the subtle and overt forces at play, and to delicately balance societal expectations of the future with the immediate and long-term good of the individual boy. melody of things – and the potential to create new ideas and thoughts – is drowned out in the cacophony of trivia and factoids.

Counterbalancing the teachers’ challenge of reasserting the educational priority of having the boys think for themselves is the strong fear articulated by many students and parents that our boys desperately need to be connected, as if they are in some form of data arms race, and the faster they source and harvest the data, the better they will be today and in the future. It’s fashionable – and beneficial at a superficial level – to be an accomplished, 21st century virtual hunter and gatherer; we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at Crescent to ensure that our boys have every opportunity, through whatever device they choose, to connect quickly and easily to the internet. There are many strong societal forces at play.

But let us agree on one thing: our boys need to learn how to think, not just accumulate. However, I would like to argue for another missing necessity: human, not virtual, connectedness.

Christopher Kimball put this quite well.

“Unhappiness steps through the front door when we find our lives removed from the world, from the shock and pleasure of our five senses.”

It is no surprise when one looks back over the last decade or so at the rise of Outreach programmes in independent and public school around the globe. (Some might argue that students and schools have become more altruistic, but I doubt it.) We are going around the world and into our local community to places that are not connected specifically because they are not – and this gives rise to some of the most powerful, real and memorable moments in students’ lives. Outreach provides electric memories, the immediacy of sensation, the fear and excitement of novelty, and the wild and rare joy of being untethered from what we know.

Somewhere deep inside the human psyche, I believe there still remains that compulsion to risk connecting on a human level.

There is a gap in our students’ learning.

They are data rich and thought poor.

Reflection, in their eyes, is an unnecessary luxury whose benefits are not immediately apparent, especially when weighed against the lure and easy fix provided by the buzz of the virtual world.

We need to come to our senses. As data proliferates, there is more need than ever to find people who we trust, who will guide us faithfully through the chaos of everything.

That is the role of the teacher in the 21st century – to help guide students through the noxious noise towards the attainment of wisdom and good judgment and selfknowledge. That’s our goal at Crescent – to create students who are thinkers who can connect with others and their world on a visceral and virtual level, and are as adept at thoughtful conversations as they are with their computers.

Geoff RobeRts

There is no doubt that Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are important tools for our

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Board Report 2010 – 2011 8

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ReSCent is in an exciting, transformational time as it approaches its 100th year anniversary.

Crescent’s Board of Governors (which is comprised of a healthy mix of current parents, past parents and alumni) remains focused on supporting the school’s Leadership Team, assisting them in developing strategies that meet the objectives of our mission statement and the needs of our constituents (most importantly the boys), and measuring the effectiveness of the Board, its committees and the Leadership Team through strong principles of governance.

This past year saw the completion of Crescent’s third year of the five-year strategic plan. The school is in excellent order.

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The Lau Family Wing will open in September – on time, on budget and fully funded. One of the enabling objectives of our strategic plan is to ‘create optimal learning spaces’ in which our boys can benefit from the most recent research findings in educating boys. I invite you to tour the new facility personally in order to appreciate and experience the opportunities for our boys. Smaller class sizes will allow for more individualized student attention.

Harkness classrooms will enable a more collaborative learning experience, and numerous technological upgrades will prepare our boys for a progressively competitive post-secondary journey.

The Board worked with the Leadership Team in the development of a strategic risk assessment and management programme to identify and mitigate potential threats to the school’s long term viability and to sustain excellence.

In our ever-changing environment, risks fluctuate, and such an assessment and requisite evolving programme is an important part of Crescent’s ongoing planning. Comprehensive discussions at the Board table included evaluating market competition, assessing school culture, weighing fully the financial implications of present and future

Board of governors 2011–2012 Bill Fielding .................................................................................Board Chair Pavi Binning ................................................................................ Governance George Buckles .......................................................................Facilities Chair Michael Donnelly .......... Development, (Chair of Crescent School Foundation) Sam Duboc ........................................................................................ Finance Andrew Flynn ’88 ......Development, (President of Crescent Alumni Executive) Jane Freund ................................................................Centennial Celebration Bryan Kerdman .....................................................Finance Chair, Governance May Lee ..................................................................................... Development Anne Marie Mayne ....................... (President of Crescent Parent Association) David Sculthorpe ................................................ Communications/Marketing Gordon Stein .......................................................... Technology Chair, Finance Joyce Sy ..................................................................................... Development Paul Tompkins ..................................................................Development Chair Martha Tory...........................................................Governance Chair, Finance Amanda Walton .........................................Communications/Marketing Chair Andrew Williams ’83 ....................... Communications/Marketing, Governance William Young............................................................................ Development

actions, reviewing faculty succession/ retention, and evaluating current safety/ security measures among many others.

8 We continue to focus on our admissions process and the quality of new ‘mission appropriate’ students entering Crescent.

Concurrently, we regularly assess and analyze the value proposition that Crescent offers to both new and existing families. The Board and management is committed to ensuring that Crescent remains the premier choice in schools for boys’ character-based education in which values and character development are celebrated and honoured equally with academic excellence.

8 Strong school governance, and fiscal discipline and responsibility, continue to drive all Board decisions. The school’s mission, Men of Character from Boys of Promise, is always at the forefront of all discussions and decisions; the Board works closely with the Leadership Team to ensure the mission’s full potential is respected and realized.

On behalf of the Board, we thank the parents, alumni, and students for their continued commitment to the school. We also thank Mr. Geoff Roberts, the members of the Leadership Team and the faculty, for their remarkable dedication, commitment and strength in advancing this great school.

I continue to be thankful for the wit, wisdom and engagement of the members of our Board and Committees. The school is fortunate to have strong Board Committees in Advancement, Centennial Celebration, Facilities, Finance, Governance, Marketing and Communication, Risk Management and Technology. In addition, we have members from the Crescent Parents’ Association, Foundation and Alumni. I thank each of you for your unwavering support, dedication, and sage counsel.

The 2011-2012 Board of Governors looks forward to another successful year at Crescent School. bill fielDiNG (p’09,’13), ChaiR

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new Board Members

May Lee

Anne Marie Mayne

Bill Young

May Lee was born and educated in southern China. Before being involved with family business, May worked as a consultant for DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) Educational Services in both the Beijing and Shanghai offices in the 1990s.

Anne Marie Mayne joins the Board as President of the Crescent Parent Association (CPA). She has served on the Executive for the past four years as Vice-President, Grade Parent Chair and Lower School Liaison.

Bill Young is a Founder and Managing Partner of Monitor Clipper Partners (MCP), a Bostonbased private equity firm. Previously, he was a Founding Partner of Westbourne Management Group in Toronto, providing turn-around and restructuring management services.

Prior to this, he was a Partner at Bain and Company in London, England.

May moved to Toronto with her family in 2002. She has a healthy interest in arts and culture, and has a decade of character dance training background. She has also taken art courses at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the University of Toronto.

May is a Director of The Canadian Foundation for Chinese Heritage Preservation, as well as being an active Crescent volunteer. Along with Dr. Sandy Boyes, she organized the Crescent School Choir trip to China and their performance at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

May Lee and her husband, Roger Zhu, are the parents of Jerry Zhu who will be returning to grade 7 in September 2011, following a two-year sabbatical in Shanghai. Their daughter Goa is in grade 9 at Havergal College and their younger son Jaeden attends Crestwood School. n

Anne Marie has a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and a CA designation. She has worked at KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers in Toronto and London, England where she lived for seven years with her husband Alan and young family. The Maynes have a daughter Natalie who graduated from Havergal in 2011, and two sons at Crescent, Alex in grade 10 and Aidan in grade 8.

Since leaving accounting, Anne Marie has been an active volunteer.

Previous roles include Treasurer of the Maple Leaf Ball and Canadian Women’s Club in London, Grade Parent at Crescent, Havergal and Blythwood Public School as well as serving on several committees at the same schools. In her spare time, Anne Marie enjoys travelling, golf, bridge and spending as much time as possible at the cottage with family and friends. n

Bill is a Certified Professional Engineer and was previously a Design Engineer with Imperial Oil, (Exxon's Canadian affiliate).

He received a B.Sc. with Honours from Queen's University and an MBA with Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. Bill has served as a director of several of MCP's portfolio companies, is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Queen's University, and previously served as a trustee of the Belmont Day School in Belmont, Massachusetts.

Bill and his wife Amanda are the parents of William, who is currently in grade 6 at Crescent. n

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Crescent Parent Association Report The CPA’s mission is to work in partnership with the School to build Crescent’s unique sense of community. As parent ambassadors and volunteers, we are dedicated to connecting the Crescent Family through social, fundraising and outreach initiatives.

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he Crescent Parent Association (CPA) completed its inaugural year in 20102011 with tremendous success. We began the year with the challenge of transitioning from two parent organizations, The Guild and Crescent Family Committee, to the CPA. A new mission statement and logo were developed to define our organization followed by lots of hard work and changes to bring the CPA into being. Many thanks

to Julia Thomson who, as the first CPA president, guided us through this very important transition. Julia approached her leadership with enthusiasm and commitment. She encouraged her team to bring forward new ideas and created a positive atmosphere for change. As a result, it was felt that all elements of the mission had been fulfilled in some capacity.

The social and fundraising events create community. Last year Coffee in the Courtyard, Annual Parent Luncheon, Middle School Madness and the Lower School Halloween Party all had record breaking attendance. Fundraising events like the Holiday Sale and Garage Sale were also well attended and financially successful. The Coyote’s Den was relocated to the Lower Loggia in 2010. The new location has been a positive change with record breaking sales last year. All proceeds from the Den and fundraising went to the Guild/CPA Centennial Scholarship Fund which supports the Great Boys campaign. Donations made through the Birthday Book Programme provided the opportunity to offer our boys the most up-to-date books in many subjects.

The Grade Parent Programme facilitates community building within each grade, and has continued to support communication between the School and parents. The CPA also supported School events by providing volunteers for House Day and Coyote Kickoff, and Parent Ambassadors for Admissions Open Houses.

crescent Parent association (cPa) committee 2011-2012 President: ..................................................................................................... Anne Marie Mayne Past President: ................................................................................................... Julia Thomson Vice President: ...................................................................................................... Mary Wellner Secretary: ............................................................................................... Carolyn Christodoulou Treasurer: ......................................................................................................... Maria Davidson Holiday Sale Co-Chairs: ........................................................................... Tee Burke, Kelly Osler Coyote’s Den Chair: ..................................................................................Anne-Marie Tompkins Garage Sale Chair: .............................................................................................Carolina Melis Social Events Chair: .......................................................................................... Sheila Centner Communications Chair: ................................................................................... Sylvia Baumann Grade Parents Chair: ......................................................................................... Cindy Halperin Parent Ambassador Programmes Chair: ................................................................Flo Chapman School and Community Chair:............................................................................Barbara Warren

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Outreach continued to be an important aspect of our association. We nurture the connection Crescent School has with Firgrove and Willow Park public schools in the Jane/ Finch and Scarborough neighborhoods.

Volunteers collected warm clothing for the students there through the Coat and Boot Drive, and organized guest speakers and field trips to enhance Crescent’s tutoring and mentoring programme.

The success of our events and programmes is directly attributed to the many dedicated volunteers who generously give their time and talent to build Crescent’s unique sense of Community. Last year the CPA had 300 volunteers who put in well over 10,000 hours, organizing and helping at events, acting as Grade Parents and Open House Ambassadors or working a shift at the Coyote’s Den. A big thank-you to all who participated!

Three dedicated graduating parents were honoured at our Annual Parent Luncheon in February.

Nancy Fullerton (P’11), Pam Lewis (P’11) and Anne Murray (P’07,’09,’11) each received the CPA Volunteer Recognition Award for the commitment and vision they

brought to their events and programmes. We thank them for their valuable contributions during their many years of volunteering at Crescent.

Preparations for 2011-2012 began early in the spring through our nominations process to put together the CPA Committee and Coordinators for this year. The process and accessibility was, we hope, made more transparent, as all parents of Crescent

School are members of the CPA, and eligible to become involved. With no experience necessary, everyone was warmly welcomed to give of their time and talent in whatever capacity they could.

This year’s team is an outstanding group of dedicated volunteers committed to connecting the Crescent Family. We have a busy year ahead; there are many ways to get involved and we encourage you to take part. n

crescent Parent association (cPa) coordinators 2011 – 2012 Coyote’s Den Used Uniforms.................................................................Alex Chesney Coyote’s Den Volunteer Coordinator..................................................Sharon Fielding Garage Sale Vice Chair ................................................................................ Ivy Chan School & Community Vice Chair............................................................. Liz Kennedy Birthday Book Convenor............................................................... Domenica Ganguli LS Liaison ........................................................................................... Sheila Centner MS Liaison.................................................................................................Megan Hill US Liaison ...............................................................................................Debbie Bell US Liaison ..........................................................................................Sally-Ann Main Coffee In Courtyard ..................................................................................... Irene Kou LS Halloween Party .....................................................................................Tara Borg Plant Sale/Gift Wrap/Magazines ....................................................Hillary Cumming Past Parent Representative ..............................................................Sharon Fielding Annual Parent Luncheon ........................................................................Nita Hunter Parent Ambassadors ..................................................................Mary-Martin Morris Wartha Kwong Meme Seto Michelle Hayward Anne Conlin May Wah Lau Nancy Baker

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Character at Crescent

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uR mission, Men of Character from Boys of Promise, is at the heart of everything we do at Crescent School. It informs our classroom practice and infuses all of our co-curricular programmes.

More fundamentally, it animates all of our interactions, with each other as colleagues, with parents as partners and, of course, with our students and alumni. For 100 years, it has always been a central focus of the Crescent School experience. We believe that character is timeless; it is critical for living the truly fulfilled life, and will be at least as important for success in the 21st century as it has been throughout the past. In my role as Deputy Headmaster, with responsibility for the day-today operations of the school, I’m asked two key questions about our mission: “How do we define character?” and “What is the nature of our character development programme?”

Our definition of character is summarized in our core values: respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion. However, there is an implicit fifth value that is required to make the other four meaningful: courage.

Essentially, we work with our boys first to locate their best selves, and then to have the courage to make this best self active in service to the community. Doing the right thing is

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almost never easy; otherwise we would all do it all of the time. Usually there is a price to pay, and we are only willing to pay that price when we are firmly grounded in our core values and have the courage to act on them. We believe that there are many paths to manhood and to becoming a man of character; it’s not a formula. And we don’t expect the boys all to agree: any intellectual community, any great school, must honour principled dissent, respectful debate – it’s ok to think differently. We do not promise to deliver fully-formed men of character on graduation. Becoming a man of character is a lifelong project, and some days we all feel a little closer than on others. What we do guarantee is that every boy will unfailingly confront some fundamental questions each year in his journey through Crescent – questions about his values, about what he stands for, about what he’s willing to stand up for, about what character means to him. In the end, he must answer these questions for himself, in terms of what is right for him as a man engaged with the world.

In answer to the second, programmatic, question: “What is the nature of our character development programme?” I point to what we have designated our Character-in-

Action Programmes: Athletics, Performing Arts, Robotics and Outreach. This is not to say that character is not addressed in the classroom – of course it is – through the relationships that develop among students and between students and teacher, in the shared responsibility in small classes for each other’s learning, through matters of academic integrity and, on occasion where appropriate, directly through the curriculum.

However, we believe that these four specific character-in-action programmes provide unique and powerful vehicles to address those fundamental questions about character.

I’ve asked Steve Dubrick, our newlyappointed Director of Character and Leadership, to describe how this works: One of Crescent’s greatest strengths is the degree to which the faculty and staff understand the School’s mission. I am blessed to work with a group of people who intuitively know and deal with the boys in the most fundamental way to develop character: by modeling what it looks like to live a values-based life, and developing rapport with the boys through their personal interaction in a way that allows boys to feel known and respected for their individuality.

Our goal, as a values-based school, is to embed strategies for character development in every

programme we offer. Our signature Characterin-Action programmes ensure that every boy, regardless of his interests or passion, or his stage in the journey to manhood, will have opportunities for personal growth. While there are few schools that don’t offer Athletics, Performing Arts, Robotics and Outreach, what differentiates Crescent from other schools is that we have character as the first goal and central to the teaching strategies of all these programmes.

For instance, when we coach a team at Crescent, our number one goal is to develop character. This is sometimes misunderstood to mean that we don’t care about winning. In fact, it is just the opposite, we simply believe in a character based path to achieving that excellence; and won’t sacrifice our values, or our mission to achieve it.

Our Character-in-Action programmes allow us to use different vehicles, depending on a boy’s passion and talent, to bring the same values into play. But above all, the boys are challenged to find the courage to take risks within a supportive and nurturing environment.

While I will accentuate for you some of the strengths of each of the Character-In-Action programmes, it is important to understand that there are strong commonalities between them. For instance Responsibility is an important core value, and one of the best strategies to teach responsibility

is to have boys work in teams. But teams are not exclusive to Athletics. The essence of team is when a group comes together for a cause that is greater than their own individual interests, and they become committed to being responsible to each other for the group’s success. With this conceptual framework we can see that the value of teaching team is equally prevalent in the Performing Arts when a cast must rehearse together to create continuity between each individual’s lines and roles.

Robotics is very team-based; there are many parts, both human and mechanical that need to work together in a particular sequence, in order for the group to move forward. Boys are responsible to each other for finishing their tasks in time in order for other boys to then carry out their tasks. Often, we realize the importance of mutual interdependence when we are in a challenging situation. The Outreach programme is great example of boys being in situations that are often out of their comfort zone of normal Toronto life, and needing to come together as a team, relying and depending on each other for their collective success. The same commonalities hold true for each of the core values.

Here are some examples of character development through these signature programmes.

Athletics At Crescent, Athletics is one of the primary ways that boys develop a sense of team. A team

is different from a group of boys. A group is a collection of individuals. At Crescent, coaches teach that being on a team means coming together in relationship, where boys need to subordinate the egocentricity that can develop, and realize that they are collaborating for a purpose that is greater than themselves and their own individual self-interests. Our coaches understand that athletics becomes a powerful character development experience when the coach is able to transcend the experience of wins and losses, here and now, and frame the experience for the boys in a way that communicates the long-term character development taking place.

Performing Arts It takes courage to do a sax solo in front of the school at assembly, or perform your scene on the opening night of the play. At Crescent, the Arts teach boys to have the courage to take those risks by making the boys mutually responsible to each other. No one member of the ensemble can succeed if all boys are not committed to the preparation required to ensure the group’s success. Crescent boys are taught to realize that the group needs to be able to depend and rely on each other, and to commit – a commitment to each other and to a deadline. That commitment to each other in support through the process, the challenges and pressures, is one of the building blocks of teaching

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Character at Crescent empathy; which is a tenet that flows through our core values. As Cervantes said in Don Quixote, “the journey is better than the inn”.

Robotics Spend some time at Crescent and you will quickly come to realize that what makes Crescent a special place is the relationships.

Earlier I mentioned that a critical part of character development is the faculty-to-boy relationship. Another, and perhaps even more powerful relationship, is that of boy-to-boy.

Peer mentoring is one of the key features of Crescent’s signature Robotics programme. While there are adults that oversee the programme with tremendous dedication, Robotics is studentdriven, which give the boys a strong sense of ownership. Very much a team, there is an organisational structure based on experience and expertise. Older boys guide the younger boys through the task lists in order to hit the critical deadlines. In true boy form, it is a kinesthetic team building exercise in problem-solving that culminates in a massive international competition. The bonds that the boys form in this programme play a very strong role in their character development.

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(continued...)

Outreach Crescent’s Outreach programme develops the boys’ sense of responsibility through experiential education in local, national, and international projects. Through their involvement, boys have a transformative experience which contributes to their personal growth and global citizenship. We know that boys don’t always connect the dots themselves, so Crescent’s programme runs pretrip briefings to frame the experience for the boys.

As well, the boys are given time and structure to reflect on their experience in post-trip briefings to ensure that we are intentional about the character development.

As a School, we provide many varied opportunities for boys to develop their own character, all focused on the core values. To take advantage of these opportunities often requires courage. The fundamental philosophy to support this courage is to create, at Crescent, a culture of authenticity; a culture that supports and nurtures the boys as they explore their individual interests and passions. The best way for us to develop that culture is for every constituent to feel a sense of ownership in the success of the School, and to have the courage to contribute

to the community through service to others. In this way it is not left to chance that the next 100 years will continue to help Boys of Promise develop into Men of Character.

Steve’s overview provides specific examples of how we define character and work to instill an understanding of its importance and value in our boys. As I said earlier, choosing to act on your values is rarely easy. Doing the right thing requires courage and conviction. In the world of business it can cost real money: it can mean losing a deal, a contract or a client. In the world of school it can mean a lower mark, a lost game, facing the consequences of a poor decision – all the while perhaps watching those who chose the easier path get away consequence-free. However, there is always one prize: you can wake up the next morning, look in the mirror, and still respect the person you see. This is the ultimate test of a man of character, and his ultimate reward.

ColiN loWNDes DepUtY heaDmasteR, heaD of UppeR sChool

Past Presidents luncheon

Back Row: Jannet Whitehead (Guild ’01, CFC’02,’03 ), Sue Jenkins (Guild’95), Lynn Bury (Guild’94), Carol Laschinger (Guild’97), Cathie Singer (Guild’96), Jill Colley (Guild’74), Ingrid Milic (Guild’79), Betsy Bertam (Guild ’73), Cathy Carl (Guild’02), Diane Fleming (Guild’93), Barb Black (CFC’07,’08) Front Row: Nancy Wright (Guild’06), Sue Riedlinger (Guild’07), Catherine Demeroutis (Guild’08), Alison Metrick (CPA’09), Julia Thomson (CPA’10), Sharon Miller (Guild’05), Sam Lloyd (Guild’03, CFC’04), Cathy Macdonald (Guild’04)

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n April 6th, Past Presidents of the Guild, the Crescent Parent

Association and the Crescent Family Committee were honoured at the annual Past Presidents luncheon in the Centre for Creative Learning.

Diane Fleming (P’95,’97,’01) Lynn Bury (P’97), Sue Jenkins (P’96,’99), Cathie Singer (P’97)

Betsy Bertram (P’79,’81), Jill Colley (P’77,’78)

Alison Metrick (P’09,’12), Catherine Demeroutis (P’12,’14), Cathy Macdonald (P’04,’06)

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David Budden c r e s c e n t s ay s g o o d B y e School under Dave’s guidance.”The boys were more respectful,” he said, “Please and thank you were heard more often, and doors were held open for others.” David Budden had worked his magic on the Upper School.

Finally, one cannot speak of “Budds” without mentioning his devotion to the Montreal Canadiens. He won’t admit this, but rumour has it that on Saturday nights, he actually wears a pair of Montreal Canadiens pajamas – the kind with the feet built into them. His office was referred to as the shrine for good reason. There are pictures, posters, pucks, carpets and autographs that depict the history of Les Glorieux. His passion for the Habs in a predominantly Leaf school was always a cause for the jokes and camaraderie that help to make a school a family.

Dave with Colin Lowndes at Prize Day

[ Fr o m t H e r e m a r K s B y s t e v e d avies (s) at tHe r et i r e me n t e v e n t ]

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eVeRAl weeks ago I was honoured with the request to say a few words on behalf of everyone at Crescent who has been touched by a wonderful man, who for 34 years has served as a teacher, mentor, coach and friend to literally thousands of young men, and some not so young. Long before our core values of respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion were published and became the measure of our success as a school, this fine man – David Budden – exemplified them every minute of every day.

As a teacher, the subjects that David taught were secondary in importance to the way he taught them. After his first year of teaching, one of his students wrote, “He has a unique way of teaching; he treats his students like adults, he takes his time and is very patient.

He also has a tremendous rapport with his students and he’s always able and willing to devote any amount of extra time.” Brilliance is not a prerequisite to being a great teacher.

Caring however is. And there is no greater measure of caring than the devotion of time.

David also devoted a tremendous amount of time to the boys as their mentor and coach.

Over the years he has coached baseball, basketball, and golf. For many years, he and Stuart Cumner coached the first soccer team.

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The boys may not have won every game, but they learned the value of hard work, playing for their pals, respecting their opponents, and supporting each other when times got tough.

Bill Boyer, a former Crescent teacher and current Headmaster at Neuchatel College in Switzerland, and John Reucassel, an alumnus and current Crescent parent, both fondly remember the day Budds showed up at school wearing a tin foil Stanley Cup replica on his head to celebrate the Habs Stanley Cup victory. Reu noted that he wore it for the entire day and the kids loved him for it.

Mr. Roberts called David, in his capacity as our Director of Admissions, the gatekeeper of the School. It goes without saying that many of the boys who passed through his office and into our classrooms were, and are, exceptional young men. But David’s life experiences brought him to know that great schools can, and should, be transformational. He possessed the ability to see the good in a boy who simply needed to be guided in the right direction.

In speaking of David’s role as the Assistant Head of Upper School, Colin Lowndes paid the highest tribute when he looked me straight in the eye and said, “David Budden is simply the most unselfish person I have ever known.”

He could always be relied upon for his wise and patient counsel, and if an urgent matter arose, David always had things well in-hand before it became an issue. When dealing with kids, he was ever-patient and his decisions were always fair – the boys trusted him completely. More than anything, Colin noticed a subtle change in the tone of the Upper

Dave with his tin foil Stanley Cup replica in the mid ’80s

David, my friend, you have been a shining light for all of us these 34 years, and your glow will continue in our hearts for many more. steve Davies

[ Fr o m t H e r e m a r K s o F c o l i n lowndes, d eP U t y H e a d a n d H e a d o F U P P er scHool at PriZe day] Dave with Toronto Maple Leaf mascot, Carlton the Bear, who showed up for Dave’s final Upper School faculty meeting.

Dave, 1993

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’M not sure how many of you know this but Dave and our Head of Academics, Mr. James Wright, were students together at Lakefield College. There are some wild and crazy stories about their time there: one I recall involving pellet guns and the Headmaster’s windows, and another that included beer in the washroom cisterns … but these are probably best left for a less formal occasion.

After graduating from McGill, Dave found his way to Europe where he was basically a ski bum for a couple of years, leaving a trail of broken hearts littered across the Alps. He wound up in England where he found work teaching math at a grammar school, supplementing his meagre income by tending bar at the local pub. He was by far the youngest teacher on a staff of what must have been a very eccentric collection of mostly Second World War veterans. But something sparked his imagination. He had found his calling. He returned to Canada and got his teaching credentials at Queen’s. When it came time to look for a job, Dave learned that one of his old Lakefield teachers, Chris Gordon, had become Headmaster at a school called Crescent. Dave came to Toronto, spent a night sleeping on James Wright’s couch

(James had preceded Dave to Crescent) and convinced Mr. Gordon to give him a job.

Must have been quite a feat if the stories about those Lakefield days are even half true.

“The rest,” as they say, “is history.”

This year Dave completes his 35th year at Crescent. He has served the school brilliantly as teacher, coach, Director of Admissions, and Assistant Head of Upper School. It’s in this last position that I’ve come to know Dave best.

In hindsight, he was uniquely well-prepared for this work. From his long tenure in Admissions he knew generations of boys and families as no one else could. And I think Dave’s own experiences as a bit of a rascal at Lakefield enhanced his understanding of teenaged boys and the kinds of things they can get up to from time to time. Dave can still be a bit of a rascal on occasion, and he has a special affection for our more energetic and impulsive students.

Dave is grounded in his family: his wife Carol, also a dedicated teacher, and his daughters Fiona and Jennifer. Jennifer will attend teacher’s college next year and then join the ‘family business’.

Dave clearly has the wisdom and skill to be a Head of School anywhere; that he has chosen to stay at Crescent is our immense good fortune. He has stayed, I’m certain, because he rapidly grew to love the School. That affection is reciprocated. He knows, better than almost anyone, just how special this place is. I’m not sure he knows just how much he has been responsible for that specialness.

I have always remembered something that Dave said to me shortly after I arrived at Crescent. I asked him what it was that Crescent did best. He responded right away: “We help ordinary boys to accomplish extraordinary things.” That was Dave’s focus – not so much our high-flyers who would no doubt achieve great things in spite of us, but on the less high profile boys who, with attention and encouragement and belief, might also do great things.

It is Dave’s wisdom and judgment that I will especially miss next year. And when I consulted the boys, they said I had to mention his sense of humour. I hope that I will not have occasion to miss his friendship and laughter.

ColiN loWNDes

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Ross MacDonald c r e s c e n t s ay s g o o d B y e

Ross at Prize Day

relationships with one’s students increases the capacity to learn. He is the rarest of breeds, an educator who instinctively knows how to connect with his students and make learning matter.

Ross, 1986

[From tHe remarKs oF sandra Boyes, tHen assistant Head oF lower scHool, at tHe retirement event] It is an honour to be with you this evening as we come together to celebrate the distinguished career of Ross MacDonald.

Though Ross has decided to retire at the end of this school year, his footprint will forever remain a part of Crescent School – five months from now, five years from now, 50 years from now.

Crescent has been the focus of his life’s work. His legacy to Crescent School is incalculable; at best it can be summarized through his dedication to academics, athletics and character education.

A gentleman and a scholar, Ross began teaching at Crescent in 1978. He recalls his joy of those early years, of “the grade 13s calling me sir.” He is proud to have taught every grade

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in the school from grade 3 through to 12: from grade 8 Latin, to grade 11 Physical Geography, to grade 6 Social Studies. His legacy? A great teacher can teach anything.

“Play to win, but it matters more how one plays the game.” Since the beginning, this was Ross’ motto on the court and on the field: to play it well. Not surprising, of course, coming from the man that founded our Character Education Council. Through his coaching career and his love of rugby, this sport has expanded to under-14 and under-13 teams. His legacy? Coaching is a great way to build character.

A man ahead of his time, Ross has always known what researchers are just formalizing – that forging strong

“The Bear” gave Crescent boys the opportunity to extend themselves beyond the classroom in different and challenging circumstances. From white-water kayaking on the Ottawa River to Camp Tawingo trips in September, because of Ross, dozens of Upper School students have experienced a meaningful leadership opportunity as counselors, and hundreds of Lower School boys have had the chance to get to know one another by playing games and having fun at camp. His legacy? Leadership Week in September – a cherished, full-school tradition.

If building positive relationships with one’s students is key to being a successful educator, then so is building meaningful relationships with one’s colleagues. The infamous Doug Smith (Smitty) says, “Ross MacDonald is a man who set an outstanding tone within the School; a tone of teacher-student respect and responsibility, a tone that demanded leadership through example.”

From his impressive stature ambling along our Crescent hallways, to his joyful “highfives” with the boys, to his signature, mustard-coloured “Bear” lunch mug that Barb gave him, (that held God knows what every day), I know the very essence of Ross has permeated, forever, the hallways of Crescent School. Now, that’s some legacy.

As Ross leaves us to embark upon a new career as a golf pro, world traveller and

home contractor, we treat his legacy to us as a precious gift. It is therefore fitting, that I conclude with his words:

[ F rom Headm aster geoFF roBerts’ a d dress on PriZe day]

“One of my fondest memories, is the first time I had the whole Lower School together at camp for the Thursday night campfire. I looked out to see the grade 11 counsellors, proudly singing to the boys and staff, the Ben Harper Song – With My Own Two Hands. It was a great moment.

A long, long time ago, but not so far away, a big, burly, hairy University of Western Ontario lineman squeezed in through the front door of Crescent School and asked to see Chris Gordon, the Headmaster at the time. The receptionist, long since departed, and probably still recovering from that heart-stopping first meeting, buzzed into the Headmaster’s office and whispered, “Sir, there’s a bear here to see you. Please come quickly.” And so Ross MacDonald’s career began here in 1978, the same year Steve Davies and I began. Little did that receptionist know – little did we all know – what an impact this man would have on our School.

It is not surprising that that memory resonates with Ross, for the lyrics of that song represent the very essence of who he is and what he has done for the School...

I can change the world With my own two hands Make it a better place With my own two hands Make it a kinder place With my own two hands I’m going to help the human race With my own two hands Ross has influenced many lives with the reach of those, two, strong hands.

Our very best wishes, to Ross and to his sons, for the adventures that lie ahead. We love you, Ross, and we thank you. saNDRa boYes

From Ross’ repertoire of Hallowe’en costumes for the Lower School annual party

Ross has done just about everything.

We’d be here for hours if I were to list his coaching exploits, and expound on his prodigious teaching prowess, or talk about his long-time commitment to outdoor education and Camp Tawingo, so I won’t.

I’d like to talk about something completely different, and I’d like to start just a little after the summer of ’78.

Crescent was quite small then, and the staff was frighteningly young and about a quarter of the size. Many of us were newly married and sans children. We weren’t being paid much, frankly, but it didn’t seem to matter. We found economical ways to entertain ourselves. For example, Ross and his wife Barb played doubles badminton at Crescent most Friday nights during the winter with Steve Davies and his wife, and me and my wife, with assorted fourth couples to balance it off. The badminton was absolutely awful; the laughs were huge and often. Steve Davies was lightening on the court; Ross was not.

I mention this bit of personal history to give you all a glimpse of Ross MacDonald, the man. Ross was then, as he is now, a family man at heart – which made him a perfect fit for Crescent School. His three sons are the basis of his strength, and the joy of his life, as he is to them. Yes, Ross has done many, many things at Crescent, and has been the consummate professional. But his legacy will be what he has embodied every minute of

Ross at the annual parent vs. staff soccer game.

every day: Ross is a good man, one of the finest I have known. He is kind, strong, a life-long learner, humble and fundamentally decent. He has been a champion for character education, long before we profiled that central tenet of a Crescent School education.

So what does one do to acknowledge a professional life lived in such wonderful service to Crescent School? It took a while, but I think we came up with something appropriate. Beginning next year, we are rebranding our Leadership week. It will be called B.E.A.R. Week in honour of Ross MacDonald’s positive and significant influence on Crescent School. The acronym B.E.A.R. will stand for: Be Engaged, Active and Responsible. The Bear, Ross MacDonald, will be with us forever.

We wish you well as you cross the retirement threshold towards a long and bright future. On behalf of everyone at Crescent today, and those who have benefited from your wisdom and good sense who are not, we thank you for committing your adult work life to the furtherance of Crescent’s mission. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Geoff RobeRts

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Aldonna Stremecki c r e s c e n t s ay s g o o d B y e Aldonna does not simply teach classes.

She lives and experiences each of the 80 moments in each of the classes on each of the days that she teaches. And I do mean that she experiences them with her heart and all that she is.

The exuberance with which she comes back up to the staff room and shares the successes and failures of things that she has tried in various classes is a testament to the fact that there is rarely, if ever,”just a class.”

She constantly works and reworks lessons, tailoring them to the strengths and talents of individuals and the classes they are in.

In this her last year of teaching, she was still introducing new units into courses she had taught for years, she was researching new material, and she maintained this energy right through to her last teaching moment with her grade 12 practical exam.

Aldonna and Kathy with colleague, Greg Tessaro, at Prize Day

[ Fr o m t H e r e m a r K s o F K at H y PorteoUs (s) at tHe ret i r e me n t e v e n t ] If you are whole in your sound, your wholeness does not stop with your skin.

Joining your voice to the voices of others, lifts it up to a great circle of sympathetic vibration.

The more of yourself you put into your sound, the more you can contribute.

These words are among the first that I heard Aldonna Stremecki speak. When I heard them, I had no idea who she was. It was November of 2001 and I was working at Crescent as a supply teacher. I happened to be there on Remembrance Day, and was gathered with all of the students and teachers in the Lower Gym for the ceremony.

As I sat at the back of the gymnasium listening to these words, I couldn’t help but notice the strength of the speaker’s presence at the podium and the melody of her voice.

And I remember musing to myself, “hmm,

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she’s pretty good, I wonder if she has ever considered doing any drama work?” …The first show that I saw of Aldonna’s was in 2003 – the Spring musical, Bye Bye Birdie. It was the last show to be performed in Hyland Hall. All of the work that I have done with Aldonna has been in the CCL, with all of its lovely bells and fabulous whistles, but Bye Bye Birdie was done in Hyland Hall with its little bells and teeny whistles and it was still a piece of magic created by Aldonna and Sandy Boyes.

The second reason I mention that show, is as a segue to talking about the space of Hyland Hall; one of Aldonna’s favourite places to be. When I talk about the space, I don’t mean the building or the walls, what I really mean is what goes on in there with Aldonna and her classes.

It is always fun for me in the staff room on the days that Aldonna is evaluating in Hyland Hall. She will come back up and sit quietly at her desk. So I will slowly wander over and ask “So … how did it go?” And she inevitably looks up and says, “Oh my goodness, Kathy (hand to chest) …they…were… breathtaking.” And then she will go on and, with precision detail, give the highlights of the work. Her eyes will sparkle, and then her eyes will start to glisten, and then well up, and then she grabs some tissue. And yes, often there are tears of joy, of excitement, of pride. And what always amazes me is how little credit she takes for getting them to that point. It is never about what she did in class; it is always how they pulled it off.

Working with boys, whether it is in Hyland Hall in class, or in the CCL in a show, or in South Africa on an Outreach trip, Aldonna is joining her voice to the voices of others, lifting them up to a great circle of sympathetic vibration. Little did I know, when I heard her speak 10 years ago, that the words were a blueprint of who she is.

And so please join with me in congratulating Aldonna on a wonderful career at Crescent.

Congratulations Aldonna: teacher, director, volunteer, friend.

KathY poRteoUs

Aldonna, 1994

[ Fr o m t H e P r i Z e d ay ad d r e s s B y H e a d m a s t e r , g eo F F r o B e r t s ] I have the distinct pleasure and honour of speaking about Aldonna Stremecki, who has decided to retire from a life filled with professional drama – and I mean in the staff room, not our stage – for the relative calm of home, hearth, clipping coupons, knitting sweaters, and getting cheap deals on Tuesdays at Shopper’s Drug Mart.

talks about them, especially when she describes how one of them took a chance trying something new and succeeding. She gets almost giddy!

the number of hours spent here on weekends and late in evenings putting together some magical drama productions might just total another 32 years.

I have seen this first hand. Aldonna and I team-taught an English class for a few years.

I thought I was pretty good until I watched her work. While the boys respectfully listened to what I had to say, they adored Ms. Stremecki. They would have walked through fire for her – and she for them.

Aldonna’s raison d’etre as a teacher is now clear to me after all this time. She wanted to create experiences that were unforgettable for our boys – experiences that would enrich them for a lifetime. I have news for you, Ms. Stremecki. Congratulations: You have done just that. You have made a lasting, positive impression on generations of Crescent students. You have shaped our boys into young men who are more fully aware, responsible, and compassionate people.

And you have made an indelible mark on your colleagues who have been so very, very fortunate to be able to number you in their ranks.

Her commitment to her vocation is unwavering. She is an educator of the highest degree. She endeavours to ignite a passion within each and every one of her students, and never gives up striving to connect with them. She believes with all her heart that her students are capable of greatness, and I have seen her belief win over even the most hardened of Crescent boys, who then push themselves to do something simply remarkable.

Aldonna has been an inspiration to me and to many others educators at this school. She is the “real deal” as a teacher: accomplished, full of integrity, curiosity and generosity.

She’s never been a clock puncher. My gosh,

Thank you for all the laughter, the tears and the joy you have created along the way.

We will miss you more than you could ever imagine.

There’s no one quite like you.

Have a wonderful retirement.

Geoff RobeRts

I don’t think so.

When I ask anyone about Aldonna, many powerful, evocative words are used to describe her. However, if I were to average the frequency of those descriptors, the three qualities that would top the list would be as follows: passionate, devoted, and inspiring.

Aldonna arrived at Crescent in 1980, a shy, unassuming girl, full of idealism and enthusiasm. I know that because I was there. I am glad to say that while a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, the pure idealism and unbridled enthusiasm still radiate brightly.

She pours herself fully into everything she does – heart, body and soul. She has a zeal for teaching, and clearly loves her students.

She gets a sparkle in her eyes when she

Aldonna with fellow retiree, Ross Turvey, at one of the many retirement celebrations

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Ross turvey c r e s c e n t s ay s g o o d B y e glances are exchanged. A person is a mensch because he simply makes others feel good.

Ross and I have shared many memorable moments together, and not just at Crescent School. I remember fondly two trips I took to Barbados which Ross has always thought of as a second home. The sight of Ross looking so relaxed on that magical island is a memory I will never forget. And, of course, being served one of Ross’ infamous gin and tonics makes the picture complete.

Another story that I recall took place about six years ago when Ross approached me at School and asked me if I knew anything about retiring. I said, I didn’t really, but told him that the OSSTF (the union from my public school teaching days) held regular seminars to help teachers plan for this.

Ross asked me if we could perhaps attend the next session together. I managed to sneak us into the event as members of my former school – Northern Secondary. Ross and I both dressed nicely, expecting the event to be somewhat formal. To our great shock and horror, we saw about 100 of the most burned-out, tired and near-death individuals that you could ever imagine. We felt that they were barely able to make it to the magical “85 factor” without expiring first. We looked at each other and said “Let’s get out of here.” On the way home, we both realized that we were not like these other teachers, and were blessed with good energy, good health and a positive work environment. I therefore, take some credit for inspiring Ross to stay working at Crescent for the past several years.

Ross at Prize Day

[ Fr o m t H e r e m a r K s o F J e F F m i t Z (s) at tHe r et i r e me n t e v e n t ] When Ross asked me to say a few words about him at his retirement event, I was incredibly honoured to do so. Of course, that meant finding the right things to say about my good friend that would reflect what an incredible individual Ross truly is. I started thinking about adjectives and nouns that could be used to describe Ross’ qualities. Gentleman and bon vivant, and words like charming, sophisticated, classy, creative, talented and articulate immediately came to mind.

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But then I tried to think of a word that would come to MY mind and perhaps not to others, so the notion of Ross as an example of a true “mensch” came to me. The word literally means “a person” in Yiddish, but figuratively it means something much more.

A mensch is a person you would be happy to befriend and associate with, because you feel genuine in a mensch’s presence.

A mensch is a highly evolved human being who exudes a certain magnetism that attracts us, whether or not words or

Now that Ross has actually decided to retire, I started to think about the kind of gift that Ross would most appreciate, at this huge stage of his life and career. Knowing Ross as I do, nothing means more to him than words expressed by students about the impact that his teaching has had on them. With that in mind, I asked all of the students in his grade 12 English classes this year to send me a reflection of their teacher, Mr. Turvey. I received many wonderful responses but one in particular stood out for me. It was written

by Max Gordon ’11.

“Mr. Turvey is the gentlest, kindest teacher I have ever had. Consistently throughout my schooling, I have always disliked

English. That being said, in grade 10 and again this year, my thoughts have somewhat changed. That’s because, in those years, Mr. Turvey was my teacher.

Don’t get me wrong, I still disliked English.

However, I enjoyed going to class because Mr. Turvey was my teacher. He would always greet me with a smile as I came in, and would continue to smile throughout the entire period. I’m surprised that his cheeks didn’t hurt from all his smiling.

He always did whatever he could to make the course as enjoyable for us as possible.

It was quite evident how much he truly cared for his students. I’m going to miss him and regret not being able to see him next year when I come to visit. But am so glad to see how excited he is to be going to Switzerland. Mr. Turvey will always be the best English teacher I have ever had. A student couldn’t ask for a more nurturing person to have as a mentor and role model.

I hope you have a fantastic retirement and thoroughly enjoy your time in Zurich.”

A fitting tribute to a truly remarkable teacher, person and friend. Congratulations, Ross, and enjoy every moment of the exciting next phase of your life. We will all miss you and hope that you will find some time to keep in touch, and let us all know how you are doing.

Jeff mitZ

Ross, 1994

Ross with Aldonna Stremecki in “Once in a Lifetime”, 1998

[ F rom tHe address By colin lowndes, dePUty Head a n d Head oF UPPer scHool, at PriZe day ] David Brooks, well-known journalist and commentator on American culture, recently stated that “effective education is grounded in the individual relationship between teacher and student.”

Ross Turvey takes the time to get to know and understand all of his students, and works to bring the best out in each of them. He taught them to share his love for literature, and to write about it with accuracy and precision.

Just as importantly, he modeled what it means to be a man of honour and dignity – a true gentleman. And, like a true gentleman, he wears all this lightly. If you were to ask his students, and I have, they would volunteer that he’s “got swag,” that he cares about them and their success long after graduation, and that he clearly loves what he does.

Ross began his teaching career in 1977, and came to Crescent in 1997 from Royal St. George’s College, making him a 21 year Crescent veteran. Ross has enjoyed a great run in Crescent theatre, forming a wonderful partnership with Aldonna Stremecki. They directed many great shows together, and appeared in a memorable onstage tour-de-force in A.R, Gurney’s Love Letters for the opening of the CCL in 2004.

Ross has also coached badminton and, with Penny Parker, led an Outreach trip to India. And he has worked with our students in our local outreach programme with Firgrove Public School. He is a man of varied interests and many talents.

Ross’ partner recently received one of those career opportunities to which you just can’t say no. Unfortunately for us, it’s in Switzerland. So Ross is leaving Crescent to move to a magical spot on the shores of Lake Zurich. It’s strikingly beautiful – I’ve seen the pictures.

Some of you may know that Ross has spent many summers in Europe, in what is, in effect, his second home: the Chateauneuf de Mazenc in Provence. There he has, I understand, a well-deserved reputation as a generous and sophisticated host. So, in a sense, he’s going home. However, as a man with a lifelong commitment to learning, and a man of generosity and character, Ross will always have a second home here, among his Crescent family. Ross – despite our envy, we wish you every happiness in Switzerland.

ColiN loWNDes

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thanking Our Volunteers t U e s d ay, m ay 1 7

Cathy Macdonald (S, P’04,’06), Nancy Fullerton (P’11)

Weiling Qian (P’15), Frances Mak (P’15)

Shaki Ravindran (P’14), Sharon Westman (P’12,’19)

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Ann Williams (P’09,’11,’13), Jocelyn Macdonald (P’09,’11)

Sharon Miller (P’07,’12), Richard Carl (P’06,’08,’15)

Haili Hui (P’12), Jeannie Parker (P’12)

Amanda Walton (P’13), Sue Gillan (S, P’02), Sharon Fielding (P’09,’13)

Martha Fisher (P’11), Dona Haag ’86 (S), Dyan Bird (P’11)

Karen Holland (P’18), Colin Lowndes (S), Anne Murray (P’07,’09,’11)

Juanita Tso (P’13), Lisa McRae (P’13)

Barb Warren (P’11,’12), Andrea Wolff (P’17), James Mason (S), Anne-Marie Tompkins (P’10,’12,’13)

Stephanie Eyton (P’13), Anne Conlin (P’15,’20)

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2011 Crescent School Coyote Green Jacket Golf tournament

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n June 24, 2011 Crescent alumni, families and friends took to the links at Angus Glen at the 22nd annual Coyote Green Jacket Golf Tournament.

This year, the tournament was presented by Barry Gordon ’87 and XTF Capital, a First Asset Fund Company. Great golf, terrific contests, and the excitement of Julia Thomson’s (P’08,’11,’13) hole in one more than made up for some inclement weather.

Each year, the tournament raises funds in support of the William L. Burridge Bursary Fund for student financial aid. On behalf of the golf tournament committee (Steve Curtis ’95, Chair, Chris Candy ’02, Jeff Larcina ’03, Don Haag ’86, Alistair Corbett (P’15,’20), David Budden (S) and Mark Suckling (S), thank you to the many wonderful sponsors who supported this event, and to the 96 golfers who braved the weather. We hope to see you all next year on the links! n

Steven Curtis, Matthew Curry , Sean Bell , Tariq Aktar , Jeff Scott, all class of ’95

Tournament winners: 1st Place Team: Andrew Gallo ’02, Chris Candy ’02, Elliot Starr ’03 2nd Place Team: Tariq Aktar ’95, Mike Pilz ’94, Chris Gratias ’90, Andrew Taylor ’90 3rd Place Team: Alistair Corbett (P’15, ’20), Bill Dewson, Marc Henderson (P’15), Bert Keene Most Honest Golfers: Liam Brown ’10, Owen Brown ’13, Jonathan West ’10, Matthew Kowal ’13

Liam Brown, Owen Brown and Matt Kowal, all class of ’10, with Barry Gordon ’87 (P’21)

Steam Whistle Closest to the Keg: Tariq Aktar ’95 BMW Ulitmate Drive Contest (Ladies): Jocelyn Macdonald (P’09, ’11) BMW Ultimate Drive Contest (Men): Andrew Lynde ’99 CIBC Putting Contest: Jeff Scott ’95 Beat the Headmaster Contest: Jason Steel ’93 Barry Gordon ’87 (P’21) Elliot Starr ’03, Andrew Gallo ’02, Chris Candy ’02

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Jocelyn Macdonald (P’09,’11), Sue Gillan (S, P’02), Julia Thomson (P’08,’11,’13), Josephine Chan (P’07,’09)

Cam Heaps, Sandro Zorzi , Graydon Joyner, Myles Slocombe, all class of ’92

Booker Cowie, Robbie Mitchnick, Clark West and Michael Bolton, all class of ’09

Don Cranston (P’11,’16), Rob Cranston (S), Brendan Howe ’96, Don Morrison (S)

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2011 Crescent School Coyote Green Jacket Golf tournament

(continued...)

Tim Evans (S), Mark Suckling (S), Aaron Dion (S)

David Salvati ’14, Thomas Chapman ’14, Brian Chapman (P’12,’14)

Mike Pilz ’94, Andrew Taylor ’90, Chris Gratias ’90

Michael Hastings, Robert Maxwell, Lutz-Martin Zeitler, Michael Donnelly, all class of ’88

24

Alan Diner ’87, Jason Steel ’93, Brian Morgan ’93, Jamie Coulter ’87

Andrew Lynde ’99, Ryan Treleaven ’99, D.J. Lynde ’03

G14.

G15.

G16.

G17.

G18.

Stuart Raftus (P’17,’18), Paul Tompkins (P’10,’12,’13), Matthew Tompkins ’10, John Lynch (S, P’16,’18)

Robert Brown (P’17,’20), Mark Fowlie (P’15,’17), Tim Lomax (P’17), David White (P’17)

Mark Rankin, Andrew Williams, Mark Falkenberg, all class of ’83

25

School leaders 2011-12 Head Boy Graham Rotenberg

Prefects Assembly Jimmy Huang Assembly Tudor Datcu Arts Marko Popovic Communications George Mavroidis Grad Class & Alumni Liaison Graham Orr Lower School Liaison Michael Milazzo Middle School Liaison Leonard Chiu Outreach Tanvir Deol Social Alex Mahoney Sports Matthew Geisler Upper School Liaison Jayme Nadolny

House Prefects Cartier Matt Lord Hudson Wesley Harper Mackenzie Nicholas Chiu Massey Reid Mattan Simcoe Ryan Fung Wolfe Vijay Gupta

House Captains Cartier Troy Crema, Jack Hayward Hudson Stefan Losberg, Giorge Voutsas

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Mackenzie Toms Black, Will Christodoulou

Dustin Ashley

Cole Halbert*

Jonathan Lee

Cole Halbert

Dominic Chu

Timothy Law

Spencer Rose

Massey Chris Grant, Sean Webster

David Murray

Chase HeinemannMaze

Christopher Hatsios

Aidan Solala

Andrew MacNicol*

Nicholas Chiu

Alexander Hutcheon

Nevin Kong

Toms Black

Giorge Voutsas

Jack Hayward

Nicholas Freund

Simcoe Caleb Williams, Colin Williams Wolfe Adam Brooks, Philip Fournier

26

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Recipients 2011

Calvin Sy*

Chester Davidson *pending approval

Prize Day 2010-2011 lower scHool awards ★

★

★

★

Sheila Barber Citizenship Awards Grade 3 Curtis Boothe Grade 4 Decker Rudka Grade 5 Aedan Forkan Grade 6 Greyden Buchholz Lower School Spirit Awards Grade 3 Jack Haskins, Ethan Haskins Grade 4 Spencer Charlton Grade 5 Rohan Jain Grade 6 Sam Charlton Special House Awards Sam Charlton Charles Cheng Stephane LeBlanc-Smith Cam Lomax Navin Pandey Adam Pinnington Benjamin Tse Matthew Wolff Andrew Youngson Auston Xing

★

House Captain Award Charles Lit

★

CPA Effort Prizes Grade 3 Matthew Lampard Grade 4 Adam Vanderwood Grade 5 Harry Raftus Grade 6 Robert Wong

★

★

★

★

French Prizes Grade 3 Christopher Brown Grade 4 Logan Centner Grade 5 Ryan Dembroski Grade 6 Benjamin Tse

★

Language Arts Prize Grade 3 Andrew Ng Grade 4 Michael Osborne Grade 5 Peter Youngson Grade 6 William Kim

★

Art Prizes Grade 3 Aidan Maunder Grade 4 Andre Corona Grade 5 Charlie Fisher Grade 6 Avram Kachura

Drama Awards Grade 3 John Angelou Grade 4 Jonathan Bellamy Grade 5 Owen Cumming Grade 6 Navin Pandey

★

Music Awards Grade 3 Scott Robertson Grade 4 Ty Sullivan Grade 5 Aaron Tang Grade 6 Choral Bryce Gilchrist Grade 6 Instrumental Charles Lit

★

Mathematics Prizes Grade 3 Marcus Yau Grade 4 Manvis Xia Grade 5 Nicholas Sverhone Grade 6 Charles Cheng Science Prizes Grade 3 Liam Engel Grade 4 Marcel Lui Grade 5 Ryan Cheng Grade 6 Matthew White

Social Studies Prizes Grade 3 Evan Ibbitson Grade 4 Spencer Soo Grade 5 Nicholas Rockandel Grade 6 Brandon Chan Health and Physical Education Awards Grade 3 Rhys Holman Grade 4 Kyle Chang Grade 5 Matthew Donnelly Grade 6 Jake Erdman

★

Valedictorian Andrew Youngson

★

Proficiency Prizes Grade 3 Ekansh Chandaria Ian Devlin Grade 4 Kyle Chang Adam Zufferli Grade 5 Henry James Andy Mavroudis Grade 6 Erik Rimer Benjamin Tse

★

Coyote Award Carter Morrison

★

Philip Ambrose Award Cory Gill

★

William Burridge Scholarship Christian Gnam

★

CPA Scholarship Andrew Youngson

★

Colonel J.B. Rogers Trophy Simcoe House

★

House Captain’s Cup Simcoe House

★

The Lamp of Knowledge Wolfe House

★

Dean Voutsas House Cup Simcoe House

★

Board of Governors Boys of Promise Awards Grade 3 Matthew Bisset Grade 4 Campbell Hunter Grade 5 Robbie Mason Grade 6 Frank Kelly

★

David Heaney Character Education Award Avram Kachura

★

J. Sean Buckley Awards Grade 3 Zack Erdman Grade 4 Jack Duboc Grade 5 Jack Riley Grade 6 Alexander Logan

★

J. W. James Award Andrew Youngson

★

Gold Character Pin Sam Charlton

27

Prize Day 2010-2011 middle scHool awards ★

★

★

CPA Effort Prizes Grade 7E Ryley Mehta Grade 7F Stewart Kirkconnell Grade 7M Derek Ko Grade 7R Nolan Toomey Grade 8B Andrew Pham Grade 8D Daniel Shane Grade 8S Michael Jaunkalns Grade 8Y Matthew Cheung Sheila Barber Citizenship Awards 7E Brett Balcom 7F Rick Martell 7M Emanuel Vella 7R Jack Evans-Krstajic 8B Cameron Pinnington 8D Alex Nikiforov 8S Matt Allion 8Y Naveen Gupta

★

★

Spirit Awards 7E Adam King 7F Spence Goodwin 7M Jeffrey So

★

7R Tyler Ferguson 8B Keenan Livingstone 8D Hunter Crenian 8S Ethan Birbrager 8Y Ryan Volk

★

Anniversary Ties Art: Joseph Kachura Jeremy Buzanis Tyler Rose Thomas Freund Nolan Buzanis Music: Jeffrey Seto Ian Lo Andrew Pham Drama: Stephen Hakami Samuel Gundy Naveen Gupta

★

Recipients of 300 House Points Grade 7 Ronald Chow Stewart Kirkconnell Neal Ganguli Thomas Lieou Ethan Kuo-Lee Grade 8 Cameron Pinnington Ollie Lau Jeffrey Seto Andrew Pham Samuel Goh Ian Lo Naveen Gupta Hugh McCauley Petr Schumacher Luca Kong Jacob Su John Tansey Award Omar Elmor

★

Drama Prizes Grade 7 Jordan Abramsky Grade 8 John Conlin Public Speaking Prizes Grade 7 Alastair Lewis Grade 8 Alex Coburn

★

English Prizes Grade 7 Jamie Kilburn Grade 8 Matthew Riley

★

French Prizes Grade 7 Nikola Dilberovic Grade 8 Dean Perlman

★

Creativity and Innovation in Science and Geography Prizes Grade 7 Thomas Herring Grade 8 Ian Lo

★

Science and Geography Prizes Grade 7 Neal Ganguli Grade 8 Hugh McCauley

★

History Prizes Grade 7 Nathan Li Grade 8 Matthew Allion

★

Mathematics Prizes Grade 7 Ronald Chow Grade 8 Hugh McCauley

★

★

28

Art Prizes Grade 7 HaiYang Bai (William) Grade 8 Winston Xing

Mathematics Contest Prizes Grade 7 HaiYang Bai (William) Grade 8 Adam Murai Health and Physical Education Prizes Grade 7 CJ Yoannou Grade 8 Jospeh Kachura

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS ★

Ronald Memorial Scholarship Andrew Kung

★

Director of Admissions Award Aidan Potts

★

Denise Manikas Crescent Spirit Commemorative Award Jonathan Pearce

★

Middle School Liaison Award Ted Buckles ’11

★

Proficiency Prizes Grade 7 Nathan Li Ryley Mehta Grade 8 Hugh McCauley Matthew Allion

★

C.B. Gordon Scholarship HaiYang Bai (William)

★

Pat McDonnell Scholarship Matthew Riley

★

Bronze Medal of Knowledge Matthew Riley

★

Board of Governors’ Boy of Promise Award Grade 7 Alex Johnston Grade 8 Petr Schumacher

★

J. Sean Buckley Award Grade 7 Tom Graham Grade 8 Alex Coburn

★

House Captain’s Cup Simcoe House

★

The Lamp of Knowledge Wolfe House

★

Colonel J.B. Rogers Trophy Simcoe House

★

Dean Voutsas House Cup Simcoe House

★

William L. Scandrett Award Dean Perlman

★

The Music Award Omar Elmor

★

Middle School Valedictorian Award Alex Coburn

Prize Day 2010-2011 UPPer scHool awards ACADEMIC AWARDS ★ Business Studies Prize John Davison ★

Symons Canadian Studies Scholarship Spencer Belyea

★

Civilizations in History Prize Graham Rotenberg

★

John Grenfell Wright MC Prize in History Scott Simon

★

World Politics Prize Craig Gilchrist

★

James Ballard Memorial Award/French Sword Andrew Mocle

★

Spanish Prize Christopher Wong

★

Geography Prize Edward Kang

★

Mathematics Prize Wayne Fu

★

Man Family Mathematics Prize Junior Kevin Chien Senior Patrick White

★

★

★

★

★

Lee/Leung Prize for Mathematics Henry Federer Health and Physical Education Award Matthew Geisler Science Prize Connor Stein CPA Effort Prizes Grade 9 Cole Halbert Ryan Tam Eton Ziner-Cohen Grade 10 Jack Hayward Warfa Jibril Nicholas Mehta Grade 11 Alex Mahoney Jayme Nadolny Adam Noble-Marks University of Toronto Book Prize Henson Tam

★

Colgate University Book Award Marko Popovic

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER AWARDS ★ Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award Andrew Leung ★

Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences Tanvir Deol

★

George Eastman Young Leaders Award and Scholarship Jayme Nadolny

★

★

★

★

★

Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology Aidan Solala Vladan Milic/Ontario Association of Architects Scholarship Lorin Gu George S. Blodgett Memorial Prize David Williams The Creative Writing Prize Matt Nesvadba Chris Pitfield Jerry Friedman Scholarship Jake Fisher Alex MacNicol

★

Burgess Scholarship Kevin Chien

★

Grade 11 Academic Award Leonard Chiu

★

Silver Medal of Knowledge Leonard Chiu

★

Governor General’s Medal Edward Kang

ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS ★ Anniversary Ties Grade 9 Chess Club Jesse Macpherson Grade 9 Music Kenneth Chan Scott McFarland

Ryan Tam (Music and Robotics) David Salvati Grade 9 Visual Art Taran Ravindran Mattei Dan-Dobre Grade 9 Robotics Ian Donaldson (Robotics and Visual Art) David Ferris Michael Hatsios Grade 10 Drama Connor Bevans James Chapman Grade 10 Music Jonathan Bell Tally Ferraro Grade 10 Robotics Austin Bianchini Warfa Jibril Grade 11 Chemistry Research Team Andrew Pak Grade 11 Drama Tristan Chiruvolu Tanvir Deol Andrew Leung Connor McCormick (Drama and Robotics) George Mavroidis Grade 11 Music Jonathan Brickman Brendan Chun Bjorn Kwok (Music and Robotics) Matt Lord Alex Mahoney Adam Noble-Marks Spencer Rose Grade 11 Robotics Wilson Cheang Tudor Datcu Matt Murai Grade 11 Visual Arts Grant Mercer Grade 12 Chemistry Research Team Greg Warren Grade 12 DECA/Business John Davison Jeremy Wong Michael Yelavich Grade 12 Drama Fraser Grimes Lorin Gu (Drama and Yearbook) Nick McLeod Eric Myers

Grade 12 Music Karch Albrecht Harrison Corolis David Han Elliott Thring Grade 12 Peer Tutoring Programme David Murray (and Robotics) Grade 12 Robotics David-Michael Phillips Grade 12 Visual Art Dominic Chu

CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS ★ Board of Governors Awards Grade 9 Cole Halbert Jake Fisher Grade 10 Spencer Belyea Jack Hayward Grade 11 Jayme Nadolny Adam Noble-Marks

★

Art Prize Dominic Chu Charlie Gunn

★

Dentonia Scholarships Nathaniel Diakun

★

★

Drama Award Christopher Evershed

Ron Bertram/Quill and Quire Award Wayne Fu

★

Technical Merit Award Jacob Macdonald

★

Headmaster’s Medal Tyler Toyne

★

Appoggiatura/Music Prize Kevin Hu

★

★

Ronald Memorial Upper School Music Prize Rishi Jairath

Guild Founders Scholarship George Mavroidis

★

Graduating Class Trophy Chris Pitfield

★

G. H. Corolis Crescent Spirit Commemorative Rishi Jairath Peter Witts

★

W.R.E. Williams Award Henson Tam

★

Osler Trophy David Williams

★

Thom Family Award Michael Webb Dustin Ashley

★

Susan Denton Massey Award Harrison Corolis

★

Old Boys Watch Michael Webb

★

Board of Governors Medal Michael Webb

★

Head Boy Pin Graham Rotenberg

★

Norris Family Robotics and Technology Award Oleg Baranov

★

Environmental Leadership Award Jayme Nadolny

HOUSE AWARDS ★ House Captain’s Cup Simcoe House ★

Colonel J.B. Rogers Trophy Simcoe House

★

The Lamp of Knowledge Wolfe House

★

Dean Voutsas House Cup Simcoe House

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS ★ Ian Roberts Community Service Award Tanvir Deol ★

Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award Lorin Gu

★

Bruce M. Hicks Public Service Award Charles Kim

GRADUATION DAY AWARDS ★ Board of Governors Award David-Michael Phillips ★

Gaby Weitz Award Scott Macdonald

★

Effort Award Andrew Fullerton

★

Crestissimus Crescentium (Improvement Award) Connor Offutt JR Robert

★

Valedictorian Dustin Ashley

29

Athletic Awards sPring term 2010-2011

Spring Term BADMINTON

Senior Junior U14

GOLF

Senior Junior

MVP – Wayne Fu Coach’s Choice – Calvin Sy MVP – Ian Ko MIP – Philip Winterton MVP – Samuel Goh Coach’s Choice – Matthew Donnelly MVP – Alex Turner Coach’s Choice – Jeffrey Miller MVP – Will Leak Coach’s Choice – Justin Smith

RUGBY

The Dave LaForest Memorial Senior Rugby Award: Peter Witts Senior Rookie of the Year – Jack Federer MIP – Graham Rotenberg Junior MVP – Peter Milazzo MIP – Caleb Williams U14 MVP – Dean Perlman MIP – Liam Kelly U13 MVP – Brad Ashby MIP – Blake Shyba

SOFTBALL

U14

U12 TENNIS

Senior Junior U14

TRACK & FIELD

Senior Junior Midget U13 U12 U11 U10 U10

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

DI D2

BASEBALL

DI MVP – Ryan Volk DI MIP and Great Character – Hunter Crenian DII MVP – Luca Kong DII Coach’s Choice – Desmond Hui MVP – Andrew Youngson Patience & Perseverance – Jordan Su Commitment Award – Mike Mida Coach’s Choice – Dominic Chu Most Valuable Doubles – Alex Mahoney, Andrew Parker MVP – James Gibbard-McCall Coach’s Choice – Liam Caven MVP – Jake Erdman Leadership Award – Jack Garrett Coach’s Choice – Graham Pitfield MVP – Chris Pitfield MVP – William Christodoulou Coach’s Choice Award – Nicholas Mehta MVP – Jason Kattan Coach’s Choice – Nevin Kong MVP – Ryley Mehta Coach’s Choice – Ray Kang MVP – Matt Wolff MVP – Conor Roberts Coach’s Choice – Maxie Liang MVP – Ian Dilay Coach’s Choice – Max Walters MVP – David Murray, Chase Heinemann-Maze MVP – Matthew Weisz Outstanding Commitment – Jack Leslie MVP – Jack Hayward MIP – Cameron Borland

Athlete of the Year Awards

30

sChool

aWaRD

ReCipieNt

Upper School

Lawson Athlete of the Year Award Fitzpatrick Award

David Williams Peter Witts

Middle School

Athlete of the Year Lachowicz Award

Samuel Goh Alexander Solomos

Lower School

Duane Livingstone Athlete of the Year Wylie Coyote Award

Erik Rimer Conrad Kim

Athletic Achievements sPring term 2011

Noteworthy Accomplishments: 8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

Michael Osborne – CISAA U10 3rd in shot put Max Walters – CISAA U10 2nd in high jump Ian Dilay – CISAA U10 2nd in discus, 3rd in hurdles Conor Roberts – CISAA U11 1st in high jump Maxie Liang – CISAA U11 2nd in long jump Ryley Mehta – CISAA U13 1st in 1500m Milan Miladinovic – CISAA U13 3rd in long jump Jason Kattan – CISAA Midget 1st in shot put, 2nd in 200m Matt Corolis – CISAA Junior 1st in 400m Stefan Losberg – CISAA Junior 2nd in 400m Will Christodoulou – CISAA Junior 1st in discus and javelin Toms Black – CISAA Junior 3rd in 800m, 3000m Nick Mehta – CISAA Junior 1st in pole vault Jeff Carlin – CISAA Junior 2nd in javelin Chris Pitfield – CISAA Senior 3rd in high jump Graham Pitfield – CISAA Senior 1st in pole vault

Metros & OFSAA 8

8

8

8

8

Jason Kattan – at Metros 3rd and at OFSAA 11th in shot put Will Christodoulou – at Metros 1st in javelin and 2nd in discus (ranked 4th in Ontario in javelin) and at OFSAA, 8th in discus Nick Mehta – at Metros 1st in pole vault and 15th at OFSAA Graham Pitfield – at Metros 2nd in pole vault and 16th at OFSAA Chris Pitfield – at Metros 4th in high jump and 12th at OFSAA

Rugby U13 – 2nd place CISAA U14 – CISAA Semi-Finalists Junior – CISAA Semi-Finalists Senior – CAIS National Tournament – 4th Place & CISAA Semi Finalists

Tennis U14 – 3rd place CISAA Junior – 2nd Place CISAA Senior – 2nd place CISAA

Badminton U14 – CISAA Champions Junior – CISAA Champions Senior – 4th place CISAA Champions (Wayne Fu and Calvin Sy played doubles at OFSAA and placed 3rd at CISAA)

Softball U12 – 3rd place CISAA U14 D1 – 3rd Place CISAA

Ultimate D1 – 2nd Place CISAA

Track & Field U10 – 4th CISAA U11 – 4th CISAA JNR – 2nd CISAA & METRO Champions

Golf Senior – 3rd CISAA

31

tooting Our horn Excellent Results in Chemistry Competition Once again our Chemistry students wrote the University of Waterloo Chemistry Exams in May. Our top results were as follows:

CHEM13 News Exam (grade 12/AP Chemistry) Kevin Hu, 97 percentile Andrew Pak, 93 percentile Max Gordon, 91 percentile Nicholas Chiu, 91 percentile Rishi Jairath, 90 percentile Emad Fard, 89 percentile David-Michael Phillips, 89 percentile Leonard Chiu, 87 percentile Michael Ranieri, 84 percentile Jeremy Wong, 81 percentile In all, almost 35 per cent of our students scored on the top 20 per cent of this challenging exam. Another 17 per cent of our AP chemists scored in the 70-80 percentile.

Crescent’s Math Talent Every year, our math students take part in a number of national math contests organized by the Centre for Education in Math and Computing. Last year was particularly successful as our boys obtained quite a significant number of certificates of distinction. Of special significance were the grade 10 students who appeared as a team on the Canadian National Honour Roll, and the grade 11 students, who scored a record number of distinctions in the Euclid contest, normally reserved for grade 12 students.

While most of our participants had good or great results, the following were remarkable even by our high standards: Adam Murai (grade 8), Andrew Pham (grade 8), Jack Hayward (grade 10), Kevin Chien (grade 10), Joshua Lee (grade 11) and Patrick White (grade 11). n

In all, 34 per cent of our grade 11 chemists scored in the top 20 per cent of this tough exam. n

Hockey Great in the Making Promising hockey star, Andrew Fullerton ’11, is taking a gap year, before heading off to Queen’s University (Commerce), in order to pursue his love of the game, and to continue playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Vaughan Vipers. n

Lower School Art teacher has a “banner” summer

AVOGADRO Exam (grade 11 Chemistry) Joshua Lee, 99 percentile Tudor Dactu, 98 percentile Ross Phillips, 97 percentile Stefan Whittaker-Lee, 96 percentile Bjorn Kwok, 95 percentile Marko Popovic, 92 percentile Graham Pitfield, 92 percentile Adam Noble-Marks, 92 percentile Alex Mahoney, 91 percentile Andrew Leung, 91 percentile Jethro Kwong, 88 percentile Tristan Chirovolu, 82 percentile

Andrew with his mother, Nancy, at Prize Day

Lower School Art teacher, Jane FleetwoodMorrow, is a practicing artist, and she and her husband (retired faculty, Mark Hord), have a second home in Collingwood.

Collingwood has a thriving arts scene, with many community-supported arts projects on the go throughout the year. In a call for submissions to beautify the town, Jane submitted her work to the Collingwood Arts Jury for their Collingwood Art on the Street: Lamp Post Project. In this celebration of art, local artists are highlighted and celebrated on large banners affixed to lamp posts around the town. Jane was chosen as one of the artists to be included in the project this year; a great tribute for Jane and a wonderful visual delight for the local and seasonal residents, and travelers alike, to see and appreciate her gorgeous works of art. n

More excellent results in sciences… this time at U of T’s National Biology Competition At the end of April, the AP Biology class (along with some grade 11 Biology students) participated in the National Biology Competition. The 17th annual competition was written in April by 4,548 eligible contestants at 317 schools; 294 schools from across Canada, and from schools in Brunei

32

Darussalam, Malaysia, Germany, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States.

Grade 11 student Andrew Pak came 31st in the competition with a percentile score of 99.2. With this amazing score he is now a National Scholar with Distinction, and goes

down in Crescent history as the fifth highest scorer we have ever had. Crescent students continued with excellent results including Andrew Chung ’11, Chris Wong ’11 and Mike Ranieri ’11 all ranking in the top 500.

These results placed Crescent School 41st out of the 327 schools participating. n

Outstanding AP Exam results Crescent is an AP school and as such provides students with the opportunity to study at the highest level in a global arena. With the successful completion of AP courses, students earn university credits or placement into second year university.

David (r) with parents, Anne and Stan, and brother, Andrew ’09, at Prize Day

Grad gets published in The Claremont Review The Claremont Review (published out of Victoria, British Columbia), is one of only two literary magazines in North America that publishes exclusively the works of young poets and writers between the ages of 13 and 19, and is integral to encouraging young writers and exposing them to publishers across the continent and around the world.

Each year The Claremont Review holds a poetry and fiction writing contest, and this year David Murray, who graduated in June, received a Fiction Honourable Mention (one of three), and as such, will be published in the Fall 2011 edition of the magazine. Student writers are encouraged to submit stories that reveal something about the human condition; traditional or experimental.

David’s submission was entitled On the Other Side. The story is a paradigm between two different worlds, one set in the Rwandan genocide, and the other set in modern North Toronto, at Crescent School.

The story shifts between past and present tense, recounting the adventures of groups of 10-12 year olds in each world. n

AP courses are offered in grade 12, and this year many grade 11 students took AP Calculus with extremely impressive results. Keeping in mind that AP Exam scores of 5 are equivalent to grades of A in the corresponding university course, and scores of 4 are equivalent to grades of A-, B+, and B, Crescent students’ results in Calculus, Statistics, and Macroeconomics and Microeconomics were outstanding. The average score for Macroeconomics was 4.1, for Microeconomics it was 4.2, and for Statistics, and Calculus AB the average for both courses was 4.4.

National AP Scholars are designated as students in Canada who receive an average of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on five or more AP exams taken.

This year’s graduates Kevin Hu, who wrote six exams, Rishi Jairath and Ed Kang who both wrote five exams, have all achieved the distinction of being recognized National AP Scholars. Well done and congratulations to everyone! n

The Lower School shines at the Spring 2011 Kiwanis Music Festival Between Crescent’s classroom choirs, co-curricular choir and private music vocalists, our boys were awarded five scholarships by the national adjudicators of the Kiwanis Music Festival; a tremendous achievement, as no other boys’ school can compare to Crescent’s Kiwanis participation or our Kiwanis awards. This is very significant because there, at Kiwanis, our performers are externally assessed by a panel of Canada’s leading musicians.

Under the direction of Dr. Boyes, the Crescent Choir entered two classes, and was awarded first place and gold standards in both classes. As well, they were awarded a scholarship in recognition of their excellent achievement. The two grade 5 classroom choirs (under the direction of Ms. Fraser Burke), placed first and third—again both with gold standards. The first place winner 5D, was also awarded a scholarship. The two grade 6 classroom choirs (prepared by Ms. Gosse), achieved the same outstanding results.

Ms. Gosse entered 14 private music students in an unprecedented 28 classes! Of these entries, 24 were awarded gold standards and four were awarded silver. Spencer Charlton (grade 6), Leo Montgomery (grade 4) and Owen Cumming (grade 5) were also awarded scholarships for their beautiful performances. n

Robotics results keep getting better and better In St. Louis this year from April 27-30 for the FIRST 2011 World Championships, Crescent’s Robotics Team was one of 26 Canadian schools who advanced to this stage of competition. After students were given six weeks to design, build and test a robot within size, weight, cost and other design guidelines, competitions are held whereby robots must work cooperatively and in competition in a game that challenges the limits of the robots and the students. Some 340 teams out of 2,075 qualified to attend the FIRST 2011 World Championships, with Crescent qualifying by being a GTA West Finalist.

The team placed second in their division (four divisions in all), and Crescent School now ranks fifth in the world as a result of the hard work, dedication and commitment of the Robotics team—our highest ranking to date. n

33

lau Family Wing Official Opening In november From tHe advancement oFFice

C

OnStRuCtIOn on the Lau Family Wing, one of two magnificent additions to Crescent School that is being made possible by the Great Boys campaign, reached an exhilarating pace over the past year.

The boys, and all who came to Crescent, watched the bulldozers dig, the cement trucks pour, and the mighty crane swing walls and windows into place. And now, Crescent is poised to celebrate the official opening of the Lau Family Wing this fall.

With his family, Ming Wai Lau ’97, contributed the lead gift of $5 million to launch the campaign in May, 2010.

“Meeting this first campaign milestone of fully funding the Lau Family Wing is significant, and provides tremendous momentum as the campaign continues,” says Barb Black (P ’08,’10,’14), Campaign Co-Chair. “The collective generosity of our parents, alumni and friends will ensure the campaign maintains a successful pace, as we aim now to fully fund our programmes and the next building project which will include the Crescent Library and the Commons,” adds Paul Tompkins (P’10,’11,’13), Campaign Co-Chair.

In addition to the $10.6 million secured for the Lau Family Wing, $1.5 million has already been raised to support the campaign programme priorities, with International Outreach now fully funded.

Campaign fundraising continues for Crescent Student Services/R&D in Boys’ Education, Robotics and Technology, and Student Financial Aid, along with the Library and the Commons.

The Great Boys campaign has also provided for improvements to the Lower School.

With Robotics now in its new home, the previous Robotics lab has been redesigned into a wonderful Lower School Resource Centre, and the Lower School Art area also has a new, larger home.

Thanks to the outstanding response to the Great Boys campaign, these enhancements and new construction are fast becoming a reality. As fundraising continues, we thank each member of the Crescent Community for putting a hand on the oar, to steer us over the $25 million finish line. Your commitment is enabling so much, and Crescent boys will benefit for generations to come. n

34

In truth We Stand and Grow, Forever empowered by the anticipation of future success and accomplishment. Being back at Crescent and being a small part of its current direction is a privilege. Although I am not sure I ever truly left, it is so good to be back.

Ryan with Lower School students in After School Programme

(Ryan Bell ’98 is one of a growing number of Crescent alumni to return to their alma mater as staff members in a teaching or administrative role. In his graduating year, Ryan was Head Boy and spent a considerable amount of time with the boys in Lower School – he was a great favourite of theirs. While completing his teaching degree last year, Ryan returned to Crescent to assist with the After School Programme – in Lower School. He felt that he had really “come home,” and that while things were very different more than a dozen years later, they were also reassuringly very much the same. This year Ryan will be running our After School Programme.)

I

t is hard to believe that it is now over 13 years since I left Crescent as a student. I am not just an Old Boy anymore but now feel that I am rapidly approaching being an old, Old Boy. Perhaps they call them Old Men…I will have to look into that one.

The world around us has changed in many respects since my time at Crescent. In many areas of life our priorities have shifted to ensure success and growth. From the economy and politics, to the environment and technological advancements, the landscape in which we work, live and learn is evolving at a rate never seen before. It is so easy to be left behind and to become stagnant in a world that values the rapid exchange of ideas, open communication and access to the latest information.

Today, like never before, individuals and organizations must possess the pragmatic tools needed to define and implement critical change, while maintaining a clear vision of how that change will enable them to arrive at their intended goals and objectives. Without any meaningful and appropriate direction, so much is lost, and

so many opportunities might never be realized. I am very confident to say that the boys at Crescent are experiencing a very holistic education that will provide them with the experience, knowledge and skills needed to tackle anything that comes their way in this constantly accelerating world.

As much as Crescent has evolved to maintain its relevancy in today’s world, and to ensure its leadership as a premier independent school for boys, so much remains the same. Crescent is still the Crescent I remember and remains a place where boys can set out to discover who they are in an environment based on mutual respect and trust. As a current staff member and former teacher of mine stated, “Crescent has evolved, it has changed for the better. However, through all of this, the true essence of Crescent remains strong to this very day”. To me, this essence is defined by the nurturing, supportive and inclusive environment that is Crescent School. A school where boys can pursue their personal interests; free from the fear of unsupported failure, and

In a speech at Prize Day in 1998, the last words I said as a student of Crescent were, “In truth we stand and grow, forever”.

This was more than just a motto written in Latin within the Crescent crest and on the inside of our homework diaries. It was a belief and guiding principle that propelled us beyond the walls of Crescent. This belief provided us with a uniting vision of who we were, and that our character and success in life should be judged by the honesty, respect and compassion that we embody towards our opponents, our peers and ourselves. On my last day as a Crescent student there was a clear and purposeful reason why I added the word “forever” at the end of the school motto. I knew that what Crescent had provided us would remain for years to come. It wasn’t just going to evaporate as we came into contact with the heat of the real world. The experiences and relationships that Crescent had left us with would remain with us “forever”. It is said that all we need to learn, we learn in kindergarten. This is true to a certain point, but when it comes to understanding who we are, what we valued and how to treat those around us, Crescent was our defining force. Even today, the men of my graduating class, my friends, continue to grow and stand strong because of the integrity and purpose of cause that was instilled in them back in their days in a green blazer.

Many believe that you can judge the success of any organization, institution or society by what it creates over time. This is a valuable method to measure achievement, but we should not forget that success can be found in what we refuse to destroy.

Crescent has held true to its traditions, history and passion for developing Men of Character to this very day, while continuing to chart a very steady and smooth course forward. Through evolving to keep up with the needs of the 21st century student and the demands of today’s world, Crescent has become even more successful. This

35

In truth We Stand and Grow, Forever

(continued...)

this great environment, and to have the opportunity to give back to a place that provided me with more than I can ever articulate.

Ryan at Prize Day 1997 with then Head Boy Ryan McAskile ’97

institutional success is personified by the students who learn within Crescent’s walls today. This can clearly be seen in the individual discovery and collaborative learning that takes place in the classrooms and halls of Crescent. It can be felt in the theatre and viewed in the art studio. It can be watched and cheered for on Innes Field, in the Field House and on the rinks.

It is remarkable what boys can accomplish when given the opportunity and confidence to pursue their full potential.

To paraphrase Ross MacDonald’s retirement speech this past June, Crescent would merely be bricks and mortar without its students. It is the curiosity, love of life and enthusiasm of these boys that fill the walls of Crescent, and provide the faculty with the direct purpose for their unwavering commitment to academic and character education. As the students provide the faculty and the School with a focused purpose, the students, in turn, benefit greatly as they are empowered to take risks, to make mistakes and to pursue their varied interests. It is these symbiotic relationships that are so vital in the educational development of all students and, arguably, are even more important when educating boys. It is through these relationships that students become fully engaged in an array of curricular and co-curricular endeavours,

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and begin to form meaningful real-world connections between what is being taught at school and how it can be applied in their everyday life. As was the case in my time and experience at Crescent, these positive relationships between student and faculty are very powerful. When it comes to building relationships rooted in trust and respect, which empower students to continue to build on prior knowledge and experiences, there is no better example than Crescent School. Once again, it is an honour and privilege to be a part of

As Crescent’s physical site continues to evolve with the addition of the Lau Family Wing and the repurposing of various aspects of the school’s interiors, the essence of Crescent will continue to endure. This essence will prevail because the School is led by a group of educators who truly understand the importance of what they are undertaking. Whether they are new teachers, more experienced department heads, or staff in their final years before retirement, these remarkable educators continue to strive for excellence from their students and themselves. Being back at Crescent and on staff has taught me a lot about the commitment that is necessary to make a positive and lasting impression on the lives of students. It is great to see from within all that goes in to making Crescent such a valuable force in the lives of so many young boys. As great as this is, it is even more reassuring, as an alumnus, to know that Crescent is in very good hands. It is clear that Crescent will continue to grow and evolve with the interests and needs of its students in mind, while staying true to what we, as members of the Crescent Family, have been so proud of for so many years.

Ryan (4th from left) with his fellow prefects pose for their ‘casual’ photo

RYaN bell ’98 (s)

Message from the President of the Crescent Alumni executive a n d r e w F ly n n ’ 8 8

t

he 2010-11 year was a great one for our Crescent Alumni organization, and the upcoming year holds even more promise.

Our alumni events and programming continually make great strides, and I sincerely thank the members of the Alumni Executive for their time and dedication in making these important initiatives happen. In particular, I wish to recognize

retiring members Dave Budden (PS), Rob Godfrey ’91 and Paul Gorrie ’94 for their tremendous leadership and commitment to our group. After two years at the helm of the Activities Committee, Steve Curtis ’95 is stepping down as Chair (but will remain as a member of the Alumni Executive), and we are delighted that Chris Candy ’02 will succeed him. Faculty member Mark Suckling deserves special recognition for his tireless support of, and travels to, the myriad alumni events throughout the year, as does Selwyn Owen ’60 for his oversight of the diverse interests of our Dentoniaera graduates. We are also very excited to welcome Andrew Day ’80 as an incoming member of the Alumni Executive, and we thank D.J. Lynde ’03, Chair of the Governance Committee, for his steadfast work in orchestrating the involvement of our very committed volunteer leaders.

I am proud to say that mentoring continues to flourish among Crescent alumni under the careful guidance of Mentoring Chair, Jason Steele ’93. The Mentoring Programme enjoys increasing success, with

new Crescent graduates seeking summer internships, employment opportunities and advice on how to best pursue their careers through education and experience.

The long-term goal is to extend the alumni Mentoring Programme to include students, current parents and faculty. Careers Night, in the fall of each term, introduces Upper School students to key alumni mentors, and there is an opportunity to expand this programme to offer a more robust speaker engagement series. In addition, alumni mentors are gradually connecting with a small group of Upper School students, and making a significant contribution to their post-Crescent education and opportunities.

This fall, with the guidance of Andrew Day ’80, the Mentoring Programme will include a breakfast series downtown, featuring keynote speakers and appealling to alumni new to the business world or interested in changing careers. Speed-networking events are being introduced to allow maximum networking with a fun, fast-paced approach. All of these events will offer Crescent alumni expanded opportunities

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Message from President to broaden their horizons and hone their business networking skills.

Under the joint leadership of Jay Mansoor ’92, Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee, and Alumni Executive and faculty member Steve Dubrick, we successfully launched a new Internship Programme this spring, placing two recent Crescent graduates in summer internships.

David Lye ’09, currently studying chemical engineering at McGill University, interned at Genivar, a publicly traded engineering consulting firm in Guelph. David Thom ’92 offered an internship at LeFrak Organization in New York City, which maintains one of the most extensive real estate portfolios in the United States. The internship, awarded to Nithin Kadayil ’06, a 2010 graduate of the University of Waterloo, is a coveted chance to live and gain invaluable work experience with a world-renowned organization.

Our Class Representatives have been invaluable in identifying potential candidates for internship. This is an incredibly exciting programme, and one that emphasizes the value of both the mentoring programme and the opportunities associated with staying connected to Crescent School and its alumni. Currently, the programme is in a pilot phase, but the Committee will apply the findings from the first two internship opportunities to refine the programme as it moves forward. The Committee will also focus on developing partnerships with alumni and current parents to identify additional opportunities.

(continued...)

Another mandate for this year is to introduce the Fundraising Committee to the Alumni Executive, in order to better engage alumni of all ages in the financial wellbeing of the School. We wish to ensure that graduates are always able to support Crescent in a way that resonates and is meaningful to them.

Headed by dedicated Executive member Rob Watt ’85, P’14, alumni in this key group will act as peer liaisons to facilitate greater two-way communication between the School and its graduates with regards to donating to Crescent. Our goals are twofold: we wish to increase the ease of philanthropic participation by implementing a five-year Annual Giving pledge programme, and we seek to collectively raise $1 million from alumni for the Crescent School Endowment over the next five years.

Both of these initiatives will support the Great Boys campaign.

The multi-year pledge system is used by many independent schools, universities and other charitable organizations, and it works quite simply: if an alumnus wishes to give $100 annually, he will make a fiveyear commitment of $500. Crescent School will either automatically charge his credit card for the annual installments or send a reminder letter each year requesting the intended amount of the gift. Once a multiyear pledge has been made, alumni donors will not be solicited for Annual Giving until their commitment concludes. All donations to Crescent School are tax deductible. For alumni who wish to donate in U.S. funds and

receive a tax receipt for that country, the FRISBE Foundation easily facilitates that option. Please visit alumni.crescentschool. org for more information.

Our $1 million goal for the Crescent School Endowment is an ambitious one, and it will be the first initiative of its kind for Crescent alumni. Currently, Crescent’s endowment is relatively small—collectively, its funds amount to $5.4 million as of July 1, 2011.

Within the Crescent School Endowment, there are alumni class funds and family funds dedicated to student financial aid, various academic programmes, athletics, international outreach, robotics, and a host of other areas—endowment gifts may be directed to virtually all aspects of Crescent life. It is our intention that this goal will galvanize greater understanding of and participation in the financial health of the School by alumni, and it is my sincere hope that you will join me in supporting Crescent in this way. I look forward to reporting on our progress in the coming months and years, and we count on all fellow graduates to assist us in this great step forward for Crescent alumni.

Sincerest thanks to all alumni who continue to attend events, engage as mentors, offer feedback and financial support to the School.

Here’s to an active and successful year! n

2011-2012 crescent alumni executive

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President:

Andrew Flynn ’88

Board Members:

Chris Candy ’02 (Activities Chair) Andrew Day ’80 Steve Dubrick (S) D.J. Lynde ’03 (Governance Chair) Jay Mansoor ’92 (Communications and Marketing Chair) Selwyn Owen ’60 Jason Steel ’93 (Mentoring Chair) Mark Suckling (S) Rob Watt ’85, P’14 (Fundraising Chair)

Alumnus of the year – 2011 Award Recipients

e

ACh year, the Crescent School Alumnus of the Year Award honours selected Crescent men of character who not only embody the four core values of respect, responsibility, honesty, and compassion, but also, through contributions to society, volunteer service to the School, and personal and professional achievements, have made a difference to the world in which they live.

“Men of genius are admired, men of wealth are envied, men of power are feared; but only men of character are trusted.”

— Anonymous

Helen Keller once said, “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” This year, the Alumnus of the Year award celebrates two men who have not only demonstrated a commitment to their communities and families, but who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating loyalty, standing by each other in order to overcome great personal challenge.

MARTIN RITCHIE ’92 and MYLES SLOCOMBE ’92 Martin Ritchie and Myles Slocombe have been close friends since they met in 1988, when Myles entered grade 9 at Crescent School. Through four years of academic study, athletics and many shared interests, they became the best of friends, and cultivated a lasting friendship. Today, Myles is building a thriving real estate business with Royal LePage’s Johnston and Daniel division in Toronto, while Martin (after a successful career in forensic accounting) is pursuing his passion for renewable solar energy, co-founding Tenedos Energy (now JCM Capital) in 2009.

Myles and Martin are both accomplished professionals and dedicated volunteers with impressive CVs that include a commitment to Crescent School (Myles was an active member of the Crescent School Old Boys’ Association Board). They are exceptional in their demonstrated commitment through the extraordinarily difficult journey of Martin’s wife, Natalia, in her battle with cystic fibrosis.

There were many dark days and months during Natalia’s struggle, and Martin

recalls discussing with Myles how he could best support Natalia in what might prove to be a fatal illness – and even the possibility of having to tell their daughter, Scarlett, that her mother might not survive.

Thankfully, Natalia continues to thrive after the double lung transplant that saved her life. Along with many other supportive initiatives, Myles had started a blog that resulted in finding a suitable organ donor.

Martin, Natalia and Scarlett now reap the benefits of a great friendship with Myles.

When the Alumni Executive issued a call for nominations for the prestigious Alumnus of the Year Award, Myles and Martin responded quickly, each nominating the other.

Myles wrote of Martin, “After reading the fall 2010 Past and Present article about Martin and his family’s struggle with Natalia’s cystic fibrosis, many will appreciate how Martin embodies the highest level of commitment to marriage and family, placing them at the highest level of priority and personal sacrifice.”

The many personal sacrifices Martin

made in support of his family, which Myles describes as “almost beyond human capability,” have strengthened the bonds of an already lasting friendship.

Martin has an equal respect for Myles, whom he knows has shown a degree of compassion to which only true men of character can aspire. In his nomination, Martin noted a strong, personal reason for nominating Myles, who assisted him in a “deep and profound way” during Natalia’s double lung transplant in 2010, sacrificing commitments and always on the ready to support his friend during the darkest hours of this trying time.

Mohammed Ali once said, “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.

It’s not something you learn in school.

But, if you have not learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything at all.” Congratulations to Martin Ritchie and Myles Slocombe, Crescent’s 2011 Alumnus of the Year Award winners, who have learned so much and shared in each other’s remarkable journey. n

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the evolution of the School Crest

W

hen exactly Crescent’s founding Headmaster, Jimmy James, settled on a crest for his new school is unclear. James by reputation was no fan of paperwork, and, not surprisingly, left no record of this now significant decision. But, it must have been shortly after the School opened its doors in 1913.

A 1920s ad for Crescent displays the crest, as does a photograph of a number of boys with the Headmaster taken during the same time, and an oil painting of a young student in his school blazer in 1927. It is in the shape of a shield, encompassing a chevron bearing the words Crescent School, and beneath the chevron is a crescent arching upwards. There is some variation at first – the ad showing a straight horizontal upper line to the shield – while both the portrait and the photograph display a peaked upper line, but by the beginning of the 1930s the former version had carried the day. And so it would remain through the record 26 year tenure of Headmaster Walter Williams, and then those who followed.

By the mid-1960s, however, Headmaster Ted Senior was campaigning to have a motto added to the bottom of the crest, believing that, as it stood, it was rather stark and plain. He submitted a list of 14 suggested possibilities to the Board of Governors, including with courage all is

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Jimmy James with a group of boys in the first Crescent uniform

possible, to the daring the rewards, thinking maketh good or bad, the draconian they that do the work shall draw the wage… and in truth we stand and build, which, with one minor modification, would eventually be chosen as the school motto. But the Board was occupied with much weightier issues at the time – the survival of the School at Dentonia Park, and then the sale of the Dentonia campus, the purchase of a new campus, the continuing financial worries year by year – and offered no particular encouragement. Any change to the school crest would need to wait.

Hockey team wearing crested jerseys in the ’30s

The move in 1970 to the Bayview campus led to a number of initiatives which displayed the growing maturity of the school. In January 1973 Veritate Stamus et Crescimus (in truth we stand and grow) was added to the bottom of the crest. It was the decision of Headmaster Chris Gordon and Rodger Henderson, later Crescent’s Assistant Headmaster, and the accurate Latin translation was the result of Henderson consulting with his former Classics professor at the University of Toronto. The word crescimus was merely a coincidence.

Two communications from the same year for the same event show one crest with items combined on a background (above) and one with separate shield and motto (below)

Hockey team wearing crested jerseys showing the Latin motto in ’70s

Since then there have been few significant changes. In the early 1970s, the original shield and the latin motto under it were combined on a solid background, although use of the background did not seem to be mandated until the next decade. A fanciful suggestion displayed on the front of a school podium for some years shows the crest surmounted by a medieval knight’s jousting helmet, a hand holding an open book rising from the helmet, with green and grey foliage surrounding it all and spilling down the sides of the crest.

Perhaps fortunately this idea was never officially adopted. A couple of minor changes

Field House crest

have been made for visual clarity within the past few years, in particular a second white border added by Sue Gillan, Crescent’s Director of Communications and Marketing, which sets off the crest more prominently when used against a green background – which, not surprisingly, is more often than not.

The school crest has been displayed widely over the years, on various uniform items, athletic clothing, and memorabilia, but by far the largest one surveys the campus from the front of the Field House.

Neil Campbell, aRChivist

Podium crest which didn’t survive

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Ian Connacher ’89

Alumni

Ian at work, documenting the impact of plastic in our oceans

Profile

S

OMe young people know precisely the type of career they want to follow when they graduate from high school and head off on a steady path of academics and work, seldom diverging. There are others who, with their desired path not fully defined, follow a more circuitous route of trial and chance, to happen upon their life’s calling. Both scenarios have their merits.

Ian Connacher, a Crescent graduate of the class of 1989, has followed the latter path.

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Ian attended Crescent from grades 5 through 12, graduating at the age of 16 – younger than most grads because he skipped a grade and has an August birthday.

“When I left Crescent in 1989, I really didn’t know who I was,” Ian admits. “I was too young to go to university, and so I took a year to travel to France and attend the Lycée Canadienne.” He returned to Canada the following year to study English Literature and Creative Writing

at Concordia University in Montreal. Not fully satisfied with the programme, Ian left after two years to attend the University of Vermont. Ian cites this as a far better and more enjoyable academic and life experience, and he graduated with honours in Philosophy and English Literature.

Ian’s first foray into film came about as a result of his meeting Lee Schnaiberg, a Montreal filmmaker. Together, Lee and Ian produced The Earth Changes, a film

on climate change that they successfully marketed to schools and libraries. Riding the tech wave and melding his interest in the environment, Ian spent the next few years raising funds for an environmental dot com. The venture was forced to fold, however, when the tech bubble burst.

Ian made his way back to Toronto as a freelance writer with various newspapers and magazines such as Shift, a digital culture magazine, NOW magazine, The Globe and Mail and Canadian Geographic. He wrote for the CBC’s Sunday Show before becoming the producer for the popular Daily Planet, a job he pursued for five years.

Daily Planet covers many topics that touch on the environment, and it was an episode on the accumulation of plastic in the ocean that peaked Ian’s interest. In it, Captain Charles Moore described some areas of the ocean containing five times more plastic than animal life.

Curious to know more, Ian travelled to Long Beach, California to interview the captain. A year later, on a two-month leave from Daily Planet, he was on a 50-foot catamaran with Captain Moore, travelling 1,000 miles offshore to what is known as the Pacific Gyre.

Ian filming in Denmark

“A gyre is a swirling mass of plastic that gathers and sits in the ocean, covering a massive area,” Ian explains. “There are five known gyres in the world. It’s incredible to see the endless expanse of plastic, going nowhere, unable to decompose.” With the story and footage he gathered, and with the support of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Ian produced Alphabet Soup, a short film on the environmental calamity of plastics in the ocean. He pitched it to the Discovery Channel, but they declined.

Determined to produce and market a film that not only highlighted the environmental catastrophe of plastic but also focused on solutions, Ian quit his job and spent the next two years travelling the world with fellow cameraman Gad Reichman, on what he refers to as “a plastic road trip,” filming in 12 countries.

The result was Addicted to Plastic: The Rise and Demise of a Modern Miracle, a documentary film released to great acclaim in June, 2009.

There were many hands in its making, with the editing and musical score graciously donated. Addicted to Plastic first aired on the Sundance Channel and was then picked up

by CBC’s The Passionate Eye. It went on to air in 25 countries and has garnered several

awards at film festivals around the world.

Ian spent 2010 touring American universities and schools with the film, providing question and answer forums. During this time, he visited Crescent and showed and discussed the film with a rapt audience, who, he recalls, “asked really good questions.”

Currently, Ian continues to head up his production company, Cryptic Moth, a name aptly chosen. Ian’s website, crypticmoth.com explains that Biston Betularia, or “peppered moth,” identified in England in 1937, was the first creature to evolve its camouflage to match the pollution caused by coal factories. Ian was recently the Story Editor of William Shatner’s Weird or What, a show featuring mysteries and unexplained events. He recently spent a month in South Korea covering high tech and big engineering, as the Director for Discovery Channel Canada’s Megaworld South Korea, which aired on August 9 this year.

Ian lives in Toronto with his new black lab puppy, Zula, and is a much-loved uncle to seven nieces and nephews. He skis, plays golf, gardens and enjoys time with his friends.

Ian recalls his days at Crescent and the School’s many influences on him as a boy.

“Mr. Roberts’ English classes really stand out as a highlight for me,” Ian says. “I was able to develop strong writing skills, and the School allowed me to pursue a number of ideas and interests. I also thrived at Crescent in debating, and was active in skiing, tennis and golf. I still keep in touch with a handful of Crescent friends.”

“I was very young when I left Crescent and really didn’t know at the time where I was going. Now, I know my skill set is using various media and telling stories. I’m a big fan of relevant storytelling. If I can produce work that provides solutions, and not just highlight the problems, I’ve got a great reason to get out of bed and get to work every day.”

It seems the path of trial and experience was the best one for Ian. We look forward to many more documentaries and films, thanks to his gift of relevant storytelling in film. n

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David Bruser ’95

Alumni

Profile

I

n Crescent’s 1995 Columns yearbook, David Bruser ’95 smiles from his perch in an open Volkswagon Rabbit convertible, grasping one corner of a Cartier House flag while his fellow House Captain, Jan Gawel ’95, sits in an identical VW Rabbit, holding the other corner of the flag. It’s a typically silly grad photo, rife with the inside jokes of one particular school year.

To the uninformed onlooker, there is obviously a back story, but the photo and accompanying message from David and Jan do little to illuminate why or how the picture came to be.

Sixteen years later, David Bruser currently spends his life constructing intricate, and very clear, narratives as an investigative reporter with the Toronto Star, the largestcirculation daily newspaper in Canada.

His History degree from McGill and his

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MA in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fueled his consuming interest in building complex, thesis-driven stories that have measurable impact upon public policy in Canada. “A lot of people think of investigative reporting as ‘chasing bad guys,’” David says. “But our main focus on the Investigations team is to look at defective laws or loopholes in public policy.

Fortunately, a lot of the work we have done has resulted in policy change.”

Now occupying a unique platform on which he is able to shine light on issues that affect Canadians of all stripes, David’s path has not been easy or without its pitfalls.

As a Crescent student, his interests lay in creative pursuits, including the jazz band and drama, and he recalls his time in Bill Pedoe’s Writer’s Craft class as a seminal

point, realizing that writing was something he loved and was good at. When his postsecondary education concluded, however, “I got out of grad school and had very few clips of published work,” David says. “I had to wait in the U.S. for a work visa, so I crashed on my sister’s couch in Manhattan for awhile. I bought a book that listed every American newspaper, and I just started cold calling to see if anyone would give me work.

I actually did get offers from weekly papers in Oklahoma and Montana, but I wanted to write for a daily paper. Finally, I spoke with one guy who knew of a paper in McComb, Mississippi that maybe had a job opening.

So, I called the paper, the Enterprise-Journal, four or five times. The editor finally called me back, and I got my first job in this town of 13,000 about 90 minutes north of New Orleans. Most of it was reporting on court

proceedings, school boards, and county governments, but I did get a chance to dabble in longer-term projects. I had all my other work to do, but in my spare time, I immersed myself in a series about crystal methamphetamine production in rural areas. It was a huge challenge, but it was fascinating, it was of public import, and I knew that was what I wanted to do.”

After two years as a cub reporter in the American South, David hungered for work with a wider readership and returned to Toronto. He left his adopted U.S. city to take an internship covering general assignments

highlighting egregious flaws in Ontario’s workplace safety regulations – a system that often refunded negligent companies with cash rebates that were greater than the fines they paid for workers’ deaths. The publicity and outcry sparked by The Star’s coverage resulted in sweeping changes at the province’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). In 2009, after a tip derived from an Afghanistan veteran’s offhand comment about his weekend exploits, David wrote an extensive series on the alarming number of instances where soldiers returning home from Afghanistan have been

David Bruser currently spends his life constructing intricate, and very clear, narratives as an investigative reporter with the Toronto Star... with the Toronto Star, whose circulation exponentially surpassed his previous paper’s.

The internship led to a stint as a reporter for the Business section, but David cites his less-than-stellar performance in the Finite Math course at Crescent as evidence that his mathematical skills weren’t quite suited for the Business beat. Around that time, however, Star editor Kevin Donovan started the paper’s investigations department and welcomed David aboard.

David’s major investigative stories have run the gamut since joining the team in 2007.

His work that year included an exposé on the disproportionate use of donor dollars for administrative and fundraising costs in some areas of the Canadian charitable sector. In 2008, David, under the guidance of Donovan, tested for the metal lead in children’s toys and found that about 25 per cent contained toxic substances. The story led directly to the largest product recall in Canadian history and was nominated for a 2008 Michener Award for excellence in Canadian public policy journalism.

That same year, David and his colleagues Moira Welsh and Andrew Bailey received the 2008 National Newspaper Award for

involved in crimes. Revealing a dismaying lack of resources for returning soldiers, the investigation garnered David his second successive National Newspaper Award.

His most challenging assignment to date was a 2010 series (co-authored with Toronto Star colleague Michele Henry) that presented an in-depth examination of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) – the government agency charged with monitoring police involvement and culpability in civilian injuries and deaths.

Combing through SIU records dating back over two decades, The Star ultimately found a “lack of results and little accountability” for officers involved in killing or maiming civilians. “It was an intense series,” David recalls. “It was very hard to get the officers’ side of the story. With a subject that acrimonious and difficult, we often found that there was an attitude that reporters didn’t have the right to investigate the police. Only other officers could do that.

When calls and e-mails were not returned, we showed up at officers’ homes, which prompted loud and swift complaints from police officials who said we had no right to knock on officers’ doors.” The series was

controversial, prompting angry responses from readers at the perceived antagonism of the police, but the story’s revelations added weight to the important debate not only over the issue at hand but also about the consequence and merit of watchdog journalism.

On that larger scale, David is very mindful of the shrinking number of newspapers who devote time and resources to investigative reporting, or “just reporting,” as he calls it. “The recognition I’ve received through awards is great, but I do think that it’s important to note that The Star’s leadership, and particularly my editor, Kevin Donovan, are to be commended for continuing support of long-term, in-depth reporting. It’s incredibly risky, because it takes time and money to send me out to investigate; there’s a huge risk versus reward on stories that may never be published if the investigation does not find something in the public interest.”

With fewer and fewer news outlets willing to designate staff and funding to investigative reporting teams, David is very mindful of the power investigative journalism can have. “I sweat the small stuff, largely because if I’m wrong, people can get hurt. You always have to make sure that you prove what you’re reporting is correct.” Citing “curiosity and aggression” as his key reporting skills, David offers that, “90 per cent of my job, like life I guess, is just about showing up. I don’t just make a phone call, I have to speak to people in person. You can’t just talk to the guy who opens the door, you have to knock on the neighbour’s door, and his neighbour’s door, and so on.”

With his unflagging tenacity, and a career devoted to helping society’s underdogs, David Bruser’s passion for his work is tempered with the weight of accountability for finding what he calls the factual “thesis” for every story. “Working for The Star is a huge responsibility,” David confesses. “I’m going to mangle this quote, but as one of my journalism professors once told us, ‘The press is a powerful thing when it’s dropped on your head’.”

David welcomes story tips and can be reached at dbruser@thestar.ca. n

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Alumni university Branch Visits Queen’s University – April 8, 2011

Riley Shaw, Duncan Macdonald, Christina Braid (S), Robbie Mitchnick, Robbie Dowler, Chris Galt, James Spencer, all class of 2009

Robbie Mitchnick ’09, Christina Braid (S), Dan Moor ’08

Brandon MacPherson ’09, Stephen Boeckh ’09, Taylor MacPhail ’10

Matti Keskikyla, Ian Grant, Matt Lam, Jonathan Li, Matt Wright, James Dent, all class of 2010

Philip Williams, David Cronin, Christina Braid (S), Robbie Dowler, Philip Lloyd, all class of 2009

Jeff McFarland ’10, Patrick Alton ’09

Tom Grant ’08, Brandon MacPherson ’09, Chris Dickinson ’08

London Branch Reception – May 12, 2011

Nicolaus Harnack ’88, Geoff Roberts (S)

Stuart Mercier ’00, Geoff Roberts (S), Jonathan Tredgett ’89

Basil Demeroutis ’87, Geoff Roberts (S), Jonathan Tredgett ’89

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Scott McGregor ’06, Stuart Mercier ’00, Graeme Doodnaught ’04, Sam Andrew ’04

Kaveh Malekanian ’05 , Alexander Ng ’05

Martin Thiel ’03, Geoff Roberts (S)

Alumni events Dentonia Luncheon – May 6, 2011

Fraser McKee ’38, Richard Wise ’41

Edward Saunders ’37, Alexander (Sandy) Stuart ’37, Geoff Roberts, William Greer ’37

Bruce Burgess ’57, Selwyn Owen ’60, Peter Corolis ’75

David Charron ’59, Cameron Anspach ’59

Douglas Kennedy ’57, Gordon Pritchard ’53, Fred May ’53

John Chernick ’54, Selwyn Owen ’60

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Alumni events How A Crescent Alumni Event Changed My Life

Cyrus Zahedi ’00 and Dave Williams ’82

I

t was September 2010 – my 10-year Crescent reunion. I was looking forward to this event, given that I had missed my five year reunion because of a conflicting work visa renewal process in New York. I was in the midst of MBA recruiting season, hoping to land a job so I could breathe easily until graduation. I came to see some old friends, and had no idea that my visit to Crescent would ultimately affect my career path.

I ordered a drink at the bar at the same time as another Crescent alumnus. I let him go ahead of me and he introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Michael Williams,” he said. I introduced myself, and he then asked me what I did for a living. “I’m actually doing a one-year MBA, ideally looking to do institutional sales at a bulge bracket investment bank after I graduate in April,” I said. “Funny you mention that,” he said. “I just became the COO of Capital Markets at HSBC in Toronto. We should talk.”

A few months later, we met for a cup of coffee, and he asked me some behavioural questions – mainly to see if I would be a good fit for the culture at HSBC. I could tell he was keen to help out a fellow Crescent grad, but I also knew he wasn’t going to just hand me a job.

Several months after I passed the “fit” test, Michael arranged six informational interviews for me with various HSBC sales desk heads and the Co-Heads of Capital Markets. Despite having positive conversations, there were no jobs at HSBC for MBAs at the time . . . yet I couldn’t help but think how hard it would’ve been to score three hours of face time with senior management at any other bank on Bay Street.

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I kept in touch with Michael throughout the school year, and he was always prompt to respond and provide me with helpful feedback.

Literally three days before I was set to graduate, an opportunity at HSBC was posted on my school’s online job board. The job involved a combination of institutional sales (a strong fit with my post-MBA goals), and credit analysis (a strong fit with my skill set and prior work experience). “Perfect,” I thought.

Before I applied online, I sent Michael an e-mail. “Do you know who is hiring for this position?” I asked. He not only gave

me the contact information of the person responsible for hiring, he also encouraged me to mention my positive meetings with him and other senior executives. I sensed that he was rooting for me, which was exactly what I needed as I was nearing the post-MBA unemployment line.

After three rounds of interviews, I received a job offer. I am now over a month into the job, and love it. Ironically, I work indirectly with Michael, and see him on a daily basis.

Sometimes I can’t help but ask myself, “What if I hadn’t gone to my reunion?”

The moral of the story: go to as many Crescent alumni events as you can! The Crescent family bond is strong, and you never know where it will take you.

Welcome to Grad BBQ – June 13, 2011

CYRUs ZaheDi ’00

Alumni Leadership Dinner – May 13, 2011

Friday Night Lights – May 13, 2011

Chris Candy ’02, Roger Thorpe ’89, David Budden (PS)

Daniel Cameron ’09, Dan Moor ’08, Jake Simon ’08, Brett Cameron ’09, Ian Grant ’10

Steven Curtis ’95 and Ross MacDonald (PS)

Kenneth Ng ’10, David Monus ’09

Angela Barbieri (S), Robbie Mitchnick ’09, Steve Dubrick (S)

Steven Curtis ’95, Andrew Flynn ’88

Riley Shaw ’09, Mark Fielding ’09, Sean McKerroll ’10, Jonathan West ’09, Brendan Metcalfe ’09

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Where are they now? tHe First cHamPionsHiP soccer team Fielded By crescent in 1974 Roy Bartell has been a Captain in the Toronto Fire Service for over 30 years. He is married with six children.

Martin Perantinos has been married for 28 years and has three children. Martin works for Travel Only as an agent, and also as a bartender at the Rogers Centre.

Peter Corolis is an Associate Director at Scotia McLeod in Toronto. Peter has been married to Christine for 19 years. Their two sons are Crescent boys – Harrison graduated in June and Matthew is in grade 11.

Mike Parry got married in July and moved to Port Perry. His son, James, attended Crescent, graduating in 2007.

1974 Soccer Team with coach, Dick Howard

I

t started in the usual way with the annual trip to Rochester New York to take part in the East High School Tournament and two creditable drawn games. The next trip to Port Hope was not as enjoyable with a 4-1 defeat to a strong TCS team. A wake up call because the team then went on a nine game unbeaten run before losing to SAC in the ISAA Tournament in Aurora..

Four days later on a wet, windy and muddy day the Coyotes triumphed 5-3 over that same SAC team to capture their first ISAA Championship.

The team: 3-3-4 Goalkeeper: Blair Howkins ’75 Defenders: Sandy Howkins ’77, Paul Sinclair ’76 (P’08), Glenn Macdonald ’76 Midfielders: Ian Douglas ’75, Ross Devenport ’77, John Galbraith ’75 Forward: Roy Bartell ’75, Martin Perantinos ’76, Peter Corolis ’75, Mike Selby ’77 Substitutes: Mike Parry ’76 (P’07), Ted Kemp ’75, Allan Day ’75 (P’06,’07) Injured (did not play): Dean Waterfield ’76 Manager: David Beale ’77 Coach: Dick Howard.

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Blair Howkins has been the owner of Work Office Furniture for 26 years. He has been married for 13 years and has five children.

Blair lives in Terra Cotta, Ontario.

Sandy Howkins is the manager of a company called Specimen Trees. He is married with three children and lives in Pitt Meadows, B.C. Paul Sinclair lives in Toronto where he is CFO of UBS Investment Bank in Canada.

He has been married for 24 years and has two children. His son, Bryan was in Crescent’s class of ’08.

Glenn Macdonald is the owner of a land development Company called Olde Towne Development. He is married with two children.

Ian Douglas is semi-retired and lives in Whitby. He and his wife have two children.

John Galbraith works for Oracle Corporation in Europe. John is married and has a 20 year old daughter. He lives in Basel, Switzerland and regularly attends FC Basel football games. John remembers “an incredible team spirit … and the muscle pain after the intensive training Mr. Howard put us through. After following football in Europe for over 25 years, I realize what a professional coach we had in Mr. Howard, and still think of the adrenalin rush we had winning our games.”

Allan Day is Managing Director at MGI Securities. Allan and Lynn have been married for 28 years and have three children.

Both of their sons are Crescent grads, Havilland in 2006, and Cameron in 2007.

David Beale lives in Port Hope with his wife and two children. David has spent 27 years with the Canadian Forces.

Dick Howard is back at Crescent as Director of Soccer. He continues to work as a Media Analyst and FIFA Technical Advisor. Dick and his wife, Anne Martin, live in the Beach area of Toronto.

We currently have no record of the whereabouts of Dean Waterfield, Ross Devenport (who played in goal for the Canadian National Youth Team), Mike Selby or Ted Kemp.

Many thanks to Fred Gaby’75 for conducting the research.

Ed. Note: Two members of this illustrious team, John Galbraith and Ian Douglas, also have the unique honour of being the only students in the 100 year history of Crescent School to have spent their entire school career from kindergarten to grade 13 at the School.

Both gentlemen attended the Dentonia campus, where schooling started at nursery level, and followed the move to the current campus, staying on as the grades were added. They were both members of Crescent’s first high school graduation class.

From the Archives crescent and cHaracter : BrotHers in arms From tHe Beginning responsibilities to their fellows. In the school’s first yearbook, the 1931 The Quill, he wrote that students “are in school for three reasons. The first is the development of character. Every action and every thought…have some influence on character...

It is the part of all of us to make our characters interesting and helpful to the world in which we live.” As Prize Day expanded under Williams, the most important awards were given for good character: the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Character, and the Hon. William D. Ross Medal for Character, Knowledge, and Sportsmanship.

t

he search for – and the promotion of – schoolboy character has long been a central and oft-stated goal on the Crescent campuses down through the years.

While Crescent’s founding Headmaster left no written records in which he emphasized the development of character during his tenure from 1913-1930, there is little doubt that he viewed it as an essential component of his educational philosophy. “The four great principles that Mr. James taught us,” Old Boy Charles Dalton ’24 recalls, “were Worship God, Honour the King, Love your Family, and Respect one’s Fellow Man.” There is no question at all how strongly Walter Williams, who served as Headmaster from 1930-1956, felt about the importance of a student’s character. Crescent’s first prospectus, at the beginning of the 1930s, stated clearly: The purpose of the School is to train boys in character, in knowledge, and in games. It is the aim of the School to develop right and vigorous character, at an early age, and to guide boys in their

This emphasis continued through the 1940s. The prospectus of 1940 repeated the statement noting the importance of training in character. An editorial in the Crescent School News, Christmas 1941, spoke of character development, along with responsibility, companionship, and initiative – all as part of the expected individual student growth on campus. Report cards from this decade included marks for conduct, neatness, and punctuality alongside the marks in each of the academic subjects, while reports for boarding students commented on student behavior, manners, and “association with boys.”

And this trend continues the following decade as well. The 1953 prospectus stated that, “The purpose of the School is to give boys a sound and thorough training in character, knowledge, and games.” Learning was seen not as an end in itself, but as training in character, mental alertness, and other attributes. A formal and detailed Memorandum for Masters at this time pointed out that, “The school is a small community dedicated to the development of character, mind, and body,” that “Each Form Master is responsible for the character of the boys

entrusted to him,” and that “Form Masters should feel responsible for the development of character in their boys.” By 1959 an advertisement for Crescent in Gossip magazine talked of “the strengthening of character” as a primary goal of the school.

Advertisements during the 1960s spoke of “early character training and the development of good work habits” in order to “enrich the mind.” Prospectuses into the next decade stated that Crescent offered “the strong leadership of a school designed to build character…to help the individual to discover his role in society and to direct his search for fulfillment into productive channels.”

The school’s Mission Statements of the 1980s and 1990s focus on encouraging boys to contribute responsibly to society, and on developing a sense of self worth and respect for others. And so on to Men of Character from Boys of Promise today.

Crescent and character have clearly been intertwined for many decades!

Neil Campbell, aRChivist

Thank you We would like to thank the following people for their significant donations to the archives: Bruce Burgess ’57, for the purchase and donation of a valuable painting of a young Crescent boy in his school blazer, circa 1927. (Include the photo of Burgess officially handing the painting over to G. Roberts) Fraser McKee ’38, for the donation of a copy of his most recent book on Canadian naval history, Three Princes Armed.

Anne Piper, for the donation of a 1925 Prize Day book, inscribed by the school’s founder, Jimmy James, and awarded to Arthur Kirpatrick.

It is the oldest prize in the school’s collection.

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Life After Crescent

life after Crescent

Jason Beck ’89 (aka Chilly Gonzales) was nominated for a 2011 Juno Award with his electronic album, Ivory Tower, and gave a fantastic performance with Drake at the Juno Awards in March 2011. He also wrote and starred in the motion picture Ivory Tower (2010). The plot focuses on Hershell & Thadeus, two chess-playing brothers, and their unhealthy rivalry over both the chessboard and a woman. andrew Blott ’89 and his wife Karen are pleased to announce the birth of Conrad Robert Allan on March 6, 2011. Siblings Harrison, Georgia and Amelia have fallen in love with their new little brother!

▲ Bruce Burgess ’57 Crescent School’s Dentonia champion, Bruce Burgess ’57, generously donated a very pertinent piece of art to Crescent: celebrated Canadian painter Fredrick Sproston Challener’s Portrait of a Boy in School Uniform. Crescent is very proud to have acquired this historical piece depicting a Crescent student sitting for the portrait in his School uniform. Crescent was first informed of the painting this past May. Bruce acquired it through auction, and then generously donated it to Crescent, knowing it had a rightful place in the School. The painting hangs prominently in the School’s reception area, outside Headmaster Geoff Roberts’ office. Crescent School thanks Bruce for his very kind donation of this wonderful painting, and for his continued commitment to Crescent School. tim stanley ’76 is a Partner and Senior Vice President of MMM Group Limited.

He lives in Vancouver, B.C. with his family.

Jonathan turnbull ’86 is a Managing Director at Lazard Ltd. in the Power, Energy, and Infrastructure Investment Banking Group. Jonathan lives in the Greater New York area with his wife, Tara Thorton, and their four children.

Chris Beck ’87 was nominated in the Best Original Score for a Documentary Feature category for his work in Waiting for ‘Superman’ by The International Film Music Critics Association. His score of Waiting for ‘Superman’ won the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score: Indie/Short/Documentary.

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▲

Barry Gordon ’87 is President and CEO of First Asset Funds, a Toronto investment management firm that launched a subsidiary, XTF Capital Corp., in June, 2011. Specializing in exchange traded funds (ETFs) that offer better risk-adjusted returns on a low-cost basis, XTF has debuted several ETFs on the Toronto Stock Exchange that are the first of their kind in Canada. Lee Goldman ’85, Senior Vice-President and Portfolio Manager at First Asset Funds, leads the investment management team at the helm of XTF, which plans to launch up to 15 funds by the end of 2012. Barry is the son of former Headmaster Chris Gordon, and Barry’s son, Oscar, is enrolled in grade 3.

Dan houck ’87’s short film, The Rose Seller, was screened at the Dance Media Film Festival in Los Angeles this past June.

Dan has been working on set as a film technician, and as one of several instructors delivering a two-day orientation workshop for all applicants interested in working for the film union. nicolaus harnack ’88 is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Castor Capital Advisors, a real estate and debt finance partnership that provides a full range of advisory services to investors, financial institutions, funds, family offices, and other participants in European real estate markets.

Nicolaus lives in London, England with his wife, Jacqueline, and their four children.

▲

struan robertson ’91 has been appointed as the new Head of Lakefield College School (LCS) in Lakefield, Ontario.

The Board of Governors deemed that Struan’s youthfulness, energy, international experience and leadership skills, combined with his deep passion for nurturing young people in their educational and co-curricular pursuits, make him the ideal choice as the new leader of Lakefield College School.

Struan was formerly the principal of the elementary school at the International School Bangkok (ISB) in Bangkok, Thailand, where he oversaw a student enrolment of 650 students and a faculty and staff of 125.

Struan and his wife, Jennifer, have three children: Jack (9), Molly (7) and Aidan (4).

The whole family is excited to be “coming home” and spending time with their families in Kingston and Toronto and at their cottage near Bon Echo Provincial Park.

sevag Boyajian ’01 has taken a position as a Supply Chain Agent at Bombardier Aerospace in Montreal.

Faizal Kara ’04 graduated from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto in 2010 and is now a Registered Pharmacist (R.Ph) in the province of Ontario.

▲ sevag Yeghoyan ’92 married Roubina Shnorhokian on June 12, 2010. Joining Sevag and Rouby at their wedding were fellow class of ’92 graduates (top row) Jay Mansoor, Cameron Heaps, Mark Crane, Sevag Yeghoyan, Richard Harris, Sergio Rattner, Damien Deveau. (Bottom row) Frederick Beserve. Sevag’s brother, Vahak (class of ’93), and Crescent faculty member Aaron Dion were also in attendance.

Jamie Campbell ’97 and Dr. Susan Tory were married on August 27. Jamie is a Senior Account Manager with the Media Creativity division of Astral Media, creating national advertising campaigns that integrate advertiser’s brands with the more than 80 owned stations and 300 represented stations under the Astral umbrella.

Campbell Quinn ’05 lives in Calgary and works as an engineer-in-training in the Integration, Commissioning & Startup division at North West Redwater Partnership.

Gordon Fu ’06 is an MHA/MD candidate at the Chicago Medical School.

Cory shankman ’06 is working on a Masters in Astronomy, focusing on Astrophysics, at the University of British Columbia.

▲ arman Draginov ’07 graduated this

▲ Filmmaker rob stewart ’97, who produced the award-winning documentary Sharkwater, continues to advocate on behalf of healthy oceans. Rob recently joined forces with Councilor Glenn De Baeremaeker and members of the Asian community to promote the ban of the sale, possession and consumption of shark fins within the city of Toronto, and to launch the Celebrate Sharks Summer Tour, an initiative aimed at gathering 10,000 signatures from Toronto’s Asian community in support of the ban.

summer from the University of Toronto, Trinity College with an honours bachelor of science degree. This fall, he begins a master of science degree in cell and systems biology under Dr. Ulrich Tepas at the University of Toronto. During his undergraduate days, Arman worked at The Hospital for Sick Children for two summers as a research student studying epilepsy.

He had a coauthored publication in a top journal in the field, with two more articles currently under review that are expected to reach publication. Outside of his studies, he is keenly involved in playing classical guitar. Recording often, Arman makes the occasional performance, usually somewhere on the UofT campus.

Justin Kwong ’07 has been accepted at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University. He begins his studies this fall.

Max stiss ’08 is a student at Bucknell University. Back after completing a term in Spain, Max is working as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technician and Teaching Assistant at Bucknell, where he helps faculty and students create and execute GIS projects and coursework.

In his capacity as a student, technician, and teaching assistant, Max works with the departments of geography, geology, engineering, biology, anthropology, and environmental studies. nathan Chan ’09 After having studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology for the past two years, Nathan Chan is heading overseas to study at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Nestled in the town of Eindhoven, two hours south of Amsterdam, the academy has produced some of the most exciting and influential contemporary designers and is listed as one of the most respected schools for product design in the world. Since first hearing about the academy back in grade 10, Nathan has always felt that it would be the right school for him, and can’t wait to begin studies this fall.

Phil Williams ’09 As a way to gain firsthand medical experience and to learn more about a part of the world largely unknown to him, Phil Williams travelled to Accra, Ghana this past spring. Phil was a medical intern in the Ghana Police Hospital and also worked to provide medical outreach to children at various orphanages in the area.

The people, the practice, the sights, and the overall experience that Phil had will not soon be forgotten, and he has already taken steps to travel to West Africa again soon.

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Class of 2011 university Placement In Ontario:

United States:

The University of Western Ontario ........ 20 Queen’s University ................................. 12 University of Toronto ..............................3 McMaster University ...............................2 University of Waterloo.............................2 Wilfrid Laurier University ........................2 Guelph University....................................1

Berklee College of Music .........................1 Duke University.......................................1 Harvard University ..................................1 Middlebury College .................................1 Oakland University ..................................1 Tufts University .......................................1 Queen’s University of Charlotte ...............1 Union College/Albany Medical School ....1 University of Southern California ............1

Other provinces: McGill University ....................................8 The University of British Columbia ..........8 Dalhousie University ...............................7 University of Victoria...............................2 King’s College .........................................1 St. Francis Xavier University ....................1

Overseas: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland .......2 The University of Dundee (Scotland) .......1 University of Leicester Medical School (England).................................................1

Gap year: ...............................................6

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Crescent School’s upcoming events 2011-2012 SEPTEMBER

Tuesday 20 Wednesday 21 Thursday 22 Friday 23 Saturday 24 Tuesday 27

US Curriculum Evening MS Curriculum Evening LS Curriculum Evening House Day/Terry Fox Run Coyote Kickoff and Alumni Homecoming, Alumni Reception Transition to University Evening

OCTOBER

Thursday 13 Thursday 13-16 Friday 14 Thursday 20 Thursday 27

Stransman Speaker CAIS national senior soccer tournament Faculty Visit to University of Western Ontario Careers Night Lower School Halloween Party

NOVEMBER

Wednesday 9 11-14 Wednesday 16 Thursday 17 week of the 14th Wednesday 23 Friday 25 Saturday 26

Remembrance Day Assembly Midterm Break Holiday Sale Cocktail Party Holiday Sale Alumni Branch reunion: Hong Kong Official Opening of Lau Family Wing American Thanksgiving Mentoring Panel FIRST Lego League Competition

DECEMBER

7-9 Tuesday 13 Thursday 15 Tuesday 20 23- January 9

US drama performance LS Winter Celebration MS/US Winter Celebration Alumni Holiday Reception Winter Break

JANUARY

Tuesday 31-Feb 4 Thursday 26

CAIS national U13 basketball tournament Accelerating Success: Getting the Career You Want

FEBRUARY

8, 9 17-20 Saturday 25

MS drama performance Midterm Break CISAA U10-U12 basketball finals

MARCH

Saturday 3 9-23

CISAA U13 basketball finals March Break

Black events are of most interest to current families Grey events are exclusive to Alumni Green events are of interest to the entire Crescent Community

CresCent sChool’s Mission:

Men of Character from Boys of Promise CresCent’s Core Values:

Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Compassion 55

In Memoriam

Alan Roy Upper ’43 Alan Roy Upper ’43 passed away in January, 2011 in his 76th year.

Donald Fullerton Donald Fullerton, the father of Geoff Fullerton ’77 and Steve Fullerton ’79, passed away on May 29, 2011. The former CEO, President and Chairman of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, he had served on Crescent’s Board of Governors from 1974-1980.

Ingrid Milic

Ingrid Milic, the mother of George Milic ’78, Alex Milic ’80, and Stephen Milic ’82, passed away on May 30, 2011. She was a strong supporter of the Crescent School Ladies’ Guild over many years, instrumental in establishing what has become the highly successful Coyote’s Den, and she served as President of the Ladies’ Guild in 1979-1980.

James Graham James Graham died on May 31, 2001, after a battle with cancer. A proud Scot, he was the most experienced Facilities Manager in Crescent’s history, a position he held from 1993-2004. His organizational skills and sound advice benefited the school greatly, and he was much respected.

Donald Fleming Donald Fleming passed away on June 22, 2011. Both he and his family were great supporters of the School and contributed substantially to its success over the years. Don served on the Board of Governors from 1991-1998, bringing a very useful entrepreneurial and questioning approach to its deliberations, and was elected Chair of the Board from 1994-1996. His wife Diane was on the executive of the Ladies’ Guild for several years, serving as its President in 1993-1994, and their three sons are all Crescent alumni, Michael ’95, Sean ’97, and Ryan ’01.

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Introducing

our

Newest

Alumni

Class of 2011

Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: CReSCent SChOOl Communications/Marketing 2365 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON, Canada M2L 1A2 www.crescentschool.org

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