HSCReview
Pride In The Ranks
As a deputy chief in Peel Region, Lauren Jackson '03 is one of the few senior female police leaders in Canada
The magazine for the Hillfield Strathallan College community
JUNE 23 –AUGUST 22
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Mission in Motion
Storytelling boosts the power of HSC’s ethos
YEARS AGO, HSC embarked on a journey to articulate a mission statement that would truly capture the essence of learning and growth within our community—a statement that would resonate with students, staff, parents and alumni alike. The process was deeply collaborative, with students playing a vital role in shaping the ideals and guiding principles that define HSC. What emerged from that thoughtful process has become so much more than a slogan; it's the very compass that guides us: Learn with Joy and Live with Purpose.
As Head of College, a vital part of my role is ensuring that this mission isn't just words on a page, but a living, breathing presence in daily life at HSC. We strive to weave it into the fabric of everything we do, from classroom lessons to extracurricular activities, from leadership decisions to the smallest acts of kindness.
One of the ways we keep our mission at the forefront is through a simple yet powerful practice. Each week, I meet with our leadership team—including school principals, department heads, and key staff—and before diving into our agenda, we begin with “Mission Moments.” These are shared anecdotes, experiences, and observations from the past week that highlight how our mission is being lived out across our community. It might be a student's science fair success, a teacher's pursuit of a master's degree, a remarkable outdoor trip, an alumni’s community service award, or even a simple act of compassion witnessed on campus. These Mission Moments not only celebrate accomplishments, they help centre us as a team and remind us why we come to campus every day.
In the pages that follow, you'll encounter a glimpse of the inspiring stories, remarkable talents and contributions of our alumni. From a trailblazing female leader in law enforcement to a dedicated physician improving health care, our graduates are making a real difference in the world. These stories, and countless others happening every day—both on our campus and across the globe—are the validation of our mission, the proof that HSC graduates learn with joy and live with purpose.
But the stories don't stop there. Storytelling fuels HSC’s mission. It's how we share our values, inspire each other, and celebrate our achievements. We know that countless more inspiring moments are happening every day, and we invite you to share your Mission Moments with us. Let's keep the HSC story—our story —going strong. Together, we can ensure that the HSC mission continues to inspire and empower generations to come.
By Marc Ayotte Head of College
“Mission Moments not only celebrate accomplishments, they help centre us as a team and remind us why we come to campus every day.”
by Arran
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Generations Connected
HSC’s alumni play a vital role in ensuring a thriving future for the College
LEGACY. It’s a word that resonates deeply within the HSC community. It speaks to the enduring values, traditions and experiences that bind us together across generations. It’s the sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves, a connection to the past that shapes our present and inspires our future. And it’s a profound responsibility—to uphold the standards of excellence that have defined HSC for so many years and to ensure that the HSC experience continues to enrich the lives of future generations.
But legacy is not just about preserving the past; it’s also about building upon it. It’s about recognizing that tradition must evolve to remain relevant in an ever-changing world. Legacy is a dynamic force, a bridge between what was and what will be.
In this issue, you’ll find a piece sharing the stories of three families who remind us of the power of tradition, the importance of passing down values, and the unique bond that exists between parent and student. They offer a testament to the enduring appeal of HSC—a place where tradition and innovation intertwine, where the values of the past inform the vision of the future. They also remind us that each generation contributes to the ongoing story of HSC, adding their own chapter to the rich tapestry of our history.
The tradition of HSC isn’t just about brick and mortar or time-honoured customs. It’s about the shared experiences, the lasting friendships, and the transformative education that shapes HSC graduates. And it’s about the incredible alumni events that bring us together time and again. From spirited reunions and homecoming celebrations to insightful alumni panels and networking opportunities, these gatherings reinforce the traditions we cherish and create new memories that strengthen our bonds. They are vital threads in the fabric of HSC legacy.
As alumni, we are the custodians of this legacy, both the old and the new. It’s our responsibility to ensure that the traditions we cherish are preserved and that we are open to the possibilities of the future. It’s our responsibility to adapt and innovate, so that the opportunities we were given are extended to future generations of HSC students, equipped to thrive in a world we can only begin to imagine. Our active participation in the life of the College, through events,
By Rob Alexander ’89 President, HSC Alumni Association
“Legacy is not just about preserving the past; it’s also about building upon it.”
mentorship and engagement is essential to the strength of that legacy.
This HSC Review is a celebration of our legacy—past, present, and future. It’s a reminder of the powerful connection that binds us together and a call to action to continue the tradition of excellence and evolution that defines HSC. I encourage you to read these stories, reflect on your own HSC experience, and consider how you can contribute to the legacy that we all share. The strength of HSC’s legacy is directly tied to the engagement and passion of its alumni. What role will you play in shaping the future of HSC?
College Life
All in the Family
Alumni who return to HSC as parents delight in sharing the experience with their kids
Stories by Alex Berry
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING that parents only want the best for their children. Sometimes, it can be hard to know what the best is, but for Puja ’01 and Eric Nanayakkara ’99, deciding where their two young children went to school was easy. “HSC stood out among all other options,” Eric says, explaining that in spite of his and Puja’s alumni connection to the College, they still proactively investigated other options. “It was our responsibility to look into other schools and doing so emboldened our decision to send our children to HSC.”
At HSC, a legacy student is defined as someone whose parent or grandparent went to the College for one year at minimum. While a familial connection doesn’t change the admissions process for legacy applicants, HSC’s admissions team finds value in having students with a generational tie to the College. “Often these students become our greatest ambassadors,” says Sheriann Heath-Johnston, HSC’s Director of Enrolment. “They come to us with an ingrained understanding of HSC’s values, passed down from the alumni in their lives.”
Deepa Ganatra ’91, who attended HSC’s Montessori school for her Casa years, has four children with her husband, Kartik Ganatra ’88. While they didn’t meet at the College, the couple always wanted to give their kids the HSC experience. “It was our top choice when our eldest was approaching school age, but we were hesitant about the commute and believed it was important that they attend a school alongside their neighbours,” says Deepa. It was only when they enrolled their two youngest, Naina ’24 and Chaya ’25, in HSC’s Senior School that they realized how embedded the College was in their community. “I was surprised to discover how many neighbourhood kids also boarded the HSC bus,” she says.
Deepa and Kartik provide unique insight into the value of HSC, having watched their two eldest go through public schools for their high school years. “Now that we’ve seen the many opportunities available to Naina and Chaya at HSC, we sometimes wonder what our eldest two, who did well from their public-school experiences, could have achieved from the HSC education,” Deepa says.
Beverley Chan ’98 also finds herself comparing school experiences and delights in both the differences and similarities between her time at HSC and that of her son
by Emily Malcolm
Photos submitted
Nathaniel ’29 as he makes his journey through Middle School. “It’s incredible that we’ve been taught by the same teachers,” Beverley says. In addition to the consistency of faculty, Beverley credits HSC’s school life calendar as a major determining factor in enrolling Nathaniel 11 years ago. “I’m so impressed by the amount of co-curricular clubs and activities that are offered. Compared to when I was there, students have such a variety of opportunities to find an activity they love. It also means I don’t need to worry about signing Nathaniel up for activities elsewhere.”
For the Nanayakkaras, it’s HSC’s sense of community that they value most. Eric fondly remembers the special connection he had with his teacher, Ruth Mosley, who was a comforting face to see when he and Puja were dropping their eldest off for her first day of school. “Early connections with adult role models have monumental impacts on young minds,” Eric says. “Having that continuity of care and belonging builds a foundation for a successful adulthood.”
As an HSC Lifer, Puja is looking forward to seeing her son Charles ’39 and daughter Kaya ’37 experience the same sense of camaraderie that she felt playing on HSC’s first Senior girls’ basketball team to qualify for the OFSAA championships. “The sense of accomplishment that we felt having worked
together towards a goal is something I know our kids will experience at HSC.”
And so, as these alumni watch their children walk the same halls, the benefits of being a legacy student come to life in shared experiences that weave parent and child into the same cherished story. It’s Eric, watching his kids pick apples from the same barrel he once raced to as a boy. It’s Nathaniel, seeing his mother’s name inscribed on a plaque outside Lawson Hall. It’s Kartik returning to campus to celebrate Carol Service with his daughters. These moments aren’t just echoes of the past; they’re threads of continuity, binding generations to a tradition that grows richer with time.
Above Kartik and Deepa with their daughters Naina (left) and Chaya (right) at Carol Service.
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The Nanayakkaras share joy in the tradition of choosing an apple for snack time.
Unplugged Yet Still Connected
HSC has delved deep into the issue of a device-free school day with the help of two expert partners
“I’M GOING TO ASK YOU ALL TO TAKE OUT YOUR PHONES,” Jake Ernst told HSC’s faculty and staff at the start of his keynote presentation last August. Despite the prompt, Jake was there to support our educators with the transition towards a bellto-bell device-free school day. “Now, here’s how to change the settings in your phone to make it less addictive,” said Jake as faces in the audience lit up behind their phones.
A social worker and psychotherapist, Jake is the clinical director of Straight Up Health, a Toronto-based mental health care organization founded by Jen Peacock that specializes in supporting teens, young adults and families. Prior to joining the practice, Jake gained a unique insight into youth development and the impact of an increasingly digital society on children’s mental, emotional and social health while doing social work in Toronto at the Child Development Institute as well as The York School.
Together, Jake and Jen have helped facilitate a series of workshops and sessions at HSC since early 2024 to support healthier digital and device use behaviour across all four schools. “HSC has been incredible to work with because they truly understood the need to implement change and made it easy for us to initiate programming suited to student age and stage as well as for educators and parents,” Jen says of the partnership. “It's about teaching skills for positive social interactions, both online and offline, and addressing issues like distraction and disconnection.”
Jake responds to a question during his workshop with Middle School students.
Even before the Ontario government announced its cellphone-free mandate for public schools, HSC had been working with Straight Up Health to enhance the College’s policy for personal device use on campus. “We started by conducting a student wellbeing survey to gauge student sentiment towards cellphones on campus and we were totally surprised by the feedback,” recalls Linda Watson, HSC’s Director of Technology Integration and Innovation. Senior School students showed self-awareness when it came to device use and acknowledged the negative impacts phones can have on their ability to focus.
Working together over the summer, leadership team members and Jake landed on a policy just short of a complete ban on devices on campus. Students are permitted to bring a mobile or wearable device to school, but they must not use the device while
by Emily Malcolm
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by Emily Malcolm
engaged in school-sanctioned activities, which includes classes, co-curricular events, lunch times, flex times, and transitions between classes. “Unless they’ve been instructed by their teacher to use their phones for educational purposes, the devices are to remain in their lockers from bell to bell,” says Linda. The decision to let students bring their devices to school allows for those end of day pick-up arrangements.
Bringing Jake in to work with students, faculty and parents was a no-brainer for Linda and the leadership team. “While Jake’s work is highly data-driven, he’s able to provide guidance in a way that’s completely free from judgment,” she says. “Students are especially receptive because he approaches them with such a clear understanding of the wants, needs and challenges facing that peer group.”
Among the workshops facilitated by Jake on digital citizenship and the use of social media was a “digital citizens town hall,” an experiential exercise for Middle School students in which they were tasked with redesigning social media apps to make them safer. “These kids are smart,” Jake says. “Rather than come in and download a bunch of information, students come to better conclusions if they work through it themselves.” The goal is to help students collectively deconstruct the experience of being online and in doing so, find new ways to navigate it safely and responsibly.
For parents and staff, a virtual book club for Jonathan Hait’s The Anxious Generation provided a forum for discussion with Jake and Jen during an online
“We’re focused increasingly on social health and educating families on the importance of offline friendships and realworld community connection.”
During a day of professional learning, Jake presents data to faculty and staff showcasing the impacts of social media.
fireside chat. “I recommend every parent read this because it not only provides the research but it helps answer a lot of the questions about when and how to give kids access to devices,” Jen says, commending HSC for spearheading a communal reading. As Linda notes, the phone-free rule can be as hard for parents as it is for students. “We are all so accustomed to constant contact, which is why we all needed to be a part of the conversation to shift habits on both sides.”
Jen notes that managing device use is only one part of the equation. “We’re focused increasingly on social health and educating families on the importance of offline friendships and real-world community connection.” As it happens, HSC’s latest strategic plan focuses on building a joyful, engaged, inclusive community with objectives in place to foster a sense of belonging for all members.
Jake and Jen continue to check in with students, using surveys to gauge the success of new protocols on academic and non-academic benchmarks. They agree that HSC sets the gold standard for best practice, and, from the sounds of it, the practice is going smoothly at the College. “Last year, I could leave my door wide open and not be bothered,” says Linda. With an office just off the lobby of the Senior School, she finds herself having to close the door more now. “Instead of staring quietly at their phones, students are laughing, chatting and talking to each other in the hallway—it’s incredible.”
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Beyond the Bell
HSC’s after-school adventures offer Montessori and Junior School students a chance to explore, create and grow even more
IT’S A BRISK OCTOBER DAY and HSC’s buses have left campus for their 3:30 p.m. run. But for many Montessori and Junior School students ages 6 and up, the school day isn’t over yet. They’ll ride the 5 p.m. bus home after they’ve finished learning to play basketball, built a LEGO model, or coded their very own robot. “We are making tote bags to send to Gore Park,” explains Bella Reda ’33 between stitches on a sewing machine in the Early Learning Commons. Bella’s sewing project is among the more than 100 after-school activities that have been offered to HSC’s youngest learners over the years.
Tuesday through Thursday, young students explore their passions, develop essential skills, and forge meaningful connections—all while having an incredible amount of fun. “Our developmental hockey team has come a long way,” explains Junior School teacher Bryan Simmons. He supervises a number of the athletic programs and was excited to get the young players involved in one of HSC’s favourite College-wide spirit events. “We were able to take them out on the ice with the Senior Boys’ hockey team for a special shootout at Ram the Rink.”
Being able to tap into the expertise of Senior School students for support has added an extra benefit to the co-curricular
programming. Senior School physical education classes have been tasked with running sessions for the younger athletic groups, including the intro to volleyball, basketball and floor hockey. “Cross-grade collaboration is one of the many shared benefits of the after-school activities,” explains Montessori School Life Co-ordinator Nicole Rotseart, who, along with Junior School Life Co-ordinator Ron Petraroia, oversees the programming. “Our kids look up to the Senior students, and for them, it’s a great opportunity to build their leadership skills,” adds Nicole.
Montessori Principal Danielle Hourigan ’82 recalls her own experience with the school’s co-curricular offerings. “Co-curriculars were one of the reasons my family first came to HSC,” she says. “With a large family and varied interests, there was always something offered that connected with each of us.” Danielle notes that the programs also provide a valuable service for parents, offering a safe and engaging environment for students between the end of the school day and the end of the work day. “It’s a one-stop shop,” she says, “where students can participate in academics and extracurriculars all in one place.”
Today, the activities offer a diverse range of experiences, catering to a variety of interests and developmental stages. For the youngest students ages 6, 7 and 8, Tuesdays might involve exploring mindfulness and movement, getting their bodies moving with games and activities, or unleashing their creativity at LEGO Club. Wednesdays bring opportunities to discover the fundamentals of floor hockey, delve into science and technology, or express themselves through arts and crafts. Thursdays are for movin’ and groovin’ fitness, an introduction to basketball, or exploring the magic of winter activities and crafts.
As students progress to their last two years before Middle School, the afterschool offerings evolve to match their growing curiosity. Tuesdays could find them honing their skills in Learn 2 Play Basketball or Volleyball, or finding inner peace through mindfulness and movement. Wednesdays are a chance to discover their musical talents in the Treblemakers choir, engage in LEGO
by Emily Malcolm
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HSC's U10 Boys' Basketball team talk strategy with Coach Jackie Birch during a tournament hosted on campus.
challenges, create personalized cards and crafts, or combine arts, crafts and mindful activities. Thursdays offer opportunities to give back to the community through Elev8 service club, or explore the exciting world of robotics.
“These after-school programs are more than just activities; they are a testament to HSC’s commitment to nurturing the whole child,” says Junior School Principal Shailau Spivak. “For many students, it’s their first foray into the passions they will latch onto for life.” These clubs, groups and teams are a bridge between the structured learning of the school day and the boundless exploration of personal interests.
From sportsmanship to self-expression, from curiosity to compassion, every offering is carefully designed to spark joy and foster growth. “We intentionally design the programs to complement and expand on the academic curriculum in both schools,” explains Nicole. “Our goal is to give students agency in self-selecting activities that feed their personal curiosity and interests.”
They also nurture essential life skills such as collaboration, communication, problemsolving and critical thinking. Says Danielle: "The teachers come up with the ideas, sharing something they’re passionate about, which
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increases their engagement and makes it more meaningful for the kids.” The programs also offer opportunities for students to build relationships across grades and with different adults, further developing their independence and resilience.
In these lively afternoons, students are not just learning—they are thriving, discovering their voices, building confidence, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. And as they board the late bus, tired but happy, they carry with them not just their creations and their newfound skills, but also the seeds of future passions waiting to bloom.
Top Bella Reda '33 puts the finishing stitches on her tote bag as a member of the sewing club.
Students defend their net during an exciting floor hockey practice.
STEAM
Machines for Learning
A competitive robotics club in Middle School puts more than tech skills to the test
IT MAY SOUND LIKE PHYS ED CLASS: for certain Middle School students, the tasks at hand can range from throwing balls through hoops to navigating intricate obstacle courses. But it’s not PE—it’s part of HSC’s long history with robots.
The College’s journey into robotics began modestly in 2003 with activities available only to Grade 12 students. Then, with support from The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund in 2016, the Middle School invested in Vex Robotics kits, the leading learning system for schools, and with that, introduced an exciting blend of tech, engineering, computer science and mathematics to students as young as 10. Though momentum slowed during the pandemic years, interest in the program has never been higher. In the winter of 2023, the Middle School sent its first Vex team to compete against schools from across the province and Quebec. By the end of that year, HSC’s team was ranked 31st overall in Ontario.
Vex IQ is one of the four Vex leagues and is specifically designed for Middle and Senior School-aged students. Its plastic-based construction and technology system features snap-together pieces that students use to design, build and code robots. The platform is machinable and can be customized to meet the challenges of various competitions, pushing students to think critically and creatively.
“The thing most people wrongly assume about robotics is that it’s a solitary activity,” explains Nathan Wensink, Middle School teacher and one of the program’s coaches. “I actually feel like there is more collaboration with Vex than in some sports. Students have to work together to build bots and, when they get to the competition, they must put themselves out
there to form alliances with other competitors.”
The classroom component of the Vex program is just as engaging. Students in Grades 5 and 6 participate in a curriculum that integrates robotics into their science and math classes. “We take a math period every cycle to do a Vex day,” says Giuseppe Scichilone, who oversees the Vex program alongside Nathan while teaching in the Middle School. “We guide them on how to code the robot on a computer, then how to build the robot, and then they get into teams to compete. It gets pretty competitive.” These mini-contests within the classroom serve as a pipeline for the school’s competitive teams.
Members of the Vex IQ team cluster in groups of two to three to create their robots—fostering teamwork and communication. “We work together on all steps so we all get a chance to build, code and then drive our robots,” explains Fei Mo, Grade 7 student. The competitions themselves are intense, requiring not just technical expertise but also strategy, adaptability and diplomacy. “Parents, faculty and chaperones are not allowed to have any involvement during the competitions,” says Giuseppe. “If we so much as give advice on how to operate a robot, the students could be disqualified.”
To succeed, students must excel in both their performance on the field and in their planning, as evidenced through their engineering notebooks. These detailed logs record the iterative design process and are evaluated by judges in interviews before competitions.
Athletic jerseys serve as a visual reminder that robotics is as much a team endeavour as any sport. And just like any athletic team, the “Vexers” commit to rigorous practice schedules and high standards. Students on the competitive team must participate in at least two competitions which take place in the second half of the year. For some, the ultimate goal is to make it to Texas. “The world Vex IQ competition is in Dallas in May and we really want to go,” says Spencer Barton, a Grade 8 student and veteran on the team.
By combining hands-on learning with real-world challenges, the Vex Robotics program not only equips students with technical skills, it provides them with first-hand experience of the values of perseverance and resilience. As the program continues to grow, so too does the excitement surrounding it. Who knows? The next groundbreaking invention could come from an HSC Middle Schooler.
by Alex Berry
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Vexers get down to the nuts and bolts of their designs during a Monday meet-up.
Levelling the Playing Field
Friendly competition builds rapport between graduating students and their educators
THE ENERGY IS PALPABLE as students fill the sidelines of HSC’s Page Gym during Spirit Week in December. They’ve arrived to witness a showdown between HSC’s greatest competitive rivalries—the graduating class versus faculty and staff. “Let’s make sure we play strategically and keep the balls in the corners to strike back after they throw,” Amaris Pozeg says. A physical education teacher in the Senior School, Amaris is coaching 11 colleagues as they warm up for a dodgeball game against graduating Grade 12 students, including prefects. “Just because they’re students, doesn’t mean we go easy on them,” Amaris adds.
While they may lack the youthful agility of their opponents, the faculty team has the advantage of proven coaching: Amaris was head coach for Canada’s women’s cloth dodgeball team. “These events give students a chance to see a side of teachers' personalities that may not always come across in class,” says Marc Edgar, Senior School Vice-Principal and staple on the staff team. “We’re hoping to build rapport among the graduates so they come back and visit us as alumni,” he adds.
HSC’s prefects echo this goal. “These games are a great way to boost school spirit, giving us the chance to connect with our teachers in a less formal way,” says Lola Garault ’25, one of the two athletic prefects. This year, the prefects planned three matches, soccer in the fall, dodgeball in the winter and basketball in the spring. “We smoked them in soccer but they redeemed themselves with dodgeball,” says Cole Washchuk ’25, the other athletic prefect.
The tradition of HSC students challenging adults in feats of athleticism dates back decades, and has seen iterations over the years. During the early days of Hillfield, Games Day races pitted students against their parents in potato sack races. With the move up the mountain, new traditions started, like that of Senior Athletic teams taking on their coaches and teachers during soccer and hockey games. Today, alumni often compete against HSC’s oldest students during the annual hockey and golf tournaments. “Our goal is to forge connections across all generations,” explains Alumni Relations Officer Bianca
Barton ’03. “What better way to do that than through friendly competition?”
Tradition stands that win or lose, both teams come together for a group shot after their game.
Though competition can be fierce, these spirited competitions are more than just games—they’re a unifying force for the entire College community. Even students who aren’t on the court or field benefit from the excitement and energy these events bring.
“The sidelines are just as important as the game itself,” says Marc. “Cheering for their classmates, watching their teachers compete, and sharing in the collective school spirit strengthens our sense of community.”
For the Grade 12 students, the grad games mark a bittersweet milestone—a time to reflect on their journey at HSC, strengthen ties with their peers and mentors, and embrace their new role as lifelong members of the College family. “As much as we compete to win, the real goal is to have fun and feel more connected with everyone,” says Lola. And as the final buzzer sounds during the March basketball game, it’s clear that the legacy of connection, camaraderie and good sportsmanship will endure, bridging generations of students, alumni and educators for years to come.
Left Students shake hands with teachers after their dodgeball showdown.
Right
PRIDE
IN RANKS THE
As a deputy chief in Peel Region, Lauren Jackson ’03 is one of the few senior female civilian police leaders in Canada.
By Patricia Hluchy
Photography by Jaime Hogge
INTHE SPRING OF 2023, Lauren Jackson ’03 had no intention whatsoever of leaving a job she loved. She was a partner as well as national security and justice leader with Deloitte Canada in Toronto, where she’d worked for almost two-and-a-half years. “I really appreciated Deloitte's values and principles,” Lauren says. But then she learned about a new position at Peel Regional Police (PRP). The service was looking for a chief administrative officer and civilian deputy chief responsible for corporate services—one of five deputy chiefs, and the only civilian.
“It was like the stars aligning,” Lauren recalls. A few of her previous roles to that point, including Deloitte, had involved working with police, justice and corporate security organizations across the country. “I thought, ‘Is this amazing position the one you want to go for and leave management consulting, to bring your skillset to the public service where you could truly influence change and make a difference?’”
The answer was a resounding yes, and in June that year she joined PRP, the third-largest municipal police service in Canada. It serves the cities of Mississauga and Brampton and their combined population of 1.5 million, immediately west of Toronto. She also became part of a minority of women in senior policing positions in this country: according to Statistics Canada, in 2021 females accounted for 18 per cent of commissioned Canadian police officers in roles of staff sergeant and higher, and senior female civilian leaders such as Lauren are much rarer.
In her role, Lauren oversees finance, human resources and “materials management”—the service’s fleet and non-use-of-force equipment. She also stewards PRP’s business processes and looks, she says, “for opportunities to modernize and innovate, to make them more contemporary. We are continuously challenging ourselves to ensure these processes serve the users—largely, our members—as best we can.” All of that, she adds, supports
“I would never have come and joined the police service if I didn't believe it would allow me to be who I am and feel anything but proud and safe, to be able to put pictures of my wife and kids on the wall.”
courtesy of Lauren
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Jackson
the organization’s aim to be, in both its dealings with the public and internally, “the most progressive, inclusive and innovative police service—we would absolutely say bar none—in Canada, North America and, we joke, the galaxy.”
PRP Chief Nishan Duraiappah notes that before Lauren arrived, the service had never had a civilian deputy chief, a rare entity in Ontario and across the country. “At Peel, the role of deputy chief has always been a sworn police officer who has had 30-plus years in policing
and has risen through the ranks to get there. Lauren has to stand out in front of the public and face questions that are policing-related, to deal with a workforce that is comprised of both civilian and sworn members who are used to seeing somebody in a uniform in a traditionally male-dominated environment who is calling the shots. I’m sure the job tests her mettle all the time. But Lauren does a remarkable job, and she does so effortlessly.”
For Lauren, the attractions of the PRP job were manifold. Chief among them was the fact that the service, under the direction of Duraiappah since 2019, was committed to renovating the organization to address the widespread perception that it was exceedingly tough, racially biased and not serving the community as well as it could. He had launched initiatives to, among other things, provide an inclusive and equitable police service, build partnerships with the cities’ diverse communities and create Community Mobilization Teams that work with the public to, as the service’s website states, “improve safety, well-being and develop long-standing trust.”
Lauren’s wife, Lauren Bonnett, notes that her spouse’s job at Deloitte had “a certain amount of prestige around it.” But that wasn’t her motivation—“she’s not chasing titles or authority or compensation.” In joining PRP, Bonnett says, the appeal for Lauren was that she’d have “the opportunity to use her education, her skills and her dynamism to serve the community and work with colleagues that are really innovative and forward-thinking about the justice system in Canada and how can we change policing. People often stay in their comfort zone, so I really respect her for swinging for the fences. It takes a lot of
professional confidence to do that.”
Lauren says she was particularly drawn by the chance to be on a team led by Duraiappah, whom she’d worked with as both a client in her security consulting work and as a colleague: they had overlapped at Halton Regional Police when he was deputy chief and she was strategic advisor to the office of the chief. “I knew that he was very committed to what he espouses and to realizing change,” she says.
PRP’s dedication to a diverse and equitable service is especially meaningful for 40-year-old Lauren given that she is not only a female in a mostly male sector but also, as she describes herself, queer. She and Bonnett have a son and a daughter, five-year-old Quinton and twoyear-old Graeme.
There are numerous photographs of the two Laurens and what Lauren Jackson calls “my two beautiful kids” in her much-windowed, spacious office at PRP headquarters in Mississauga, along with pictures of the mothers’ wedding in October 2016 (they’d already been together for four years), and of the spouses and their kids at Lauren’s formal oath-ofoffice ceremony. (A dog lover, she would be displeased if the image on the wall of their Great Dane, Dudley, was not also mentioned.)
During an interview in that office, Lauren is friendly and talkative. Not needing a uniform, she’s attired in a black blazer, floral dress, black high heels and several discreet pieces of gold jewelry— including necklaces with the initials of her children’s names as pendants. She also wears a large Champagne diamond and gold engagement ring and a smaller wedding band with diamonds.
“HSC has a way of encouraging you to explore and figure out what you enjoy and maybe who you want to be. I look back on my time there with great fondness.”
“I would never have come and joined the police service,” she declares, “if I didn't believe it would allow me to be who I am and feel anything but proud and safe, to be able to put pictures of my wife and kids on the wall.”
Along with a fierce sense of commitment to her work and her colleagues, Lauren exudes warmth and kindness. At one point, walking to an elevator, she holds a door open for a cleaner pushing a wagon filled with supplies, asking how she is. That is typical of her spouse, Bonnett says. “She is a relationship builder. She really values people. She also recognizes their humanity. With successes in our friends’ lives, she wants to take them out for dinner or send them a card. If somebody at work has gone above and beyond on a project, she’s the person who sends a coffee or flowers to their desk. This year she decorated the house for Christmas in the middle of November, because she wanted to make things magical for our children. Sometimes I look at her and wonder, aren't you exhausted?”
Lauren doesn’t seem at all exhausted, but she concedes that finding work-life balance is a constant struggle. Her wife also has a “big” job—Bonnett is a director with Toronto’s Quinn+Partners Inc., a management consultancy specializing in corporate sustainability.
“We’ve always wanted to be as present for our kids as possible,” Lauren says, “and it’s hard. It drives so much of our conversation, but it also helps us stay incredibly connected as a team.” Still, she adds, “some weeks I feel like I'm barely keeping the plates spinning in the air—and sometimes I don’t!”
Lauren herself grew up with two working parents, an actuarial benefit consultant father, John, and educator mom, Debbie, who is now retired. Raised in Oakville along with her younger sister, Blaire ’05, now a senior advertising executive, Lauren spent four years at HSC, starting in Grade 9. She notes that coming out to her family after she’d met Bonnett was a positive experience. “I'm one of the lucky people that has a story of queer joy, versus strife.”
At HSC, Lauren excelled as a point guard at basketball (she also played volleyball and soccer), won two Honour Pins, was voted in as a house captain by her fellow students, and learned to play the alto saxophone, “HSC absolutely shaped me,” she says. “It has a way of encouraging you to explore and figure out what you enjoy and maybe who you want to be. I also think it helps you flourish and strengthens you on an interpersonal level so that you acquire the ability to engage anybody of any age in conversation. I look back on my time there with great fondness.”
After HSC, Lauren completed an honours bachelor’s degree in political science at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., and then a master’s in social science and economics, intelligence and strategic studies at Aberystwyth University in Wales. She went on to hold positions at Counsel Public Affairs Inc., KPMG Canada, Cancer Care Ontario, KPMG a second time and then Deloitte before landing at PRP.
For Chief Duraiappah, Lauren has been a stellar hire. “She is a critical part of our success here at Peel Regional Police as a team,” he says. “I consider her one of the greatest assets we've got organizationally. And as a professional, she is probably one of the finest individuals I know in this space at Peel police.”
For her part, Lauren—as the highest-ranking woman at PRP and one of a handful of executive police leaders in the country—is proud to be a trailblazer for her gender. She’s also proud of Peel’s intention to grow its female cohort. “We have initiatives and programs to bring more women into the service and see them progress through all ranks,” she says. “And there’s a commitment to see more women in leadership.”
Lauren acknowledges that her role is an important benchmark for the service, because “visibility matters, representation matters.” But she also salutes the other women working at PRP. “The female community here is fierce, and I feel safe and supported.”
Hail to the deputy chief.
PRODUCTOF ENVIRO NMENT ( her)
Jennifer Hirano '02 has navigated the world of high-level consumer marketing in a Wonderful way.
By Barbara Wickens
Photography by Michelle Groskopf
GIVEN ( her) IMPRESSIVE
career promoting some of the world’s best-known household and consumer brands—from Colgate toothpaste to POM Wonderful pomegranate juice—you’d be forgiven for thinking that Jennifer Hirano ’02 had always had her sights set on becoming a world-class marketing professional.
In April 2024, she became vice president of marketing with The Wonderful Company. Based in Los Angeles, it grows, harvests and markets a wide range of products for consumers seeking healthy snacks and beverages. “I’m trying to live a healthy life and I want to promote foods that are nutritious,” Jennifer says.
It was the latest step in a career that Jennifer had launched with junior positions supporting the marketing and sales of brands like Palmolive and Softsoap. She soon rose through the ranks to roles leading marketing departments with multibillion-dollar brands, and now, to give back, helps job seekers market themselves.
Still, to hear Jennifer describe it, she had gotten into marketing almost by chance. She was Head Girl (now Head Prefect) in her final year at HSC with a list of achievements that included winning numerous awards for academics, sports, music and volunteer work.
There was, however, one important task she had yet to accomplish—decide what to do and where to go next. Thanks to a suggestion from a friend, Head Boy Peter Horrobin ’02, she ended up at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “Peter told me he was interested in the commerce program at Queen’s and said that we should both apply,” Jennifer says, looking relaxed in her HSC hoodie. “I knew he’d done lots of research into different university programs so I thought, ‘Sounds good to me.’ We both got accepted there and we still keep in touch.”
The first year of the program provided a general introduction to commerce, and the subjects that really grabbed her attention were marketing, strategy and international business. She had found her future career path. Upon graduation, Jennifer joined the sole company that she had applied to, Colgate-Palmolive, where she built her career over the next 15 years. Before long, she was travelling frequently, moving to new countries, and successfully tackling a depth and breadth of challenges that only a multi-billiondollar multinational can offer.
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Jennifer in Senior School, sitting on the steps of Lawson Hall.
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Her cat, looking out the window of their house in the south of France.
She initially worked in Toronto and Mississauga, while devoting her weekends for three years to studying for her MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, paid for by Colgate-Palmolive.
Her next stop was New York City, home to the consumer product giant’s global headquarters in midtown Manhattan. “Colgate took care of everything for my moves,” Jennifer says. “I didn’t have to pack a thing. My corporate housing wasn’t ready, so I lived in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel for a month. It was quite the introduction to New York.”
Colgate-Palmolive provided professional development opportunities enabling Jennifer to become a global trainer, attend a 12-month women’s leadership program, achieve a sustainability certificate from the United Nations and benefit from executive education programs at world-class institutions such as Wharton, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hirano
I WAS HAPPY TO USE my FREE TIME TO HELP PEOPLE
When it comes to laying the groundwork for her career, Jennifer gives the credit to HSC. She describes being Head Girl as her first major leadership role. She traces a direct line between the French-language skills she developed at HSC and how well she fared during a three-year expat assignment in France. After New York, Colgate-Palmolive moved her to the Côte d’Azur to lead the marketing department at its pet nutrition division in France.
Jennifer had attended elementary school in Brantford, Ont., where she lived with her parents, and her younger sister, Lesley ’03. But when it came time for high school, their parents wanted something different for their daughters. “HSC was the only independent school they considered,” Jennifer says. “They liked that it was academically challenging with lots of extra-curricular activities, especially in the arts, sports and community involvement.”
After two years with Dole, she joined The Wonderful Company. The privately held US$6-billion company is the world’s largest grower and processor of pistachios and the largest citrus grower in the U.S. It boasts a portfolio of iconic brands that include FIJI Water, POM Wonderful and Teleflora florists, as well as vineyards, wineries, grapes, oranges, seedless lemons and more.
That meant commuting both ways by bus. Jennifer recalls being among the first passengers to board, then easily rhymes off the names of towns where her bus picked up others before it arrived full in Hamilton. After school, she participated in many co-curricular activities and took the later of the two departure times HSC provided.
In her final year, HSC offered an Advanced Placement (AP) program in French. AP programs offer university-level courses that students can take in high school. Jennifer remembers the AP sessions with teacher John Beaver as both informal and informative. “There were just three of us in his class,” Jennifer says. “There was no syllabus, there was no classroom. We met in Mr. Beaver’s office and just talked about whatever interested us that day. Later, when I lived in Europe, I was able to work and travel speaking only French, whether in business meetings with my colleagues or presenting at national sales meetings.”
After France, Jennifer was promoted and transferred to Lawrence, Kansas. As head of global marketing for Hill’s Science Diet pet food, she was the youngest director in the US$3.3-billion division. Still, the time came when she was ready for a change, and Jennifer looked to move into the food and beverage industry. In May 2022, she became co-head of marketing with Dole Packaged Foods, LLC.
Best known for popularizing Hawaiian pineapples, Dole is a leading global grower and marketer of packaged fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh fruit. Until recently, its U.S. headquarters were just west of Los Angeles and Jennifer and her husband were happy to move to California. “It’s a beautiful place to live and it reminded me of the sunny south of France,” she says.
Left Enjoying dim sum in Los Angeles, with the Lunar New Year mailer that The Wonderful Company sent to media and influencers.
Right On her last day of work in France before being transferred back to the U.S., she popped a bottle of Champagne with her team on the office terrace.
“I really love the brands,” Jennifer says, a declaration affirmed by the posters and packaging of Wonderful Company products throughout her home office. “I made the move from consumer goods so I could promote foods that I’m sure are healthy. What could be healthier than fruit?”
Another through-line to HSC is Jennifer’s dedication to giving back through volunteering with non-profit organizations. She has served on the board of local community centres, oversaw a food bank, and led fundraising campaigns for the United Way and Queen’s University. She is also a guest speaker at high schools and colleges, and a mentor to young professionals.
In 2023, she became concerned about the growing number of people who were being laid off in the corporate world. Wanting to help, she posted on LinkedIn that she was offering free career advice sessions to job seekers. Drawing on her experience as an interviewer and hiring manager, she offered five options tightly focused on managing first impressions, identifying the right career path, and relocating for work.
The post had over 280,000 views and received so many replies that Jennifer asked for volunteers to assist. In the end, she met with over 800 people—and has no regrets about dedicating so much effort to the initiative.
“I was happy to use my free time to help people,” she says. “I’ve always had a ton of energy and I’m generally upbeat and positive. I’ve taken full advantage of every opportunity that has come along in my life, so giving back to others is important to me.”
Jennifer always enjoys connecting with HSC alumni, and she has met up with young grads while living in Toronto, New York and now Los Angeles. If any current students or HSC grads would like career advice, she says, they can reach out on LinkedIn and she would be happy to share her experience. And clearly, Jennifer has a lot to share.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hirano
THE COMMUNITY DOCTOR
Dr. Brian McKenna ’07 has already established an impressive career focused on improving the lives and health of others. And he’s not finished yet.
By Alex Berry
Photography by Jason Gordon
DURING SUMMERS OFF FROM HIS UNDERGRADUATE studies at the University of Ottawa, Brian McKenna ’07 worked as a co-ordinator for HSC’s summer camps. Using what he learned in the role, Brian started a free two-week camp for kids living in Hamilton’s Keith neighbourhood in the north end. “He called it Camp Keith and convinced me and a bunch of friends to volunteer as counsellors,” recalls Spencer Cuddy ’07, a classmate and one of Brian’s closest HSC friends. Though the camp was short-lived, Brian’s commitment to improving essential care services in the neighbourhood lives on.
In late September 2024, now a practising physician, Brian stood alongside Sam Campanella, executive director of the Eva Rothwell Centre, and Nrinder Nann, Ward 3 city councillor, as well as health system partners and other community members, outside the Eva Rothwell Centre at 460 Wentworth Street North to help cut the ribbon on a brand-new health care clinic—a project that Brian helped fundraise $600,000 to build.
“Our goal with this clinic is to provide comprehensive primary health care to 1,000 people in the L8L postal code who currently lack access,” Brian explains. “It’s been known for a long time that population-level health disparities in this city are among the worst in Canada, with life expectancy in this neighbourhood 20 years lower than in Ancaster or Dundas.” Showing his true determination, Brian has already launched another campaign to raise $800,000 to expand the facility and its service offerings.
Shortly after opening Health Care at Eva Rothwell Centre, Brian travelled to England for his convocation from the University of Oxford, where he
completed his master’s in translational health sciences at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. The school leads world-class research and training to rethink the way health care is delivered in general practice and across other community settings. “My big interest involves the translation of research findings to support improved ‘real world’ system design and policy development. Enhancing the speed and efficiency with which we adapt to research findings will prove critical to strengthening and sustaining Canada’s sacred public health system in the years ahead.”
Brian hopes to support this process in his newest role as regional primary care clinical lead with Ontario Health (OH), the province’s $85-billion Crown corporation responsible for the operationalization, quality, and general oversight of Ontario’s health system. Brian is one of 10 primary care leads working with OH to support the strategic direction and implementation of Ontario’s primary care strategy and supports a catchment that includes Niagara, Brantford, Hamilton, Haldimand, and Burlington.
Most weeks, Brian spends two to three days seeing patients at Escarpment Health Centre, the interdisciplinary primary care clinic that he runs alongside six other physicians in partnership with the Hamilton Family Health Team (HFHT). The other two to three days (and many weekends), Brian spends working as the HFHT’s lead physician and with Ontario Health. “I work a lot, and live by my to-do list,” says Brian, chuckling. “I don’t think any of my HSC teachers would have predicted that I’d develop the necessary organizational skills to pull this work off, but the logistics demand it.”
From the sounds of it, Brian has always had a busy schedule.
Brian speaks to partners and guests at the opening of Health Care at Eva Rothwell Centre.
During his seven years at HSC, he was on Model UN and on student council, ran track, played on the rugby and volleyball teams, served as head prefect and took to the stage for a number of arts productions. Cathy Keith ’67 taught Brian in Middle School and remembers him as a very proactive student. “He stood out because, even as a 13-year-old, he was incredibly ambitious—he would try anything and give it his whole heart.”
Cathy recalls Brian landing the role of Jem Finch in the Hamilton Law Association’s fundraising production of To Kill a Mockingbird while he was in Grade 8. “I can remember him being appalled to discover that audiences would talk during scenes,” she says. The role proved a fitting one for Brian, who, like the character of Jem, was uniquely conscientious for a Middle Schooler. “He was always the guy other kids would go to for advice,” Spencer says, describing Brian as someone who gets invited to everyone’s wedding. A friend since Grade 6, Spencer is still blown away by Brian’s innate ability to connect with people across all walks of life. “It helps that he can speak multiple languages. On any of our international trips, Brian was always the kid translating for the rest of us.”
Brian credits the College for nourishing his tendency towards advocacy. “I was probably always determined to be a sort of ‘global citizen’ and HSC afforded me some great opportunities.” In Senior School, Brian was HSC’s representative to the Youth Advisory Council at the Hamilton Community Foundation. “That was probably where I got my first major bit of education in terms of the incredible need in my own backyard and it taught me not to underestimate my own capacity to do good and to help make positive change.”
Now 35, Brian admits he sometimes experiences impostor
Photos courtesy of Eva Rothwell Centre
syndrome. “I wasn’t the prototypical medical school candidate and I actually didn’t get in when I applied in Ontario.” Instead, Brian went to Medical University of the Americas on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, an experience he wouldn’t trade for the world. “I spent the second half of medical school doing clinical rotations in cities across the United States followed by three years in New Hampshire for residency,” he explains, describing those days as formative to his interest in health systems. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime being able to work and learn in such diverse places with such vast population health needs.”
In 2019, Brian returned to Hamilton after completing his family medicine residency through Dartmouth College and jumped full steam into comprehensive clinical work. Self-described as a determined generalist, Brian ran a busy obstetrical practice at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in addition to an office-based family practice. He also worked as a hospitalist on the general wards at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, assisted in the operating rooms, and worked in long-term care—all through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hamilton is a special place from a health systems perspective given that we have world-class academic health sciences infrastructure while simultaneously having incredible need from a social determinant, social deprivation perspective,” he says. “My hope is to play a role in bridging the divide by supporting the development of communityoriented primary health care centres that can take holistic, comprehensive responsibility for defined populations of people. With the recent appointment of Dr. Jane Philpott to chair Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team, we have an incredibly unique opportunity to make this concept a universal reality.”
Brian notes the inherent tension he faces in terms of balancing direct patient care with his efforts to achieve system-level change. Noting that “the service you deliver is, in many ways, only as effective as the system you’re working in,” he emphasizes the critical need for the government to “get this right” and wonders if one day he could perhaps play a more official public role. “I feel so lucky to be where I am professionally and have a tough time imagining a scenario in which I no longer see patients” he says. “I am, however, very interested in the policy-making process and committed
“My hope is to play a role in bridging the divide by supporting the development of community-oriented primary health care centres that can take holistic, comprehensive responsibility for defined populations of people. ”
to helping inform the value-based frameworks we’ll need to re-establish Canada’s reputation as a G20 leader in universal, reliable, fit-to-purpose health care for all.”
There’s no doubt in Spencer’s mind that Brian would make a great minister in government, an MP, or even prime minister in the future. “If we are lucky, he will continue to take on public roles where his thinking and relationship building can be put on an increasingly bigger scale.” Given what Brian has already accomplished, it wouldn’t be a surprise to one day find him seated in the House of Commons. Brian, too, has a positive outlook on his future, “Hopefully, with so much of my career ahead of me, I’m able to help make meaningful change.”
Whether in clinic or in chamber, Brian’s drive to reshape local and regional primary care seems destined to resonate well beyond the Keith neighbourhood. After all, the best leaders often begin by quietly reimagining the systems they’re already part of.
The front entrance to the Eva Rothwell Centre, home to the new health care centre under the purview of Brian and the Hamilton Family Health Team.
MAKING FAST WORK
Evert VanDoorn ’04 sped out of Hamilton to become an elite engineer in the world of international auto racing.
By Brian Bethune
Photography by Jensen Photography
AAmong the almost 200,000 people who attended 24 Hours of Daytona, the first jewel in motorsport endurance racing’s Triple Crown, in January this year was Evert VanDoorn ’04. For the senior race engineer, at the track as a consultant to the Magnus Racing team running an Aston Martin Vantage GT3, it was another moment in a lifetime of passion for cars.
“I worked on my first hot rod engine with my dad, restoring an old Studebaker, when I was 10 years old,” recalls Evert. “I came to love fast cars far more than hot rods, but I still have a soft spot for Studebakers, though they’re hard to find in Switzerland.”
It was his love of cars—very fast and very expensive cars— that eventually brought Evert to Lucerne, Switzerland, where he’s lived for the past six years, managing an elite luxury garage and travelling the world endurance race circuit.
“I’m here literally to make a car go round in circles,” he jokingly commented from a November practice run at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, before adding, “plus produce four gigabytes of data for the organizers to help ensure the race itself is clean and fair.” Just like his fellow racing engineers for Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus and Ford models also present in Daytona.
“It’s a 24-hour race where we go from 2 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday,” Evert says. “I have three engineers under me and a whole crew of staff looking to me for the next step. Are we coming in for tires and fuel at the next stop or changing to the next driver? Making a change to the car so it’s faster or handles better? All that has to be decided by the engineering team and, ultimately, me.”
It’s hard to imagine a person better suited to his work. Born and raised in Flamborough, Ont., now incorporated within Hamilton, he was a Lifer at HSC, “straight from Montessori through to my graduation at 18.” Evert was a good all-round
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Taking in the view at the 2020 LeMans.
Middle Evert behind the scenes at LeMans 2017.
Right
Magnus Racing team with practice laps at Daytona 2025.
student and athlete—hockey, soccer, robotics club, jazz band, academic clubs—as well as a self-taught automobile engine modifier. And, looking back, an appreciative graduate.
“One of my major thoughts about HSC is that it gives students every tool in the toolbox they could ever need to succeed in life,” he says. “It’s not just about providing a good education or specific knowledge, but its focus on making sure you have the skills you need to be successful dealing with other people, actually just being a good human being.”
Fuelled by his education and his passion, Evert enrolled at McMaster University in mechanical engineering and design, and emerged armed with a BSc and facing a major decision. “A career in motorsport cars wasn’t really an option in southern Ontario,” he dryly says.
“So I had two choices. One was to move to the U.S. and go with IndyCar,” says Evert. “A good friend from Mac, James Hinchcliffe, went to IndyCar and did quite well as a driver. There’s a major difference, though. He was a driver, I was an engineer. I realized at an early age that there are other people with much better skills at driving than me.” Not that Evert doesn’t like to drive fast cars. His day-to-day vehicle, suitable for taking his children to school, is a 2016 Bentley Bentayga SUV (top speed: 300 km/h), and he also owns a 2003 Lamborghini Murciélago, which he calls “my fun car.”
Deciding against Indy left the Europe option. Evert had heard about the heralded master’s programs at Oxford Brookes—the other, more technology-focused university in Britain’s city of dreaming spires—from an older acquaintance at McMaster who had already studied there. (Networking, says Evert, was another skill learned at HSC.) After one phone call with her, he sent in his application and was soon in the U.K. A year later, Evert graduated with an MSc in motorsport engineering and began work immediately with Prodrive, a British motorsport and advanced engineering consultancy with some notable clients.
One was Aston Martin, bespoke carmakers to James Bond as well as for a host of affluent real-life people. “Essentially, I was employed by Aston Martin Racing,” says Evert. “I was not only constantly travelling the world with those men and women—even now I’m rarely home for more than a month at a time—to
Photo by
Cars under maintenance at Evert's Carage workshop outside Lucerne.
2019 Aston Martin DB4 GT for sale at Carage.
1990 Porsche 911 Singer for sale at Carage.
Photos courtesy of SIG Carage
Evert with one of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 cars that competed at Daytona.
race for trophies and, you know, the glory. I also designed the cars back in the U.K. between races.”
Aston Martin brought Evert more than a satisfying career. It’s where he met his wife, Kristine, an Aston Martin Racing employee and the daughter of Danish race team owner Jan Struve, whose drivers began piloting Aston Martin cars in top-level competitions in 2010. Kristine and Evert married in 2016, the same year as the Brexit referendum. By the time their first child, son Noah, was born in 2017, the couple decided they no longer wanted to live in England because of a growing coldness towards outsiders.
They sold their home and moved to Switzerland, where daughter Sofia was born in 2019, “because that’s where Kristine’s family was now, and I became a full-time consultant with Prodrive,” says Evert. “We won the world endurance championship with the No. 95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE car in 2020, the last season of factory racing from Aston Martin Racing before funding was directed towards the Formula One program.” Evert later moved to the Magnus team, still supporting an Aston Martin car and working with Prodrive as a non-compete consultant.
In Switzerland, Evert joined with his brother-in-law Kim Struve in a new venture, SIC Carage AG. “Kim is the CEO and does the technical workshop side where we physically service people’s cars, while I, as the COO, take care of the logistics—the day-to-day operations—and the company’s finances,” Evert says.
Carage doesn’t formally label itself a car dealership-garage, and with good reason. Located just outside Lucerne with an outpost in Marbella, Spain, and revenues of around 19
2018 Regera KNC, with extremely rare Koenigsegg Naked Carbon finish, at Carage.
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 on the track
Photos courtesy of SIG Carage
“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT PROVIDING A GOOD EDUCATION OR SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, BUT ITS FOCUS ON MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL DEALING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, ACTUALLY JUST BEING A GOOD HUMAN BEING.”
million euros ($28 million), it’s been called the world’s top garage and a literal vault for a large collection of incredibly expensive supercars. It’s also a place to which the mega-rich bring their vehicles for “service of a fittingly high standard,” as Carage’s website phrases it.
“We’re a backwards-facing business, in a sense,” says Evert. “A lot of luxury car dealers will have a very strong sales team, busy wining and dining potential clients. We do the opposite. We make sure that we constantly keep clients’ cars working. If clients trust us for that, in an industry where I regularly send out invoices for over a million euros, sales will come from simple conversations. I’ve sold cars for four million euros [$6 million], and I’ve never even met the people.”
Those sales were likely to have been Koenigsegg cars from Sweden, some of the most sought-after and costly ultra-luxury models ever made. “Carage is probably the largest technical service point for them as well as one of the world’s largest dealers, doing between 10 and 15 per cent of their annual global sales,” Evert explains. “Which is pretty impressive when you realize that a Koenigsegg is about 2.5 million euros base price [$3.7 million], about 10 times more expensive than a Lamborghini.”
On top of that, Evert’s ongoing racing consultancy brings him joy, as well as continual travel, “because racing is still my life.” At Daytona 2025, despite running in the top five at the six-hour mark, engine failure meant Evert's Magnus team had to withdraw, leaving Daytona as the only major race for which he has not yet appeared on the podium.
His passion for fast cars has taken Evert far—in every sense—from Flamborough and HSC, and the view from Switzerland is great. Still, his racing travels have kept him from visiting Canada as often as he’d like, and that is something he hopes to fine-tune in 2025. “We have been thinking about spending a few weeks in Muskoka with my family and the kids,” he says. “I really want to come this summer.” As someone whose racing responsibilities include safety, he knows he’ll have to restrain himself in cottage country. Beyond 30 metres from shore, there is no speed limit on Canadian lakes.
Top Honours
Ones to Watch
The Wildland Firefighter
Rylan Macdonald '21 is battling blazes in B.C. while completing a unique degree in adventure tourism
Stories by Alex Berry
IF YOU HAD ASKED HIM FIVE YEARS AGO, Rylan Macdonald ’21 would have predicted he’d be spending his 20s climbing the world’s tallest mountains. Instead, he’s reaching greater heights fighting wildfires across the more modest mountains of northern B.C.
It was advice shared by HSC guidance counsellor Don Haag in Senior School that changed Rylan’s trajectory. “There was so much buzz with a lot of the other kids applying to business or medical programs,” says Rylan about deciding where to go after Grade 12. “Mr. Haag sat me down and reassured me that my desire to do something different was the right move and that if I loved it, I’d find success.”
Rylan is part of a four-person, initial attack team working for the BC Wildfire Service under the province’s Ministry of Forests. “There is a lot of strategy and science to our work,” he says. Wildfire response runs the gamut from clearing brush to digging trenches and even starting fires. Initial attack crews are the first to respond to a wildfire and, according to the BC Wildfire Service, approximately 94 per cent of all new wildfires in B.C. are suppressed by these crews. By that measure, Rylan has clearly found success.
His journey from HSC to wildfire country in northern B.C. started in 2021 when he began an adventure tourism program at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops. “I like to describe the program as a business degree for people who want to run an outdoor business,” Rylan says. When he got there, he was immediately intrigued by all the posters and advertisements looking for people to join the B.C. Wildfire Service. He missed the application process his first year, but in the winter of 2022 he applied, interviewed, and four months later got the call telling him to pack his bags. “I had two days to get to boot camp,” Rylan says.
During the fire season from April through the end of October, Rylan is stationed at a base in one of B.C.’s six regional fire centres. On any given day, he and his Heli-Attack crew can
be deployed to remote locations with one to three days of supplies and gear for managing emerging fires. The excitement of the job is not the only reason Rylan is committed to it: “I knew I wanted to make a difference and with this, I get to help protect people’s homes and save hundreds of trees. It’s an extremely rewarding job.”
Plus, he loves being outdoors. In Grade 11, when friends bailed on a camping expedition, Rylan went anyway. “I spent the five days alone in Algonquin Park and had the time of my life.” His work schedule runs
“I knew I wanted to make a difference and with this, I get to help protect people’s homes and save hundreds of trees. It’s an extremely rewarding job.”
up to 28 days on, with four days off. “At least one of my days off is spent camping and with the other days I’ll go mountain biking or hiking,” he explains.
When the season is over, Rylan returns to TRU’s campus where he’s finishing his degree. “It’s taking me a bit longer because I do one semester a year instead of two so that I can be out there when they need us,” he says.
In 2024, the B.C. government announced a partnership between TRU and the BC Wildfire Service, establishing TRU Wildfire, a new training and education centre that is the first of its kind in North America. Rylan hopes to become a crew leader in the future and may find himself well positioned to support the work and research at TRU Wildfire. Though his job is to put them out, Rylan will always have a fire in his belly.
Rylan Macdonald ’21
Photo submitted by Rylan Macdonald
Ones to Watch
The Code Whisperer
Liam Harper-McCabe '23 is finding balance between hackathons and scrums as a student at Queen's University
NOW A SECOND-YEAR computer science student at Queen’s University, Liam Harper-McCabe ’23 is balancing rigorous academic pursuits with a growing list of extracurricular accomplishments. “I’m focused on software design now,” Liam says, reflecting on his chosen specialization. “It’s coding-heavy and definitely more challenging, but with that comes a lot more excitement.” This blend of solitary problem-solving and collaborative effort is exactly what drew him to the field. “You have to be constantly motivated to learn on your own because it’s an industry that’s constantly evolving.”
That drive was on full display during Liam’s first year when he joined a student team competing in a Social Innovation Hackathon hosted by the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Social Impact at the Smith School of Business. “The competition was a week long,” Liam recalls, “and on the final day we presented our product to the judges.” The result? An award-winning app, Farming Forward, designed to revolutionize local farming by streamlining supply chains and reducing costs. “We went into it just hoping to have some fun and learn something new—we never expected to win,” Liam says.
Key features of their app included a proximity-based map to reduce transport costs, a collaborative system allowing small farms to fulfil large orders together, and traceability tools to ensure food safety and market insights. “It connects farmers, wholesalers and grocery stores in ways that maximize
efficiency,” Liam explains. The project earned praise from Steve Duff, chief economist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, who called it a prime example of local minds solving local problems.
Liam’s sense of purpose extends beyond the classroom. This year, he earned a spot on the backup squad for the Queen’s varsity rugby team. “Training six to seven times a week has been intense, but it’s also a great way to push myself,” he says. Liam also dedicates time to QWeb, a student-run charity that builds websites for organizations unable to afford professional development. Most recently, he helped launch an online store for a student business, providing it with a polished digital presence.
Summers, too, bring no downtime. Liam spent his first break employed by an AI company, helping to advance machine learning through data annotation while also building websites for family friends on the side. Looking ahead, he has his sights set on the fintech industry, where he hopes to apply his love for quantitative problem-solving to financial trading algorithms.
Liam credits his HSC experience for preparing him for the demands of university life. “First-year calculus felt like a breeze thanks to the rigour of my Senior School courses,” he says. The balance he struck between academics and extracurriculars at HSC has carried over seamlessly into his university life. “It feels familiar—staying busy with classes, hackathons and clubs,” Liam says. Whether tackling logic models for computer games, building machine-learning algorithms or scrumming on the rugby field, Liam’s knack for blending intellectual curiosity with teamwork sets him apart. As he sharpens his technical expertise and continues to build his reputation as a collaborative innovator, Liam is well attuned to the algorithm of success.
Photos submitted by Liam Harper-McCabe
Left From left to right: Liam alongside fellow HSC alumni
Antonio Kappos '23 and Nathan Apara '23 during a break from their Burlington Centaurs game.
Right Liam and his hackathonwinning teammates.
Great Grads
HSC's Award of Distinction Graduate Scholarship is given to one or more departing students who epitomize the nature of service and leading by example.
From A to Z
Ava Zanetti ’24
AVA ZANETTI ’24 lives up to her initials by being the kind of person who is open to experiencing everything from A to Z. “I went skydiving for my birthday this year,” she says, adding to the long list of activities she’s leaped into during her first year at Western University. While majoring in politics, philosophy and economics with Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity (AEO) status, Ava has joined the novice rowing team and the sports business club, writes for the Ivey AEO blog and continues to volunteer with Bereaved Families of Ontario. “I also run marathons.”
No stranger to putting herself out there, Ava came to HSC in Grade 9 through the Morgan Scholarship program, a donorfunded initiative that provides full tuition to one student each year for all four years of Senior School. Her determination and drive were evident from day one as she made the most of the opportunity by joining as many clubs and co-curriculars as possible. During her final year, Ava took HSC’s co-operative learning course and was placed at New Horizon Development Group, where her ambition was lauded by her supervisor, Natasha Paikin ’13. “I was quite surprised at how quickly Ava grasped the concepts of our business and was able to provide meaningful contributions to the work.”
Ava’s experience on HSC’s Model UN team helped land her a coveted volunteer position as an assistant director for the National High School Model UN Conference in New York City. American by birth, she sees a return stateside in her future. “The dream is to land a job in New York City or California or even do grad school there.” She’s keeping her options open and has toyed with the idea of pursuing a law degree. Given what she’s achieved so far, there’s little doubt Ava will run the full alphabet.
Service Leader Eddie Zhang ’24
UNLIKE MOST SENIOR SCHOOL GRADUATES, Eddie Zhang ’24 had his sights set on attending a university as close to home as possible. “I couldn’t imagine leaving my community,” Eddie says, referring to the hundreds of people he interacts with as a volunteer with Gore Park Community Outreach in Hamilton’s downtown core.
Now a student in residence at McMaster University, Eddie is completing his first year of humanities studies but plans to specialize in either justice, political philosophy and law, or global peace and social justice. “I’m also applying to study abroad for my third year,” Eddie adds, describing the McCall McBain International fellowship program which funds a 12-month placement for up to 10 McMaster students. As Eddie explains, the program would fuel his love for learning languages and he hopes to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking community to expand on the classes he took while at HSC.
Until then, Eddie remains committed to serving the local community and spends a great deal of his free time volunteering with outreach initiatives. “Gore Park now has a surplus of food so we’ve partnered with the Food Collective Centre at McMaster to help stock their pantry as well.”
In recognition of his volunteerism, Eddie was one of five recipients of the Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford YMCA’s 2024 Peace Medal, an honour bestowed on individuals or groups who demonstrate a commitment to the values of peace through contributions made within their local, national, or global community.
In addition to his work at Gore Park, Eddie spent last summer delivering meals to Hamilton's homeless population. Once a Service Prefect, always a Service Prefect.
Singular Students
The Alumni Association Leadership Scholarship is given to selected Grade 9 students who embody the College’s Mission, Vision and Values, especially through outstanding leadership potential.
A Good Guy
Abigale Guy
IN HER SUBMISSION for the Alumni Association Leadership Scholarship, Abigale Guy wrote a touching essay titled A Small Moment in My Life That Had a Lasting Impact. In it, she describes a lightbulb moment during her E-Week trip to Camp Timberlane when she realized leadership doesn’t need to be loud. “Even when you aren’t sure what to say, just being present is enough,” she wrote. “Sometimes shared silence speaks louder than words.”
On campus, Abigale leads from behind the scenes. Quite literally. “I’m on the stage crew so I get to learn how to build things for the theatre and how everything functions backstage,” she says, listing off her co-curricular interests. When she’s not helping out with Empowerment Squared initiatives or touring with prospective students as an HSC ambassador, Abigale volunteers at a wildlife centre. “I typically volunteer four hours a week because helping animals has always been something that I’m passionate about.”
She’s also working on the Duke of Edinburgh bronze level, an activity she is doing for both “self-discovery and resumé building,” and has taken up rock climbing to get energy out. With a wisdom beyond her years, Abigale’s conscientiousness will no doubt prove to be her superpower. “The experience at Timberlane helped me understand that how you make others feel can matter more than you realize.”
Team Player
Dylan Ha
FOR DYLAN HA, being a strong leader means being a team player.
“A good leader is someone who tries to get everyone involved,” he says. “It’s all about acknowledging the needs and ideas of others.” As a competitive basketball player, Dylan helped coach his elementary school’s senior boys basketball team to victory last year and spends a lot of his time off campus practising with the Burlington Force rep team.
An accomplished athlete, Dylan is also passionate about music and has been playing piano since he was six years old.
“I finished my Royal Conservatory of Music exam level 6 this year,” he says. His participation in a variety of clubs at HSC speaks to his desire to learn as much as he can. “I don’t have a favourite subject at school and like learning about everything.”
Among his favourite clubs is HSC’s Investment Club because he gets to learn more about stocks and how to place wealth wisely. Dylan sees where he’s got room to grow and hopes to improve his communication and public speaking through drama classes.
Despite the demands of a busy co-curricular schedule, Dylan finds time to volunteer in his community. Last December, he convinced 11 of his friends to go caroling in his neighbourhood for a good cause. “We were able to raise over $500 to help purchase containers for serving hot food at Gore Park.” When he can, Dylan joins other volunteers at the park to serve meals on Saturday mornings.
by
Photos
Alex Berry
The Goal Keeper
Audrey Opalchuk
SHE MAY NOT BE TEAM CAPTAIN, but Audrey Opalchuk knows that there are many ways to be a leader. “As a goalie, I cannot be the official team captain,” she says. “But I show leadership throughout the season by remaining calm and rallying my team to focus.” As a competitive hockey player at the highest level for her age, Audrey has to work hard to stay on top of her schoolwork. Despite the demands of hockey, Audrey is thriving in her first year of Senior School.
Audrey’s attention to detail and creativity served her well in Grade 8 when she took on being committee chair of her school yearbook. “A team of five of us were responsible for creating the entire school yearbook, including writing content, taking photos, editing photos and content submitted by others, and brainstorming creative ideas.”
It was there that she discovered a passion and talent for photography and visual arts which motivated her to join HSC’s Art Club. “I really enjoy the time we get to be creative and I’m looking forward to improving my photography skills in the coming years.” And while her dedication to hockey outside of school keeps her fairly busy, Audrey hopes it will pay off when the time comes to choose a post-secondary school. “I would love to get a scholarship to play hockey at the university level.” A good goal indeed.
Point Person
Kamil Visram
KAMIL VISRAM HAS A REMARKABLE memory for sports statistics. “I went to my first NHL game when I was eight years old and knew the complete Maple Leafs lines, various power play units and also the defensive pairings,” he says. His encyclopedic knowledge of team stats may have something to do with his mathematical prowess, having been in the top percentile in national math contests over the last few years.
Academically gifted, Kamil also brings a passion for sport that extends beyond tracking team standings. He is a dedicated soccer player in the Ontario Player Development League and also plays basketball, baseball, hockey and tennis and recently learned to play pickleball. “I’ve already won adultlevel pickleball tournaments in the Halton Region,” he adds. When he’s not busy with athletics, Kamil is making the most of the co-curricular opportunities available at HSC, actively participating in clubs like HOSA, the Investment Club and the English Conversation Circle.
During his time at Fern Hill School, Kamil held various leadership roles including being a house team leader, captain of the soccer team, treasurer of the school tuck-shop, and a mentor for younger students. The way he sees it, “true leadership comes from hard work, humility, and the ability to listen and communicate effectively.” As for the future, Kamil is keeping his options open. With interests spanning medicine, engineering, business and beyond, he’s confident his time at HSC will allow him to thrive in any endeavour he pursues.
Photos by Alex Berry
Purposeful Prefects
These 15 students are this year’s leaders across Hillfield Strathallan College. Here’s what they’re into, from school life to dream dinner companions—complete with their current nicknames where applicable.
Amelia Kiung
Head Prefect and Chapel Prefect
Ibrahim Ansari
Diversity and Inclusion Prefect
Sophia Cober
Media Arts and Public Relations Prefect
My dream job
Neurologist
Favourite class
Biology and jazz
I can’t live without Music (Spotify mostly)
Favourite HSC activity
Homecoming :)
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with President Obama
Out of school I like
Playing with my dog (Potato :D)
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
Swedish meatballs with egg noodles
HSC in three words
Absolutely crazy awesome
Tradition I’ll miss Sweater Wednesdays
My dream job
Data scientist or cardiologist
Favourite class
Mandarin and Grade 12 physics
I can’t live without Family
Favourite HSC activity
Winterfest
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Kobe Bryant
Out of school I like
Going outside with friends
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Garlic bread pizza
HSC in three words
Journey of growth
Tradition I’ll miss E-week
Cameron (“CJ”)
Brindle
Head Prefect and Academic Prefect
My dream job
Diplomat
Favourite class
World history
I can’t live without
My family
Favourite HSC activity
Homecoming
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Claude Monet
Out of school I like
Sleeping
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Chicken burgers
HSC in three words
Friendship, growth, opportunity
Tradition I’ll miss Jingle bands
My dream job
Private equity analyst
Favourite class
Economics
I can’t live without
My family
Favourite HSC activity
Homecoming
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Warren Buffet
Out of school I like
Watching Netflix
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Chicken fajitas
HSC in three words
The Best Ever
Tradition I’ll miss GR8 Start
Reagan Clark Environmental Prefect
My dream job
Lawyer
Favourite class
Accounting
I can’t live without
My water bottle
Favourite HSC activity
Jingle bands
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Sebastian Vettel
Out of school I like
Going out with my friends
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Chicken burgers
HSC in three words
Exciting, memorable, busy
Tradition I’ll miss Spirit weeks
My dream job
Graphic designer/film editor
Favourite class
Anything to do with the arts, HPE or humanities
I can’t live without Books
Favourite HSC activity
The musical and rugby
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Bono
Out of school I like
Being with friends
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
Butter chicken
HSC in three words
Transformative, fulfilling, memorable
Tradition I’ll miss
Ripping up the programs for confetti at Carol Service
Collins
Junior School Prefect
My dream job
Police officer
Favourite class
PE
I can’t live without Movies
Favourite HSC activity
House cross-country
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Bryce Harper
Out of school I like
Hanging out with friends
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Breakfast for lunch
HSC in three words
Fun, adventure, positive
Tradition I’ll miss
House Mile run
Neyk Amin
Middle School Prefect
Photos by Frank Zochil
Jackson (“Jack”)
My dream job
Surgeon
Favourite class
Challenge and change
I can’t live without
My siblings
Favourite HSC activity
Spring Fair
Most used emoji on my phone right now ��
Jacey (“JCG”)
Goldberg Service Prefect
Francis Mulbah Wellbeing Prefect
My dream job
Lawyer
Favourite class
Law and APS
I can’t live without My cat Georgie
Favourite HSC activity
Monster Mash
Most used emoji on my phone right now ��
Dream dinner with Elizabeth Olsen
Out of school I like
Reading, being creative, working out
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Grilled cheese
HSC in three words
Fun, competitive, memorable
Tradition I’ll miss Jingle bands
Dream dinner with Malala Yousafzai
Out of school I like
Reading, baking and hanging out with friends
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
Chicken burgers!
HSC in three words
Memorable, inspiring, supportive
Tradition I’ll miss
Carol Service
My dream job
Men’s Health model
Favourite class
History or English
I can’t live without The gym
Favourite HSC activity
Working out or playing sports
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Cole (“Washey”)
Washchuk Athletic Prefect
My dream job
NASCAR engineer
Favourite class
Team games
I can’t live without Napping
Favourite HSC activity Pink the Rink
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Montessori School Prefect
Dream dinner with FitXFearless
Out of school I like
Bettering myself
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
The butter chicken or the tacos
HSC in three words
Connection, growth, routine
Tradition I’ll miss None
Verrecchia
Senior School Prefect
My dream job
Sports physiotherapist
Favourite class
Phys ed and Italian
I can’t live without Sports
Favourite HSC activity
Ram the Rink and Jam the Gym
Most used emoji on my phone right now ��
Dream dinner with My Nonno
Out of school I like
Being with my friends
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Chicken burgers
HSC in three words
Met my people
Tradition I’ll miss
Singing “This Little Light of Mine”
Dream dinner with Adam Sandler
Out of school I like
Playing sports
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
Chicken burgers
HSC in three words
Rewarding, family, growing
Tradition I’ll miss Chapel
Arts
My dream job
Something in sports whether marketing or law
Favourite class
Phys ed, law or history
I can’t live without Sports
Favourite HSC activity
Soccer and rugby
Most used emoji on my phone right now ��
My dream job
Formula One team
principal
Favourite class
Sports and entertainment marketing
I can’t live without My headphones
Favourite HSC activity
House cross-country and the Fall food drive
Most used emoji on my phone right now ��
My dream job
Tech startup CEO
Favourite class
AP calculus or jazz
I can’t live without Good food
Favourite HSC activity
Hot Jazz on a Cold Night
Most used emoji on my phone right now
Dream dinner with Ryan Reynolds
Out of school I like
Playing sports and hanging out with friends
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
Breakfast for lunch
HSC in three words
Family, special, unforgettable
Tradition I’ll miss
House games and the Spring Fair
Dream dinner with Lewis Hamilton
Out of school I like
Movie marathons with my best friends
Favourite Lawson Hall meal
BREAKFAST FOR LUNCH !
HSC in three words
Friendship, growth, determination
Tradition I’ll miss
Singing “This Little Light of Mine”
Dream dinner with Shakespeare
Out of school I like
Being with other people
Favourite Lawson
Hall meal
Beef pot pie
HSC in three words
Made me curious
Tradition I’ll miss
The 5 minutes between classes
Chaya (“Chai”)
Ganatra Spirit Prefect
Lola Garault Athletic Prefect
Kieran (“Kiki”) Harlock
Sofia (“Mozão”)
Zachary (“Zach”) Yu
Prefect
HSC Lifers 2024
Every year as we celebrate the graduating class at HSC, we say goodbye to a group of students we know as “Lifers”. These students joined the College at the start of their education and have been part of the HSC community throughout their school years.
by Frank
Photo
Zochil
Naiya Amin
Tia Bontis
Nanaki Arora
Ara Erfan
Audrey Hutchinson
Celina Imerti
Violet BarattoBristow
Gabriela Gomez Vargas
Noah Karmiol
Katelyn Nethercott
Priya Popuri
Dante Leone
Mika Radisic Hoang
Isaac Shenker
Ruhan Soni
Clara Roque
Etta Stone
Amy Tian
Sam Turney
Tyler Thompson
The Roots of Generosity
With thoughtful bequests, Jonathan Waters ’66 and Ron Bremner ’67 honour their very different pasts while helping shape futures— creating opportunities that will outlive them.
By Alex Berry
THIS IS A STORY OF TWO MEN, BOTH HSC ALUMNI, both determined to honour the memory of their parents through bequests to the College. One, the only child of a working-class couple in East Hamilton. The other, the eldest of three children raised on HSC’s campus. Though their HSC origins may vary from the usual, Jonathan Waters ’66 and Ron Bremner ’67 define what it means to belong at HSC.
“My mother and father sacrificed a lot to send me to HSC,” says Ron, who lived most of his childhood in an apartment behind his mother’s hair salon on Kenilworth Avenue in Hamilton’s industrial east side. “Being able to attend HSC was the best thing that ever happened to me and shaped my life in so many ways.” Ron attributes a lot of his career success to his years at the College, where he took advantage of numerous leadership opportunities. He captained the football and hockey teams, was student council president and became Head Prefect in his final year.
While Ron is the first to admit he was not the strongest student when it came to academics, his gregariousness and leadership qualities shone at HSC. Jonathan, who was a classmate of Ron’s, can remember him as a natural leader.
“HSC focused heavily on academics but there were many students, like Ron, whose strengths went beyond books.”
After graduation, Ron attended the University of Guelph where he was quarterback of the varsity football team and went on to build an impressive career as a broadcast executive, business consultant and, for five years, president and CEO of the Calgary Flames. All the while, his connection to the College remained top of mind. “When I came out of HSC, I didn’t have money to give but what I could give back was time. I would drive in from Toronto to help coach teams or volunteer with
the Old Boys’ Association to bring alumni back together.”
Like Ron, Jonathan also feels exceptionally lucky to have had an HSC education. “My family immigrated here from England on the promise of a teaching position for my father,” he explains. “Part of the deal for him was accommodations and free tuition for his children. Otherwise, we would never have been able to attend HSC.” Jonathan’s father was the late Stuart Waters, former head of the Junior School and HSC Builder. His mother, Helen Waters, also taught at the College briefly and, together with her husband, instilled in Jonathan and his siblings a love for learning.
In 1958, the Hamilton Spectator interviewed Jonathan, who was their Junior Press Club’s managing editor, giving a glimpse into his precociousness: “Although he is the youngest boy in the main school, Jonathan stands at the top of his class with a percentage of 91.” At eight years old, Jonathan was already in Grade 5. Later, after graduating from McMaster University, Jonathan “fell into” the computer business and has never looked back. Jonathan is now executive vice-president and chief technology officer at Datamaxx, a privately held company based in Florida that provides advanced communications and data control solutions to law enforcement agencies across North America, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico. “I credit my
success to my father,” Jonathan says, describing his plan for a bequest. “My goal is to honour his passion for education by helping build a shared learning space in the upcoming campus redevelopment.”
Ron’s own plan for a bequest reflects his pay-it-forward philosophy. He hopes to establish a fund that will support students from the same neighbourhood where he grew up. And while a donation designated through a will or estate plan can have a significant impact on the lives of future generations, Ron is quick to point out that everybody can make a difference. “Philanthropy is one of those words that can scare people, but I think what matters is that you give in any way you can.” Even when he can’t give them a job, Ron will always make time to meet with people seeking work. “If nothing else, I can offer them self-respect and a sense of purpose,” he says.
In the end, generosity is as much about vision as it is about action. Jonathan and Ron’s stories remind us that philanthropy isn’t just for the wealthy or the well-connected—it’s for anyone willing to invest in the power of human potential. Whether through a bequest, a fund, or simply offering guidance to someone in need, acts of giving create ripples that touch countless lives. As Ron puts it, “You can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want.”
Jonathan Waters ’66
Ron Bremner ’67
The Right Fitz
HSC’s newest member of the advancement team, Dave Fitzpatrick, is putting connection at the core of the College’s upcoming capital campaign
By Berton Woodward
IF YOU HAPPEN TO RUN INTO HSC’s Dave Fitzpatrick, just call him “Fitz”—that’s how he’s been known for decades. And chances are you will run into him, or hear from him, in the coming months as the community prepares for a transformative fundraising campaign to build a new Middle School.
Dave—we’ll just let you call him Fitz— joined HSC at the start of 2025 as Executive Director, Advancement and Communications. He brings an impressive resumé to the job, with both advancement and education experience, having taught high-school English, history and law in independent school classrooms in Canada for over two decades before moving into more senior leadership positions.
“I am not your typical advancement person,” he says. “I haven’t worked in foundations or for hospitals or for other charitable entities. I’ve only ever worked in schools, and I’ve had the great fortune of having worked front-line with students for, gosh, 29 years now. And to me, that’s what motivates the everyday of why we do what we do in advancement.”
Dave’s “of the school, for the school” mentality has been evident from his first day at HSC. He quickly immersed himself in daily life at the College, greeting students during morning drop-off, sitting in on school life meetings, and joining classroom activities. “Like the students, I’m learning through experience,” Dave says. “Being involved in the life of the College helps me understand our community’s needs so I can authentically champion its growth.”
These needs include a new entrance off Garth Street and an entirely reimagined new
Middle School, with both phases of growth already outlined in the Campus Master Plan. “The program execution in our Middle School is top notch,” Dave says. “At the same time, anybody would tell you it’s figuratively and literally bumping up against the walls, which can limit the program.” Currently, he says, the planning team is “working with the Board, Trustees and architects and putting the infrastructure pieces in place to build out a full campaign plan with a view to launch publicly in the fall of 2025.”
And expect the Fitz style to be part of it. “For a campaign to succeed, we cannot be solely dependent on mega-gifts,” he says. “Our goal will be to invite everyone to participate, and that includes a really diverse community of current parents, past parents, alumni, faculty and staff, and governors and
by Emily Malcolm
Photo
Photo by Alex Berry
“Being involved in the life of the College helps me understand our community’s needs so I can authentically champion its growth.”
trustees, and that way, when we all come together, it turns into a real old-fashioned barn-raising.”
In Dave’s view, effective fundraising is based on personal relationships. “What families should expect is that our team will be reaching out to them in the spirit of friendship, wanting to get to know them. We want to know their stories, why they feel connected to the school, why they feel passionate about the school, and then invite them to think about how they could then build on that connection and build on that passion to support the school.”
It’s reminiscent of how Dave was convinced to join HSC after being contacted by Head of College Marc Ayotte as he closed out a six-year stint as Director of Advancement at St. George’s School in Vancouver, where his team successfully completed a $100-million fundraising campaign. He already knew HSC people and the College’s top-class reputation, and even more to the point, his Hamiltonian sister Kelly Fitzpatrick and her husband Darin Treleaven have four kids he’s watched go through HSC very successfully—Owen Treleaven ’19, Kaitlyn ’21, Nora ’22 and Maeve ’26. Add to that, his wife Kelley is also a teacher in Vancouver and will relocate to Hamilton this summer with their two teenage boys.
In other words, HSC is a natural fit for Fitz. “Isn’t it great to be a part of a school that’s so proud of its history and simultaneously is forward looking? To me, that’s really compelling.”
Fun(d) Facts
HSC has a long history of spirited collaborative giving
1996
1906
HSC’s first outdoor hockey rink was made possible through a student-led fundraising initiative in which the Highfield boys collected $361.85 with help from Mrs. Collinson’s theatrical productions.
1909
Students raised $460 to renovate the existing coach house at Highfield into their new gymnasium.
1960
Dave mingles with Middle School students during pottery class.
The Hillfield-Strathallan Building fund was among the first capital fund appeals in the College’s history with a $400,000 goal to support a move up the mountain. The initial $74,000 of that goal came in donations from HSC Board members.
1975
Over $8,000 was brought in by the Parents’ Association during bake sales and fashion show events, some of which went towards the purchase of audiovisual equipment in the primary school, uneven parallel bars in the gymnasium and a two-way communication system for the bus department.
1982
Parents’ Association President Sue Scott held a giant garage sale that netted an impressive $20,000.
The Parents’ Association earned fully $84,000 for the College through various fundraisers including bingo nights.
1998
The SAP production of Guys and Dolls pulled in $13,500 for arts programming at HSC.
2013
HSC’s Parents’ Guild gained $7,500 for the College during its Spring Fashion Show.
2016
HSC’s Alumni Executive held the 20th annual Alumni Golf Classic, a tournament that took in more than $26,000 towards student scholarships and awards.
2017
Though the repurposing of uniforms has a long history at HSC, it was only in 2017 that a formalized Used Uniform program began, thanks to the Parents’ Guild. In its inaugural year, $18,691 was raised to invest back into learning at the College.
2025
The campaign to support a new Middle School is coming. If you have a fun fundraising idea, share it with advancement@hsc.on.ca
Lives Lived
ALUMNI
MARY EARNSHAW (NÉE KER) ’41, author of Strathallan Remembered 1923-1948, a definitive 1983 collection of memories about HSC’s founding girls’ school; married a longtime naval officer, Eric, moving frequently, and became an avid boater who with him and their four kids sailed the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida, over to the Bahamas and later through B.C.’s Gulf Islands and twice around Vancouver Island; lived near Victoria from 1973 and with Eric created the gardening store Dig This; sister of Frederick S. Ker ’35, David Ker ’37, John Ker ’44 and Jean Watson ’45 (see below); wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. On March 8, 2024, at 99.
MARGARET “PEGGY” PATERSON (NÉE MAIN) ’44, McMaster grad who worked as a librarian in Brantford, Ont., and raised two sons with her armed forces husband; memorialized as “a great listener, a progressive thinker, had a great sense of humour and embraced all who crossed her path”; wife, mother. On September 30, 2024, at 97.
JEAN WATSON (NÉE KER) ’45, longtime resident of rural Mono Township near Orangeville whose occupation was memorialized as “wife, mother, gentlewoman, horse breeder, horticulturalist and farmer”; married second husband Tom, a Mono nursery owner, in 1980 and involved herself with a lilac collection, the Dufferin Arts Council and as an equestrian and supporter of the musical arts; sister of Frederick S. Ker ’35, David Ker ’37, Mary Earnshaw ’41 (see above) and John Ker ’44; wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. On January 11, 2024, at 95.
KATHERINE “KAY” BARCLAY (NÉE LATHAM) ’49, energetic homemaker who had six children in nine years; family remembers that “Kay was fond of fun nicknames and each of her children had one (or two) leading to notions that Kay had more than six children!”; with her taste for adventure, cycled Ireland and took a freighter to Australia in the 1960s, as well as travelling to Europe and Africa with husband Bill; mother of Thomas Barclay ’84, an Honorary HSC Corporation Member; wife, mother, grandmother. On March 7, 2024, at 91.
ROBERT E. WRAY ’64, longtime Dofasco staffer who helped bring innovation and technology to the steel company for the 21st century; volunteered at Flamborough Archives in Waterdown researching young men and women from Flamborough who served in the First World War; husband, father, grandfather. On October 22, 2024, at 80.
SUSAN MARY RICHARDSON ’65, longtime staffer at Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and an evercurious learner, full of life and energy; enjoyed travel, hiking and classical music; wife, mother, grandmother. On November 9, 2024, at 78.
BLAIR LOCKETT (NÉE ROBINSON) ’72, devoted mom and homemaker; sister of Gregor Robinson ’65, Sheila Robinson Fallis ’66, and Phyllis Robinson ’68; wife, mother, grandmother. On February 17, 2024, at 70.
CRAIG R. BROOKS ’77, well-liked Burlington resident. On Oct. 11, 2022, at 71.
JEREMY WELLAND ’04, high-performing HSC student and Brown University graduate in neurology who went on to get a law degree and enjoy a 10-year legal career in Las Vegas; recently returned to school at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering when a heart attack felled him; Indigenous Canadian who won fully 17 academic awards in four years at HSC, from the Consul General of France’s Prize for French in Grade 9 to the Bruckmann, Miller and Winter Trophy for Grade 12 Physics; taught himself Chinese, Spanish and competitive chess; brother of Timothy ’03 and Andrew ’06; husband, father. On March 7, 2024, at 37.
AUSTIN SPICER PHILP ’14, photographer and piano composer remembered by his mother, Michele Spicer ’81, as “a passionate, beautiful and sensitive soul…. His senses were so finely tuned to everything around him, and he felt everything deeply. With this came much beauty and also much suffering. Austin persevered through many challenges. He was brave, courageous and deeply kind.” Brother of Meaghan Philp ’11, nephew of Michael Spicer ’81, J.C. Stefan Spicer ’83, and Nell Spicer ’85, cousin of Tessa Spicer ’11, Julia Spicer ’14, and Philip Spicer ’17, and grandson of Philip Spicer ’53. On May 15, 2024, at 28.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
MARION “MISTY” HARRISON, HSC Corporation Member and donor with husband Ted of The Tyrell Harrison Memorial Prize for Grade 9 English, named for son Tyrell ’67 who died in 1967; also mother of Ann Braden ’67 and Alan Harrison ’71. On February 27, at 100.
TERENCE “TERRY” BRANCH, retired engineer, mentor to young engineers and father to Mike ’99 and Andrew ’01. On October 26, 2024, at 77.
ELIZABETH WATERS, daughter of late HSC teachers Stuart and Helen Waters and sister of Christopher ’72 and Jonathan ’66; persevered through Down Syndrome and received the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award for her enthusiastic volunteer work. On December 14, 2023, at 65.
MARY HYNES, British-born physiotherapist and wife of Hamilton plastic surgeon Nicolas Hynes ’81, mother of Cole ’19 and Jude ’21, and sister-in-law of Hynes ’80 and Claire Hynes ’84. On July 2, 2024, at 57.
ANITA EVELYN RAWANA, Mohawk College communications professor and mother of Victor Harry-Paul ’36 who, as a five-year-old Montessori student last year, kissed his dying mother’s hand in hospital and asked her to speak to him; there was a pause, then she barely uttered the words, “I love you son and don't you forget it” and went back to sleep. On April 19, 2024, at 46.
THOMAS JAMES “JIM” STOKES, retired lieutenantcolonel and husband of former HSC teacher Ruth Stokes; avid sailor and proud veteran; father of Katherine Ruth Stokes ’81 and Clifford James “Jamie” Stokes ’85 and guardian of Leah Lynne Wilson ’71. On September 12, 2024, at 94.
FACULTY AND STAFF
GEORGINA “GINA” WALKER, longtime HSC librarian who started part-time in 1966 and retired in 1993; gifted seamstress and puzzle-solver; mother of David Walker ’75 and grandmother of William Walker ’17. On August 7, 2024, at 95.
ANNA SCHAFER, HSC Montessori teacher from 1975 to 1999; tumultuous early life as a Jewish girl in Germany during the Second World War; in Canada, gained a master’s degree in German literature at the University of Toronto before switching to Montessori teaching and joining HSC; in later life was a peace activist in Hamilton, including the Grandmothers of Steel, and delighted in holding grand Shabbat dinners every Friday for family and a wide circle of friends; mother of Joan Krygsman ’87. On May 30, 2024, at 85.
DIANA MARY ZIMBER, HSC primary teacher from 1975 to 1982 who loved music and tie-dyed shirts; mother of Leigh Miller Adlington ’88 and Daniel Miller ’91, who is married to current faculty member Kate Miller; grandmother to their children Ben ’23 and Evan ’21. On April 10, 2024, at 80.
JEFFREY GARDNER, mathematics teacher for 34 years at Ontario schools and colleges including HSC from 1985 to 1989; athletic, inspiring, with a fun-loving sense of humour. On December 27, 2024, at 64.
A note about Lives Lived:
If you learn of any alumni, faculty or staff who have passed away during the course of the coming year, you are welcome to send a note to communications@hsc.on.ca so HSC Review can properly remember them on this page. If you have confirmed details, including age and date of death, please include them, as well as an appreciation of the person if you wish. A copy of, or link to, a published obituary is especially helpful.
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