The Pillars (Spring 2025)

the PILLARS

CONTENTS

WILTED

My painting explores the hidden cost of fast fashion, revealing the stark contrast between its glamorous allure and the harsh realities of exploitation and environmental damage. Initially unaware of the full impact of my consumption, I was deeply affected by learning about the industry’s unethical practices. Using a contrasting colour scheme, which consists of muted tones for polluted environments and vibrant hues for consumer culture, I highlighted this imbalance. Symbolic elements, like the drooping sunflowers, weighed down by pollution, further reflect the consequences of our choices. Through this work, I hope to encourage awareness and stewardship toward a more ethical and sustainable future.

—Lucy

Huang, Grade 11

OUR QUAKER VALUES

Simplicity guides students and staff to focus on fewer ideas or materials, to explore key concepts more deeply and fully, to set priorities, and to prefer clarity over clutter.

Peace is the ongoing endeavour to see the good in each person and to approach conflict with this mindset at the forefront. Students learn that to promote peace in the wider world, we must first nurture it from within.

Integrity means being authentic and keeping consistency between one’s values and one’s actions. We are also open to new ideas, new solutions, and new paths.

Community building centres on simple gestures of kindness, warmth and inclusion; it is gathering interconnected individuals whose collective actions create a sense of belonging and encourage participation, so we accept and take care of one another.

Equality is essential, yet different than sameness. Equality asks that we give and receive the same respect, kindness and care for one another.

Stewardship means taking care of what has been given, not just for our own use but for people around us and for future generations. We should be active stewards of things, of ourselves, of each other, and of ideas and ideals.

HEAD LINES

with Dr. Cinde Lock, Head of School

At Pickering College, we are always looking ahead and seeking new ways to inspire learning, spark innovation, and help our students excel. Having said that, whether we are introducing new programs, or upgrading our historic facilities, we never lose sight of what truly matters: the people at the heart of our school.

Our greatest strength lies in the depth of care we offer each and every student. This care is not just an aspiration, it is the beating heart of our community. Think of it like an apple—when the core is strong, the fruit is sweeter. And it is this strong, values-driven foundation that allows our students to truly flourish.

Teaching young learners is a calling and we are so fortunate to have wonderful staff and faculty who contribute to helping our students to find their passion and purpose. It is a monumental task, but one that we embrace with enthusiasm and joy.

Throughout this issue of The Pillars, you will see example after example of how we are living the values of our Quaker founders—Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship—and the profound influence they have on our day-to-day interactions. These values remind us that our work is not only about excellence but about nurturing character and fostering belonging.

We will continue to strive to reach further and to aim higher, but our most profound responsibility and work is to be present, to listen, and to give our students the encouragement they need to lead with purpose.

As we move through these uncertain times, our focus remains steadfast: on people, on community, and on the promise we see in every young person who walks through our doors.

The People Are Pickering.

Dr. Cinde Lock Head of School

JUNIOR SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE

Junior Kindergarten explored how colours can represent feelings by reading The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas. They retold the tale and painted their own “mixed up monsters,” resulting in an invasion of beautiful colour monsters in the classroom. 1

Dr. Lock joined the Grade 2 class for math and enjoyed

a game of Battleship using coordinates. All of the students wanted to play with Dr. Lock and she ended up battling four or five opponents at once! 2

Speaking Club is an important part of the Global Leadership Program in Grade 5, preparing students throughout the year for their My Key Idea presentation. Students have

been taking turns chairing Speaking Club meetings with special guests regularly attending to provide additional feedback to the students and help them improve their speaking skills. 3

The Grade 4 class traveled to Blue & Silver Farm where there was a fresh blanket of snow which allowed students to see

lots of coyote and raccoon prints. They even saw some tracks that were created when coyotes went through the mud when it was mild and then the prints froze. The sun was shining brightly which allowed students to start an investigation on light and how shadows are produced. 4

through different outdoor stations for our annual Take Me Outside Day. This day helps to raise awareness about outdoor learning by encouraging educators to take their learners outside. Students enjoyed a scavenger hunt, a campfire, outdoor story time and more. 5

The Grade 5 class combined phys-ed with their body

systems unit in science to further explore the circulatory system. They navigated through the giant circulatory maze on scooters, following the path blood cells take through our hearts and bodies. The students used oxygen and carbon dioxide cards to represent if the blood cells were oxygen-rich or oxygendepleted, depending on where

they were along the course or inside the heart. 6

The Senior Kindergarten class created math monsters out of playdough and various loose parts. As they built their monsters, they counted the different features—such as eyes, arms, and legs—and recorded their counting by representing it with numerals.

This hands-on activity helped reinforce number sense in a fun and engaging way. 7

Students from Grades 1 to 4 enjoyed a trip to Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto for a performance of Hot, Hot, Hot! They loved listening to the various orchestra instruments, the calypso music, the singing and the dancing. 8

Innovation Takes Root

Blending nature, technology, and purpose-driven learning, the Sphere Program redefines what education can be

In September, Pickering College will launch an exciting new program for Grades 4 and Grade 5 students where they will spend the majority of their day out in the field … literally.

The Sphere Program will reimagine what learning can be, empowering students to master cuttingedge technology while crafting real-world solutions to problems they care deeply about. This enriched learning environment extends beyond the classroom walls to instead spend much of the day surrounded by nature at Blue & Silver Farm, the school’s outdoor education property.

Blue & Silver Farm was bequeathed to Pickering College by the late Charles Boyd, who left an indelible mark on the lives of thousands of Pickering College students, alumni, and staff during his 53 years as a teacher, coach, mentor, advisor, and alumni ambassador. Thanks to his generosity, generations of students will continue to benefit from his legacy and dedication to making the Pickering College community greater, better and more beautiful.

With access to 75 acres of natural spaces, a stateof-the-art maker space on campus, and flexible indoor and outdoor classrooms, students in the Sphere Program are encouraged to explore, inquire and innovate.

“We want Sphere students to not just learn about environmental science, but to actively tackle realworld challenges,” explains Julia Hunt, Assistant Head of School, Strategic Initiatives. “It’s turning learning on its head so that instead of being passive learners, our students are young scientists, innovators, and changemakers. They might build robots designed to weed and water gardens at the farm, or use sensors to analyze soil microbiology, all while thinking critically about how their work impacts their community.”

By providing students with the opportunity to engage with real issues, they learn early on how to ask tough questions, seek honest answers, and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. The Sphere Program will create opportunities for students to practice these skills and share their findings with local organizations, not-for-profits, and even government bodies.

“It’s everything that I wish I learned sooner: inquirybased, problem-based, self-directed but also a lot of group-based learning, experiential and it’s all in the context of STEM which is amazing,” says Caroline Chua, a Pickering College parent of three whose daughter Sawyer will be amongst the first cohort beginning in September.

We look forward to providing further updates about this program, once it launches this fall. For more information about the Sphere Program, visit us online at www.pickeringcollege.on.ca/sphere

GRADE 4 & 5 PROGRAM

FEATURES:

• Rigorous academics in all curriculum subjects

• Tech-based learning (AI, coding, robotics)

• Enriched, immersive science exploration

• Farm-to-table, health and wellness

• Art, design and prototyping

• Outdoor education and leadership

• Community engagement and action

• Interdisciplinary curriculum

• Pathway to the Middle School SPARC program at Pickering College

• Small class sizes with self-directed inquiry

SPHERE STUDENTS ARE:

• Curious, active problem solvers

• Eager and passionate to be challenged

• Seeking enrichment opportunities

• Motivated to test solutions with hands-on projects

• Enthusiastic to understand complex ideas

Dylan is already considering a future career where she can help people, possibly becoming an art teacher or a therapist.

DYLAN CAZEAU

Curious and community driven

Dylan Cazeau is a Grade 5 student who is about to complete her third year at Pickering College. She recalls her transition from public school with a smile on her face, “it was a big change from my old school.”

A few of Dylan’s favourite aspects of PC life include going to the farm and learning about Indigenous people in her classes. Her curiosity extends to other subjects, especially history and science, where she feels she has learned a great deal since joining PC.

Dylan shines both in the classroom and through her co-curricular activities. She is a multi-talented individual with interests ranging from piano lessons to swimming and soccer. She says her favorite extracurricular activity is volleyball, where she states she has learned to control her power when she bumps and serves. These experiences have taught her to work together with others in a community setting.

One of Dylan’s favourite places on campus is the Pickering College track, where she can walk with her friends, making conversation and enjoying the peace of being outdoors. It’s a simple, yet meaningful way for her to build her friendships and make connections.

Although she is only in Grade 5, Dylan is already considering a future career where she can help people, possibly becoming an art teacher or a therapist. Dylan’s big heart and sense of empathy are clear. In fact, if Dylan could have any superpower, it would be to talk to anyone in any language so that no one ever felt alone.

Dylan’s journey at PC is shaped by her curiosity, dedication, and love for her community, making her a truly remarkable individual. “I’ve learned a lot from my friends and the activities I do here,” she reflects.

Written by Yasmin Hiranandani, Grade 12

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE

The Community and Identity SPARC group traveled to Kensington Market to experience the cultural diversity of the community, its rich history, and tasty food. After enjoying their exploration through the market, the group set off on foot to the Royal Alexandra Theatre, experiencing Chinatown and the entertainment district along the way. To cap off the day, the

students watched Come From Away, a moving depiction of the power of community. In the musical, students learned how Newfoundland embraced the travelers stranded in Gander in the days following the devastating attacks on September 11, 2001. 1

For Take Me Outside Day, students played a giant game of Survivor. Students had the role of either an herbivore,

omnivore or carnivore and were able to hunt players who were lower on the food chain. The ultimate goal was to find the various water and food stations to survive. Red House won second place with the most beads, making them the best hunters. Blue House and Silver House tied for first place having the most water/food station punches. 2

The Middle School Robotics Club had an exciting opportunity to attend a Design Day. During the event, they actively participated in design thinking workshops, team-building exercises, and brainstorming sessions, all aimed at developing innovative robot designs. Students left equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to begin building a competition-ready robot. 3

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE

The Environmental Sustainability SPARC group hosted a farm festival at Blue & Silver Farm. The students prepared presentations on topics such as invasive species, water, food sustainability, and honey. They presented to guests from Lauremont School and afterward all the students enjoyed pizza from

our wood-fired pizza ovens in the meadow. 4

Pickering College co-hosted a VEX IQ Robotics tournament in January with over 50 teams, four of which were from PC.

After weeks of hard work, our Middle School students finally put their robots to the test with other teams and had a lot

of fun competing. 5

The Grade 6 class visited the Toronto Holocaust Museum. The excursion was designed to provide students with a deep, thoughtful understanding of Jewish culture and its lasting impact on Canada and our world. This visit was part of the social studies curriculum’s

commitment to fostering empathy, critical thinking, and global awareness among our students. Through guided exhibits, survivor testimonials, and interactive learning stations students learned about the resilience, courage, and life of those who immigrated to Canada. 6

Shazia has enjoyed the opportunity to work with people outside of the school through the SPARC program.

SHAZIA ABBAS

The People are Pickering

Already in her second year at Pickering College, Grade 8 student Shazia Abbas says the sense of community PC offers is her favourite part of the school.

“I feel like when I came here I met a lot of different people and it’s overall very diverse,” Shazia said. She enjoys the fact that she has met so many more people that she wouldn’t have come across at her old school.

Shazia enjoys co-curricular activities and participates in many sports teams like volleyball and basketball as well as taking part in a self-defence course.

A highlight from Shazia’s time at PC was the overnight Grade 7 Quebec trip. She has fond memories of taking tours of the city and exploring the culture Quebec has to offer. “We got to see lots of different tourist places in Quebec,” she said. “We learned more about the history and Quebec; it was really fun.”

Along with exciting trips, Shazia feels that Pickering has offered her the opportunity to work with people outside of the school through the SPARC program.

“We’ve been collaborating with different organizations like Paws and Boots on the Ground,” she said. “I was in design and we got to learn more about 3D printing, like designing for everyday items, also making gadgets and online designing.”

Shazia has reflected on her nearly two years at Pickering College and has gained new skills along the way.

“I learned that I work well with different people,” she said. “I learned to listen to other people’s ideas.”

Shazia will be entering Senior School next year and is excited about the next part of her academic journey at Pickering College.

Written by Esther Ogunbiyi, Grade 11

Students gain essential skills by working in authentic partnerships with community organizations...

Technology: Robotics & Coding

It starts with a SPARC

Environmental Stewardship

Social Justice & Advocacy

Designing for Now and the Future

Identity & Community

...resulting in creative solutions to make the world greater, better and more beautiful.

SPARC stands for Student Projects Advancing Real Change. At the beginning of the term, each student from Grade 6 to Grade 8 selected which SPARC group they wanted to explore.

The inaugural term of the Middle School SPARC program wrapped up in January with the completion of five projects to help community partners.

The options were Identity and Community, Environmental Stewardship, Technology, Social Justice and Advocacy, and Designing for Now and The Future.

“SPARC is an experiential learning program that allows our students to engage in creating authentic solutions for community partners. The five SPARC project areas are based on skills that we believe students are going to need for the future and on our Quaker values and what we believe our students should focus on to make the world greater, better, and more beautiful,” said Julie Clement, Director, Middle School.

Every Wednesday, students learned about their specific project area through excursions, guest speakers, and hands-on learning opportunities. Over the course of about five months, the students developed their solutions or end product.

The Designing for Now and the Future group worked with Paws and Boots on the Ground, a non-profit organization that provides youth engagement to help train service dogs. The

students were tasked with designing and building various items such as name plates, whelping pens, and enrichment and training tools for the dogs.

“It was a fun, engaging experience where we got to help people from outside the PC community,” said Felix Chen, a Grade 8 student in the design SPARC group.

Felix and his partner developed a crate name plate using a whiteboard and 3D printed elements so they could easily label the dogs’ crates and add other information such as feeding times.

“I developed more creative thinking, I can process solutions a lot better now, I can brainstorm a lot better,” Felix said about the design process.

The students visited Paws and Boots on the Ground, which is led by Jane Boake and Dana Sheehan. On their first visit they were able to meet the dogs and learn more about the organization, which is newly formed.

On their next visit they brought prototypes of their products, asked questions and got feedback from Boake and Sheehan to improve their designs.

“It was really, really lovely to see the curiosity from the kids and the questions they formulated. It was hard to even believe they were in Grade 6, 7 and 8,” Sheehan said. “It was really interesting to see them develop.”

She said the students were receptive to feedback and wanted to make sure they met the needs of the organization. Boake added that she could tell the students were really serious about the project.

“We’re so grateful to have them. It was a really nice time to see their products and hear about the evolution they went through and to show our gratitude to them. Because we’re a new charity we have a lot of needs.”

In addition:

• the Identity and Community group worked with partners at the Town of Newmarket and the Elman W. Campbell Museum to develop a historic walking tour of Newmarket.

• the Environmental Stewardship group partnered with Aramark to host a farm festival focused on sustainability.

• the Social Justice and Advocacy group worked with Blue Door to write a book raising awareness and advocating for unhoused people.

• the Technology group worked with seniors in the community who they called ‘wise ones’ to develop computer games to address isolation.

“Our partners from term one have shared how impactful the work is that the students have been doing, they have shared that they’ve enjoyed engaging with our students.

Our students have represented our community so well in the way that they are asking questions, supporting, showing concern, and then developing products to the specifications that that partner needs,” Julie Clement said.

In the second term, the Grade 6 and 7 students selected new project areas to explore while the Grade 8 students worked on their MySPARC project. All three grades are continuing to focus on experiential project-based learning and working with partners in the community. S P A R C

SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE

The Grade 10 English classes went to the Blue & Silver Farm to take part in a landbased learning activity linked to both their study of Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer and the Global Leadership Program. Students reflected on the story of The Three Sisters and considered how we can incorporate

Indigenous knowledge into various elements of our lives. Students also focused on the Quaker values of community & stewardship as they shared thoughtful insights about how we can support our communities while engaging in a reciprocal relationship with the land. While at the farm, students harvested squash, corn and beans and other

crops from our own garden, which were donated to the Newmarket Food Pantry. 1

In the introduction to social sciences class, Grade 11 students engaged in an exciting “Build a Brain” project where they explored the connections between brain functions and human behaviour through the lenses

of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. This hands-on learning experience allows students to dive deep into how different parts of the brain influence emotions, decision-making, and social interactions. 2

Four Senior School students joined more than 700 students from across the country

at the Canadian Student Leadership Conference. It was an amazing opportunity for our student leaders to connect with and learn from fellow leaders through workshops and keynote speakers at the picturesque Camp White Pine. 3

A newly-formed girls’ flag football team was established at Pickering College, marking

an exciting milestone for the school and its athletics program. The girls worked hard and progressed nicely through the season. They attended a clinic with coaches from a local football academy. They demonstrated some clever offensive plays and the ability to adapt defensively in games. 4

Six students attended the EmpowerHer event, hosted by the Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto. This annual event offers female high school students a unique opportunity to engage in a one-on-one lunch with a female RBC employee. The afternoon began with an exclusive tour of RBC’s Capital Investments stock trading floor, followed

by an inspiring presentation from the Group Head of RBC Personal Banking. 5

Grade 9 and 10 Design Technologies students embarked on an interdisciplinary project to design 16 bat box prototypes to be installed at Blue & Silver Farm. Students were given a demonstration on

SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE

measurement and cutting techniques using power tools. Blue & Silver Farm Manager Nic visited the workshop, located in the ESL Academy House and provided insight into effective and efficient woodworking measurement, tool components, cutting techniques and safety protocols. 6

Five Senior School students attended the IMPACT X Summit at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. They learned a lot about what it takes to get a venture off the ground and sustain it. The students also participated in the pitch competition with Grade 12 student Yasmin

taking home second place, a $600 prize, for an illustrative children’s book to raise funds for children’s charities in India. Grade 10 students Carson and Max and Grade 11 student Neil won third place, a $400 prize, for their GreenTech idea to recycle old electronics and use the materials for high school STEM programs. 7

Students in the LEAP class recently embarked on an exciting winter camping experience through Lure of the North. The students ventured north for a multi-day trip with snowshoeing, winter camping in hot tents and transporting gear with toboggans. 8

“Take the opportunities that come your way and put yourself out there.”

LUKE LITTLE

Insights and Experiences

Grade 12 student Luke Little is known for his leadership both inside and outside the classroom. He shared insights about his experiences at PC and the lessons he has learned.

Q: How long have you been at Pickering College, and what are your favourite things about the school? I started at Pickering College in Grade 9, which was four years ago. I’ve been super grateful for the support that the teachers and staff offer to students. Being part of a supportive community is what’s helped me prepare for the next step in my education.

Q: What are some highlights of your four years at PC? Winning the Senior Hockey championship two years in a row and also placing top eight internationally in a debate competition in Grade 10, that was cool.

Q: How long has debate been a hobby of yours? I started in Grade 9. It was fun because there weren’t really too many outlets for me to do that at my old school. It was nice to be able to practice such an important skill, to learn some new things and grow my confidence in public speaking.

Q: Which of the school’s Quaker values resonate with you the most? Simplicity, I don’t really tend to live a very extravagant life. I prefer to have a straightforward routine; go to school, do my work, and hang out with my friends. I don’t feel the need for unnecessary things. Being surrounded by my loved ones and the things I need to live are enough.

Q: Do you have any advice for those starting Grade 9 in the fall? Take the opportunities that come your way and put yourself out there. There are so many people to meet and things to learn. If you see a club that is even remotely interesting, join it. You will learn about your likes and dislikes; this can help guide you. Most importantly, enjoy the process. Senior School is only four years, and it goes by surprisingly fast. Try to live in the moment.

Q: What’s next after graduation? I’d love to become an aerospace engineer. I have committed to go to Queen’s University for engineering physics. My dream is to work at SpaceX. I hope to be part of something interesting and innovative and to help advance technology and space exploration. Science has always been a fascination of mine, and I can’t wait to explore the subject deeper throughout my educational journey.

Written by Rebekah Stevens, Grade 11

Bridging Learning and

A

reimagined interdisciplinary

Global Leadership Program launches in Grade 9

For over a decade, the Global Leadership Program (GLP) has been a cornerstone of the Senior School experience, blending academic rigour with real-world application.

For the students in Grade 9, the program has taken an innovative turn this year, integrating interdisciplinary learning with hands-on environmental and agricultural initiatives at the school’s outdoor education property, Blue & Silver Farm. This unique approach not only enriches students’ education but fosters a deeper understanding of sustainability and leadership.

The primary goal of the GLP is to connect classroom learning with meaningful, authentic projects. While previous iterations of the program focused on independent projects, changes made at the beginning of this academic year have resulted in a highly integrated, interdisciplinary reimagination of the program in Grade 9. The knowledge and skills from their classes in geography, science, mathematics, and English provide the foundation as they apply what they have learned to develop sustainable programming for Blue & Silver Farm.

“This year, we wanted to take integration a step further,” explains Chris Schneider, Director of Senior School. “We’re not just aligning classroom content with GLP projects—we’re connecting learning across subjects to create a truly cross-curricular experience so that their education is immersive, meaningful and impactful.”

Students have selected specific focus areas at the farm, including:

• Agriculture: Exploring sustainable vegetable gardening and pollinatorfriendly plantings.

• Livestock: Investigating the role of chickens, ducks, and sheep in sustainable

farming. The sheep, for instance, are being studied for their ability to naturally rehabilitate depleted soil while also providing wool for potential future projects.

• Leadership Development: Designing outdoor leadership and team-building experiences, such as low-initiative games and a low-ropes course.

• Sustainable Maple Syrup Production: Planning and mapping a sap collection system that maximizes efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Students have engaged in experiential learning at the farm and beyond. They’ve visited local agricultural sites and studied outdoor education centres with sustainable practices. Students have applied what they have learned to conduct field research at Blue & Silver Farm, from tree identification and digital geo-mapping in geography to soil health analysis in science.

“These experiences ground the students’ projects in real data,” says Schneider. “For example, our maple syrup group has mapped trees and assessed the topography to determine the most effective design for a sap collection system. They’re taking data from their geo-mapping and using math skills to calculate slopes and tubing lengths, and then applying that knowledge to a realworld example.”

One of the key successes of this new approach is the level of student engagement. Despite harsh winter conditions during their first on-site research day, students remained immersed in their tasks, reluctant to leave even when the end of the school day approached.

“The authenticity of this work is a powerful motivator,” says Schneider. “Students aren’t just brainstorming ideas for an abstract

Leadership

project—they’re making real decisions that will shape our farm’s future. They feel a genuine sense of ownership and responsibility.”

Bianca Neagoe, Grade 9, says she has always loved animals, so working on a livestock project that allows her to contribute to their care and growth has been incredible.

“This project has helped me strengthen my teamwork and organizational skills, as planning and collaboration are essential,” says Neagoe. “Throughout this experience, me and my group have gained valuable knowledge about various sheep breeds, allowing us to develop a deep understanding of their needs and behaviours. By working together, we’ve built a strong team that shares a common passion and goal.”

Matthew Miceli, also in Grade 9, echoes Neagoe’s enthusiasm as a member of the sustainable maple syrup production team.

“The fact that the farm has its trees on a slant lets us use gravity to move the maple syrup to the areas where we will collect it. What I like about this project is that I can collaborate with my friends while also benefiting the school and my view on sustainability/efficiency.”

As students refine their project proposals throughout the spring, their ideas will contribute to ongoing stewardship efforts at Blue & Silver Farm, with potential impacts beyond the school’s borders.

“This project has been a team effort, collaboratively developed by the faculty,” says Schneider. “While the scale has shifted, the essence remains: innovate sustainably, not just for our school, but for the broader world. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us.”

ATHLETIC LIFE HIGH PERFORMANCE STUDENT ATHLETE PROGRAM

RECORD ENROLMENT & NEW INITIATIVES BOOST HPSA PROGRAM

Since its creation in 2011, there have been around 10 students each year in the High Performance Student Athlete (HPSA) program, which is designed to offer support and greater flexibility for students who are regularly involved in a sport at an elite level outside of school. This year there are 22 students from Grade 9 to 12 who compete in a wide variety of sports such as hockey, ringette, martial arts, equestrian, fencing, and more. Graham Birt, advisor to the HPSA program, said this increase points to its success in the school.

“At Pickering College, we’ve got some pretty high achieving student athletes and students in general,” he said. Birt oversees the athletes throughout the year, checking in with them and providing assignments that are relatable, such as sports psychology or nutrition. The students are also given an extra spare during the year to help with time management.

“A lot of their evenings are taken up with hours of training and competition. They’re getting home late at night and then having to start homework is a daunting task. Giving them this 75-minute block every other day makes their sport-academic balance feel more manageable,” Birt said.

Martina Zhang, an Aurora-based competitive dancer and Grade 10 student, said the program has done just that. “Balancing school and dance is hard, but joining the HPSA program has helped me release my stress in school work, allowing me to put in more hours in dance,” she said.

Thanks to a generous donation from a Pickering College family, new initiatives have been introduced this year to enhance what is offered to the student athletes.

One of the initiatives is a partnership with the University of Toronto Sport and Human Performance Laboratory for a sport psychology workshop series.

“What are the needs of 18 different sports? They’re so different,” said Graham Birt, HPSA advisor. “But what they all have in common is sports psychology.”

Another partnership is with Sports Vision Toronto, who performed vision testing on the athletes in the fall.

“Vision is often an overlooked but really important part of performance,” Birt said.

After conducting several tests on each of the athletes, Sports Vision Toronto developed a training program for each of them to work on and improve.

This spring, the HPSA students plan to visit Humber College to partner with their postgraduate Exercise Science and Lifestyle Management program. Students will take a series of physical tests and compare their results to athletes their age in a similar sport. They will be able to learn strategies that could improve their overall performance. The goal of these initiatives is for students to develop an increased awareness of their sport-specific strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately leading them to become better athletes.

“Very few athletes at this age would ordinarily have the opportunity to experience these types of programs, so we are grateful and proud that our students in the HPSA program will benefit from these new initiatives,” Birt said.

PC CHAMPIONS

The Pumas finished the winter term of co-curriculars by winning three championships in the span of two days.

On Tuesday, February 25, the U14 Girls’ Volleyball team hosted the semi-finals and finals at home in Egan House. They advanced to the finals and went on to win the championship in just two sets. This marked the end of an incredible season for the team, which is made up of Grade 6, 7 and 8 students and coached by Ms. Kyle Krause and Ms. Renee Merrick.

That same day, the U14 Boys’ Basketball team played in their semi-finals and finals, which were hosted at Lauremont School. The score was tied in the last quarter of the finals and with seconds to spare, one of the PC players got the ball and made a buzzer-beat shot to win the championship. The team is made up of Grade 6, 7, and 8 students and coached by Mr. Jay Fletcher.

On Wednesday, February 26 the Senior Hockey team earned a consecutive championship on home ice. The team of Grade 9 to Grade 12 players won the finals in a close game with a score of 2-1. This is the second year in a row PC has brought home the championship in our division. Senior Hockey is coached by Coach Joe McTamney and Mr. Drew MacDonald.

BOARDING LIFE

YASMIN HIRANANDANI

Building Community

Through boarding, not only did Yasmin find a family, but she found herself.

Grade 12 student Yasmin Hiranandani came from St. Kitts and Nevis in search of a high-quality education and the opportunity to experience life abroad and she found it at Pickering College. Yasmin started as a boarding student in Grade 11 and within just one year she said the school felt like home.

“When I first came it was so new and different and now I know everyone. I’m smiling at everyone. I’m speaking to everyone. Just that switch within a year, I think that’s my favourite thing,” she said.

Yasmin said the transition to living in boarding was scary but very quickly she found her place. “I’ll be honest, I hated the first week. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is so scary.’ Everything is so new and unfamiliar,” she said.

What helped Yasmin was the people who she says were so kind right from the start. “You live with them, you see them all the time, it’s practically like your family,” she said.

Not only did she find a family, but she has found herself. “I know more about myself than I did coming in, like I know how I handle myself in stressful situations, I know how to speak to myself. I know that I don’t need to rely on someone else. That’s an important life skill as you grow older,” she said.

Yasmin is grateful for her time at PC and the opportunities she has been afforded. In her nearly two years here, she has participated in public speaking and leadership competitions, served on student committee, and joined her first ever sports team: flag football. “There’s always something happening, always some competition or something that you can do,” she said.

Last year, Yasmin was one of four students who represented Pickering College at the Quaker Youth Leadership Conference in Pennsylvania. They spent four nights at a Friends school and met with other students to learn more about Quakerism from people who practice it regularly and enjoy workshops and periods of silent reflection.

Of the Quaker values Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship the one that resonates most with Yasmin is community.

What Really Matters: The Quaker Value of Simplicity

At least once every term, students at Pickering College have the opportunity to sit in silent community with their classmates. If they feel moved to share something that’s on their minds with the group, they are welcome to speak, but otherwise, they remain in silent reflection for a period of about 20 minutes.

These meetings are just one way that PC invites students to live out the Quaker value of simplicity. It’s an opportunity to declutter their minds and focus on what matters most to them. In a world where acquiring material possessions and comparing oneself with others are everyday pastimes, simplicity reminds us to give more of our time and attention to the non-material things in our lives and recall their value.

Each month throughout the school year, Pickering College chooses to focus on one of the Quaker values that guide the school. Janet Downer, Assistant Head of School, Academics, says December was purposely chosen as the month to focus on simplicity because it’s natural that leading up to the winter holidays, people can become very focused on gift-giving and material things.

“But when we speak to the students about simplicity, we want to emphasize that there are other things in your life that you should value over possessions and material items. And of course, the number one thing that students would say is that spending time with family and friends is the important part of the holidays.”

The Global Leadership Program also offers students many opportunities to focus on simplicity through community

engagement. For example, a group of Middle School students met with local organizations that work to support unhoused persons and learned how they can get involved and help others in their community. Downer says PC also does a lot of work with the Newmarket Food Pantry, from collecting donations to growing fresh vegetables in the garden at Blue & Silver Farm that are passed on to those in need.

“That helps students become aware that not everybody has sufficient food at home to feed their family,” Downer says.

Outdoor education activities at Blue & Silver Farm are another way students experience simplicity. Classes regularly go on overnight camp-outs at the farm, where the camping platforms and tents are not luxurious, students sleep in sleeping bags, and there are no phones allowed. But there are campfires and s’mores, sing-alongs and stargazing—all simple, communal activities that bring students together and help them to appreciate the present moment.

Downer says some faculty members went out to check on the Grade 5 classes during a recent overnight trip to the farm and heard positive feedback. “One of the students said, ‘Can we do this every weekend?’ Because they really were just having a good time with their friends and they didn’t need anything else except the fire and being together and sharing that experience.”

Student advocacy clubs at Pickering College, such as JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), also place a focus on simplicity through their events and awareness campaigns during the school

year. Grade 12 student Siobhan Bonerath, co-chair of JEDI, says the committee members try to remind students that small actions matter.

“We might think that as one person, we can’t do anything, but simply being kind to others or trying to include or making our best effort—those simple actions really are what end up growing the whole community into being more aware and more capable of putting into action justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Siobhan adds that PC’s strong focus on support creates a learning community where everyone is encouraged to care about what’s meaningful.

“All of the teachers and students are so supportive of one another, and I think that that is a really simple thing, but something that’s really monumental for the community as a whole.”

Ultimately, Downer says, teaching the value of simplicity helps students learn to be more thoughtful and empowers them to enact change as they move forward in their lives.

“I think it helps them to understand that you don’t need a lot of material possessions to be happy, and that if you focus on other things, like social justice, like helping people in our community, you will feel a greater sense of worth and purpose then seeking out material goods.”

Siobhan agrees. “Simplicity is all about being grateful for what you have and recognizing that the things that you do have, have so much value, even if they are just little things.”

PROGRESSING TOWARD PEACE

AT PICKERING COLLEGE

“I hope to bring all of PC’s amazing initiatives to a more national and global scale.”

–Sandra Rohani, Grade 12

Pickering College is part of the UNESCO associated schools network, connected to 10,000 schools around the world. These schools take action to promote UNESCO values and the network has three priorities: education for sustainable development, global citizenship education and inter-cultural and heritage learning.

Grade 12 student Sandra Rohani has worked with UNESCO firsthand as part of the Youth Advisory Group for almost two years.

“This council has connected me with students from other UNESCO schools all throughout Canada. We’ve been able to do really great work,” she said.

During her term with the group, they hosted a conference for students from across the country and also developed a manifesto that was presented at the COP 16 Summit in Colombia in October.

“I hope to bring all of PC’s amazing initiatives to a more national and global scale,” Sandra said, encouraging her fellow students to bring any ideas to her to share with the group.

As a UNESCO school and a diverse community representing more than 30 countries, Pickering College celebrates United Nations Day (UN Day) every year on October 24. This marks the anniversary of when the United Nations was officially formed in 1945. The day is marked with a full school Morning Meeting with a parade of flags representing the different member states. At this year’s meeting, each division highlighted initiatives they are taking that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

These goals, introduced by the UN in 2015, are a call to action to eliminate hunger and poverty, promote equality, education and strong economics, and address climate change and encourage sustainability.

“At PC, we recognize that achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is not just the responsibility of countries and governments; each of us has a role to play. We are committed to taking action across our Junior, Middle, and Senior Schools, actively engaging in projects that contribute to these goals,” said Amanda Zeng, Grade 12, at the meeting.

In Junior School, they focused on land-based learning efforts at Blue & Silver Farm and on campus in alignment with SDG 15: Life on Land.

Middle School students shared how their SPARC projects related to the goals. The social justice & advocacy group’s work raising awareness for the unhoused with Blue Door shelters aligns with SDG 1: No Poverty. Meanwhile, the technology group building virtual games to combat isolation in seniors aligns with SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

“Poverty and the recent cost of living crisis is one reason why many people are experiencing homelessness. By ensuring people are aware of the importance of everyone’s life, we as a society will be more supportive and make resources available to them when they need it,” said Jahleel Reid, a Grade 7 student in the social justice & advocacy group.

Senior School shared examples from Global Leadership Program projects such as a period poverty campaign that aligns with SDG 5: Gender Equality or a cold frame gardening project to produce that could be donated to the Newmarket Food Pantry, in alignment with SDG 2: No Hunger.

Students also highlighted school clubs such as JEDI, the Green Team and the Youth Action Organization who host initiatives and events throughout the year that show PC’s commitment to driving local progress toward global goals.

Pickering College in World War I: A Quaker Perspective

By Michelle Tolley, Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM) Archivist

In 1917, the First World War was still raging overseas, and while many Canadians willingly signed up to fight on the front, Prime Minister Robert Borden was concerned by the flagging number of soldiers who were volunteering. Conscription was hotly contested, especially amongst French-Canadians, farmers, and of course Canadian Quakers. Despite the protests, the Military Service Act was passed, and notices were sent out across the country advising men to report to their local Registrar to be conscripted into service.

Peace and pacifism have been tenets of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) for its almost 400-year history:

“We believe all wars, both offensive and defensive, to be wrong, and in direct opposition to the command of the Master, who bids us to “Love our Enemies” and (1) we entreat all our members not to violate our peace principles in any respect, either (2) in actively promoting war or in complying with military requisitions that commit them to fight or aid therein. (3) Any who violate our testimonies in this regard shall be dealt with by the Society, or if they have gone beyond its reach, the meeting is at liberty to disown them.”

Individual groups of Quakers – called “Meetings” – sent out statements including this passage and declared their intention to apply for exemption to the Military Service Act. A Peace Committee was also formed to help Friends get more information on the Act and its requirements. The Clerk of the Genesee Yearly Meeting, C.A. Zavitz, even sent a letter directly to the Prime Minister himself. This letter passionately spoke of the history of Canadian Quakers and their beliefs and why many of them would be applying for exemption. A response was received from the Prime Minister which confirmed that conscientious objection would be a valid cause for exemption, though the exemption would be for direct combat duties only.

It needs to be noted that while many Canadian Quakers were applying for exemption, they were not sitting idly while there was a great need for other types of service during this tumultuous time. Many Quakers were already farmers, so they would be exempted to continue to provide food and labour through their profession. In a letter from an unnamed Friend, a response was given to a man questioning whether he should apply for exemption:

“One thing, however, seems clear – that no man ought to escape taking his full share of the burden in some way. We must not forget that men of other denominations, very many of whom have proved their Christian faith in their life and practice in the past, are taking their part in the war, believing it to be a personal duty for them to do so. On the other hand, there is no question as to what has been the attitude and teaching of the spiritual leaders among Friends throughout our whole history, but for a man to live up to that teaching, it is not enough to simply refuse to take part in this kind of warfare. To do this consistently means attaining a very high ideal of living and service. Without that the other is simply an easy way of escaping something that would be unpleasant.”

Which brings us to the role of Pickering College during this time. In lieu of fighting in the war directly, local Quakers wished to provide aid and service in other ways. The Religious Society of Friends in association with the Board of Management of the college at the time (including Chairman A.S. Rogers and Principal Firth) donated the building and campus free of charge to the Military Hospitals Commission in 1917. The building would serve as a home for injured soldiers returning from overseas. This donation was, according to Mr. Rogers, “intended as a contribution to national service and to show the sympathy of the college and Religious Society of Friends with the wounded and invalided soldiers and the work of the Commission.”

There would need to be extensive remodeling done to accommodate the approximately 250 patients that were intended to arrive. A letter from A.S. Rogers describes partitions and walls being removed to create larger spaces, adding bathrooms and fire escapes, and removing closets. There was an indication that when the building was returned, the Commission would be responsible for restoring all the changes to their original state.

The school had just recovered from a devastating fire in 1905 and was in the process of building itself back up after reopening in 1909. It was no small ask to close the building in the middle of a school year, once again halting the development of the college. However, as Arthur G. Dorland eloquently stated in his book ‘A Hundred Years of Quaker Education in Canada’ (1942): “Thus ended another chapter in the history of the school. But if indeed this had proved to be the last chapter, the final use of the school building as an asylum for the wreckage of war would have been an end quite worthy of the humanitarian tradition which had long been associated with the Society of Friends.” Classes did resume when the school was re-opened in 1927.

Building a strong, supportive community

By Krystie Robinson-Vincent, Chair, Pickering College Association

The Pickering College Association (PCA) is a dynamic group made up of parents, past parents, alumni, and staff volunteers who collaborate to organize engaging community events and activities that support the school’s programs. The wide variety of initiatives offered by the PCA not only provides exciting opportunities for involvement but also fosters a strong sense of community, grounded in mutual respect, inclusivity, and a celebration of diversity.

Through fundraising and friend-raising efforts, the PCA plays a key role in enriching school life for students. The funds raised support essential initiatives such as capital projects, curriculum development, cutting-edge technology, and program enhancements, all of which contribute to the continued growth and success of Pickering College.

This academic year, we were delighted to continue celebrating parents with a number of PCA friend-raising initiatives including Mom and Dad events to welcome new as well as current parents, providing an informal and relaxed way to get to know one another. These events help to bring our larger parent community together and we are so thankful for the parents who attended. In the fall, we enjoyed a special night celebrating the women of PC at our Sip, Snack, and Sparkle event where we made beautiful bracelets. A few weeks later, we hosted with a fantastic Wings and Wits trivia event geared to Dads, which was a big success.

In November, the much-anticipated Holiday Home Tour showcased five beautifully decorated homes in the wonderful communities of Aurora and Newmarket. The tour offered a festive and immersive experience, as visitors had the chance to discover the incredible talent of local designers, florists, caterers, and musicians who brought each home to life. A portion of the proceeds from the event went to Construct, a social enterprise by Blue Door that provides skills training to help vulnerable people secure long-term employment. We are so grateful for the overwhelming support of everyone who attended and volunteered, and we look forward to welcoming you to the 20th anniversary tour this November.

The Staff Appreciation committee remains dedicated to expressing our gratitude for the Faculty and Staff at Pickering College through special events organized for different members of our school community. Additionally, the PCA was pleased to maintain our weekly PCA Walks every Friday morning and host monthly PCA Coffee Socials celebrating various events and special morning meetings.

In early April, we gathered to celebrate our wonderful community at Spring Luncheon, a cherished annual tradition. This year’s theme was High Tea and offered attendees an opportunity to connect while taking in the views of historic downtown Newmarket, from The Overlea at the Postmark Hotel.

There are many opportunities to join us on campus over the next couple of months as the school year draws to a close—two of note:

Don’t miss Fun Fair taking place after school on Thursday, May 15! With carnival games, inflatables, and a dunk tank, it’s sure to be a fun-filled afternoon. Join us for exciting activities and to make fun memories with your school community!

Monday, June 23 promises to be another spectacular day of golf at the Charles F. Boyd Invitational Golf Tournament, taking place at the beautiful Emerald Hills Golf Club in WhitchurchStouffville. This year marks a special milestone as we celebrate 25 years of camaraderie and community spirit on the golf course. We invite you to join us for a day of friendly competition, great conversation, and unforgettable memories. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just there to cheer on friends and colleagues, your participation will help make this day truly special. Registration is open: www.pickeringcollege.on.ca/golf

At Pickering College, we believe that school is about more than just learning—it’s about building a strong, supportive community. Our school is fortunate to have an amazing group of students, faculty, and parents who make it all possible.

As we like to say, the People are Pickering. If you’re looking for ways to get involved and make a positive impact on your child’s school experience or to connect with members of our community, follow us on Instagram @PCAParents or reach out to PCA Chair, Krystie Robinson-Vincent, at pcachair@pickeringcollege.on.ca

Practicing good stewardship

A learning garden, a tiny forest, a flock of ducks, a sugar bush, and a greenhouse are just some of the initiatives allowing PC students to think about and practice stewardship at Blue & Silver Farm.

As a Quaker-founded school, stewardship is one of the six values that guide Pickering College. This value is usually interpreted as being good stewards of the earth and its resources, and goes hand in hand with sustainability.

The farm, located just a few minutes’ drive from the Pickering College campus in Newmarket, was gifted to the school by the late Charles Boyd, who taught at PC for 53 years. It includes soy and corn

fields, paddocks, a forest, a creek, a barn, and a renovated farmhouse learning space.

“There’s all kinds of land-based learning opportunities that we’re able to give our students [at Blue & Silver Farm],” says Joshua Armstrong, Director of Teaching and Learning.

One of the first things PC did at the farm was establish a learning garden, where students grow vegetables such as beans, squash, kale and lettuce. The garden has already yielded over 1,000 pounds of fresh food, most of which was donated to the York Region Food Network. A greenhouse has been added, including a classroom and growing spaces. Armstrong says the plan is to grow a signature vegetable to serve in PC’s Harry M. Beer Dining Hall.

“Our students are going to do a whole inquiry piece about it where they try to figure out: what does the dining hall need? What do people want to eat the most?”

at Blue & Silver Farm

One of the farm’s signature projects is a small-scale sugar bush operation. Last year, PC students from grades K-12 helped to tap 10 maple trees and boil down the sap to make maple syrup. This year, the plan is to scale up by tapping 20 trees and running tubing instead of using sap buckets. Armstrong says the project teaches students how to be good caretakers of the trees.

“The kids go out and they name all the trees and talk to them and develop that relationship with them. They say, hey, this tree is being really shy today, because it’s not producing a lot of sap, for example, and this one is really an extrovert. They’re thinking about how we have to make sure that we’re not over-tapping these trees and hurting them.”

Another stewardship initiative is the creation of a riparian or riverbank zone along the creek that runs through the farm. With advice and support from the Ontario Woodlot Association and 7-Generation GTB, students have planted carefully selected species of trees next to the creek.

“That will help create this whole zone where animals and birds are able to be very close to the river, and we’re helping

support a really healthy watershed,” Armstrong says.

The school has also connected with PC alumnus James Brown ‘69 who works with Little Forests Kingston, which helps people and communities plant small, fast-growing forests to support local biodiversity and connect larger green spaces.

“Little forests have this incredible ability to regenerate land. We’ve got a representative coming to meet our biology students, and she’s going to talk about how when you plant these four different layers of the forest together in a really thoughtful way, you can do something like 100 years of growth in 15 or 20 years,” says Armstrong.

The plan is to plant a little forest on a plot formerly used to grow corn and soy. Students will use Microsoft FarmBeats sensors to gather soil and water data and analyze it with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Speaking of soil health, Grade 12 student Bea Bougourd’s Global Leadership Capstone project will bring a new source of fertilizer to Blue & Silver Farm this spring: A flock of ducks is being donated by a parent in the Junior School and will join the chickens already at the farm. Bea is designing and building an enclosure for the ducks and a pond for them to enjoy, using mainly recycled materials.

Bea was thrilled to have the option to use Blue & Silver Farm as a resource for their Global Leadership project: “I think it’s great that PC has the farm now, and I’m glad they want to start introducing more outside classes.”

In addition to improving the soil with their droppings, duck eggs provide a local, lowcarbon supply of fresh food. Ducks are also fairly easy to live with, says Bea. “They’re good to have as pets; they’re pretty low maintenance, and younger kids can go around them with not much problem.”

Whether it’s tending to trees, ducks, gardens, or greenhouses, stewardship is a year-round endeavour. At Blue & Silver Farm, PC students and faculty have ample opportunities to embrace and embody this Quaker value in their everyday lives.

JUSTICE EQUITY DIVERSITY INCLUSION

Students foster sense of equality through JEDI

The Justice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Club is a student-led group that raises awareness and fosters a culture of equality at Pickering College.

Whether it’s leading events, creating display boards, or speaking at many Morning Meetings throughout the year, students in JEDI teach others about different cultures, celebrate traditions, and encourage inclusion.

The club started in 2021 by Rosie Xuan ’22 as part of her Grade 12 Capstone Project

for the Global Leadership Program.

“I started JEDI because I believe in embracing differences instead of being dissected by them. Developing a more comprehensive view of the world has helped me see things from multiple vantage points. I want to inspire people to build more connections and learn from each other,” Rosie said. “I’ve always been passionate about initiating meaningful conversations. As a student leader, it’s important to speak up so it can be seen as a call to action to those around you.”

While Rosie graduated from Pickering College in the Class of 2022, JEDI has continued with different student leaders taking the helm.

“I’m delighted to have created a new tradition at PC and left a lasting legacy. I’m honoured to be the founder of an organization that makes tangible impacts on our community,” Rosie said.

Grade 12 students Jannat Naseem and Siobhan Bonerath are the current cochairs of JEDI. They both joined the club when they were in Grade 9.

“I heard about the club and I liked what it stood for. It was very interesting to me so I decided to join and I actually really liked how the club operated and the stuff that we did so then I stuck around,” Jannat said.

As co-chairs, Jannat and Siobhan work together to plan events and figure out how

to engage the student community on various issues. One of Jannat’s highlights of the year so far was the Diwali fireworks celebration.

“It was super fun and we also had great turn out as well so it was a successful event and it was nice spreading awareness about this holiday,” she said.

For Siobhan, Black History Month is a highlight as they feature different prominent Black Canadians and historical figures.

“It’s a really great learning experience for me… I got to learn a lot about each person that we featured,” she said.

With every event, they aim to engage students and teach them in a way that’s

fun and interactive. Through these handson experiences, JEDI provides learning opportunities and raises awareness of different perspectives, which is especially important for PC as a day and boarding school.

“I think it’s really important because Pickering College has a boarding community, and they have their own experiences. I feel like learning about different holidays and spreading the JEDI message to the students is important, it’s good in the long run. It makes people know about different perspectives. It’s a good learning opportunity for everybody,” Jannat said.

As Jannat and Siobhan’s term as co-chairs reaches its end, they are hopeful for the

future of the club. They currently have a large roster of Senior School members and also welcome more students to participate.

“Anyone can join JEDI … if anyone really wants to get involved they can with however much or however little they want to contribute,” Siobhan said.

As an alumna, Rosie also looks at the future of JEDI with optimism.

“I’m very confident in the future of JEDI knowing that I was able to pass the torch which will continue to burn even brighter. I’m glad to see my peers actively pursuing these initiatives because I know the work we do brings people together,” she said.

“It is amazing to watch them become confident in their skills, develop independence, and positively interact with their classmates and teachers.”

In Convers

Shawna Modeste Junior School Faculty

What is your educational background?

I am originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I grew up in Winnipeg and obtained my Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba.

What are four adjectives that best describe yourself?  Four adjectives that describe me are friendly, trustworthy, curious, and focused.

What is something you are proud of when it comes to teaching?

I am most proud that I am a Reggio-inspired teacher. My classes follow the Ontario curriculum, but I teach and start all inquiries through a Reggio lens. The goal is always to keep the students engaged in the learning by sharing what they know; they are given the opportunity to ask deep questions, and we work together to answer their questions. We explore, investigate, inquire, and learn using a variety of materials, through trips that reflect our focus of learning, or invite experts into the classroom to help us answer our questions.

What is it that drew you to teaching?

Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. When I was very young, I would set up my bedroom like a classroom and teach or read books to all my dolls and stuffed animals. Although I was very quiet and shy, I liked the idea of talking, teaching, and reading books in front of small groups. When I was in high school, my biology teacher always said that as a teacher, you won’t make a lot of money, but teaching is the most rewarding career that you could choose. When I heard this, it confirmed what I wanted to do and finalized my decision to go to university and become a teacher.

What are your experiences with the Reggio Emelia approach and how do you incorporate it into your teaching?

I am extremely grateful to Pickering College for providing me with the opportunity to visit Reggio Emilia, Italy with Nicole Birt. It truly was a life-changing experience for both of us. We participated in Canadian Study Tour and engaged in workshops and presentations, as well as explored this beautiful city full of history and amazing architecture.

As a Reggio-inspired teacher, I understand that all children are curious, competent collaborators and communicators who want to gain new knowledge. In Reggio, we learned that “the relationship of school should be like falling in love.” This means our students should be falling in love with the classrooms, the teachers, their peers, the environment inside and outside, the projects, the topics, the modalities and the materials that are being offered to them to explore within their learning. Our students need to feel cared for and considered carefully. What children are investigating needs to be meaningful. We also learned about the importance of documentation including photos of the students engaged in their learning, their words, and questions and making the learning visible.

I will never forget and am continuously inspired by the incredible work of the children and educators in Reggio Emilia. My priority as an educator is to help my students develop a love of learning and school, a deepened sense of self and community and provide them with rich learning experiences inside and outside the classroom.

ation with:

What is one highlight from this school year?

It has been a fun and engaging year in Grade 1. We try to spend a lot of time outside, exploring the PC campus, Blue & Silver Farm, and the Newmarket community. At the beginning of the year, I always take the Grade 1 students to visit the apple trees on campus. During our first visit, we were surprised that there were no apples. It led to an inquiry entitled, “Where did all the apples go?” We visited apple orchards, had Mr. Mason come and tell us why this might happen, and chatted with Mr. Nic at the farm. This is a year-long inquiry, and we hope to share what we have learned with our PC community.

What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?

Outside of the classroom, I love to bake. During the holidays, I love to bake with my kids and share yummy treats with our family members, friends, and neighbours. I also love to read and travel with my family. I am hoping to visit Jamaica, Tobago, Guyana, South America and show my kids where their grandparents immigrated from.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I love sports and enjoy watching basketball and soccer. I played all sports in school. I played soccer all the way up to high school at rep level. Currently, my goal is to do some kind of physical activity for 30-45 minutes before I begin my day. It gives me energy and it is a positive way to start my day.

What is the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is seeing the growth and progress (academically and socially) that the students make from the beginning of the year to the end. It is amazing to watch them become confident in their skills, develop independence, and positively interact with their classmates and teachers. I work with a supportive Junior School team and enjoy collaborating with them to maximize the children’s learning opportunities.

If you weren’t following this particular career path, what would you be doing?

I enjoy watching the Food Network, observing and learning about how chefs or baking experts cook and bake a variety of recipes. Maybe I would have a baking or catering company.

Did you know?

Beyond its architectural beauty, the Pickering College campus holds a place in Canadian broadcasting history—where, in December 1921, 21-year-old alumnus E.S. Ted Rogers became the only Canadian to successfully transmit a radio signal across the Atlantic during the first amateur transatlantic radio competition.

Pickering College: A New Chapter in Our Storied Legacy

On February 10, 2025, Pickering College was officially recognized as a designated heritage property by the Town of Newmarket.

This historic milestone affirms the school’s cultural and architectural significance, preserving its legacy for generations to come. The designation specifically acknowledges the exterior features of Rogers House, ensuring that its historical and artistic elements remain a defining presence on the campus.

Rogers House is at the heart of this designation, designed by renowned Toronto architect John Lyle, with contributions from local architect Oliver Tench. Lyle, whose portfolio includes iconic Canadian landmarks such as the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Union Station, brought his signature Beaux-Arts style to the building, making it a true work of art.

On the hilltop, Rogers House immediately commands attention. Its grand threeand-a-half-storey structure, the largest of its kind in the area, rises above the landscape as a proud and enduring symbol of learning. From the moment visitors approach Pickering College, the building’s striking façade, adorned with intricate stonework and finely crafted architectural details, tells a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and excellence.

The artistic and historical value of Rogers House is reflected in its stunning design elements. Its roofline, with its meticulously carved dentils and moulded frieze, its Corinthian columns, and its impressive frontispiece, all speak to a bygone era of masterful construction.The Beaux-Arts influence is evident throughout, from the stately symmetry of its red brick exterior to the ornate pedimented roofline adorned with semi-circular and oculus windows. Grand gable dormers and decorative belfries add to its distinguished

presence, while the carefully placed quoins and stone belt courses enhance its formal composition.

Beyond its architectural beauty, Rogers House has played an integral role in shaping the Pickering College experience. For over 100 years, it has been a place of learning, innovation, and community—a landmark not just in bricks and mortar, but in the hearts of students, staff, and alumni alike.

This heritage designation is more than an acknowledgment of Rogers House’s past; it is a promise for the future. As we celebrate this moment, we honour the legacy of those who came before us while ensuring that this remarkable piece of history continues to inspire and educate for generations to come. Pickering College has always been a place where tradition meets progress, and with this recognition, our story gains yet another chapter—one that will stand the test of time.

Pickering College welcomed the festive season with the annual Holiday Home Tour, held on November 22 and 23, and the Seasonal Boutique Holiday Market, which took place on November 30.

This event would not have been possible without the dedication of our Holiday Home Tour Chairs, Sonya Bonerath and Krystie Robinson-Vincent. Their meticulous planning and tireless efforts brought this year’s tour to life.

Presented by HBNG Holborn Group of Companies in partnership with Pfaff Audi Newmarket, the Holiday Home Tour offered guests an exclusive glimpse into beautiful local homes professionally decorated by talented designers. This year’s lineup included Divya Kambhoj, Amanda Shields, Natalie Weaver, Andrea McMullen, and PCA parents, who came together to design one of the featured homes.

The Seasonal Boutique Holiday Market, led by Jenna Nagapen and Lisa Podd, transformed the school into a shopping wonderland. With a curated selection of local vendors, visitors were able to kick off the holiday shopping season in style.

Thank you to all the sponsors, homeowners, designers, florists, entertainers, caterers, and

the dedicated volunteers who contributed their time, talent, and generosity to make these events truly spectacular. A special thank you to everyone who attended the tour and the Seasonal Boutique Holiday Market and embraced the magic of the season.

On November 21 & 22, 2025, Pickering College will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Holiday Home Tour. Stay tuned for exciting updates as we prepare to celebrate this milestone!

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

1940s

In memorium, Doug Sirrs ’49, passed away on September 17, 2024, at 94 years old. He served the Government of Canada for 35 years in the Canadian Foreign Service, spending most of his career outside of Canada, including assignments to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Pakistan, the United States and Venezuela. Doug is remembered for his love of adventure, travel and family pets.

In memorium, Dr. Ike Lanier ’49 passed away on January 30, 2025. His only extended time off-farm was to attend and graduate from Pickering College and Queen’s University. During his time in school, Ike was the Quarter Back on the football team, a fastball pitcher and competed in wrestling which he went on to coach locally. Ike sang in the Southminster United Church choir and performed in various productions held at the Yates Memorial Theatre.

Ike was a respected leader throughout the agricultural community and spearheaded numerous initiatives throughout his lifetime. He was an early adopter of

PC MOURNS THE LOSS OF BELOVED ALUMNUS JOHN MEISEL ’43

John was born in Vienna to Czech parents on October 23, 1923. His family fled the Holocaust and lived in the Netherlands, Morocco and Haiti before coming to Canada in January 1942 when he began attending Pickering College. During his time at PC, John served as secretary of the school committee, editor of the Quaker Cracker and student editor of The Voyageur, was a member of the Polikon and Glee Clubs, and received the Widdrington Award at graduation for his contributions to the community.

John was one of the first inductees into the Class of 1842. He was inducted in 1981 for distinguished service to Canada as an outstanding Professor of Political Science at Queen’s University and as an advisor to federal and provincial governments. He taught at Queen’s for more than five decades. At the time of his induction, John was serving as Chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. In 1989 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1999.

John passed away peacefully on March 30, 2025. He is remembered for his wicked wit, his appreciation of classical music and concerts, his love of physical activity and as an avid photographer.

conservation farming with many farming practices that Ike tried were criticized as unorthodox which have evolved to become common practice. In 2010, Ike was acknowledged for his leadership and contributions to agriculture and community with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Lethbridge.

Ike was one of the founders of the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission and was one of the 13 farmers known as Farmers for Justice, who crossed the US border with grain-filled trucks to create awareness of the plight of prairie farmers forced to sell wheat to the CWB. This initiative landed him in jail, but was deemed a success as the wheat board was dissolved in 2012, allowing wheat to be sold in an open market and he was pardoned for his act by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. 1

In memorium, Brooke Sowden ’49 passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025. Brooke was born in Simcoe, raised on the family farm, and spent most of his life in Port Dover. Throughout his 34year career at Vanden Bussche Irrigation,

Brooke was known for his leadership, exceptional dedication and commitment to the agricultural community. Brooke had a deep love for the outdoors and spent many seasons at the Live Wire Hunt Camp in Northern Ontario where he frequently went hunting, fishing, boating, snowmobiling, or biking. Brooke was also an avid curler in the winter and proud member of the Simcoe Curling Club. In the summer, he could often be found at the Port Dover Yacht Club or out on the waters of Lake Erie. A world traveler, Brooke had the privilege of experiencing diverse cultures and landscapes, visiting countries such as China, Russia, Morocco, Greece, Italy, Rome, France, and exploring South America. 2

1950s

In memorium, Gerald “Jerry” Stone ’53 passed away on June 16, 2018. He was an entrepreneur who was proud of the small businesses he built over the course of his career, and in life he was a true adventurer. Starting life in Toronto, Jerry attended Pickering College and after university was stationed across Canada as an RCAF jet pilot. In business

he was a salesman at heart and spent the later part of his career in real estate management operating a business in Sarnia and subsequently in Collingwood, where he spent many years participating in the community. Jerry viewed his time as the founding President of the National Ski Academy in Collingwood as a great opportunity to give back to sports and youth. Jerry took his “final flight” over the handlebars of his beloved race bike, ten days after his 84th birthday. 3

In memorium, Anthony“Tony”Allen ’59, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2024. Born in Toronto, Tony was the youngest of four siblings. He loved the outdoors and sports. Tony’s high school years at Pickering College and Lawrence Park Collegiate were spent on the football field. Football mixed with finance and fraternity was how he spent his days at the University of Toronto, where he graduated in Commerce and Finance in 1964.

After a career in real estate development, Tony retired and moved to Collingwood where he enjoyed golfing, volunteering, and skiing. He also enjoyed time in the kitchen specializing in jams, antipasto, breakfasts, dinners and many carrot cakes. Tony was also a proud grandfather, taking part in many snowmen builds, train set creations, beach days, campfire songs and sunsets with his grandchildren. 4

1960s

In memoriam, Robert Armstrong ’62 passed away on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, one day after

celebrating his 83rd birthday. Bob was the third-generation owner of Armstrong Funeral Home, retiring in 2017, former President of the Ontario Funeral Service Association and longtime member of the Oshawa Rotary Club for over 40 years. He was also a past President of the Bay of Quinte Funeral Service Association, former Secretary of Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Ontario and past Regional Director of the Order of the Golden Rule (OGR).

Bob was very active and supportive in his community. He was a longtime member of the Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, where the Armstrong family have been members for decades. 5

1990s

In July of 2024, Nicholas Dargus ’99 took on an expanded role as Vice President,

Canadian Banking Engineering at Scotiabank. He and his team are focused on delivering technical solutions that support the Bank’s key strategic priorities, business outcomes and modernization efforts. As a professional engineer, Nick has been at Scotiabank for over 20 years and leads a high-performing, multigeographical team that innovates and delivers Global IT Banking Solutions. Outside of work, Nick is a father, an avid cyclists, photographer, and dog-lover. 6

2000s

Congratulations to Dr. Zinaida Good ’03 who was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford University on January 6, 2025. Her laboratory is focused on T cell-based immunotherapy research which works to create better medicines for cancer and autoimmune diseases. 7

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

Since completing a Master’s in Economics at York University, Hyonwoo Kee ’07 is currently working at RBC Insurance as an advisor. He has been working on couple of start up projects over the last few years and is excited to continue to explore new opportunities in his career. 1

2010s

After graduating from Pickering College, Camila Mitton (nee Bolivar) ’16 began her undergraduate studies in filmmaking. University opened a whole new world of opportunities, networking and jobs for Camila and equipped her with an understanding the industry that she wanted to work in. While completing her

degree, Camila worked on various film and television projects, and she accepted a job at a production company shortly after graduating. In the fall of 2023, she got married and moved to Ajax. This past December, Camila and her husband, a Children and Youth ministry director at their local church, welcomed a baby boy. Camila says they have been so blessed in many ways and they look forward to what the future holds for their little family.

Congratulations to the Mittons! 2

Congratulations to Holly Rouselle ’15 on the birth of her daughter Isla. Holly is currently on a maternity leave from teaching elementary music and drama.

She has also recently gotten engaged and moved to Muskoka with her little family. She is also taking some additional qualification courses for teaching through the partnership between Pickering College and Queens University. 3

Congratulations to Paige Boston ’17 on her recent engagement. Paige’s fiancé Nick popped the question on August 31, 2024, in Antigua. Paige is a Fund Development Lead for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada and runs one of their fundraising campaigns called Visionaries of the Year. 4

Congratulations to Carson James ’17 on her recent engagement to her fiancé Dylan. The couple met in 2020 and got engaged in Florida on New Year’s Eve. Since graduating from Pickering College, Carson attended the University of Western Ontario and graduated from the BMOS program with a major in accounting. She is a Candidate Appraiser at Professional Appraisal and is currently in the process of getting her full appraisal license. 5

Maaryah Salyani ’19 got engaged on September 7, 2024. Since graduating from Pickering College, Maaryah has completed her Bachelors in Kinesiology at Western University and is currently finishing her

Master of Biotechnology at the University of Toronto. Congratulations to Maaryah! 6

2020s

Congratulations to Erica Cameron ’22 on her feature in the Academic X-’cellence Series at St. Francis Xavier University! Erica was a recipient of the prestigious Schwartz National Scholar Award. She is a leader in the Schwartz Women in Business Society and is part of a diverse team who founded Impact X – A Summit on Social Entrepreneurship and Change. Erica also participated in an Immersion Service-Learning experience to Belize and is the recipient of an Alumni Recognition Award at St. FX 7

Jessie Li ’23 is currently in her second year in the Law program at the University of Edinburgh. She is enjoying her time in the Scotland so far and has made many lifelong connections with peers from across the globe. This summer, Jessie and a fellow student are heading to Accra, Ghana, with Vocational Impact for a criminology and law volunteer program. For four weeks, Jessie will be working alongside one of Ghana’s leading NGO foundations and will be learning about the legal challenges within Ghana’s Justice Delivery and Penal Systems 8

ALUMNI REUNIONS

SEND US AN UPDATE

If you have had any recent milestones or life events or would simply like to update the alumni community about what you are up to, we welcome you to let Pickering College know!

Email a short update and photo of yourself to alumni@ pickeringcollege.on.ca to be featured in our monthly newsletter, Alumni Connects, or the upcoming Fall issue of The Pillars magazine! We can’t wait to hear from you!

SEOUL ALUMNI GATHERING

Back Row: Eddie Yoo ’97, Soon-Won Kang ’97, Jessie-May Rowntree

Front Row: Denny Choi ’07, Dae-Hoon Han ’11, Dr. Cinde Lock

HONG KONG ALUMNI DINNER

From left to right: Paul Sung ’79, Albert Chang ’81, Clement Lam ’88, Adrian Lee ’93, Peter Lau ‘82, David Leung ’80, Lily Ma ’97, Osman Kitchell ’85, Rosie Ma ’95, Michael Yik ’81, Eric Wong ’78, Francis Chan ’81.

You are invited to join us in celebrating the grand opening of on September 2, 2025.

As we welcome the 2025-2026 school year, please join us to celebrate the grand opening of West Lake House, Pickering College’s new academic building.

The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in our school’s history

More details will be coming soon.

AGM 2024

On Tuesday, November 26, the Pickering College community gathered for the Annual General Meeting (AGM), where Board Chair Mirella Morra highlighted key milestones of the 2023-2024 school year.

The past year has seen exciting developments, including the successful opening of the ESL Boarding Academy and Alumni House in September 2023. The ESL Boarding Academy welcomed seven students in its inaugural year, with an increase to 12 students this year. Alumni House has quickly become a valued space, regularly used by the Pickering College Association for committee meetings and morning socials, and Division Directors for Grade meetings.

Momentum continues with the progress on West Lake House, the school’s new academic building. At the AGM, it was announced that the project is now 90 per cent tendered, on budget, and on track for opening for the 2025-2026 school year.

Renovations to the Eric Veale Memorial Arena are also well underway, with 81 per cent of the work tendered and completion set for Fall 2025.

The Blue & Silver Farm, a generous gift from the late Charles Boyd, has undergone remarkable transformation. The farmhouse has been fully renovated, the greenhouse is in development, and the new outdoor kitchen now features pizza ovens, an evaporator for maple syrup, and a BBQ for cookouts—providing exceptional learning and community-building opportunities for students.

Recognizing Dedication to Pickering College

The AGM also provided an opportunity to recognize the contributions of key members of the Pickering College community. Sherry Barclay, a long-time volunteer and dedicated leader, was celebrated for her service. She has been actively involved with the Holiday Home Tour, served as a Corporation member since 2021, joined the Board in 2022, and contributed to both the Digital Transformation Committee and the Governance Committee as Vice-Chair. The community also bid farewell to departing Corporation members Daniel Nelson (2015-2024) and Lee Webb (2019-2024), both of whom contributed significantly through their work on the Governance Committee.

A Vision for the Future

Dr. Cinde Lock provided insight into a recent CAIS student survey, outlining Pickering College’s vision for the future. Attendees left the AGM with a copy of the school’s new strategic plan, a roadmap for continued excellence and innovation. Finance Committee Chair Thomas Kim presented the 2023-2024 Finance Report, which highlighted strong financial results, successful fundraising efforts, growth in auxiliary program revenue, and significant investment in facilities. The Corporation formally approved the audited financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2024, which received an unqualified opinion—a testament to the school’s sound financial management.

Welcoming a New Board Member: Beth Egan

Beth Egan received unanimous approval for her appointment to the Corporation and Board of Directors, effective November 26, 2024. As a long longtime leader and dedicated volunteer within the Pickering College community, Beth is a parent of two alumni, she has served the school in many capacities over the years, including as Board Chair, on numerous Board committees, leadership roles in fundraising and is the recipient of the prestigious 5th Pillar Award.

Looking Ahead

The Annual General Meeting served as a celebration of Pickering College’s progress and a reaffirmation of its ambitious vision for the future. From new buildings and renovated spaces to strategic planning and financial stewardship, the school remains steadfast in its mission to provide an outstanding educational experience.

PICKERING COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2024-2025

Mirella Morra, Chair

Patrick Turner ‘97, Vice-Chair

Sal Bianco

Susan Cooper

Beth Egan

Beric Farmer

David Hwang

Thomas Kim, Secretary and Treasurer

Olga Morawczynski

Shamus Rask

Jason Yip

PICKERING COLLEGE CORPORATION

2024-2025

Eric Akbar

Sal Bianco

Reuben Bonerath

Vanessa Carson

Susan Cooper

Michael Da Ponte

Peter Dobbs ‘87

Beth Egan

Beric Farmer

Jason Foulds

Barbara Horvath

Eva Huang

David Hwang

Trevor Hunt

Thomas Kim

Vivian Lee

Isaias Medina III ‘85

Olga Morawczynski

Mirella Morra

Ivan Pooran ‘82

Shamus Rask

Krystie Robinson-Vincent

Claudia Schauer

Adam Shully ‘78

Riane Tse ‘07

Patrick Turner ‘97

Duncan Walker ‘69

Mareena Wallace ‘13

Bo Wang

Roger Warren ‘51

Kevin Wietzes

Jason Yip

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

We are grateful to the parents, alumni, staff, past parents, grandparents, and friends who make up the extraordinary Pickering College community. Your generosity, your spirit, and your belief in what education can be continue to move the school forward. Together, we are shaping not just a campus, but a culture of learning, connection, and purpose.

This past year has been filled with remarkable progress and milestones, made possible by your support. With West Lake House taking shape for the 2025-2026 school year, we are not simply constructing a building, we are creating spaces where students will think deeply and collaborate widely. Thanks to you, future generations will learn in an environment that encourages innovation, curiosity, and community.

Through the PC Annual Fund, your contributions are making an immediate and lasting impact. You are strengthening the programs, resources, and experiences that bring learning to life—enhancing both the academic journey and the co-curricular opportunities that help every student thrive.

We are also especially thankful to the many donors, sponsors, and volunteers who help make our events such a success. From cheering at the PC Family Polo event, to exploring the Holiday Home Tour, to teeing off at the Charles F. Boyd Invitational, to bidding in the online auction, every event is a reminder of the strength of our PC community.

Throughout this edition of The Pillars, you will see the names of those who stand beside us in support of our shared mission and values. Each contribution matters, and together, the impact is powerful. Because of you, students at Pickering College are discovering who they are and how they can contribute to the world with courage, compassion, and purpose.

Thank you for your continued support—not just as donors, but as champions of our students and partners in building a brighter future.

Sincerely

Dr. Cinde Lock

Mirella Morra Head of School Chair, Board of Directors

$11,136,411

WAS DONATED IN 2023-2024 BY OUR GENEROUS PC COMMUNITY.

$316,550

WAS DONATED TO SUPPORT ENDOWMENTS

INCLUDING GENEROUS GIFTS TO INCREASE FINANCIAL AID FOR DESERVING STUDENTS.

$467,900

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALUMNI, STAFF, BOARD AND CORPORATION (100% CHARITABLE GIVING PARTICIPATION), FAMILY, FRIENDS AND SPONSORS. YOUR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT FOR PICKERING COLLEGE THROUGH OUR ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN DEMONSTRATES TO ALL YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOL AND THIS COMMUNITY. ANNUAL

$ 778,598

WAS RECEIVED IN SUPPORT OF WEST LAKE HOUSE.

$9,287,986

RESTRICTED DONATIONS

IN RESTRICTED DONATIONS, IN SUPPORT OF FUTURE CAPITAL, THE ERIC VEALE MEMORIAL ARENA, BLUE & SILVER FARM, PC POWER OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES.

GENEROUS PC VOLUNTEERS DONATED COUNTLESS HOURS TO ACHIEVING THE SCHOOL’S GOALS.

Recognizing donors as of June 30, 2024.

LEADERSHIP GIVING: CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

FOUNDATIONS CIRCLE

($100,000 +)

L The Rathlyn Foundation

The Estate of Ed Richardson ’45

L Roger Warren ‘51

Sheila Waters and the late James Waters

HILLTOP CIRCLE

($25,000 - $99,999)

L Beth Egan

L The Egan Family Foundation

Sovia Fang Family

Doug Pollock ‘64

Anonymous (2)

PILLARS CIRCLE

($10,000 - $24,999 )

AREA Foundation

Anurag Arun

Foundation Counts Philanthropic Foundation

L Julia and Trevor Hunt

Osman Kitchell ‘85

L Jianmei Gao and Chi Kin Tsui

L Ronald Veale ‘63

Yen Family Foundation

Samuel Yen ‘89

L Lisa and Jason Yip

Peggy Pan and Qingyu Zeng

SILVER CIRCLE

($5,000 - $9,999 )

L Laura Barclay

Barclay Herod Family Foundation

Lillian and Anthony Cericola

L Jason Herod

L Khanna Family Foundation

Steven Liao ‘01

L Jefferson Mooney

Nexus Investments

Pfaff Audi Newmarket

L Daniel Weinzweig

Anonymous (1)

BLUE CIRCLE

($2,500 - $4,999 )

L Christina and Sal Bianco

Tina Robert and Richard Cazeau

L Licong Pan and Lixun Chen

Hye Cho and Duksang Cho

Control Fire Systems Ltd.

Naixin Zhang and Shaochen Du

Yuhua Wang and William Fong

Ling Zi Bai and Ping Huang

Xiaona Yang and Yan Kan

Ana Kwok and Cheung Wai Lee

Sha Li and Dong Lou

Libertina Marra

L Mirella and John Morra

Nataliia Rumiantseva and Borys

Rumiantsev

Hui Huang and Jun Shao

Fang Yu and Guangsheng Wang

Jane Wright

Shuang Sun and Chuanyu Yang

Hong Mei Zheng and Ying Wen Ye

Liyun Liu and Hao Zhang

Jie Lian and Xiao Zhang

Dan Wei and Yanpan Zhao

Anonymous (1)

CIRCLE MEMBERS

($1,000 - $ 2,499 )

Natalie and Eric Akbar

Qiongyin Huang and Wei Bai

Xueru Bao

L Charles Beer ‘59

L Nicole and Graham Birt

L Kirsten Nicolson and Brad Boland

L Penny Lawson-Cameron and Scott

Cameron

Yuping Tian and Rui Cao

Jiangliu Feng and Yu Zhen Cao

Xi Cao and Mao Zhi Chan

Xiaohui Hu and Chen Chen

Huilin Yang and Jia Pu Chen

Qing Xia and Limin Chen

Jiwoo Kim and Woosoon Choi

L Susan and David Cooper

L Dr. Rolph and Mrs. Joan Davis

Carrie and Rico Dente

Jing Dou and Dan Ding

L Mingjuan Wang and Mingjian Ding

L Janet Downer

Xia Guo and Jianguo Duan

Yi Zeng and Hang Fang

L Kaia and Patrick Farmer

Yue Zhang and Yong Feng

FinCap Electrical and Mechanical Inc.

Kait and Andrew Finlay

Bridget Kilgallon and Jason Foulds

L Lingling Li and Jianning Fu

Man Lu Wang and Qiang Fu

Gavin Gao

Louis Graeve ‘74

Hualing Shirley Wen and Dong Han

L Ling Zhou and Gangfeng He

Li Zeng and Yi He

Kenneth Hills ‘59

L Krista Robinson-Holt and Derek Holt

Xue Bai and Haiwei Hu

Jessica Hu ‘02

L Lanjun Li and Tao Hu

L Eva Huang

Zhenzhen Guo and Guanyu Huang

Xiaozhen Ruan and Haofu Huang

L Weijia Sun and Ming Huo

Tian Li and Weizhong Ji

Ye Zhang and Zi Xuan Jia

Lufei Jia and Nan Jiang

Xiaoyu Cui and Yong Jiang

Monisha and Steve Johnstone

Sheena and Robin Jones

Cathy Gui and Anping Ju

Lisa Simmonds-Kim and Thomas Kim

L Qiang Kuang

L Linglan Shen and Shen Wei Lao

Ying Dong and Hongjie Li

Wenwen Yu and Jinrong Li

Wei Jiang and Leon Li

Mengdi An and Rui Li

Yu Jin and Ruibin Li

Yan Li and Xiaofeng Li

Hui Zhou and Yao Li

Yawei Zhao and Zhengjun Li

Yangjue Qiu and Haijin Lin

Fan Shi and Zhao Lin

Chaoyue Qi and Hang Liu

Lu Yang and Jiepeng Liu

Lian Ma and Litong Liu

L Qiqi Deng and Victor Liu ‘95

Bin Lu and Xiaodong Liu

Lu Zhang and XiaoYun Liu

Yue Chen and Zhixin Liu

Anitka Rolczewski-Louli and Michael Louli

Yan Zhang and Kai Lu

Hui Li and Lei Luo

Liyi He and Yangsheng Luo

L Ailene and Dan MacDougall

L Laura and Jeff Mason

L Arnold Massey

McDonald Thomson - RE/MAX

Hallmark York Group Realty Ltd.

MCH Accounting Professional Corporation

Donald McLaren ‘76

L Renee and Rob Merrick

Junko and Takuya Mizuno

Olga Morawczynski

L Heather Smith-Morton and Barclay

Morton

Jenna and Carl Nagapen

Carmen and Michael Neagoe

Newmarket Health & Wellness

Center

Wendy and Brian O’Leary

Louisa and Kris Philpott

Prep Academy Tutors

Jin Ying Wang and Keo Hoa Quach

L H and E Romkema

Rowan Hardwood Floors

L Jessie-May Rowntree

THE LAMP OF LEARNING, as found in the Pickering College crest, recognizes those who have given for the past five or more consecutive years.

L Chris Schneider

Yinyin Zhang and De Shen

Xuyanmei Shi

Sherry Barclay and Kevin Still

L Lisa and Peter Sturrup

Ying Zhuang and Huang Tang

Melissa and Michael Tavares

TCS Canada

L Susanna Turner and Patrick Turner ‘97

Lan Lin and Bo Wang

Qiao Yang and Cheng Wang

L Jingyu Yang and Di Wang

Haifei Wang, Jianli Wang and Fushan Wang

Huizhen Wang

Qiuling Wang and Jiabu Wang

Haoyang Liu and Jie Wang

Ruonan Zhang and Lei Wang

Nan Wang

Xiaokun Li and Shimin Wang

Ying Gao and Tongle Wang

Jing Ni and Xiaoyong Wang

Qian Gong and Zhiwei Wang

Li Yu and Yuanming Weng

Westmac Holdings Inc.

David White ‘88

L Stephen Widdrington ‘83

Qian Wu

Weiqiang Wu

Jue Mao and Zeming Wu

Yan Shen and Wei Xia

Yihan Song and Sean Xiao

Lili Wang and Wei Yang

Linna Zhang and Weitao Yao

Lihua Yang and Baofa Yu

Binjing Yin and Kai Yu

Rongyi Zheng and Mingqi Yu

Zhaohui Liu and Chao Zeng

L Lin Lin and Tao Zeng

L Alexander Zetzl ‘05

L Joan and Bert Zetzl

Evita Cao and Hai Zhang

L Jiezhi Wu and Lei Zhang

Li Zhang

Wei Chen and Yong Zhang

Yunfei He and Yong Zhang

Qianfeng Chen and Yunxin Zhang

Biyu Yang and Zhenhua Zhao

Jian Li Fan and Jubin Zhou

Yan Sun and Mengli Zhou

Yan Ding and Jiang Zhu

Zihui Weng and Yihua Zhu

Anonymous (3)

PARENT SUPPORT

Parveen Khan and Akber Abbas

Olubukola and Omogbolahan Ahmed

Natalie and Eric Akbar

Gina Livy and Tony An

L Margaux Peck and Joshua Armstrong

Anurag Arun

Qiongyin Huang and Wei Bai

Xueru Bao

L Laura Barclay

L Christina and Sal Bianco

L Nicole and Graham Birt

L Kirsten Nicolson and Brad Boland

L Josie Zhao and Bob Cai

L Penny Lawson-Cameron and Scott Cameron

Yuping Tian and Rui Cao

Jiangliu Feng and Yu Zhen Cao

Tina Robert and Richard Cazeau

Lillian and Anthony Cericola

Xi Cao and Mao Zhi Chan

Xiaohui Hu and Chen Chen

Huilin Yang and Jia Pu Chen

Jessie Zhao and Kevin Chen

L Licong Pan and Lixun Chen

Hye Cho and Duksang Cho

Jiwoo Kim and Woosoon Choi

L Susan and David Cooper

L Naomi and Jamie Côté

Jin Li and Xiang Cui

Marnee and Michael Da Ponte

Michelle and Richard De Ridder

Carrie and Rico Dente

Jing Dou and Dan Ding

L Mingjuan Wang and Mingjian Ding

Jessica Yim and Haoyu Dong

Naixin Zhang and Shaochen Du

Xia Guo and Jianguo Duan

L Jessica and Jeff Ellis

Yi Zeng and Hang Fang

Sovia Fang Family

Yue Zhang and Yong Feng

Kait and Andrew Finlay

L Zoe Roberts and David Fiscaletti

Nicole Foch ‘13 and Kyle Foch ‘13

Yuhua Wang and William Fong

L Lingling Li and Jianning Fu

Man Lu Wang and Qiang Fu

Gavin Gao

Shujun Lu and Jing Ge

L Joanne and Christopher Golding

Karen Johnston and Bob Hakeem

Xin Chen and William Wenlei Hall

Hualing Shirley Wen and Dong Han

L Ling Zhou and Gangfeng He

Li Zeng and Yi He

Felicia Anca and Reza Heidarpour Meymeh

L Jason Herod

Stacey Lewis and Wayne Hinrichs

L Krista Robinson-Holt and Derek Holt

Xue Bai and Haiwei Hu

Jessica Hu ‘02

L Lanjun Li and Tao Hu

L Eva Huang

Zhenzhen Guo and Guanyu Huang

Xiaozhen Ruan and Haofu Huang

Ling Zi Bai and Ping Huang

L Julia and Trevor Hunt

L Weijia Sun and Ming Huo

Calina and Gabriel Iftimiu

Farida Jeejeebhoy

Tian Li and Weizhong Ji

Shujie Zhang and Yang Ji

Ye Zhang and Zi Xuan Jia

Lufei Jia and Nan Jiang

Xiaoye Fan and Xuehong Jiang

Xiaoyu Cui and Yong Jiang

Monisha and Steve Johnstone

Sheena and Robin Jones

Cathy Gui and Anping Ju

Xiaona Yang and Yan Kan

Robin Macmillan and Andrew Keffer

Sarvenaz Riahi and Elias Khorasani-Zadeh

L Qiang Kuang

Shudan Liao and Min Woo Kwon

L Linglan Shen and Shen Wei Lao

Ana Kwok and Cheung Wai Lee

Vivian Hao and Danny Li

Ying Dong and Hongjie Li

L Lili Chen and Jiannan Li

Wenwen Yu and Jinrong Li

Wei Jiang and Leon Li

L Tieny Ho and Ming Li

Mengdi An and Rui Li

Yu Jin and Ruibin Li

Yan Li and Xiaofeng Li

Hui Zhou and Yao Li

Yawei Zhao and Zhengjun Li

L Dongfeng Xu and Zhifeng Li

Cui Lan Deng and Tian Cong Liang

Junyu Yuan and Kun Liao

Carla and Christopher Liberta

Yangjue Qiu and Haijin Lin

Fan Shi and Zhao Lin

Adam Little

Chaoyue Qi and Hang Liu

Lu Yang and Jiepeng Liu

Lian Ma and Litong Liu

L Qin Chen and Nian Liu

L Qiqi Deng and Victor Liu ‘95

Bin (Rebecca) Lu and Xiaodong (Mick) Liu

Lu Zhang and XiaoYun Liu

Yue Chen and Zhixin Liu

Sha Li and Dong Lou

Anitka Rolczewski-Louli and Michael Louli

Venus Iu and Howard Lu

Yan Zhang and Kai Lu

Hui Li and Lei Luo

Liyi He and Yangsheng Luo

Nim Cho Tam and Yuhan Luo

Libertina Marra

Meghann Proulx and Allen Matrosov

L Erin and Blair Matthews

Carlie and Brian Merkley

L Renee and Rob Merrick

Junko and Takuya Mizuno

Olga Morawczynski

L Heather Smith-Morton and Barclay Morton

Jenna and Carl Nagapen

Carmen and Michael Neagoe

Wendy and Brian O’Leary

Beejal and Ritesh Patel

Louisa and Kris Philpott

Lisa and Douglas Podd

Vanessa and Thyson Poehlmann

Jin Ying Wang and Keo Hoa Quach

Krystie and Matthew Robinson-Vincent

L H and E Romkema

Yao Zhang and Huaying Rong

Nataliia Rumiantseva and Borys Rumiantsev

Shafina Hayat and Dave Sage

Hui Huang and Jun Shao

Yinyin Zhang and De Shen

Xuyanmei Shi

Ying Zhuang and Huang Tang

Melissa and Michael Tavares

Amanda and Phillip Thompson

Wendy Jin and Minh Tran

L Jianmei Gao and Chi Kin Tsui

Yuxin Dong and Harry Nghia Tu

L Susanna Turner and Patrick Turner ‘97

Lan Lin and Bo Wang

Qiao Yang and Cheng Wang

L Jingyu Yang and Di Wang

Jianli Wang and Fushan Wang

Fang Yu and Guangsheng Wang

Huizhen Wang

Qiuling Wang and Jiabu Wang

Haoyang Liu and Jie Wang

Ruonan Zhang and Lei Wang

Nan Wang

Xiaokun Li and Shimin Wang

Ying Gao and Tongle Wang

Jing Ni and Xiaoyong Wang

Qian Gong and Zhiwei Wang

Olga Raskovalova and William Waugh

Li Yu and Yuanming Weng

Leanne and Sean Whittaker

Qian Wu

Weiqiang Wu

Jue Mao and Zeming Wu

Yan Shen and Wei Xia

Haiyan Gu and Jason Xiao

Yihan Song and Sean Xiao

Shaozi Zhang and Xiaoqian Xie

Yi Wang and Tao Xue

Shuang Sun and Chuanyu Yang

Lili Wang and Wei Yang

Linna Zhang and Weitao Yao

Hong Mei Zheng and Ying Wen Ye

L Lisa and Jason Yip

Jie Liu and Kin Tim Yip

Lihua Yang and Baofa Yu

Binjing Yin and Kai Yu

Rongyi Zheng and Mingqi Yu

Zhaohui Liu and Chao Zeng

Peggy Pan and Qingyu Zeng

L Lin Lin and Tao Zeng

Evita Cao and Hai Zhang

Liyun Liu and Hao Zhang

L Jiezhi Wu and Lei Zhang

Li Zhang

Cui Yi Liang and Shu Tao Zhang

Jie Lian and Xiao Zhang

Wei Chen and Yong Zhang

Yunfei He and Yong Zhang

Qianfeng Chen and Yunxin Zhang

Dan Wei and Yanpan Zhao

Biyu Yang and Zhenhua Zhao

Jian Li Fan and Jubin Zhou

Yan Sun and Mengli Zhou

Ran Jin and Chunheng Zhu

Yan Ding and Jiang Zhu

Zihui Weng and Yihua Zhu

Anonymous (3)

ALUMNI SUPPORT

1940s

The late Donald King ‘46

The late Ed Richardson ‘45

1950s

L Charles Beer ‘59

Kenneth Hills ‘59

Stefan Israeler ‘52

James Murray ‘57

Brian Purdy ‘56

Roger Warren ‘51

1960s

Jock Bates ‘61

James Brown ‘69

L Robert Bryant ‘60

L Thomas Bryant ‘66

L Rolph Davis ‘60

L David Douglas ‘60

Kenneth Greason ‘64

Glenn Munro ‘64

Doug Pollock ‘64

L Robert Russel ‘67

L Herschell Sax ‘64

L Ronald Veale ‘63

Anonymous (1)

1970s

Louis Graeve ‘74

Heward Lee ‘78

Donald McLaren ‘76

L Christopher Rogers ‘70

1980s

L Stephen Barratt ‘86

Tom Everson ‘84

L Jeffrey Forde ‘82

Osman Kitchell ‘85

James Penrose ‘84

Dag Spicer ‘80

David White ‘88

L Stephen Widdrington ‘83

Samuel Yen ‘89

1990s

Robert Doyle ‘96

L Francis Fung ‘97

Bryan Jones ‘94

Soon-Won Kang ‘97

Victor Liu ‘95

L Raymond Ng ‘99

L Patrick Turner ‘97

L Ryan Turner ‘99

2000s

L Talia Black ‘07

Andrew Gordon ‘02

Amanda Hamm ‘05

Jessica Hu ‘02

Bradley Lawson ‘03

Brett Lawson ‘02

Steven Liao ‘01

Stephen Muzyka ‘03

Kurt Richardson ‘02

Caleb Sturrup ‘04

L Gareth Sturrup ‘09

Riane Tse ‘07

L Alexander Zetzl ‘05

STAFF AND FACULTY SUPPORT

Kylah Adams

L Joshua Armstrong

Alex Au Yong

Dina Baird

L Lotem Baram

L Elaine Barratt

L Stephen Barratt ‘86

Nicole Bernadowitsch

Amanda Billeter

L Graham Birt

L Nicole Birt

L Ethan Bishop

L Carrington Bull

L Gordon Chiu

L Julie Clement

L Chris Collingham

Ryan Collis

L Steve Cope

L Naomi Côté

Sylvia Da Silva

L Michael Daleman

L Marc de la Bastide

L Sarah Demarco

L John Dew

L Janet Downer

L Donna Doyle

2010s

Kyle Foch ‘13

Nicole Foch ‘13

Jacqueline Keltika ‘12

Emma Kerswill ‘19

Adam Murphy ‘19

Taylor Nicholls ‘18

Peter Philp ‘14

2020s

Jack Barich ‘21

Jaden Duyn ‘20

Joseph Galeota ‘21

Paris Johnson ‘20

Omar Ozturk ‘21

William Porter ‘21

Matthew Trussell ‘23

Maximillian Veerbeek ‘22

Anonymous (1)

Nancy Elliott

L Jessica Ellis

Ehsan Eskandari

Kait Finlay

L David Fiscaletti

Hayley Fisher

L Jay Fletcher

Nicole Foch ‘13

L Stephanie Forgie

Marlin Gold

L Joanne Golding

Alex Grenier

Amanda Hamm ‘05

The late Monica Hoppe

L Julia Hunt

Thanh Sang Huynh

L Taylor Jennings

L Sheila Johnson

L Ian Johnston

Elizabeth Keith

Jacqueline Keltika

Emma Kerswill ‘19

Sarah King

L Elaine Kliem

L Penny Lawson-Cameron

Johanna Liburd

Stephanie Little

Cinde Lock

Santo Luciano

Drew MacDonald

Rebecca MacDonald

L Jeff Mason

L Laura Mason

L Arnold Massey

L Erin Matthews

L Lisa Maunder

Karen McCallum-Ryan

Heather McDonald

L Carol McKnight

Kumail Meghani

L Karen Meisel

L Renee Merrick

Shawna Modeste

L Shirley Moffett

Adam Murphy ‘19

L Nicole Murphy

L Rosanna Naccarata

L Varathan Pathmanathan

L Laurie Philp

L Leila Picazo

Vanessa Poehlmann

L Helena Pollakova

Christine Rebelo

L John Robertson

L H Romkema

L Jessie-May Rowntree

Elise Saklica-Kaveh

Ashley Sambrook

L Jamie Savage

L Chris Schneider

Suman Seth

L Jason Simm

Sheri Simon

L Jason Smith

L Kim Smith

L Heather Smith-Morton

L Gareth Sturrup ‘09

L Heather Suters

Julie Sym-Wilson

L Ricky Tam

L Dan Thompson

L Emily van Nostrand

Louis Vassos

William Waugh

L Ellen Wells

L Steve Wood

PAST PARENTS, FORMER STAFF AND FACULTY, GRANDPARENTS

AND FRIENDS SUPPORT

Adam R Little Professional Corporation

Diane Adamson-Brdar

AREA Foundation

David Badregon

Barclay Herod Family Foundation

Allan Bender

Brendan Benson

L J. E. (Tim) Benson

L Darlene and Peter Blenich

Qing Xia and Limin Chen

Jeffrey Climans

L Dr. Rolph and Mrs. Joan Davis

Craig Deasley

L Laurie and Corey DiCarlo

L Beth Egan

L The Egan Family Foundation

L Diane and Beric Farmer

L Kaia and Patrick Farmer

Catherine Farquhar

FinCap Electrical and Mechanical Inc.

Bridget Kilgallon and Jason Foulds

Joyce and Robert Fraser

Sophy Froats

Gordon Fry

OTHER SUPPORT

GIFTS IN KIND

John Lockyer

The Matheson Family

ENDOWMENT GIFTS

L Charles Beer ‘59

L Jane Lynes

L The Rathlyn Foundation

Dag Spicer ’80

Caleb Sturrup ‘04

L Ronald Veale ‘63

L Daniel Weinzweig

BLUE & SILVER FARM

Doug Pollock ‘64

L Ryan Turner ‘99

Anonymous (1)

PC POWER OF COMMUNITY

L Laura Barclay

Barclay Herod Family Foundation

L Jeffrey Forde ‘82

L Jason Herod

L The Rathlyn Foundation

Anonymous (1)

Karen Whetstone and Richard Geurts

Demi Guo

Jinping Wang and Jie Han

Elizabeth Hempen

Barbara Horvath

L Beverly Jackson

Jeejeebhoy Heart Clinic

Cheryl Taylor and Adhish Khanna

L Khanna Family Foundation

Lisa Simmonds-Kim and Thomas Kim

Alan Lossing

L Jane Lynes

L Ailene and Dan MacDougall

L Kelly and Malcolm Mason

L Cathy and John McGill

MCH Accounting Professional Corporation

Andrea McMullen

Lisa Campeis and Eric Milligan

L Jefferson Mooney

L Mirella and John Morra

Nexus Investments

Huong Le and The Anh Nguyen

Linda and Raymond Nunn

My Hanh Pham

L The Rathlyn Foundation

The Estate of Ed Richardson ‘45

Brendan Shaffick

T. Ann Smiley

Sherry Barclay and Kevin Still

Judy Strathdee

L Lisa and Peter Sturrup

TCS Canada

George Vassallo

Cynthia Veale

Carol and Richard Verity

Haifei Wang

Sheila Waters and the late James Waters

Lee Webb

L Daniel Weinzweig

Westmac Holdings Inc.

Ruth and Gary Wolff

Jane Wright

Yen Family Foundation

Jane Zavitz

L Joan and Bert Zetzl

Anonymous (3)

LAMPLIGHTERS

Giving for tomorrow, today.

The school’s symbol is a lamp, the lamp of learning that our caring community of Lamplighters keep well lit by gifting Pickering College through their wills, estates, and life insurance. Committing to a planned gift ensures that your legacy lives on at Pickering College for generations to come.

PC LAMPLIGHTERS

Ralph Barnes ’67

L Charles Beer ’59

Kim Bilous

The late Charles Boyd

Jeffrey Forde ’82

The late Jack Houghton ’47

John Lockyer

The late Ed Richardson ’45

L Robert Russel ’67

Adam Shully ’78

Wolf Smith-Butz ’73

Ron Veitch ’69

L Daniel Weinzweig

Anonymous (1)

Interested in learning more or joining the Lamplighters?

Or have you already included Pickering College in your estate plans?

Please contact Julie Sym-Wilson at 905-895-1120 ext. 254 or by email at jsym-wilson@pickeringcollege.on.ca.

BOARD MEMBERS 2023-2024

Mirella Morra, Chair

Patrick Turner ‘97, Vice-Chair

Sherry Barclay

Sal Bianco

Susan Cooper

Beric Farmer

David Hwang ‘89

Thomas Kim

Olga Morawczynski

Shamus Rask

Jason Yip

CORPORATION MEMBERS 2023-2024

Eric Akbar

Sherry Barclay

Sal Bianco

Reuben Bonerath

Vanessa Carson

Susan Cooper

Michael Da Ponte

Peter Dobbs ‘87

Beric Farmer

Jason Foulds

Barbara Horvath

Eva Huang

Trevor Hunt

David Hwang ‘89

Thomas Kim

Vivian Lee

Isaias Medina III ‘85

Olga Morawczynski

Mirella Morra

Daniel Nelson

Ivan Pooran ‘82

Shamus Rask

Krystie Robinson-Vincent

Claudia Schauer

Adam Shully ‘78

Riane Tse ‘07

Patrick Turner ‘97

Duncan Walker ‘69

Mareena Wallace ‘13

Bo Wang

Roger Warren ‘51

Lee Webb

Kevin Wietzes

Jason Yip

EVENT SPONSORS, PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

PCA HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE SOIREE AND HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18, 2023

Presenting Sponsor: Pfaff Audi Newmarket

Home Sponsors:

Kelly Hookey, Royal LePage - Your Community Realty

McDonald Thomson - RE/MAX Hallmark York

Group Realty Ltd.

Prep Academy Tutors

Rowan Hardwood Floors

Interior Designers/Decorators:

ADM Design Incorporated

Linda Mazur Design

McFee Maintenance & Construction

Peacock & Owl

Royal Interior Design Ltd.

STILE Contracting + Design

Floral Designers:

Amber Flowers

Grand Entrance Design

Linda Mazur Design

McFee Maintenance & Construction

Mid Valley Gardens Ltd.

Sweet Stems Floral Designs

Homes:

Kayla Brodie

Carol Ann Horvat

Julia and Trevor Hunt

Linda Mazur

Kieran O’Brien

Royal Interior Design Ltd.

Gift in Kind Sponsors:

Aramark Canada Ltd.

Arcadia Academy of Music

CDA Dance Academy

Connon Nurseries

Hellier House Creations

Metroland Media Group Ltd.

Pablo Japanese Bakery

Rockford’s Bar & Grill

Slabtown Cider Co.

Taste of the Grille

York Artistic Swimming

Advertising Partners:

Terra Brooks Homes

The Royal Wood Shop

PCA ART EXHIBIT AND WINE TASTING

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Event Donors:

Allan Bender

Tina Robert and Richard Cazeau

Cowley Abbott Consignor Auctions Ltd.

Marnee and Michael Da Ponte

Catherine Farquhar

Annemarie Hagan

Li Zeng and Yi He

Stacey Lewis and Wayne Hinrichs

Carla and Christopher Liberta

Carmen and Michael Neagoe

Melissa and Michael Tavares

William Whitman

PCA SPRING LUNCHEON

Wednesday April 24, 2024

Gift in Kind Donors:

L The Blenich Family

Capsule Jewelry

Goodman’s Fine Foods

Life is Good

Metropolis Mercantile & Cafe

Olive Oil Co.

Pink Prosecco

Replenish General Store

PC ONLINE AUCTION

Monday, May 13 to Friday, May 31, 2024

Donors:

Monisha and Steve Johnstone

Gift in Kind Donors:

Janet McGhee and Hani Abdelgalil

ADM Design Incorporated

Art Gallery of Ontario

BIMM

Costco Newmarket

Emerald Hills Golf Club

EVOKE Learning

Kait and Andrew Finlay

Formula Brands, Linda and Mitchell Stevenson

Grayscale Fine Portraits

L Linglan Shen and Shen Wei Lao

Hui Li and Lei Luo

Mount St. Louis Moonstone Ski Resort

Niagara College Canada - The Armoury

Oberon Capital Corporation, David LeClaire

Pathways to Campus

Pheasant Run Golf Club

Polo for Heart

Royal Ontario Museum

Select Art Galleries

The Piano Studio

Sheila Waters and the late James Waters

Linna Zhang and Weitao Yao

Young Driver’s of Canada

CHARLES F. BOYD INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Monday May 13, 2024

Presenting Sponsor:

Maystar General Contractors

Gold Sponsors:

Control Fire Systems Ltd.

L Diane and Beric Farme

Silver Sponsor:

Newmarket Health & Wellness Center

Bronze Sponsor:

BBL Energy Inc.

Weight Loss by Gina

Westpoint Sport

Hole Sponsors:

L Advertek Graphic Solutions

Diamond Groundskeeping Services

Fortinet

Horn IT Solutions

Lossing Medicine Professional Corporation, Dr. Alan Lossing

Melcour Security Solutions

Roadside Paving Ltd.

Gift in Kind Donors:

Aramark Canada Ltd.

Emerald Hills Golf Club

EZ Golf Aurora

Goldview Financial Inc.

Tracer Golf

ERIC VEALE MEMORIAL ARENA RENOVATION DONORS

The Eric Veale Memorial Arena is undergoing significant renovations, enhancing its facilities for the Pickering College community. This transformation is made possible by the generous support of donors, ensuring that our arena will continue to serve our students, parents and alumni for years to come.

Adam R Little Professional Corporation

David Badregon

L Charles Beer ‘59

L Nicole and Graham Birt

L Penny Lawson-Cameron and Scott Cameron

Lillian and Anthony Cericola

L Beth Egan

L The Egan Family Foundation

FinCap Electrical and Mechanical Inc.

Kait and Andrew Finlay

Yuhua Wang and William Fong

Bridget Kilgallon and Jason Foulds

Joyce and Robert Fraser

Sophy Froats

Shujun Lu and Jing Ge

Louis Graeve ‘74

Kenneth Hills ‘59

L Julia and Trevor Hunt

Calina and Gabriel Iftimiu

Farida Jeejeebhoy

Jeejeebhoy Heart Clinic

L Taylor Jennings

Shujie Zhang and Yang Ji

Soon-Won Kang ‘97

Osman Kitchell ‘85

L Tieny Ho and Ming Li

Cui Lan Deng and Tian Cong Liang

Adam Little

Chaoyue Qi and Hang Liu

Venus Iu and Howard Lu

L Laura and Jeff Mason

L Kelly and Malcolm Mason

Donald McLaren ‘76

L Karen Meisel

Carlie and Brian Merkley

L Renee and Rob Merrick

Olga Morawczynski

Glenn Munro ‘64

James Murray ‘57

Jenna and Carl Nagapen

L Varathan Pathmanathan

Louisa and Kris Philpott

Doug Pollock ‘64

L H and E Romkema

L Jessie-May Rowntree

Ashley Sambrook

L Chris Schneider

L Lisa and Peter Sturrup

Julie Sym-Wilson

Melissa and Michael Tavares

TCS Canada

George Vassallo

Cynthia Veale

L Roger Warren ‘51

William Waugh

Westmac Holdings Inc.

Ruth and Gary Wolff

L Steve Wood

Jane Wright

Jie Liu and Kin Tim Yip

Zhaohui Liu and Chao Zeng

Jian Li Fan and Jubin Zhou

Anonymous (1)

WEST LAKE HOUSE DONORS

Thanks to our generous donors, we have raised $30,850,000 for West Lake House. Your support has made our shared vision a reality. We are delighted you have chosen to join us in this exciting project and look forward to celebrating the opening of West Lake House in Fall 2025.

Masayo and Norimichi Adachi

Aecon

Sophia and Naresh Aggarwal

The late Henry Aguayo ‘48

David Allan ‘02

Philip Allan ‘71

Debbie Khan and Ali Alshubil

Katie Armitage ‘04

L Ann and Simon Armstrong

Margalit Gavrilov and Kourosh Asgari

David Badregon

Baljit and Salim Bardai

Kim and Alan Barlow

L Elaine Barratt and Stephen Barratt ‘86

Jock Bates ‘61

L Charles Beer ‘59

Jim Beer ‘63

Roxana and Jean-Pierre Berlan

Dawn and David Beswick

L Christina and Sal Bianco

Diane Li and James Bihari

L Talia Black ‘07

L Kirsten Nicolson and Brad Boland

James Brown ‘69

The late Bill Bryant ‘58

L Robert Bryant ‘60

Patricia and Donald Cameron

Susan Cameron

Susann Cannon

The Cannon and Trussell Families

Vanessa and Donald Carson

CAS Accounting for Insurance Inc.

Lillian and Anthony Cericola

Xi Cao and Mao Zhi Chan

Susan and Edward Chant

James Christakis

Eunyoung Lee and Chansoo Chung

L Susan and David Cooper

Miren Edurne Aguayo and Santiago Cortina

George Cox ‘57

YanLin Liu and Dongtai Cui

Jin Li and Xiang Cui

Eleanor and Troy Cumiskey

Krystal and Ryan Davey

Andie and Kevin Desforges

Angelina De Zen and Family

Direct IT Recruiting Inc.

Greg Dopulos ‘68

Arthur Dorland

L David Douglas ‘60

Naixin Zhang and Shaochen Du

Xia Guo and Jianguo Duan

Robyn and Tony Eames

The late Hugh Edighoffer ‘47

L Beth Egan

L The Egan Family Foundation

Mimi Sakatos and Tommy Elovaris

The late Richard Elston ‘56

Tom Everson ‘84

Sovia Fang Family

L Diane and Beric Farmer

Mitchell Fasken ‘74

Diane and Brian FitzGerald

Debbie and Adam Floyd

Yuhua Wang and William Fong

Sharon and Wayne Ford

L Jeffrey Forde ‘82

Donna and Allan Fordyce

Foundation Counts Philanthropic Foundation

Joyce and Robert Fraser

Man Lu Wang and Qiang Fu

Alexis and Roland Furlan

Karen Whetstone and Richard Geurts

L Joanne and Christopher Golding

The late Janice Fleming-Gole and Robert Gole

Michelle Zhang and Bin Gong

Lisa and David Graham

Carol and Peter Grys

The late James Harrison ‘47

The late Nicolee Hathaway

Kenneth Hills ‘59

Xiaoqing Li and Bo Huang

L Eva Huang

Stefan Israeler ‘52

Anthony Jackson ‘79

L Beverly Jackson

Natalie Owen-James and Michael

James

L Taylor Jennings

Tian Li and Weizhong Ji

Shujie Zhang and Yang Ji

Xiaoyu Cui and Yong Jiang

Yue Wang and Zhongjie Jiang

Maria Jordan

Zahra Kara

Kelly Gallacher and Perry Kereakou

L Khanna Family Foundation

Elham Ardestani-Zadeh and Vahid

Khansari

Yoko and Sadahito Kimata

The late Donald King ‘46

Heather King

Cathy Christakis-Kiriakou and Nick Kiriakou

Mukta and Murali Krishnan

Krishnan Medicine Professional

Corporation

Erin Lamont

Catherine and Christopher Lane

Elena Latapova and Albert Latapov

Peter Lau ‘82

Yim Yin Yung and Terrence Lau

In Memory of James A. Lawson by the late Patricia Lawson, Penny Lawson-Cameron and Pamela Lawson

Mary Madigan-Lee and Heward

Lee ‘78

May Ling Ng and Wai Leung

The late Wilson Leung ‘79

Yinglu Kang and Boxi Li

L Tieny Ho and Ming Li

Jennifer Liu and Steven Li

Zhao Hui Li

Yawei Zhao and Zhengjun Li

Wang Chiung-Liao and LongShing Liao

Steven Liao ‘01

Chaoyue Qi and Hang Liu

L Qin Chen and Nian Liu

L Qiqi Deng and Victor Liu ‘95

Bin (Rebecca) Lu and Xiaodong (Mick) Liu

Yue Chen and Zhixin Liu

Lone Star Group of Companies Limited

Sha Li and Dong Lou

Weiping Lu

L Jane Lynes

Vida Sernas and Alan MacDonald

L Ailene and Dan MacDougall

The late Michael Mackenzie ‘45

Janice Wang and Chi Hsiung Mao

Libertina Marra

L Kelly and Malcolm Mason

Veronica and Paul Mason

Mason’s Masonry Supply Ltd.

L Arnold Massey

L Cathy and John McGill

Victoria and Michael McGinn

MCH Accounting Professional

Corporation

Kellie and Sean McKay

Donald McLaren ‘76

The late Brian Meharg ‘78

The late John Meisel ‘43

L Renee and Rob Merrick

Pierre Mevissen

Gail Millar

Lisa Campeis and Eric Milligan

Rocklyn Mohammed ‘93

Gillian and Graeme Montgomery

Olga Morawczynski

L Mirella and John Morra

James Murray ‘57

Daniel Nelson

Clara and Johnny Ng

The late Doris Nicolson

Mary Jane and John Omand

Laura Padula

Cora Pataran ‘24

L Varathan Pathmanathan

Lori and Jim Pedersen

Patrick Peotto

Amber and Paul Perry

Doug Pollock ‘64

Wei and Brian Porter

Ashley Powell

Jill Powell

Matt Powell

William Powell

Juli and Paul Prochazka

Kathy and Ian Proudfoot

L Brian Purdy ‘56

L The Rathlyn Foundation

Xiaojun Wu and Guorong Ren

Brian Reynolds ‘70

Lorena Rodriguez

L Christopher Rogers ‘70

David Rogers ‘76

L Jessie-May Rowntree

Stephen Rudberg ‘82

L Robert Russel ‘67

Tanja and Dirk Schaefer

Magdalena (Meg) Searles

Jocelyn Yee and Simon Seow

Colleen Sexsmith

Diane and Sean Sexsmith-Brosseau

Karen and Ron Sharpe

Yinyin Zhang and De Shen

The late Martin Shubik ‘43

Corianne and Anthony Simpson

Kim Bilous and Darren Slind

T. Ann Smiley

Gerry and Anita Smith Family

Foundation at Toronto Foundation

Bo and Orest Sochaniwskyj

Darla and Peter Somerville

Dag Spicer ‘80

The late Jim Spring ‘47

Janice and Nelson Squires

Linda and Mitchell Stevenson

Mary Stevenson and the late Robert Stevenson

Sherry Barclay and Kevin Still

Minna Sturrup

L Lisa and Peter Sturrup

Subramanyam and Seshadri Family

Jiage Guo and Chenggang Sun

Sha Jiang and Yang Sun

Sylvester Legacy Inc.

Julie Sym-Wilson

Grace Lin and Chih-Lang Tai

Ivy Tan

Tim Hortons – The Floyd Family

Townline Self-Storage

Wendy Jin and Minh Tran

Trans4med by Digital

Belinda and Mark Trussell

L Jianmei Gao and Chi Kin Tsui

L Susanna Turner and Patrick Turner ‘97

L Ryan Turner ‘99

Tony Van Bynen

The late Roger Veale ‘61

Karen Benson and Ron Veitch ‘69

Carol and Richard Verity

Duncan Walker ‘69

Lan Lin and Bo Wang

Anna Hu and Dali Wang

Helen Pei and Harry Wang

Serena Sun ‘10 and Liang Wang

Jiekun Wang and Liaoning Wang

L Roger Warren ‘51

Sheila Waters and the late James Waters

Wayne Ford Sales Limited

David White ‘88

Patricia and Kevin Wietzes

Yun Mi Lee and Bong Cheol Woo

Mary Zhou and Jack Xuan

Vivian Lee and Lei Yan

Shuang Sun and Chuanyu Yang

Samuel Yen ‘89

L Lisa and Jason Yip

Man Ha Cheung and Hau Ming Yiu

Nicole Cortese and Paul Yue

Anna Zalewska and Pawel Zalewski

Jane Zavitz

Li Liu and Fanyi Zeng

Peggy Pan and Qingyu Zeng

L Alexander Zetzl ‘05

Lu Chen and Jigui Zhang

Karen Lin and Jim Zhang

Hongxia Chen and Shouping Zhang

Xi Zhang

Wanping Zhang and Zhenchen

Zhang

Yuji Xing and Biwu Zhao

Jian Li Fan and Jubin Zhou

Yan Sun and Mengli Zhou

Xiaojie Song and Yunzhuo Zhou

Anonymous (8)

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2025!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, May 13 8:30 a.m. Capstone Project Finals (Grade 12)

Wednesday, May 14 9:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. My Key Idea (Grade 5) Changemakers Event

Thursday, May 15 3:30 p.m. Fun Fair

Friday, May 23 All day Sports Day

Wednesday, May 28 9:45 a.m. Closing Meeting (Full School)

Monday, June 9 9:00 a.m. Grade 5 Celebration

Tuesday, June 10 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Kindergrad Grade 8 Closing Ceremony

Thursday, June 12 7:00 p.m. Grad Celebration

Friday, June 13 9:00 a.m. Commencement

Monday, June 16 All day Summer Day Camps Start

Monday, June 23 9:00 a.m. Charles F. Boyd Invitational Golf Tournament

Sunday, June 29 All day ESL Summer Camp Session 1 Starts

Sunday, July 27 All day ESL Summer Camp Session 2 Starts GLP Summer Camp Starts

Tuesday, September 2 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Orientation Day (Grade 9 and new students) Welcome BBQ (Full School) Boarding Parent Dessert Reception

Wednesday, September 3 All day First Day of School

Thursday, September 4 9:45 a.m. Opening Meeting (Full School)

Saturday, October 18 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Fall Open House (Junior School) Fall Open House (Middle & Senior School)

VOLUME 45 ISSUE TWO

PUBLISHER

JESSIE-MAY ROWNTREE

Assistant Head of School, Advancement

MANAGING EDITOR

NAOMI CÔTÉ

Senior Communications Manager

CONTRIBUTORS

ELIZABETH KEITH

EMMA KERSWILL ‘19

ALISON LARABIE CHASE

DR. CINDE LOCK, Head of School

KAREN MEISEL

JENNA NAGAPEN

KRYSTIE ROBINSON-VINCENT

MICHELLE TOLLEY

GRAPHIC DESIGN

VANI ROUSE

TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS, IDEAS OR FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

JESSIE-MAY ROWNTREE (905) 895-1700 EXT. 234 jrowntree@pickeringcollege.on.ca

PICKERING COLLEGE

16945 BAYVIEW AVENUE

NEWMARKET, ONTARIO CANADA L3Y 4X2

TEL: (905) 895-1700 www.pickeringcollege.on.ca

THE PILLARS IS PUBLISHED BY THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, STUDENTS, STAFF AND FRIENDS OF PICKERING COLLEGE.

What sets a Pickering College education apart?

It’s belonging to a warm and welcoming school community that supports your child every step of the way through their academic journey. It’s a place where students are encouraged to discover who they are as individuals and are guided to identify what they are passionate about so that they can thrive as valuesbased decision-makers. It’s developing students into innovative, courageous, and compassionate global citizens who go beyond theory and take action to make change. It’s instilling in our students an ability and a responsibility to make a difference in the world and leave the community better than they found it. It’s more than a school—it’s a community. Find your place at PC.

Now accepting applications for September 2026!

Additional class added in Grade 1 and Grade 9. Limited space available in Grades 6-8 for September. Vist us online: www.pickeringcollege.on.ca/more Find your place at PC