Bridge Magazine June 2012

THE MAGAZINE OF COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL

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JUNE 2012

A Grade 4 student carves a piece of soapstone into a ‘kudluk’ or candle holder.

Soapstone carving has been a part of Grade 4 learning at Collingwood for over 10 years, and is part of the Inuit unit of Social Studies.

This year, Jenny Hayes, an Inu, spoke on the culture, displayed samples of tools and shared her stories about being a child in the North.

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The Qureshi Chronicles The 27 year tale of this Collingwood family parallels the history and evolution of our school

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Not Running On Empty Up close and personal with Dr. Riley Senft ‘97, after he completed his cross-Canada run in support of prostate cancer awareness and research

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Meet the Michael(s) This trio who share a first name bring varied skills to the classroom and stage, united by their passion for performance

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Around the World in 80 Ways University Guidance takes on the world visiting alumni and universities in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom

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Loud and Clear: Alumni Survey results What alumni had to say about their Collingwood experience and how it has shaped their lives

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Class Notes

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Small Plates

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Talking With: Jennifer Hobson

welcome to bridge It has been a number of years since we published “The Bridge”, Collingwood’s magazine featuring Collingwood students, faculty and alumni. The magazine was initially launched in 1993 and was named after the bridge of a ship, in keeping with the naming of our school after the HMS Collingwood.

Welcome to the new version of Bridge, which is available online and in print. You’ll notice that we’ve made a small change to the name.

While wishing to honour the name from the past, we see this publication as a bridge itself for reaching out, reconnecting, and sharing our stories with our Collingwood community.

So whether you’re flipping the pages of a copy of the magazine or turning the pages online, you’ll find some great stories in this edition.

Read about Dr. Riley Senft ’97, and what compelled this remarkable young doctor to interrupt his studies to run across Canada.

Follow the Qureshi Chronicles to see the school through the eyes of our ‘longest-running’ founding family. Meet the Michael(s), three of Collingwood’s talented faculty who share a passion for performance as well as a name. Catch up with our dynamic University Guidance team on their travels to cities far and wide in order to introduce current students to universities and to our out of town alumni.

We hope that you’ll enjoy your read, and we welcome your feedback and suggestions for future articles.

Welcome to Bridge!

staff & contributors editor in chief Susan Hazell contributing writers Shelley Williams Barb LaBounta design & art direction Barb LaBounta photography Rodger Wright Laura McIntyre Olive & Ash Photography

bridge

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

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Shelley Williams

www.collingwood.org

the

Qureshi

Chronicles

The 27 year tale of this Collingwood family parallels the history of Collingwood School

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atasha Qureshi’s graduation in June of 2011 marked the end of a remarkable 27-year educational journey of the Qureshi family; one of Collingwood’s founding families who would become the ‘longest-running’ family in the school’s history.

As Carole Qureshi reflected on over two decades as a Collingwood family, it became apparent that in many ways, the Qureshi story is also the Collingwood story.

Carole and Dr. Eshan Qureshi have four daughters, three of whom attended Collingwood School.

(Their other daughter, Samina, attended a school for children with disabilities.) Shazia, their oldest child, attended public school through grade 6 but by 1984 Carole and Eshan had become disillusioned with the public system. “It was really tough to be a parent at that time, trying to establish rules and guidelines, when it seemed that her school was focused on all the wrong things, such as smoking

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pits and lunchtime sock hops. We looked at Crofton and York House but it wasn’t an option for us to travel back and forth to either of those schools. So when we heard that they were having a meeting at St. David’s Church about starting an independent school in West Vancouver, that sounded like what we were looking for.”

At the time, the public school teachers were engaged in a series of strikes and walkouts, which only heightened the concern for many North Shore parents. Recalling the watershed meeting in St. David’s Church in 1984 where over 600 parents gathered to hear former Brentwood College Headmaster (and soon to be Collingwood’s first Headmaster) David Mackenzie talk about starting a new independent school, Carole remembered, “We went to that meeting and we never looked back. Many students came to Collingwood originally for similar reasons – their parents were unhappy with the public system and wanted a better educational experience for their children.”

Shazia entered Collingwood (housed at that time in the old Glenmore Elementary School premises) on the school’s Opening Day, September 9, 1984, along with 240 other students.

Uniforms had not arrived by opening day, but that was the least of the problems. Everything was in short supply. Few teachers, students or staff came to school any day without an inventory of items borrowed from home or purchased from local stationery shops. Henry Ellis, a pioneer parent, early director and subsequent chairman of the Board of Governors, remembers carrying textbooks to his law office to run off hundreds of photocopies.

– Collingwood School, The First 10 Years

Carole recalled, “Having the uniform was great; it took all those issues about what kids wear out of the picture. And having such small classes was wonderful.”

But she also remembers that with very modest facilities and hundreds of new families and teachers there were numerous growing pains. Happily, Shazia settled easily into her new school and thrived in the small school environment, graduating with Collingwood’s second graduating class in 1990.

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After graduating, Shazia went into nursing. “She had a wealth of experience helping with Samina and ended up working with special needs children and children with medical issues.” Shazia is now married and lives in Langley with her husband and two children.

In the early days there were rummage sales, hot-dog days, silent auctions, fun fairs, bake sales and theme nights that would keep the coins rolling in. Many of these events became a tradition, continuing to this day.

– Collingwood School, The First 10 Years

“I still remember helping at hot dog days - imagine getting excited about hot dog days, but everyone did!” Carole was also a volunteer for the Spring Fair, but in the early years, most of her time was spent with Samina. In fact, Carole and Eshan helped to start a school for children with disabilities that has continued to flourish, and Samina now lives on a biodynamic farm on Vancouver Island.

By the time their third daughter, Yasmeen, arrived at Collingwood for Kindergarten in 1988, the student population had grown from 241 students to close to 600 students. Plans were underway to acquire the land on which the school sat and build the $5.8 million Parents’ Wing to house the Senior School. Every Collingwood family was asked to guarantee $22,000 of the interim financing. “We all realized that it was necessary in order for the school to move forward.” Over 95% of families voted to participate in the proposal and the Parents’ Wing opened in April of 1990.

“The original gym was very small and was where the Morven library is now,” noted Carole. “Having the new gym was wonderful for athletics.” The new gym allowed Collingwood students to finally become competi-

Shazia, second from left, with fellow alumni and faculty member Julia Clarke on right.

tive in school sports. The expanded school size also provided state-of-the-art Senior School facilities, and allowed Collingwood to offer a much broader course selection.

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ump forward 10 years to the late 1990’s, when Yasmeen was in Senior School.

“Yasmeen was very academically focused, and the school really met the challenge.” In addition to excelling in public speaking and debating, Yasmeen was on the basketball team, the rowing team and also participated in drama. After graduating in 2000, she obtained degrees from the University of Toronto and Ryerson Polytechnic University and a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University.

Now an Emmy Award-winning freelance producer and journalist, Yasmeen has travelled the world reporting on a wide range of stories. She has produced, shot and edited television stories for BBC World News, PBS, and Al Jazeera English. In 2008, she was on the production team that won an Emmy Award for the story Taxing the Poor. In 2009, she went to Guantanamo Bay Prison to do a film about the prison. She later produced and reported radio documentaries about Sri Lanka’s 30 year civil war for CBC Radio and more recently has been working on a film about international adoption practices in Uganda.

Married in 2007, Yasmeen and her husband currently live in New York.

Yasmeen, behind the camera

And then, after a rather long while, along came the Qureshi’s fourth daughter, Natasha. “I couldn’t believe that I had to do it all over again!” laughed Carole. Natasha entered Kindergarten in 1998 in the beautiful new Junior School facilities at Wentworth. Like her sisters, she took advantage of all that Collingwood offered, including, by then, an extensive AP course selection and more robust four-stranded opportunities. Natasha set her sights on

Natasha and the Columbia Club Tennis Team

getting into an Ivy League school and is now attending Barnard College at Columbia University.

2010 – 2011 was a landmark year for the Qureshi family. Shazia celebrated her 20 Year Reunion, Yasmeen celebrated her 10 Year Reunion, and Natasha graduated from Grade 12. In their 27 years as a founding family, the family saw Collingwood evolve from a vision of a group of dedicated parents who sought a better educational experience for their children to a school so successful after 15 years that it had to build the Wentworth campus, to Collingwood School of today - Canada’s largest independent co-educational day school, offering an extensive academic program with a broad range of AP courses and an extraordinary range of opportunities in the arts, athletics and service.

While much changed at Collingwood over those 27 years, Carole noted that the fundamental things have not. “The teachers were wonderful, right from the beginning, and the school has always offered its students incredible opportunities that they would never have had in the public system”. As for her own three Collingwood grads, Carole proudly reported that they are all thriving - in very meaningful lives.

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not running on

empty

Dr. Riley Senft ‘97 proves that a worthy cause might be all the fuel you need

n the spring of 2011, Dr. Riley Senft ‘97, interrupted the fourth year of his residency in anaesthesiology and embarked on a remarkable crossCanada run to raise awareness and funds to battle prostate cancer. Running over 6600k and averaging 60 – 70k a day, arriving in Vancouver five months later he raised over $575,000 for the Vancouver Prostate Centre. Along the way, his campaign, Step Into Action, used the power of social media to spread his message of the importance of early detection of prostate cancer.

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How did you train for the run?

I used to run as fast as I could for as far as I could, so I had to convince myself to run slower so I could run longer. In the winter Winnipeg is so cold that you can’t run outside, so I ran on a treadmill until about March when I could start running outside. Every day after work I tried to run 20k in two hours. I did that four days a week, and then on the weekends if I wasn’t working I would run 20k in the morning and 20k in the afternoon.

That sort of got me through the training.

There was a deeply personal reason for the run: his father, Rod, was initially diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and it returned in 2010. By then, Riley’s grandfather had passed away from prostate cancer and two close family friends were also battling the disease. “I was angry that prostate cancer had inserted itself into my life and was having such a big impact on me and I wanted to come up with something to get back at it. I’ve loved running my whole life. Terry Fox was a huge inspiration so I wondered, could I do that? This was the biggest, hardest thing I could think of to raise the most amount of money and the most awareness, so that’s why I decided to do it.”

How was the run on your body?

When I started, my right hamstring was sore so I adopted a shuffle because I was protecting my hamstring on the icy roads. Then the shuffle evolved into a run and it put almost no pressure on my joints at all because my feet didn’t leave the ground much and I wasn’t pounding.

So I had no trouble with my knees, hips or ankles save for two big descents, one into Golden and then coming out of the Coquihalla Pass. That hurt my hips a lot.

Initially, Riley’s idea wasn’t met with enthusiasm by his family. “My parents tried to talk me out of it.

They worried about the physical demands of the run, could I get time off, would it adversely affect my residency? My friend David Bell was the first person who said, ‘That’s a great idea, let me help you.’ That’s all it took. Having just one person believe in me, in my cause, legitimized the idea and I started planning the run.”

Once the decision was made, his family became his biggest supporters. A close friend, Mike Downie, agreed to drive the Step Into Action RV for only a few weeks, but completed the entire run with Riley.

Riley wasn’t in top shape at the beginning of this run.

“I ran a lot when I was at Collingwood and when I went to medical school. But since I moved to Winnipeg for my residency, I had no time to do anything – you work all day, sometimes all night, the rest of the time you’re studying, and it’s minus 40 degrees outside for longer than you would think is possible. I started training at 216 pounds and completed the run at 171 pounds.”

Other than that, I had blisters all over my feet for the majority of the run. At the beginning of each day the blisters could be so painful, but you have to stop thinking about the pain and then you realize it goes away.

All in all, there was very little toll on my body, and I actually feel a lot better now than when I started.

Your parents are known for their philanthropy how did that shape your life?

I think the way my parents acted themselves, plus the way they brought us up resulted in the way my brother and sister and I are. Dad in particular stressed helping people and improving situations and that anything you do to make things better is worthwhile.

What was the most physically challenging part of the run?

It depended on the terrain and my fitness level.

The start was challenging because I wasn’t in top shape yet. Lake Superior National Park had some of the highest, steepest climbs of the entire trip. The prairies were tough mentally because there’s nothing to look at and you don’t feel like you’re making any progress.

And it’s 35 degrees, with no shade anywhere. It was like having a hot hairdryer blowing on your face all day long.

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Tell us some of the highlights.

Getting engaged was one of the biggest. I’d been going out with Sarah (Dr. Sarah O’Connor) for about six years.

We met at medical school in Ireland. I purchased the engagement ring in Toronto and ran with it for about a month before I got to Kenora, which is where I proposed.

Another highlight was having Roger Hatch, Dave Speirs and my buddies meet me in Merritt. I’d run 20k already that day and was taking a break in the RV. When I came out there was a large SUV behind us and out came Roger Hatch, Dave Speirs and fellow ‘97 grads Trevor Thomas, Rob Snowden, Josh McLean, Bryce Quan and Alim Abdulla; I was overwhelmed! They stayed the whole weekend and we watched the Rugby World Cup, which I hadn’t done with Hatch and Speirs in a very long time.

The final two days were awesome. Running past the Prostate Cancer Centre, all the people cheering me on as I arrived at the Olympic Cauldron . . . the Mayor even named the day after me and my cause! The next day I ran with a group across the Lions Gate Bridge and along Ambleside beach. When I arrived there were a thousand Collingwood students, faculty and friends waiting for me.

That was incredible!

How about low points?

Northern Ontario is very remote and we had no cell phone reception for three weeks. It was hot and we were doing long distances, which meant my legs were sore and my feet hurt. I felt like I’d been running through Ontario forever. I admit to thinking - What am I doing? Am I ever going to finish this?

153 10-hour days on the road 63k average per day

Did you ever think of quitting?

I only had 5 ½ months off so I was worried I might not make it in time, but I never thought of quitting. Part of it was sheer stubbornness on my part. Even if I had to crawl I was still going to do it; I was going to make somebody have to tell me that, “Your time is up and you can’t do it.” There were times I thought I might not actually be able to do it.

just the facts

8 pair of runners 6600+ k run from the Atlantic to the Pacific $560,000+ raised for the Vancouver Prostate Centre 1000+ Collingwood supporters at Ambleside homecoming 1 engagement

0 regrets

Arriving at Ambleside

Photo courtesy of Olive&Ash Photography

What did you listen to on your iPod? Lots of music, over and over and over. Old standards like U2’s Where the Streets Have No Name; the theme from Top Gun and Eye of the Tiger worked like a charm for inspiration. Tunes with the proper cadence for running had a powerful effect on my progress. I also listened to books I’ve always wanted to read like Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and Those in Peril by Wilber Smith.

When you ran what did you think about?

I decided I wanted to propose to Sarah. I decided that I really do like running, even though my feet were covered with blisters. I thought about how great it would be when the run was over and I didn’t have to run any more.

Why are men reticent to go to the doctor?

Stubbornness, stoicism and fear. Getting men to seek help when they have symptoms is difficult. Telling them they should see their doctor once a year when they feel fine, well, that’s really tough. Often men get symptoms but they wait and hope they’ll go away. They’re much better at denial than women when it comes to their health.

How’s your dad?

He’s finished radiation, hormone therapy; his PSA is suppressed so it’s as good as you can ask for. He’ll get checked every three months. At the moment he has no evidence of prostate cancer but all it takes is one immortal cell that refuses to die and can replicate forever.

So it can come back. He’s getting his strength back, he’s happy, he’s doing better and that’s all we can ask for.

With such a strong genetic component, early detection is essential for you, isn’t it?

Definitely. My brother and I depend on early detection. One or both of us is likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. The likelihood of that cancer being an aggressive form is much higher because of having two first degree relatives with the disease. It’s like all cancers – if you can find it, isolate it and remove it then you can kill it. If it spreads it’s very resilient and difficult to eradicate. And the problem with prostate

Did you take a complete break from medicine?

I completely turned it off. It occurred to me while running that this was the first time in about six years that I didn’t have to do any overnight shifts! I didn’t have a day on the run that was as tough as some of the nights that I’ve had on call.

What’s next for Step Into Action?

I think we’ve done a good job of raising awareness and we don’t want that to disappear. Groups for breast cancer awareness are excellent at promotion and we can emulate that. Women, in general, are much better at managing their health, so I think that if we don’t keep at this, awareness among men will dissipate.

Father Rod with Riley Photo courtesy of Olive&Ash Photography

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cancer is there are often no symptoms until it has spread.

So you have to be vigilant about discovering it before that happens.

You’ve finished this monumental run so how do you challenge yourself now?

I still have plenty of goals. Finishing my residency will take a lot of work, especially since I was five months behind my classmates. Everybody takes the exam at the same time, so I have a lot of work to catch up on to be ready for that.

Then I’ll look to getting back to Vancouver and getting a job. And of course I’m getting married and we’ll want to have kids soon, so that will be a huge challenge.

After his visit to Collingwood, Riley headed back to Winnipeg to resume his anesthesiology residency. He continues to raise funds for the Vancouver Prostate Cancer Centre and hopes this year to convert the RV into a BC based prostate cancer awareness and testing facility “to continue to spread the early detection message and ultimately save lives.” Dr. Senft is clearly not running on empty. In fact, we’d say his glass is rather full.

For more information about Riley’s campaign to raise awareness and funds to battle prostate cancer, and to support his cause, visit http:/stepintoaction.ca

inspired and inspiring 2011 grads and lifelong friends Willy Konantz and Taylor Scholz were so inspired by Riley’s run and by Willy’s father Don’ battle against prostate cancer that they decided to follow Riley’s lead. After completing their exams at the University of Western Ontario, they set off on May 2, 2012 on a 4500 km bicycle ride to West Vancouver. Like Riley’s campaign, their ride, Gear West: Our Ride for Men was dedicated to increasing prostate cancer awareness and the importance of early detection, and to raising funds for research at the world-renowned Vancouver Prostate Centre.

Accompanied by two friends, Mikhail Zalesky ‘11 and Yongku Jung, driving a support vehicle, the team journeyed across four provinces in under six weeks, fundraising and blogging as they travelled. They arrived in West Vancouver on June 9 to a triumphant welcome from hundreds of family, friends and supporters. By the end of their ride, their campaign had raised over $250,000 for the Vancouver Prostate Centre. Among the first to greet them as they crossed the finish line were the Senfts.

The Senft and Konantz families were friends for many years before a common diagnosis of prostate cancer brought them even closer. By sharing their personal stories they have dramatically increased awareness of the importance of early detection of prostate cancer, and through their extraordinary fundraising efforts they have raised over $800,000 for research at the Vancouver Prostate Centre. We congratulate them, along with Taylor, Mikhail and Younku, for all that they have done to battle this devastating disease.

Read about their ride on their blog at http://gearwest.wordpress.com or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/gearwest.fightforsomething

Mikhail Zalesky ‘11, Willy Konantz ‘11, Don Konantz, Yongku Jung, Taylor Scholz ‘11 Photo courtesy of Roger Husband

SI N VME SAT MRT ENT Let us introduce you to tomorrow’s Olympic Gold Medalist in figure skating.

Meet the next dedicated trauma surgeon at a major metropolitan hospital.

Say hello to the young engineer who will design the tallest building of the future.

Shake hands with the visionary entrepreneur who will lead the company that revolutionizes the way we communicate across the globe.

See the future in every student at Collingwood School.

Invest in your child, invest in the future.

COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL

Preparing young people to thrive in meaningful lives

M eet the M ichael (s) n

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A trio of “Mikes” share a passion for performance and teaching.

These working professionals bring their past and present experiences to the classroom, inspiring students to pursue their passion for music and drama.

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he first of the Mikes, Michael Perkins, is first and foremost a musician - he’s an extremely accomplished trumpet player who toured professionally in the United States, Canada and Europe. After being “on the road” for over 10 years, he obtained his teaching degree and settled in Kelowna to raise his family.

There, he developed an outstanding music program at Kelowna Secondary School where he taught for over 25 years, while also playing with the Okanagan Symphony, Kamloops Symphony, Vernon Opera Society, and with his own jazz quartet.

When he arrived at Collingwood in 2006, the school had a conventional band program, with

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jazz offered only as an extra-curricular activity.

He quickly moved jazz into a comprehensive instrumental music program that continues to expand. There are now a multitude of options in instrumental music, including jazz bands and combos, wind ensembles, and even a chamber orchestra.

It’s rare to find a chamber orchestra at a high school, so how did he manage to develop one at Collingwood? “I’d done it once already in Kelowna, so I knew it could be done. The first year was tough, with only five or six students trickling in. But somewhere along the way, being in the orchestra acquired a ‘cool’ factor, so now we have grown to about 35 players!”

MIchael Wener

MIchael Perkins

Michael Schaldemose

He was also fortunate to have a key group of talented musicians to work with, some of whom have gone on to pursue music in post-secondary studies: Austin Park ‘10, Sam McDonald ’10, and Amin Jazayeri ‘10. Talent is important, but Perkins is quick to note that it’s not just about how you play, it’s about what you play. “You need to understand what pieces will work for the kids. I’ll present a full repertoire including swing and funk, but the ultimate choice has to be geared to the particular ensemble.”

Perkins is delighted to work in a school that has such a strong music program. There are six music teachers on the two campuses, which makes for an integrated program from Grade 1 through Grade 12 in both choral and instrumental music.

The program is clearly successful. “In 2010 we competed at the BC Interior Jazz Festival with 70 other bands from BC, Alberta and Washington. We took the top band in the senior category, plus a lot of personal awards. It was great!”

Since then Collingwood musicians have won numerous awards at music festivals such as the Kiwanis Jazz Festival and the Kiwanis Orchestra Festival.

It’s evident how Perkins has achieved so much success with his students in a relatively short period of time. “I love what I do; I’m passionate about music and teaching. I strive for excellence and abhor mediocrity. I’m very direct and honest with students, and I bring 30 years of teaching into every class. I work hard at my craft and the kids respond to that.

I think we have a good time together and I know that will continue!”

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M

eet Michael(s) Schaldemose and Wener, our own dynamic duo of drama. Did you know that Michael Wener was once a pre-law student and Michael Schaldemose took his first theatre class in high school because he couldn’t get into auto mechanics?

We’re glad that neither of those career options panned out!

The two met at UVic back in 1987 where Wener was doing his Masters and Schaldamose was a senior in theatrical design. Although Schaldemose was perceived to be more of a “techie”, Wener cast him as the Burgermeister in The Visit and thus began a partnership that has spanned more than two decades. Ascribing to the philosophy of their mentor, Allan Stitchbury, the director and the designer aligned with each other; the kind of collaboration necessary to make really great theatre. Once back in Vancouver, they formed “Way Off Broadway” and began producing plays around town including at The Fringe Festival, with many great reviews. Then they toured together in Europe, usually featuring Schaldemose as the main actor in their productions, with Wener appearing in certain shows as well.

Wener’s most memorable part was in a show called Kvetch, which Schaldemose directed. The pair were nominated for four Jessie Awards for the show and Schaldemose won for best direction. (The Jessie Richardson Awards, or “Jessies”, are Vancouver’s equivalent of the Tony Awards).

Success in theatre does not always equal a large pay cheque, as Wener affirms, “If you’re out there actually doing theatre, without concern about financial success, that’s all you can really ask for.” So why did Wener migrate to the world of teaching?

“I had kids! When that happens the universe wants to make sure you can take care of them.

Doing theatre is

The Crucible

The Crucible, 2009, a favourite show

not enough to sustain a family.” Wener joined Collingwood in 1999. Schaldemose followed a few years later, helping out with lights and designing scenery for a few shows, and eventually stepping up as director for some of the Middle School cast productions.

black box theatre, allowing for any stage and seating configuration,” notes Schaldemose. State of the art lighting technology will allow for expanded instruction in technical theatre. “You might have a student who is not an actor but could be a brilliant sound or lighting designer. If you can’t expose them to that side of theatre, they will never know.”

Schaldemose is pleased that the architects have listened to his ideas and relied on his extensive expertise in technical theatre and believes the new theatre space will be absolutely perfect. Perfect not only for the two Mikes, but for everyone else who will use the space. “The theatre will have a sprung wood floor so that the dance department can use the space. Imagine a cabaret-style fundraiser with sophisticated lighting, or a school dance. We’re making sure it will be useful for everybody,” says Schaldemose.

Teaching and mentoring young thespians plus directing and designing high quality productions is working well for these two Mikes. Wener tells us, “We’re both happy. We actually look at our jobs and say, wow, I really do want to do theatre here for the rest of my career.”

The pair say working at Collingwood is great: they can do big shows that feature large casts, giving more students the opportunity to be on stage. Never shy about presenting thought-provoking material, plays such as The Diary of Anne Frank, Amadeus and The Crucible have graced our stage, always with sets, costumes and lighting with the highest production values. Students have the opportunity to stretch themselves in challenging parts, and a second cast for Middle School students is often added.

Wener and Schaldemose not only direct and design, they also have to teach and mentor their students. Although the pair choose shows with large casts, not every audition results in a role for a student. “You have to be honest, you have to take care of them and let them down in the nicest way possible, you have to offer to help them with their next audition,” says Wener. Schaldemose adds, “They bounce back really fast, and the ones who are really interested will come back and audition again, and they do get parts.”

These Mikes are already busy reading scripts for the next season and are extremely excited about the new theatre space that will be part of the expansion and renovation at the Morven campus. “We are actually building a very flexible 15

d n u o r A T HE World IN

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WAY S

Collingwood School’s intrepid University Guidance counsellors may not have visited 80 universities around the world just yet, but they are working on it. By the conclusion of the 2011/12 school year our counsellors will have visited over 45 post-secondary institutions across North America and Europe.

d Merry Olde Englanalu mni are studying

Numerous Collingwood ties such as Oxford, at prestigious UK universi and Birmingham.

Cambridge, Manchester ‘07 grads Nadim Jiwa, Here we caught up with Robinson, also known Lilize Maree and Baxter as “The London Gang.”

The impact of increased globalization is evident within our own alumni community. Over the past two years the proportion of students seeking opportunities outside the more traditional local choices has increased dramatically. In fact, the graduating class in 2011 received acceptances to more than 120 different schools around the world.

Visits to various schools provide our counsellors with direct and personal information about the culture and programs offered. Counsellors meet with admissions officers, tour campus facilities and even attend classes and lectures, allowing them to bring back first-hand knowledge about a school that might just be the perfect fit for your Grade 12 student.

While out on the road, our counsellors combine their university visits with one-on-one time with Collingwood alumni currently attending that university. Our alumni are one of our greatest resources: their feedback about the institutions they attend is invaluable in helping guide the graduates of tomorrow. Our alumni are not only graciously giving of their time to meet with our counselling team, they are willing to share their experiences through short video messages that are being used by our current students and their families. These warm, personal messages are becoming an integral part of the University Guidance process at Collingwood School.

The University Guidance group sees their guidance cycle as a continual feedback loop with alumni stories enriching the current experience of students considering their post-secondary options.

Here are just a few of the memorable moments from University Guidance tours since 2010.

North to Scotland

The UK is proving to be a destination location for our alums where they can study med icine, dentistry, pharmacy and law at an und ergrad level.

Aslihan Shah ‘09, here at the Univers ity of Edinburgh, was happy to share her thou ghts about her new school on video.

Across to Irela

nd Another UK fa vourite destinat ion for underg programs in m rad edicine. We ca ug ht up with Jane Harbottle ‘02, who is also a Trinity Colle Scholar. Unive ge rsity Guidance w ill also be visiting six additional unversities in Ireland in 2012.

Canada contingent

at Canadian We’ve visited Collingwood students g McGill, universities from coast to coast includin en’s, Acadia, University of Toronto, Ryerson, Que Concordia, Mt. Allison and Dalhousie. ni at Here we met up with quite a few alum UBC Okanagan!

Northeast Know-How

Collingwood alumni are attending pow erhouse post-secondaries! So far we’ve caught up with them at Brown, Boston University, Tuf ts, Boston College and Harvard.

Eduardo Angus, ‘10, is very happy with his choice to attend beautiful Brown University in Rhode Island.

California con n

ection We know it ne vers rains in So uthern Califor so maybe that’s nia, why so many of our alumni are flocking to USC , Pepperdine, C hapman, and many schools in the University of California system. Here are Jeff Shafran ‘09, Samara Slat and Jennifer H er ur, both ‘11, at USC.

university guidance catches up with Sarah Goldberg ‘03 Within a year of graduation, Sarah was attending the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. After a three year program of 12 hour days, both exhausting and exhilarating, she graduated with a BA in Drama and landed her first show in the West End, which lasted for three months.

What followed was the “year of no’s”: too many auditions that didn’t culminate in castings, waitressing to make ends meet with the odd small job doing voice overs or internet advertisments.

Goldberg was just about to pack it in and move back to Vancouver when a friend asked if she was available to come along to an audition. That audition landed her not one but two roles in Clybourne Park, Bruce Norris’ comedy about American racial and social divides. Her performances as Betsy and Lindsey garnered her an Olivier Award nomination for best supporting actress. After a successful eight month run, Goldberg once again found herself searching for the next great part. That came along when she was cast as Alison in the limited engagement off-Broadway revival of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger.

What’s next for Ms. Goldberg? Only Sarah and her agent know for sure. Having an impressive list of credits in London and now a New York debut will surely serve her well. How does she feel about walking to work each day on the Great White Way? “Well,” she says, “that’s something that will never get tired!”

loud and clear ALUMNI SURVEY RESULTS

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In 2011, Lookout Management Inc. (LMI) conducted a comprehensive survey of Collingwood’s alumni. Over 230 alumni responded, allowing LMI to generate a confidence level of 90% +/-5%. Here are some of the key results from the report:

the good news

On the scale from 1 to 5, alumni rate their general satisfaction with the student experience at Collingwood at 4.3, with only five respondents rating their general satisfaction below a score of 3

Top ratings went to: quality of teaching (4.2), academic program (4.2) and service program (4.0)

The Explore Program (4.2), Social Sciences (4.1) and Speech & Debate (4.1) programs are leaders in the eyes of alumni

Collingwood alumni consider themselves well prepared on their arrival at university. Respondents consider themselves best prepared for working independently at 4.3 on the 5-point scale

Among events attended by alumni, “a class reunion for your year” enjoyed the highest rating, at 3.7

Among prospective programs, alumni showed the greatest interest in mentorship, cited by 44%

65% of respondents expressed an interest in becoming a Collingwood volunteer

63% said they would participate in online career networking

90% of alumni prefer to receive most communications from the school via email

the not so good news Only 17% of respondents use the Collingwood School website to stay up to date

ALUMNI TOLD US

Only 48% are interested in joining the Collingwood School Network on LinkedIn

our greatest strengths were

Our faculty . The four strand system . The well-rounded approach to education The support and attention paid to each student . Academic preparation

areas for improvement are

Athletic facilities . Morven campus is outdated and needs improvement Improvement in preparing students for the heavy amounts of writing required in university More financial assistance for those who could benefit but cannot afford to attend Students should wear the uniform properly 19

alumni class notes

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1994

1995

Rebecca J. Scott

Sarah (Carlsen) Brar and Rene Brar

Rebecca writes, “After completing my Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology last year, I have recently opened a private practice at the Westview Wellness Centre in North Vancouver, offering counselling support for adolescents on a broad range of issues including eating disorders, peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, anxiety, depression, family and relationship struggles - basically any and all teenage angst!”

After living in Los Angeles for eight years, Sarah and Rene have moved back to Vancouver and welcomed their son, Tennyson, into the world. This summer they are premiering their second feature film, Outside Hope, which Rene directed and Sarah produced. Their last feature film, Taylor’s Way, had a very successful run on the international festival circuit.

1996 (and 99) Nicole Humphries & Paul Voorhoeve Although Nicole ‘99 and Paul ‘96 are both alumni, it wasn’t until after graduation that they got together.

Nicole was in Toronto working for the CBC while Paul was out meeting with hospitals as he was finishing his medical degree at UBC. They married in the Fall of 2009 and their son Christian was born in December 2010.

The family is now settled in Vancouver with Paul realizing his dreams of becoming a surgeon. Future plans include living abroad, but for now they are loving their life of “three’” and watching their son grow.

Paul, Christian and Nicole

Tom Sanderson ‘96 When we checked in with Tom, Flight Test Director at Boeing, in June of 2011, he passed along this news: “Audrey, our third child, just started walking! My wife Carson is busy taking care of Daniel (5), Riley (3), and Audrey (1). I’m working on flight testing the Boeing 787, which we should start delivering to our first customer in the Fall of 2011.” So if your next flight is on a new B-787, you have Tom to thank!

Tom Sanderson

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1999

Murphy and Rebecca

Rebecca Rowley and Murphy Tarves Rebecca Rowley recently married Murphy Tarves in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, surrounded by friends and family.

The couple met in Vancouver in 2010 and have just purchased their first home together near Commercial Drive. They are nervously excited about moving in and renovating. Both love the West Coast and are very happy to be living here after stints abroad and in Eastern Canada.

2000

2007

Christopher Howard Christopher is the Head of Business Development and Head of R&D for GreenBlue, a green technology startup in Toronto which he helped launch. He is currently in Boston pursuing an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management and will soon be celebrating his two year anniversary with wife, Dolly. Sam Tam ‘00 was one of the groomsmen.

Also at the wedding were Christian Hordo ‘00, Ashley Perry ‘00, Christopher Baggott ‘00, Mike Pines ‘00, Anita Lai ‘01, Shannon O’Neill ‘99, and retired faculty Stew & Val Morton. His brother Reid Howard ‘02 was his best man.

Karl Heilbron

After graduating from the University of Western Ontario I am pursuing a three year PhD in Zoology at the University of Oxford in England.

I will be investigating the genetic changes that occur when dangerous bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. And as if that isn’t cool enough, I’ll be getting paid to do it due to a generous Clarendon Scholarship (funded by Oxford University Press), despite exorbitant overseas student fees!

Although jolly old England seems far from home, I have reunited with my best friend, fellow ‘07 graduate Baxter Robinson, who was accepted to do his MSc in Economics at both the London School of Economics and Cambridge University!

I suggest you get his autograph now because it will cost you a lot more in ten years.

Dolly, Christopher, Reid and Sam

Ms. Embury, Karl & Mr. McDonald

(cont.)

alumni class notes

2001 Erin O’Neill and Tyler Weese

Erin ‘01 and Tyler recently got engaged after meeting back at McMaster University while pursuing their Commerce degrees. After dating in Toronto and by long distance while Erin lived back in Vancouver, they got engaged this past fall and are looking forward to their upcoming Vancouver wedding in August 2012.

While they now both call Toronto home (with their puppy Kona) Erin has hopes of one day luring Tyler back to the West coast as she misses the mountains, ocean, friends and extended family.

Erin & Tyler

2004 David Gelinas and Stephanie Garder

David Gelinas ‘04 and Stephanie Gardner are getting married on July 28, 2012 at the Capilano Golf & Country Club. Dave and Stephanie both grew up on the North Shore but didn’t meet until studying at the University of Western Ontario. They are excited to get married this summer and continue their lives with each other in Vancouver.

David & Stephanie

2004 Kathryn Gelinas and Marc De Cotiis

Kathryn Gelinas and Marc De Cotiis, who met at Collingwood, are happy to announce they were married on May 26, 2012 at their family cabin at Birken Lakeside Resort. Kathryn and Marc currently live in New Westminster with their son, Nathaniel.

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

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Nathaniel, Kathryn & Marc

small plates TORONTO to TEXAS Our alumni live and work in many different cities and towns around the world and enjoy dining at some of the finest and most fun eateries.

When asked, “where’s your favourite place to eat?”, these responses came our way from back East and South of the border: Toronto, ON: The heart of the Financial District is home to Osteria.

Christopher Howard, ‘00, says “the food at this Italian gem will blow your mind.

You’ll have to tow the line with the wait staff though, because they’ll refuse requests for substitutions or won’t allow you to sit in the bistro section and order from the dinner menu.” This may remind you of a famous episode of “Seinfeld”, but don’t despair, the food is well worth it.

Another fave is the the warm and homey Tango Palace Coffee Company.

“Sure, coffee shops in the big city are more than plentiful, but Tango Palace is a standout with its solid brass hand-made espresso machine that stands over three feet tall and produces some of the best java you’ll ever taste!“ Artisanal sandwiches and homemade biscotti make Tango Palace the perfect choice for a quiet weekend morning, or any morning.

Austin, TX: The “live music capital of the world” boasts numerous top notch restaurants and a flourishing gourmet food truck community. Twin alumnae Wynne and Valerie LaBounta ‘09, love the fresh and forward thinking food at Foreign & Domestic where the menu changes with the best of each season.

Another recommend is the modern Mex at La Condesa: you won’t want to miss the Mexican style “street corn” elotes, which is so delectable you might want to sing.

staff pick When surveyed, the staff at the Morven campus declared a clear fave: it’s the breakfast burrito from the Morven cafeteria! Freshly prepared each morning by the kitchen wizards from Gemini Food Services, these wraps are brimming with burrito goodness. It’s not unusual to see David Buchan, Head of Department, Performing Arts, waiting for one of these plump wonders hot off the grill. He declares the breakfast burrito, “the perfect fusion of eggs, potatoes, peppers and salsa fresca, all lovingly wrapped in a warm tortilla. There are quite a few of us here who are devotees of the burrito!” The breakfast burrito is healthy and reasonably priced making for a growing and loyal fan club of teachers and students, so hats off the the Caf Staff for bringing a bit of Mexico to Morven. ¡ V iva el burrito!

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talking with...

JENNIFER HOBSON

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We caught up with Jennifer Hobson, Head of Department, Social Studies, who’s been with the School since April Fools’ Day in 1987. She offers a unique perspective on teaching where your kids go to school and who she’d invite to dinner, among other things.

If you could have dinner with three people, living or not, who would they be and why would you invite them?

The grandparents I never met - my mom’s mom and my dad’s dad. It would be wonderful to learn about who they were and how they became the parents of my amazing parents. I’d invite Jesus - because, really, why not? That’s actually three already, but if I can throw in one or two more, for some strange reason, either Pierre Trudeau or Bill Clinton because I would enjoy getting a glimpse of their perspective of power, intellectual strength, world view; and because I love history.

Tell us a little about what its been like to teach at the same school your children attend.

Strange and wonderful; probably better for me than for them, but to know where they are every day, to know that they’re safe and in excellent hands has been a huge blessing!

What’s the most important lesson you’ve ever learned?

To try and live without regret.

Tell us a little about the last great book you read.

Well, I won’t say it’s a great book, but I recently read The Hunger Games and found the distopic vision intriguing because it’s just so dark! I wanted to know what all the fuss was about, before the movie was launched, and my younger daughter had really enjoyed the series so I wanted to know what was feeding her thoughts.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would that be? Why do you want to go there?

Africa - preferably Kenya or western Africa, but anywhere in Africa would do. Because it has always intrigued me, it’s vast, and I think it would change me.

Whom do you admire most?

My mother.

What is the one skill or talent you wish you had?

I wish I understood math. I’m not sure why, except I think it would open doors I can’t open.

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Jenn and the newest member of the Hobson household: puppy Kona

The task for the team was to build a foundation for a school for the children of the village.

The work was very strenous but extremely rewarding. Our volunteers left Barind strangers no more, but dear friends of the many children who will attend the school in the future.

round square service - india 2012

Grade 12 students Lexi McDonald and Stephanie Eggertson enjoy a camel ride with a friend on the shores of Lake Fatehsagar at the conclusion of their Me to We service trip to India.

Accompanied by teachers Meg Chamberlin and Andrew Shirkoff, 16 Collingwood students were greeted in the village of Barind with a colourful and elaborate welcome.

FIND OUT THEIR GRADES WHILE YOU’RE SHOPPING FOR THEIR DINNER You’re on the move and we’re right there with you.

With our new mobile website and iPhone app you can be connected to Collingwood wherever you are.

Visit the iPhone app store to download the free app App for Blackberry coming soon

COLLINGWOOD ON THE GO