pickering college
w i n t e r 2013
pilLars
the
g l o b a l
l e a d e r s h i p
table of contents
Head Shots 4
Taking It Global 6
Adrian Betts: A Life Devoted to Service 8
Student Life 10
Residence Life 16
Athletics 18
Strategic Plan Update 20
Martin Shubik: Lifelong Learning and Achievement 24
Amanda Brissenden: Life Lessons from Half a World Away 26
Alumni News 28
Passings 31
Alumni Reunions 32
Pickering College Association 34
Three Cheers for Our PC Volunteers 35
PC Archives 37
Upcoming Events 38
Frisson, watercolour, by Samantha Tan, Grade 11.
Head Shots
by Peter Sturrup, Headmaster
Does it ever seem to you like the world is getting a little crazier with each passing day? Sometimes it does to me. People … communities … nations … seem to be drawing into themselves, determined to find differences rather than trying to seek a common understanding. There is a brewing climate of distrust and intolerance, as people seem determined to antagonize and argue rather than build a consensus. The chasm is widening between neighbours, as communities and nations appear to be determined to close down paths rather than working together to build bridges. In order to change this growing momentum, I believe we need to exhibit far more understanding, tolerance, openness, trust and empathy. I believe we need to learn to listen better and talk less; we need to ask more questions instead of giving so many opinions; we need to think more before acting; we need to really be prepared to give before expecting to receive; and we need to be kind, humane and fair. None of this is revolutionary – most Kindergarten students know these things by the time they start school. But that’s what makes it so frustrating: knowing what we need to change is so obvious and yet remains so hidden in those in a position to lead by example. If I was in any other profession, I might actually feel a little discouraged. Fortunately, I work in a school that with every metaphorical breath it takes each day is working to reverse the actions of those displaying such inane behaviour. I believe it is the responsibility of schools to ensure that future generations are prepared to change the way we interact and behave, in order to lead the world to a better place. Listen to the words of Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley, two highly respected educational leaders. In their book, The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change, they really clarify the role that schools should play in shaping future generations:
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“Our schools are the social embryos of humanity – those institutions that we establish to promote our highest collective values. They should be the embodiment of norms of reciprocity, active trust, and democratic deliberation. It is not more mandates and management they need, but the broad shoulders of uplifting and sustainable leadership.” The “social embryos of humanity” – those are high aspirations, indeed! It’s inspiring … and daunting. Taking up such an important cause is no easy task – but what a glorious opportunity! What I think you will find really interesting, as you leaf through the pages of this edition of The Pillars, is this is just what Pickering College is doing – and has always done. Our new Global Leadership Program provides the type of antidote needed for our students to cure some of the ills of the world. The future will be in better hands as this program becomes fully integrated into the life of the school. But the Global Leadership Program only builds on the efforts of many decades of Pickering people who have taken up this very challenge, with amazing results. As you peruse this issue, you will read about many inspiring examples of the excellent work our school community is doing in the world. And why is this? It reminds me of the question in the words of an Old Boy that Mr. Boyd reads at the Closing Meeting for Worship each year. “ False propaganda, age-old prejudices, hasty decisions and jealousies are hard things to combat. But they have been combatted successfully at Pickering. There you live with people of almost every creed, of many races, of many tongues. Do the students of Pickering ever stop to think why they can do this, while so many in other places cannot? I’ll bet most of them don’t.” I tend to agree – most of us do not ask why we can do this while so many throughout the world cannot. Perhaps that is because we do these things as a part of our daily existence – the belief in the importance of building a community and showing respect, the demonstration of integrity in the decisions we make, the importance of compassion to those around us and the acceptance of responsibility for each of the actions we take. Interestingly enough, those are our highest collective values; values that define our school and our purpose. The reading concludes, “They will see that spiritual values cannot be measured by material weapons nor by material success. The things that are more excellent are many of the things they have come to know at Pickering. If they understand this, they won’t be fooled by the falsities of the life all of them will have to face.” This school gives me great hope. When faced with the uncertain the inexplicable around me, I take great pride but also great comfort in knowing that the work we do is helping build “the broad shoulders of sustainable leadership” and that this will help to make the world the type of place we want our children to live in. It is a legacy passed on by the founders of the school and it is a gift we can give to future generations.
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taking it >>
global
New Global Leadership Program prepares students for the future, This past September, Pickering College embarked on an exciting new program of study designed to provide students with an exceptional PC educational experience that truly prepares them for the future. The Global Leadership Program will prepare students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 with the skills needed to be innovative, entrepreneurial, globally-focused and ready to tackle complex global issues, while staying true to Quaker values. Students who graduate from 2017 onwards are eligible to earn the Pickering College Global Leadership Diploma (see sidebar for requirements) that meets and exceeds the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The Global Leadership Diploma, with Distinction will recognize exceptional student achievement and engagement in the local, national and global community. “Some schools offer a stream-based program, where a specific group of students might work on global leadership, and some schools offer options that are mostly co-curricular or in addition to programming,” explains Julia Hunt, the newly-appointed Director of Global Leadership at Pickering College. “But in terms of a fully-integrated program that goes through the curriculum in every subject area and offers interdisciplinary opportunities for every student, that is unique to Pickering College.” Quaker values at the core The Global Leadership Program builds on Pickering College’s longstanding mission and service-oriented approach to education. Our vision is for the program to become recognized internationally as a place where students learn to become agents of courageous, ethical and positive change. The Global Leadership Program deeply connects to Pickering College’s roots
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in Quakerism. Quakers are known for leading purposeful lives and for making major sacrifices for social justice as peaceful activists. These values are at the core of the Global Leadership Program’s mission to develop values-based leaders who are determined to make their world a better place.
The Global Leadership Program remains true to Pickering College’s Quaker roots with emphasis on educating the whole child: academically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically. 21st century skills prepare students for the future In developing the program, a considerable amount of research went into identifying the skills and attributes students are predicted to need to prepare for the future, including the jobs we do not even know about yet. With a focus on 21st century skills including character, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking, the Global Leadership Program will equip students with crucial competencies, knowledge and traits they will need to be innovative and entrepreneurial, along with the agility required to adapt to whatever the future holds.
Global Leadership Program offers rigour, added flexibility and choice The Global Leadership Diploma offers students a very personalized learning experience. The requirements are as demanding as an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma and it gives students the flexibility to pursue what interests them and ignites their imagination. “Our students are encouraged to find their passion and develop that through their culminating research project. When they are encouraged to choose the topic that matters most to them, students are more curious, self-directed and invested in what they are learning. They achieve incredible results because they are learning on a much deeper and highly complex level, and are willing to take the necessary risks to ensure the desired outcomes,” Julia says. “We are a small school, so we can have really intimate discussions with students about what they want to achieve and what we need to provide them with, to help them get there.” Learning at Pickering College will continue to be exciting, innovative and learnercentred. Students will be encouraged to view globally-oriented topics through a lens of global consciousness, while thinking critically about context, values and active participation. Students will be tasked with a seniorlevel research project where they must select, identify, investigate and develop an innovative solution for a pressing issue of global or local significance. They will then present their findings to an expert panel of both members of the Pickering College community – and the wider external community – for the opportunity to receive real-world feedback on their potential solution. Some students will go beyond and enact their solution in
Global Leadership Diploma To complete the Global Leadership Diploma students are required to:
while following their passions the world. The skills acquired from this culminating project will serve students well in their university career and beyond. Students already benefitting from program Though the current Grade 9s will be the first group to graduate with the Global Leadership Diploma in 2017, the program’s principles are being implemented with pre-2017 graduates so that they too will benefit from its advantages.
“Pickering College is unique in setting up meetings to seek alignment between the Global Leadership Program and university expectations, and it is a very useful exercise.” –Teresa Kramerz, Director of Munk One at the University of Toronto Considerable time has been spent talking to university admissions departments about what they see as the major gaps in the transition from secondary to postsecondary studies. The Global Leadership Program has been tailored to bridge those gaps so that our students will have the edge. “We want our students to be recognized for their demonstrated ability to be complex thinkers and to create innovative solutions to challenging realworld problems,” says Julia. These are the qualities that are sought after by the most prestigious universities and desirable employers which will provide our students with a unique advantage when competing with students from the around the globe.” Teresa Kramerz, Director of Munk One at the University of Toronto, recently said “Pickering College is unique in setting up meetings to seek alignment between the
Global Leadership Program and university expectations, and it is a very useful exercise.” PC’s current students are excited about the Global Leadership Program and the feedback so far has been incredibly positive. Harry Li, a Grade 9 boarding student says, “We can learn however we want at this school. We take classes we are interested in and we like learning. We learn to strive for our best, for ourselves and the school. We collaborate with the other students and we are united as a group.” Alanna Miller, a Grade 9 day student, added “I’ve learned that youth can change the world and you don’t have to wait for adults to direct you.” Further experiential learning opportunities begin September 2014 Starting this September, the Global Leadership Program will provide students with enriched learning opportunities. Incorporating cultural immersions and exchanges into the curriculum will help students to further understand concepts like cultural fluency and situational appropriateness when interacting with different cultures. In addition, innovation will play a key role as the program intends to offer students new opportunities to create or invent a solution, machine or program capable of doing a difficult task or solving a significant problem. “With the integration of 21st century skills, project-based learning and technology skills from Kindergarten to Grade 12, we are creating a vibrant, dynamic and engaging student-centred learning environment for every child,” says Kim Bartlett, Curriculum Co-ordinator for Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. “Our faculty has been working hard to ensure that we are implementing the best practices in every subject and every grade. This is an exciting and inspiring program for our students and our teachers.”
If you would like more information about the Global Leadership Program, please contact Julia Hunt, Director of Global Leadership, at jhunt@pickeringcollege.on.ca or 905-895-1700 ext. 278.
• Identify, investigate and develop an innovative solution for a pressing issue of local or global significance, and present it to an expert panel. • Demonstrate oral capability and cultural fluency by carrying on a sustained and meaningful conversation in a second and/or third language. • Represent Pickering College as a leader in an area in which you have passion and expertise. • Engage in a cultural immersion experience at the local, national or international level. • Experience and deepen understanding of Quaker values through experiential learning and reflection. • Establish or participate in a sustained, meaningful and collaborative partnership with an outside organization, exemplifying the ideals of servant leadership in your contributions. • Create or invent a machine or program capable of doing a difficult task or design a model or framework to solve a significant problem. • Challenge yourself through an experiential excursion or to a commitment that demands physical strength, resilience and strong character. • Make a connection between yourself and the world by producing, performing or interpreting an artistic or creative piece or a presentation within a discipline. • Use social activism to bring awareness of your beliefs to public consciousness, organizing an activity or demonstration. Within our international community here at Pickering College, students are working collaboratively in an environment of openmindedness, mutual respect and a deeper understanding of all nations and cultures. As a result, students are equipped to be innovative, entrepreneurial and globally focused, ready to understand and address complex global issues.
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a life devo For nearly 30 years, fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS has
Adrian Betts’ path in life has been rife with unexpected twists and turns. The once nervous newcomer to Canada, who joined Pickering College just four days after relocating from the UK, has evolved into the proud, vocal, openly-gay and openly HIV positive, Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region.
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When Adrian Betts ’84H* looks back at his Pickering College days, his face lights up as he talks about the lasting friendships he made with what he calls an “eclectic” and international group of guys. “And we’re still friends to this day,” he beams.
“Harry was, for me personally – and I think for many of the guys in my class – a huge mentor,” he says. “One thing he said that has always stuck with me is: if you see an injustice being done, and you do nothing, your sin is as great as the person perpetrating the oppression.”
As an active member of Pickering’s drama scene, Adrian jokes that he was a bit of a “theatre queen,” having starred in numerous award winning productions including Creeps, Sex Cold Cans and A Coffin, Dogg’s Hamlet, The Importance of Being Ernest, Charlie’s Aunt, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title role of Hamlet.
Armed with a strong sense of values, Adrian graduated from PC and moved to Huron College at University of Western to pursue a degree and continue acting. But that’s when his life took a major turn.
He credits PC for not only fostering a life-long love of the theatre, but also for laying the foundation for the man he would become. Through his friendship with John Beer ’84H Adrian had the opportunity to get to know John’s grandfather, Harry Beer, whom he credits with teaching him about the importance of compassion and living a life of grace through service.
“I met a dancer when I was at Western, fell madly in love and then he died very suddenly and very tragically,” he says wistfully. “And that led to what has become my life’s work, which is working in AIDS.”Adrian says after his first partner’s untimely death, he went through a very difficult period. Not only was he grieving his loss, he was also coming to terms with his family’s reaction to his coming out. He was very much alone. Adrian found the strength to persevere. He became involved with the gay community at Western and even was asked by
the university’s minister to help counsel other young people who were coming out and needed support. Due to financial constraints, Adrian was unable to finish his education at Western. Instead, he began the next chapter of his life by moving to Toronto and working with Lesbian Gay Youth Toronto. It was the mid-1980s and the AIDS epidemic was taking its toll on Toronto’s gay community. “One of the guys I worked with got sick and died very quickly at age 21,” he says. “And it just went on from there. Living through that time, there were five, six, seven funerals a week – and that was a slow week.” After working for several non-profit organizations, it wasn’t until one of his closest
that happened, I was living with AIDS as opposed to just being HIV positive.” Thanks to antiretroviral therapies, introduced in 1996, the prognosis for people living with HIV/AIDS has improved dramatically. “HIV has almost become a chronic, manageable condition and lifespans have gone from six months (back in the day) to 20-30 years,” he says. “If someone is diagnosed now, they are actually encouraged to go on treatment right away because it will extend their life indefinitely.” Unfortunately, the stigma attached to having HIV/AIDS still exists. As the Executive Director for the AIDS Committee of Durham Region (ACDR), it is his organization’s mission to provide AIDS
In recognition of his life’s work, Adrian was honoured in 2012 with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Excellence in the Field of HIV/AIDS in Canada. Adrian also recently became a member of the Ontario Advisory Council for HIV in Ontario. This advisory body makes recommendations on policy and funding changes as well as voices HIV/ AIDS-related concerns to the Minister of Health. He says it was quite a surprise and an honour to be asked to join the Council. “The fact that I was asked is amazing to me, because I have a big mouth and I have very strong opinions,” he grins. In fact, he says, his security clearance took over a year to negotiate probably because of an incident 20 years earlier when he and others had “stormed the office” of a previous Minister of Health in
ted to service been Pickering college Alumnus Adrian Betts’ public and personal mission friends died of AIDS that he decided to take on AIDS work full time. After a particularly challenging stint at Fife House Foundation, an AIDS housing organization, the end of a relationship and the death of another close friend, he decided to take a sabbatical and travel the world. After some time, he returned to Toronto. “And that’s when I got sick with a capital S,” he says. “That’s just the nature of HIV, it’s episodic.” Adrian says he chose not to go on medication at the early onset of his diagnosis because the people he knew and loved who had gone on medication died and the people who had not were still alive. “Back in the early days the medications were quite toxic and people were grasping at straws because they were getting so sick and dying so quickly – people would do anything to stay alive,” he explains. Eventually, his health deteriorated so much that his T-cell count dropped to the lowest point ever. “I had two left – I actually called them Frick and Frack,” he quips. “When
education and support. ACDR helps 300 families who are living with HIV with counselling, advocacy and practical assistance like a food bank, vitamin bank, rides to medical appointments and treatment by an onsite nurse, doctor and naturopathic doctor. His employees also work to reduce infection rates by educating people about prevention and harm reduction programming.
protest over lack of AIDS funding. Looking back over his life, Adrian says he has an advantage over many people because he has experienced several brushes with death and is keenly aware of his own mortality. “While I’m still a workaholic – and still make poor choices from time to time about work/ life balance – I know enough to seize the day, to love fully and to really do the best I can – and that’s success.”
“We do education sessions and awareness campaigns … to just try to bring the message home that HIV is still around,” he explains. “It is still a fatal illness and you’re still at risk.”
The words of wisdom he offers current PC students harkens back to the values that were instilled in him 30 years ago. “Don’t be afraid to do what you love and if you don’t know what that is yet, don’t worry about it … it will come. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. And it makes for a happier life.”
Alarmingly, infection rates in young women and in young gay men are on the rise, but he says they’re also seeing increased infections in people in their 40s and 50s who are re-entering the dating world. That’s why Adrian says education is so important; because if you provide people with the information they need, you empower them to make healthy choices. “I love what I do,” he says. “I tell my staff all the time – we can change the world, one person at a time.”
His second piece of advice, quite appropriately, is borrowed from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. “To thine own self be true,” he says emphatically. “Don’t hide whatever’s in your closet – whether it’s sexuality or mental health – just put it out there. Your uniqueness is what makes you special and that’s where you’ll find your joy – in celebrating that.” *Denotes Honours year
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student life
The Pickering College Art Room is up and running! During the summer, a number of renovations took place and now the Art Room is looking bright and cheery! New cupboards and a countertop were installed and the room was rearranged to suit the needs of the art students more effectively. The students have already started working on projects and seem to be enjoying the “new” space! The Grade 11 art students have been working through a number of drawing exercises. Ms. Burk has been making them draw the art room stools over and over ... and over again, using a number of different materials. Not only are they gaining expertise with the different materials, they are learning to work outside of their comfort zone and are becoming accustomed to allowing mistakes to become part of their work. In only a few short classes, their styles have become more fluid and their observation skills have improved tremendously. 10
Senior Art Trip to the AGO The Grade 11 and 12 art students travelled to the Art Gallery of Ontario in October to see the two exhibitions, “Ai Weiwei: According to What?” and “David Bowie is.” Both shows are ideally suited to generating discussion about the processes involved in making art, and how unorthodox materials and methods can result in spectacular and thought-provoking creations. The students benefitted from this excursion because it opened their minds to new methods of expression.
Orientation Week Activities In September, the Senior School students and faculty gathered on Memorial Field for some fun events, as a break in a very hectic first week of school. Advisor groups joined in friendly competition and got to know each other a little better. The Grade 7 and 8 students enjoyed the warm weather with a team-building exercise. The students were divided into four groups and visited four different stations, each designed to help them get to know one another better and work together as groups. Middle School Electives In October, Grades 7 and 8 got a chance to try a few different activities during an afternoon of electives: Sushi making, bucket drumming and filmmaking were enjoyed by our Middle School students.
Wild West Senior School Dance The Student Committee and the Social Committee hosted their first big event, the ‘Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots’ dance, in late October. They went all out with decorations and the Meeting Room was transformed into a beautiful barn setting, with glowing twinkle lights, mason jars with wild flowers, tin can lanterns and of course bales of hay around the perimeter. Students danced the night away, but when they needed to catch their breath, they could grab some southern fried chicken and fries or play the ring toss, lasso the horse or milk the cow games. There was an incredible turn out and the students are eagerly awaiting the next event! 11
student life
Good News About CHOP-FM Radio! Thanks to the help of so many in our community who wrote letters of support, 102.7 CHOP-FM has now received official word from Industry Canada that our broadcasting license has been renewed until August 2020! This is a real testament to the value of the campus radio station. Thank you again to everyone who helped to achieve this important milestone and the last step towards receiving our formal renewal approval from the CRTC. This past summer the Community Radio Foundation of Canada granted CHOP-FM the funds to hire a part-time Station Manager. Our search process resulted in Gareth Sturrup ’09 accepting the position. Gareth will spend 14 hours per week working with the Comm-Tech program and with teachers from JK – 12, as well as members of our local Newmarket and Aurora community. You may have heard him on the radio during the Welcome Barbecue. Welcome Gareth! Tune in to 102.7 CHOP-FM any time, on your dial in the Newmarket/Aurora area, or online. In late September, the CommTech students began their drive shows in the morning and afternoon. The schedule is posted on our PC website, so be sure to tune in and follow your favourite student and teacher radio shows! It will 12
be a great year on the radio, a unique and powerful teaching tool at Pickering College. In October, the Grade 4s visited our on campus radio station to learn about sound and how the radio station works. Students were able to go on air and broadcast a station call. Later in the year, students will broadcast a prepared piece of work. The Kindergarten children also had the exciting opportunity to visit CHOP-FM for a little tour and tutorial. Mr. Sturrup showed the class around the booth and explained how the radio signal goes through the computer and out into the world. The children said hello with their microphone voices and were asked to request a song. Though their first choice, Old McDonald Had a Farm, was not found on the play list, the children were thrilled to hear their second choice, Gangnam Style. The children look forward to their next visit when they will participate in Reader’s Theatre with their Grade 4 reading buddies! In October, CTV News ran a piece featuring students from our Grade 2 class delivering Halloween safety messages and Senior School students speaking about their experience with CHOP-FM.
Strong Start for Our Debate Team In September, five students from the Pickering College debate team (Ali Shourideh-Zibari, Maurice Berleth, Nico Macias, Alisha Popatia, Sterling Mancuso) entered the fray at the first Fulford tournament of the year, hosted by St. Clement’s School. It was an inaugural competitive debate for all but one of our team members. Each student participated in two rounds of parliamentary debating. The topics discussed were: 1. “Be it resolved that school should run year-round.”; and 2. “Be it resolved that ‘none of the above’ should be an option for the Canadian electorate.” Debates were heated, as the students clashed on many points. At the end of the day, our debaters held their own, each receiving an above-average score. Fun was had but, most importantly, each of our competitors eagerly awaits the next Fulford tournament. Pickering College’s debate team was honoured this year to be invited to take part in the International Independent School Public Speaking Championship, a.k.a. “The Internationals.” The team gained access to this prestigious competition as a result of its good standings in the Fulford Debate League. Independent schools from around the world (including Germany, Peru, Bermuda, India, and the USA) sent teams of three to compete in nine speaking categories over the course of four days. This event was hosted by Country Day School and took place at the Kingbridge Convention Centre in King City. Leilah Mouna, Margaret Montgomery and Grant Kavanagh did
an outstanding job, proudly representing Pickering College. Next year, this event will take place in Hong Kong. We hope to take part again.
A Kindergarten Journey: From Dough to Double Cheese The children in Kindergarten love pizza! Their curiosity sparked an inquiry that began in the Pickering College Servery, where they learned the basics of making their own unique creations and then back to the classroom where they designed a Kindergarten Pizzeria! Some of their ponderings included:
The Laptop Project Grade 10, 11 and 12 students enrolled in Computer Science recently completed a project that allowed them to take apart a laptop computer and build it back together. It was a great hands-on experience that gave them a better understanding of the hardware component theory learned in class. The challenge was to take apart a working laptop right down to the main hardware parts and then put it back together so that it still worked. Only two groups were able to do this. Congratulations to Ally McGill, Sarah Nowlan and Jessie Hu for being the first group to successfully finish. The group of Sonny Rogers, Derek Roy and Christopher Sud were also able to complete the project successfully. All students have promised not to try this at home!
“Flour feels like salt.” –Dylan “Sauce is made of tomatoes.” –Aiden “Dough feels mushy and squishy.” –Kyle “Cheese pizza is like the moon.” –Tristan “ We are the luckiest Kindergartens because we got to make pizza!” –Katie
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student life
Junior School Students Raise Money for Food For Learning In late August, four PC Students (Kate Beswick, Grade 8, Meghan Beswick, Grade 6, Jack Beswick, Grade 4 and Madeline Philp, Grade 8) decided to run a putting contest at a golf tournament that the Beswick family was involved in. They searched for contest ideas and eventually designed the “Ooey-Gooey Putting Challenge,” where they charged each golfer $3 per putt or 3 putts for $5. The challenge was to putt a marshmallow in the cup from a certain distance and if you got the marshmallow in the hole, then your name went into a draw for an Espresso Coffee Maker. They had a great day. It was very hot but they planned very well with their signage and cash float, and they even had the marshmallows on ice so they weren’t “too gooey.” As the golfers approached, they encouraged them to participate and they explained to everyone that they were raising funds for the York Region Breakfast Program. They had some great discussions about how many kids go to school without breakfast or before breakfast. The students are aware of the importance of nutrition because it is a topic at home and at PC, so they quickly related and were VERY excited. Because of their enthusiasm around this cause, they had a very successful day and raised $615 from their putting contest sales. At dinner, they did a speech about their cause and announced the winner. A gentleman, Clarence DeWinter, whom the kids did not know, then called them over and told them he was very impressed with their cause and would match their funds. Thank you for this generous and thoughtful gesture! In total, the kids were able to present $1,230 to the program. Jason D’Asti, the York Region Student Nutrition Program Coordinator, came out to PC and met with the kids to receive the funds. He was very excited about their contribution and announced that thanks to their fundraising efforts, they would be responsible for providing 1,200 breakfasts to kids in York Region! Many of the schools in York Region receive funding from parents and corporations but there are a number of schools in our direct area that receive no funding whatsoever. This money will be directed to help those schools and kids in need. 14
PC Students Get Involved Two Grade 11 students, Shayna Nicholls and Holly Rouselle, attended the YPI Grow Out Forum in October. The girls were exemplary ambassadors for PC and saw first hand the impact youth can have in their philanthropic ventures. They had the opportunity to listen to a number of inspirational speakers, and also to vote on which charity should receive a $5,000 grant from YPI. The afternoon was capped off with a performance from JRDN who wowed the group with his chart hits. The girls have come back to PC inspired to make a difference and we’re sure they will come up with some wonderful ideas.
In October, Alanna Miller, Sydney Stevenson and Amy Kavanagh attended the Newmarket Youth Summit at the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Van Bynen was present and called on the group of young people from 11 different local schools to identify areas they want to see action in and suggest solutions. All three PC students made outstanding contributions to their groups and came away with some real ideas of change that can be made locally.
project. He encouraged our students to work collaboratively on social innovation and he provided them with concrete examples as to how they can ensure their projects come to fruition. He also extended a special invitation for our students to participate in the Changemakers Challenge, which was intended for postsecondary students.
Charles Tsai visits senior school In September, Pickering College was excited to have a very special visitor come to speak the Senior School. Charles Tsai, Director of Learning Networks for Ashoka flew from Vancouver to share his knowledge and to work with our students. Ashoka is a non-governmental organization of the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs – individuals with system-changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Its mission is to redefine the global citizen sector by creating a system of collaborative entrepreneurship. Connecting the work of individual social entrepreneurs to business, academic and public sector partners, Ahsoka creates a network effect driving the sector forward and developing new solutions to global problems. Charles Tsai leads Ashoka’s university strategy in Canada and is based in Vancouver. A former reporter and producer for CNN, Charles ventured into the social sector in 2005 when he started Global Youth Fund, a charity based in Vancouver. He has educated and mentored hundreds of young changemakers through Global Youth Fund and Ashoka’s Youth Venture. Charles writes about social innovation at SocialCreatives.org and The Huffington Post. Pickering College contacted Ashoka because this past spring, an Ashoka representative had been a panel member and judged our students’ micronutrient project at the Global Ideas Institute, University of Toronto symposium. They were so impressed with our school and our new Global Leadership Program that Charles Tsai offered to visit to mentor our students on their project and to share with them the new initiatives that Ashoka is launching. In Morning Meeting, Charles shared with the students the new Changemakers
After Morning Meeting, Charles met with the 2012-2013 Global Ideas Institute team members of Isaac Hambrock, Fernando Casanova and Nico Macias (Stilina Anagnostakos is now at McGill and Mareena Mallory is studying at Queen’s University) to encourage them in their continued work and to offer some practical advice. The team then interviewed Charles on CHOP FM radio about his position with Ashoka, which he thoroughly enjoyed as he had his start in journalism on radio at Berkeley. His visit clearly inspired our students and we hope to continue our work with Ashoka.
Dr. Dave Williams Visits PC In October, we were privileged to have Dr. Dave Williams, CEO of Southlake Hospital and Canadian Astronaut, address students, parents and alumni at Morning Meeting about his desire to become an astronaut and how he fulfilled his dream. Dr. Williams’ visit was the result of Pickering College winning Top Fundraising School at the Run/Walk for Southlake last spring. Participating in the Run was Team King, a group of PC Middle School students running in honour of a classmate’s father who had passed away; and Team Pickering, a faculty and staff team led by the Headmaster.
Professor David J. Helfand addresses Senior School President and Vice-Chancellor of Quest University Professor David J. Helfand addressed our Senior School during Morning Meeting in November. He is the President of the American Astronomical Society, and Professor of Astronomy at Columbia University (on leave). He holds a BA (Independent Scholar, Magna cum Laude) from Amherst College, an MSc (Physics) and a PhD (Astronomy) from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Professor Helfand shared with the students, amongst other things, the importance of keeping their options open while attending university, and pointed out that lectures, while an efficient method of teaching, are based on an outdated university model and are not necessarily an effective method of learning. Open dialogue, group discussion, problem solving and collaboration, as opposed to passive listening, are more beneficial to students. The human brain evolved in such a way to make us social and collaborative learners. In addition, he stressed that students not become fixated on one specific area for training on a career path, as they may change careers several times. He proposes the breaking down of faculties at the university level to encourage collaboration. The importance of education is not necessarily to secure a career but rather to develop critical thinking skills, analytical reasoning and social interaction. He encouraged our students to ask “Why” throughout the course of their day of classes. To learn more about Quest University, please visit www.questu.ca. 15
student life United Nations Day ceremony pays tribute to students’ homelands On October 25, Pickering College marked United Nations Day with a school-wide event at Morning Meeting. Students from all grades participated in a ceremony that kicked off with a flag parade, representing the 28 nations where our students were born. In addition to the flag procession, a student from each nation announced the year their homeland joined the UN. Fernando Casanova, a Grade 12 international boarding student from Mexico, delivered a beautifully written speech in which he spoke about Pickering College’s connection to World War II and how the United Nations was founded to bring peace, order and unity to the world. He also told a story of a student who was one of 43 from Pickering College who lost their lives in the war. In addition, a number of students entertained the audience with musical performances, including Ivy Zhang and Harry Li on piano, Joe Li on the Chinese flute, and Carlos Avila and Guillermo Carsolio came together for a guitar duet. Kenyan Boys Choir Performs at Morning Meeting Our community had the unique opportunity to hear both spoken word artist Chris Tse and The Kenyan Boys Choir during a full school Morning Meeting in September. The Kenyan Boys Choir is one of the country’s most celebrated youth groups, showcasing the rich diversity of African music and culture. Founded in 2004, the choir has toured across Europe and North America, sharing the stage with some of the world’s leading artists, from Tony Bennett and Maya Angelou to Jewel and Nelly Furtado. In 2009, the choir performed at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. The Kenyan Boys Choir will be joining the We Day 2013 tour, performing in nine cities across Canada and inspiring over 100,000 young people with their music. How did we get them at PC? “In recognition of your school’s generous support of Free The Children, we would like to thank you by offering a unique opportunity to book the Kenyan Boys Choir for your school assembly, free of charge.” PC has been a supporter of both Free the Children and Me to We. We have attended numerous We Days, donated a school through our staff Social Justice Fund, participated in two Me to We trips to Kenya to build that school building and others in the village of Mwangaza. We are planning a trip to Ghana this March Break to build a school, and have raised money through the Staff Social Justice Fund, and student initiatives (the Water Project) to build a well in Mwangaza. During our March 2013 trip to Kenya, we had the unique opportunity to see the Kenyan Boys Choir perform. The group’s energy and enthusiasm in addition to their beautiful performance had the crowd on its feet not only for a standing ovation but also for an impromptu dance celebration.
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Following the ceremony, Michela Prefontaine, Belinda Nyamrunda, and Fernando Casanova spent a few minutes being interviewed by the local media about the significance of UN Day. “It’s about the pride that each person has for their own nation, that fact that you are able to share that pride, although at the same time you feel this sense of nationalism,” Fernando said. “At the same time you share this equal emotion we are proud to be here and we are proud to represent our countries at PC.” The nations that were represented at the ceremony included: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and United States of America.
to overcome a fear of heights and successfully navigate a series of high ropes courses. Small group tasks at Camp Tawingo required students to collaborate and share their insights to achieve the various goals. The students also participated in a mountain hike, paddling instruction, fire-building skills and other programming. Grade 11 White Water Rafting Adventure Twenty Grade 11 and 12 students recently traveled to Bryson, Québec to participate in Pickering’s annual white water rafting trip. Trepidation and nerves were quickly overcome with smiles and laughter as students met waves head-on and they made their way down the Ottawa River. Rain didn’t dampen any spirits at the campsite or during both days on the river. The PC rafters experienced the beauty and power of nature and were reminded of our innate ability to live “in the moment” should we put ourselves in the right position. Grade 9 Trip to Tawingo an Introduction to Leadership Fifty Pickering students successfully completed the “Adventurous Journey” component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award (Bronze Level) during the annual Grade 9 Leadership Trip in mid-September. The theme of the four-day trip was “conquering challenge” and students were able to do just that. Activities such as “Treetop Trekking” provided a unique opportunity
A dynamic and entertaining talk on leadership from Mike Pearse stressed the notion that acts of leadership do not have to be world-changing and in fact, the most influential moments in many lives come from very small gestures. Students were presented with the challenge to take time each day to positively impact the lives of others and many of them have taken this to heart since returning to school. All of the skill-building and preparation culminated in an overnight canoe trip to an island on Lake Vernon. On four separate sites, students set up tents, made a campfire and cooked food for the larger group. For many it was their first experience sleeping in a tent and so it was an exciting (and nervous) time. Everyone made it through unscathed and with memories that will last a very long time.
Grades 4, 5 and 6 Experience Muskoka In September, the Grades 4-6 classes spent a fun and action packed three days at Camp Muskoka near Bracebridge. During the three-day trip the students participated in a number of fun activities including developing their climbing and balancing skills on an aerial park. The group enjoyed a clear view of the stars during a night hike, followed by a camp fire where the students sang a number of songs. Other activities included Inuit Blanket, archery, a predator and prey game, low ropes and Survivor Muskoka where the students needed to work in a group to make a fire and build a shelter out of tree branches. It was a great way to kick off the school year as the kids were able to get to know each other better while learning about the importance of teamwork and supporting each other.
Congratulations to all of the Grade 9 students who made this a terrific experience for themselves and their peers. We look forward to an outstanding four years with you!
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residence life
Bonding experience at YMCA Geneva Park In September, the boarders’ trip to YMCA Geneva Park was a bonding experience for both students and staff and an opportunity to introduce new students to boarding life. The group participated in a number of outdoor activities and leadership games, such as canoeing, archery, low ropes, hikes, and bonfires. This trip was a fantastic start to a fun year in residence at Pickering College. Boarders Trip to Deerhurst The Thanksgiving Weekend Deerhurst trip was a success! With 29 boarders attending the trip, there were lots of laughs, building of friendships and fun. From Friday to Monday, students enjoyed the various activities this resort offered. Every day they had delicious food, served in their own private restaurant. The students played a round of golf at the Lakeside Golf Course while enjoying the gorgeous weather. Some went on hikes, adventuring on the trails and looking at all of the amazing wildlife. On Sunday, they enjoyed a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. Students participated in organized group activities such as the Deerhurst Show, Paintball with Stefan Pape and exploring Huntsville for the day with Rebecca Giacomazzo. They relaxed, watched 18
movies and played pool in the courtesy suite. They also enjoyed swimming in the beautiful indoor swimming pool, playing games in the games room and climbing the rock wall. Both students and chaperones had an amazing weekend!
Boarders visit CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium In October, 29 boarding students travelled with Mr. McCracken and Ms. Leslie to the brand new Ripley’s Aquarium and the CN Tower in downtown Toronto. After spending time admiring the impressive aquatic life at the aquarium, the group had lunch at the CN Tower. Following lunch, they took the elevator to the top of the CN Tower and enjoyed a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Toronto and Lake Ontario. Boarders enjoy a “frightful” night In October, 28 boarding students and two staff decided to test their mettle
against some terrifying ghoulish ghosts at the Screemers Indoor Haunted Park in Exhibition Place. The brave souls ventured into several mysterious and frightening mazes with such names as “Skull Castle,” “The Diabolical House of Cards,” and “The Darkness.” The students had a great time and more than a few hairs stood on end by the time they left. Having a blast at whirly ball In November, nine boarding students went to Whirly Ball. The combination of basketball and bumper cars is a game hard to imagine until you participate in it. There are two teams and they work together to score the ball, thrown from player to player using a scoop, to hit the “basket.” The goal is for each team to score as many points as possible. Whirly ball is a unique game and the students had a blast. Braving the elements to play paintball In November, 18 lucky boarders headed to Barrie Paintball, despite the rain, hail, snow and harsh winds. The group geared up and played several maps that encouraged the students to work together to eliminate the other team. There were many laughs, smiles and bruises along the way!
athletics
Booker’s Run honours legacy of late assistant headmaster In November, over 400 Pickering College students and staff took part in Booker’s Run, an annual three-kilometre race around Fairy Lake.
and stayed involved with Pickering College, right up until two years ago – when he was still firing the starting pistol at Booker’s Run. He and his wife Doris were both pivotal figures in the lives of many at Pickering College.
The Booker’s Run event dates back over 30 years, when former French teacher Larry Thornton thought a race would be a good use of school-owned farmland at a time of the year when the sports program was transitioning from fall to winter. When the farm was sold, the event moved to a less grueling course around Fairy Lake. It is named in honour of the late Keith McLaren, a former teacher, coach and assistant headmaster at Pickering College in Newmarket, who was known for doing everything “by the book.”
With their passing in 2013, Pickering College was honoured that their children Donald McLaren ’76 and Marg McLaren (see photo, page 28) were able to join us to kick off the Junior and Senior School runs.
“As a school, it is very meaningful for us to foster a sense of tradition and continuity within our school community,” says Peter Sturrup, headmaster of Pickering College. “Booker’s Run pays tribute to a man who influenced generations of Pickering College students who have gone on to achieve great things. Their successes were founded on the qualities that are required for this run and that are a true reflection of a great man. We are proud to continue this time-honoured tradition.”
“Booker” taught at Pickering College from 1948 until his retirement in 1983
booker’s run Division Winners Senior School run Senior Girls: Gen Milne, Sarah Ritchie Senior Boys: Alex Floyd, Charles Qiu Junior Girls: S amantha Murphy, Allison Montgomery Junior Boys: M ark Barratt, Garrett Fitzgerald Junior School run Primary Girls: Hannah Kim Primary Boys: Quintin Roy Junior Girls: Madeleine Rickman Junior Boys: Alex Crohn Intermediate Girls: Celine Barratt Intermediate Boys: William Seo
U15 Girls win Soccer Championships The U15 Girls Soccer team had an outstanding season! The girls went 5-0 in the regular season, advancing to both the semi-finals and finals. The girls were excited to play their final game at home against Havergal but could feel the pressure as family, friends and classmates came out to cheer them on. Throughout the season, the girls had been working on positioning, communication and providing support to their teammates. Their improvements in these areas were evident as very few errors were made and the team was able to generate several quality scoring opportunities. PC’s goaltenders saved many tough shots to keep the game within reach. At half time the game was tied 1-1 and at the end of regulation time it was tied 2-2 forcing the game into overtime. The girls wanted to provide fans with a dramatic ending because with just a minute or two left in the second overtime period, the team made a strong push towards the Havergal net and won the game 3-2! Congratulations to all of the girls – their hard work paid off and they were crowned the 2013 U15 CISAA Division 2 Champions! Way to go Pumas! 19
P ic k ering C ollege embar k s on a
$50 million Facilities
master Plan rogers house: renovation for adminstration and middle school firth house: renovation for boarding theatre auditorium
centre for creativity and innovation atruim
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new house: renovation for boarding
centre for creativity and innovation: new junior/senior school
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Implementation of PC’s Bold and Ambi Pickering College is on the threshold of a new phase in its remarkable history. The past three years have seen much work on the strategic plan and, more recently, a significant shift from planning to major implementation in our academic program and our physical space. Since we unveiled the Pickering College Strategic Plan in November 2010, we have been hard at work on a number of key initiatives that have transformed the school. These have included: • Ensuring our faculty compensation attracts and retains the very best teachers by being at or above the York Region Secondary School Board Grid; • Professional development for our faculty on 21st-century skills: assessment and evaluation, and understanding by design; • Implementation of five key 21st-century skills for Pickering College students: communication, collaboration, character, creativity and critical thinking in all curriculum, JK to Grade 12; • Enhancing our academic support programs – English as a Second Language, Guidance, Learning Services, and the Co-Curricular program;
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• New branding for Pickering College; • Launch of our Middle School program; • Launch of our Outdoor Education program at the Blue and Silver Farm; • Increased partnerships with organizations like the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs, and Newmarket Huskies Track Club; • Continued enrolment growth; • Strong community engagement in the strategic plan; • Launch of our Leader in Residence program; • Introduction of a Leadership Development Plan; • Launch of our Global Leadership Program; and • Development of our Facilities Master Plan. These accomplishments remind us all of how far we have come, but also emphasize that in order to take the next step, it was important to make sure that all that we do is truly extraordinary.
In the last issue of The Pillars you read about the launch of our Global Leadership Program. Its vision is to be an internationally recognized program where students learn to become agents of courageous, ethical and positive change, true to Quaker values. Students in Grade 9 this year will graduate in 2017 with either the Global Leadership Diploma or the Global Leadership Diploma (with distinction). To learn more about the Global Leadership Program and its requirements, please see page 6. We have reached an important milestone in the history of Pickering College. We must now design an environment that supports our unique approach to teaching and the development of 21st century learning. We must move forward with our Facilities Master Plan. You may recall that in April 2013 the Board made three important decisions that bring clarity to, and support, our strategic directions. These are that: • Pickering College will remain in its current location; • The school will continue to be a small school, growing to just under 500 students; and
tious Strategic Plan is Well Underway • Pickering College will remain a day and boarding school, recognizing the critical importance of the international boarding community and national community to our goal of creating global citizens. The Facilities Master Plan is a bold and ambitious plan – it is also thoughtful, detailed and has been well researched and prepared. With the Board of Directors’ endorsement, we are now ready to move forward and realize our vision. It is a $50-million plan that includes: • The Centre for Creativity and Innovation ($26.5 million) that will house: • a theatre auditorium; • a new Arts facility with dedicated classrooms for visual arts, music and drama;
• New House and Firth House renovations ($11.5 million) that will transform our residences and attract a diverse international student body. • Rogers House renovations that will house the Middle School and address issues of accessibility and environmental comfort and energy efficiency ($5.0 million). • Other costs that include increased parking and improved traffic flow ($7.0 million). The funding for this program will come from a range of sources. We will be undertaking a capital campaign, we are reviewing financing options, we are identifying and negotiating key partnerships and we have identified innovative funding options.
• a new Junior School with a mix of open learning and fixed classrooms, dedicated drop-off area, secure play area; and
Pickering College is making significant progress implementing all areas of the strategic plan. You are an important partner in our journey.
• a new Senior School space with a mix of open learning and fixed classrooms, breakout and seminar areas, consolidated science and mathematics, robotics, and dedicated classrooms for our Global Leadership Program.
We look forward to implementing our exciting and transformative plans in a way that engages everyone -- current students, alumni, parents, staff and friends -- and capitalizes on the incredible resources we have available in our community.
Though there is still much work to be done, the outcome will be truly remarkable! If you would like more information about our exciting plan, please contact Headmaster Peter Sturrup at headmaster@pickeringcollege.on.ca.
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Dr. Martin Shubik ’43 – an inspiring example of lifelong learning Working in his home office overlooking the Long Island Sound, Martin Shubik may show some of the physical signs of aging, but his powerful intellect continues to fascinate and enlighten. At 87, he continues writing, his latest book entitled The Financial Control of an Enterprise Economy. He is also the sponsor and one of the authors of an extensive survey of patients with a rare condition (Inclusion Body Myositis) from which he suffers, a survey he hopes will help to find some answers to a disease for which there is currently no control and little understanding. His continued productivity is not surprising, given his remarkable and prolific career. 24
Martin arrived from London to Toronto with his mother and sister in 1940 as British evacuees. His mother was not satisfied with the local schools and decided to send Martin to Pickering, from which he graduated in 1943. There, he was encouraged and supported by Headmaster Joe McCulley, and teachers Harry Beer and Barney Jackson, for whom a student’s success was the greatest reward. But he was also driven to success by his determination to surpass the career of math teacher R.E.K. Rourke. He describes Rourke as a “pressure-cooker teacher” and his often negative and dismissive treatment of students in his classes was unacceptable to
the brilliant young Shubik. Rourke’s more callous nature stood in stark contrast to other teachers, such as the Arts and Crafts teacher, who Shubik said, “treated each student as a treasured apprentice.” Martin Shubik left Pickering and entered the University of Toronto, graduating with a B.A. in Mathematics and an M.A. in Political Economy by 1949. In 1953, he graduated from Princeton University with a PhD in Game Theory as applied to economics. After a year in California at the Institute for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences he worked for General Electric as a con-
The Passing of the Fleet by Martin Shubik A Requiem For World War II
In memory of Jim Kinley RCNVR
The ghost ships sail to their haven with history. The remaining few old men tell their tales, embellishing more and more as memory fails and the silent ships recall their crews. Tales of youth are magnified by the lens of time. We who remain honour those who have rejoined their ships in joyful memory of what was and is and will vanish when we finish the remainder of our leave and complete the crews of the vanished fleet. Then together in the coming years we will sail out of living memory into the retold tales of faith, war, courage, friendship and survival written by learned historians or novelists to whom we will be an abstraction to be readjusted and reborn for the times at hand.
and achievement sultant in New York and as an adjunct Research Professor at Pennsylvania State University, then at the research labs of IBM and as a consultant to the RAND Corporation. But his longest and deepest affiliation has been with his beloved Yale University, beginning with a year as a visiting professor of Economics in 1961, returning as a tenured professor in 1963 and culminating in his long tenure, since 1975, as the Seymour H. Knox chair Professor of Mathematical Institutional Economics, Cowles Foundation and School of Management.
Shubik served in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserves, starting as Stocker 2nd class and retiring as Lieutenant (Electronics and Radar), and he has been a consultant to companies all over the world. He has been a member of numerous municipal and national think-tanks, especially the Santa Fe Institute. His fellowships are many, from a Harris Scholarship welcoming him to U of T in 1943 to his induction as a Distinguished Fellow in the American Economic Association in 2010. He has published 20 scholarly books and over 300 articles in respected journals, many dealing with Game Theory and Economics. In 1986, Shubik received the
Pickering College Class of 1842 Award, in recognition of his many accomplishments. But, Shubik also has an artistic side. In 2013, he penned a touching tribute in honour of a dear friend, published in the Queen’s Quarterly (reprinted above). Martin Shubik is an inspiring example of lifelong learning and an agile and abiding intellect. From his drive to surpass a martinet math teacher long ago, to his stellar work in his academic pursuits, to his commitment to help find a cure for a debilitating disease, nothing seems to keep Shubik from achieving his goals. What a wonderful example for the PC students of today. 25
Life lessons from h
This past summer, Amanda Brissenden ’11 had the experience of a lifetime when she spent four months living and working in Kenya. The ambitious, easygoing student from Queen’s University’s Chemical Engineering program was chosen to participate with Engineers Without Borders. Their mission is to help fix broken development systems that propagate poverty. Her project focussed on changing how governments and NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) provide access to water in rural communities. While she was in Kenya, Amanda learned that NGOs have been pushing to dig wells and bore holes for water in developing countries for the last 50 years. Once dug, the water systems are then left to be managed by communities.
Based on what she saw, the local people have done everything in their power to make it work. Many work their farms from 5 a.m. to noon, and then go into the water system office and work there until late at night by candlelight. Most of the water system offices do not have computers, so all of the billing is completed by hand – often for 500 or more consumers. “The sad thing is those systems were not reaching their capacity. They had the potential to be serving, in one case, over 10,000 people and instead it was serving 200,” Amanda says.
Amanda Brissenden ’11 joins Engineers Without Borders in rural kenya to help provide better access to
“In theory it is a really great idea, but for 50 years it has been failing,” she says. On a small scale – serving four or five families – she says the system works. But on a much larger scale it does not.
Commercialization is a tricky word in water, Amanda explains. “It (water) is a basic necessity of life. The risk is when it is commercialized … only the very rich can afford it which means people are at risk of going without.”
clean water.
“You are giving huge pieces of technology and infrastructure to essentially local farmers,” she says. “And it’s not that they don’t have the drive or the will to do it, they just simply do not have the skills necessary to run a system of that size. It takes a ton of technical knowledge of repairs and operating but it also takes a lot of business knowledge.”
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The goal of Amanda’s project was to evaluate and determine what it would take to make the water systems functional, financially stable and provide a reasonable salary for the people who run it. Out of a survey of over 200 sites, 12 were identified as the first that could be made “commercially viable.”
In order to balance this risk, public/private partnerships were explored. It was Amanda’s job to take the information that had been gathered by a consulting firm about the 12 sites and compare it against what they looked like in the field.
alf a world away
“Unfortunately there were a lot of discrepancies between what the consulting firm had gathered and the reality,” Amanda says. She performed a risk analysis for each site and is currently completing a report that identifies some of the main risk areas and suggests potential mitigation strategies. Her experience has opened her eyes to the challenges faced by developing nations as they try to balance accepting help from NGOs, while struggling for self-sufficiency. “I got to live the frustration, when the water system would go down for days at a time or wasn’t working or wasn’t clean – because it was my primary source of water,” she says. “It was also very discouraging at times to see the flaws in development and see the challenges that these organizations face every day.” Amanda says the biggest lesson she learned was not from her work but rather from the day-to-day existence. “You don’t realize how privileged you are to live in a country like Canada. Privilege means a lot more than running water and electricity, privilege carries over into your right for privacy, your ability to close your door at night and have your own room,
the ability to go to school and have a teacher who is paid to be there, and to know that your teacher and yourself are going to go home fed and not just one or the other.” Amanda credits her time at Pickering College for helping to prepare her for this experience. She says having a professional attitude, and using the communication skills she learned here, assisted her in overcoming barriers including being the youngest person working on the project, having no prior development experience and speaking very little of the local language. With over a year to go before she is finished her degree, Amanda is still undecided about her future. She says this experience has definitely made her re-evaluate what is important and has left her with more questions than answers. “But it was enough to spark a passion in me that made me want to go back, and I think that’s where the value is – each experience is a new opportunity to learn and grow your passion and see where you want to go.” To learn more about Amanda’s experience you can read her blog, amandabrissenden.wordpress.com.
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alumni news I learned something about how to live from him - while at Pickering, of course, but even more from our later friendship.”
MILES KEENLEYSIDE ’47 Remembering Headmaster Joe McCulley: “I was a student at PC for Grades 12 and 13, in 1945 to 1947. Joe and I happened to leave the school in the same year. I went to Vancouver and enrolled at UBC, mainly because, even though I was born and grew up in Ottawa, both my parents had been at UBC and they thought I should learn something about the west coast. A good idea but, after two years, my father thought I was drifting a bit – I kept sending him a list of things I did not want to do with my life (medicine, law, engineering, etc.). What I did want to do was not at all clear to me. So we decided I should take a year off and come home to Ottawa. I found a job with IRO (the International Refugee Organization – a branch of the UN). There I met Hilda Alev, one of several young women from Estonia who came to Canada in 1947. She was beautiful, intelligent, hard-working, and, best of all, she seemed to like me. I went back to UBC, got serious about zoology and on September 8, 1951, we were married in the small Lutheran church in Ottawa that Hilda and her mother attended. And now back to Joe. He was in Ottawa during my one-year stint there and got to know Hilda. Her father had died before the war, so Joe agreed to walk down the aisle with Hilda at our wedding – and he even lent me his car to go on our honeymoon! My connection with Joe became very close and personal – much more so than while I was at Pickering. We kept in touch while Hilda and I moved around – Vancouver, Groningen (in Holland, where I did my PhD), St. Andrews, NB, where I worked for the Department of Fisheries for six years, and then to London, ON where we still live. Best of all, we went to Toronto with our two teenage sons, Joel and Eric, to visit Joe who was then living in an apartment on Bloor Street, I think. I wanted him to meet our boys and for them to meet him. He was one of my very best friends and I like to think 28
Chris Leightell ’86 with Scott Fabres ’86 and his family, Peter Sturrup and Charles Boyd. DAVID RIVERS ’59 with his wife and sister visited PC during the summer while visiting from BC.
MONTY BOURKE ’69 with son, grandson and Cousin Hugh Ferguson ’66 at a family wedding.
McLaren Family: Don ’76, Marg, Marg’s husband Richard and daughter Jocelyn, the children and granddaughter of the dearly missed Keith and Doris McLaren, attended Booker’s Run this year, carrying on the family tradition.
Steve Blondy ’77 pictured here wearing his PC sweater, attending a “Prom Party 1977” with his wife in the fall. Sadly, Steve passed away in January 2014. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
DAVID HOWARD ’88, PETER BOND ’87 AND CHRIS CAMPBELL ’87 at a Liona Boyd concert in fall 2013.
SHAFIQUE NANJI ’89 lives in the Congo with his wife, two-year-old daughter and another baby on the way! They hope to visit Canada in the next year and plan to drop by PC to say hello.
BOLADE OSHODI ’93, his wife and beautiful daughter visited Pickering in summer 2013. Bolade is a corporate lawyer and now living in Lagos; his wife is also a corporate lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
history. Between us, I secretly wanted that to happen because I was so unfamiliar with it and history has always been one of my favourite classes.”
Thomas Tam ’95 and Ken Tsui ’95: Friends since PC Thomas has done a lot of globetrotting this year, travelling to Greenland, Iceland, Poland, Norway, Morocco, Ireland and PEI. He also went on a three-week solo road trip covering 10,535 km through the US and Canada, visiting friends along the way. Thomas is planning another Habitat for Humanity trip to South America with former teacher Albert Weirenga.
ALEX DAVIES ’96 “I am working in Nabbingo, Kampala, Uganda at The Ttega Child Development Centre (Ttega - Tay-ga). I am a Baby Class teacher (oneto three-year-olds). I teach the kids how to play chess and I’m an EA for a highly autistic three-year-old boy.”
Patrick Turner ’97 and Ryan McCluskey ’06 both hosted two PC boarding students for this year’s “Take a Grade 9 Student to Work Day.” Thank you so much to Patrick and his firm Counterpoint Engineering, and Ryan and his company Metroland Media Group for being such great hosts! The students enjoyed themselves very much and were very appreciative of being included in this important program.
aymond Ng ’99 visited PC with friend R Brianne Lee in the summer. FAHRI Z DOSANI ’01 “I’m glad to hear PC is doing well. My time there was well spent being part of the Community Service committee as well as the drama club. The skills I learned being on stage as well as in Ms. Boyd’s class (may she rest in peace), went a long way to my chosen career path of criminal law.
I’m just starting a government paid job with Legal Aid Ontario to help advise those who can’t afford a lawyer and I spend most of my spare time giving back to the community in any way I can. I teach English to newly immigrated children on a biweekly basis and I recently helped to organize a simulation camp for Sick Kids hospital. PC was an unbelievable experience and I know from reading the magazine that it continues to be one for every student that attends. In my opinion it allowed us to push ourselves in more than just academia with the afterschool sports program and other events but, more importantly, there were rewards within the residences for what was achieved in school. I had no idea about the Carrot program until I saw a carrot on my door and I was then told I could play or go out during quiet hours which worked to make me try harder each semester to get rewarded again. I remember in Morning Meetings Mr. Sturrup would always joke that he was about to go on and on about Quaker
ANDREW KEMP ’02, pictured here with Dean Gessie, visited PC while visiting his fiancé in the fall. Andrew is currently living in the Bahamas, working on an oil-rig as a diver and part-time air and rescue diver. ANDREW POECHMAN ’04 “It’s been a very busy year. I got married in June, and my wife (Lauren) and I just purchased our first house in Toronto. In November we moved in, so we’re very excited about that. Previously, we lived in Saskatoon for a year and Ottawa for two years, so it will be good to finally put down roots somewhere. I would love to drop by PC sometime in the near future. I’m still very close with all the guys who went to PC with me (Tom Corrigan, Daniel Franzen, Rob Elliott, Simon Foot, Allan Perkins, etc.). In fact, Simon Foot was my best man at the wedding! We often talk and reminisce of the “good old days” at PC. I can say with certainty we all have nothing but great memories of our time there.”
CLASS OF 2005 friends, AMANDA LUPO ’05, KRISTIN (SMITH) MARSHALL ’05, KRISTEN KENNEDY, JENNIFER TOMPKINS ’05 AND CHANTAL BELLEY ’05, still keep in touch.
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alumni news WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS
GREG DOPULOS ’68 married Linda Welch in October 2013. ADAM CAMENZULI ’06 is making a name for himself with the invention of Karibu, a pay-as-you-go solar lamp that makes high quality solar power affordable. Adam was recently featured in Forbes Africa and also pitched Karibu Solar Power at DEMO Africa, a tradeshow that emerging trends and technology. DANIEL FOCH ’09 finished a four-month work term at the Township of King in the Economic Development Department and was invited back for his next eightmonth work term beginning in January. He is beginning his fourth year of his five-year co-op program. He is also in the last phase of obtaining his Real Estate License through the Ontario Real Estate Association. He attends Guelph University along with his younger brother KYLE FOCH ’13.
Karen Ip ’09 graduated from the University of Toronto, while her sister Kathy Ip ’09 graduated from UBC in the Spring of 2013. Congratulations! Daniel Alleyne ’11 is training to become an Iron Phi. To do so he will be completing a half marathon this summer and while training for it he has also been challenged to raise $1000 dollars which will be used to support ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) research, education, screening and treatment. The idea of this initiative is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members.
ANDREW WOLDER ’90 married Angelina Nijadi in August 2012.
Osman Kitchell ’85 married Candy Fung in November 2013.
Stephanie Fillman ’09 is enjoying Italy until the summer! Bellissima! 30
JADE AND JESSICA SCRYMGEOUR ’12 in Iceland.
ALEXANDRA KAUFFMANN ’09 married Michael Fox in August 2013.
ZOE INGRAHM ’08 “Luke and I got engaged on Sunday, October 14, 2012, about an hour after I had graduated from Saint Mary’s University, Major in Psychology and Minor in Religious Studies. Our wedding was on Sunday, July 14, 2013, at my church, St. David’s Anglican Church, in Barbados, where I am from. Our reception was at my home, The Mount Plantation, the same place my parents had their reception, which meant a lot to me.”
KRISTIN (SMITH) MARSHALL ’05 married Neil Marshall at Walt Disney World in June. Joining in the celebrations are Alumni, Kaitlyn Harper ’07, Chantal Belley ’05, Nicole Smith ’12, Justin Smith ’07, Tyler Smith ’08, D’Arcy Smith ’10.
JAY CARMICHAEL ’02 “My wife, Mallory, and I got married on July 20, 2013. Shortly after our wedding we went on a honeymoon to Spain, Italy and Greece and had an amazing time. I finished up my MBA last year and I am currently working for Johnson & Johnson in the pharmaceutical industry and doing some consulting work on the side in the health care industry. I will be playing hockey every Sunday at PC, but would love to come by the school again through the week and walk through the halls.”
Soon-Won Kang ’97 with wife Eunhye Lee and son Minwoo. Alexandra K a u f m a n Fox ’09 and her husband Michael welcomed Finn Elizabeth into the world on November 29, 2013.
BIRTHS
Piers Talalla ’83 and his wife Patricia welcomed their second son, Freddie, in December 2012, pictured here with big brother Henry.
Zoe (Ingrahm) Thompson ’08 had James St. Clair, on November 29, 2013.
Passings On behalf of Pickering College, our very deepest sympathy is extended to all the family members of our Pickering alumni, staff and friends who have passed away recently.
ALEX PRIEST ’04 “I am engaged to Kimberlee Rugelis. She is a nurse from Southlake hospital where we met. We are getting married August 30, 2014. Very busy year ahead! Tell everyone I say hello.”
Rob Doyle ’96 and girlfriend Cathleen Trinh welcomed son Charles Jasper on December 2, 2013.
Henry Aguayo ’48 Jack Rutherford ’49 Barry Wallman ’50 Harry Barkell ’51 Edward Douglas Helwig ’51 Craege McQuarrie ’55 Steve Blondy ’77 Doris McLaren, past staff Ernest Morin, past staff
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alumni reunions
4
1 REUNION WEEKEND 2013 Reunion Weekend kicked off this year with a special Alumni Morning Meeting where the Class of 2014 received their Alumni pin, presented to them by this year’s Class of 1842 award recipient, Dr. Greg Dopulos ’68. That evening’s induction and Award Dinner was attended by special guests and friends as we honoured the accomplishments and dedication of Dr. Greg Dopulos ’68. Greg was honoured for his work as a medical outreach doctor, who has taken 17 trips to the interior of Russia and eight trips into the Amazon Basin, donating his own supplies and time to serve those in need. Our congratulations go to Greg for earning a place in the “Class of 1842.” Greg’s selfless and tireless work helping 2 disadvantaged communities clearly demonstrates a commitment to service to others. He upholds the mission and values of Pickering College by having the courage and skill to make our global community greater, better and more beautiful than he discovered it. Members of the Class of 1988 gathered together on the Saturday following for a 25-year reunion at PC, while other Alumni held a mini-Sports Day with games, activities, basketball and more. House competitions were fierce, but Gold House came out on top at the end of the day! The delicious BBQ dinner that followed in the Dining Hall, with a pub night afterwards made it all a great day.
3 32
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9 1. Ed Rynard ’70, Linda Welch, Keith Singer ’88 and Mike Scott ’12 attend Morning Meeting. 2. Newest inductee to the Class of 1842, Dr. Gregory Dopulos ’68. 3. Dr. Dopulos with the Class of 2014. 4. 1842 past winners Doug Reed ’58, Charles Beer ’59 and Brian Purdy ’56 with Greg Dopulos ’68. 5. Alim Bhanji ’08, Robin Wilding ’10, Sarah Wilding 08, Amir Ahsan ’08 and PJ Staudinger ’08. 6. A great game of Body Ball with Andrew Law ’08. 7. James Mitchinson ’08, Andrew Law ’08, PJ Staudinger ’08 attempting to walk the plank. 8. Tim Jones ’88, Keith Singer ’88, Grant Serra ’88, Farouk Janmohamed ’89, David Howard ’88, Charles Boyd and Blake Melnick ’81. 9. The Golden Boys Luncheon 2013 – hamming it up for the camera. 10. Richard Elston ’56 and Mike Widderington ’55. 11. Brian Blackstock ’56, Dick Blackstock ’59, Roger Veale ’61, Charles ’59, David ’59 and Jim Beer ’63 enjoy the annual Golden Boys Luncheon. 12. Tim Jones ’88 with daughter and son, Farouk Janmohamad ’89, Keith Singer ’88, Jim Maize ’85 and Headmaster Peter Sturrup.
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montreal reunion Kim Bartlett met up with McGill Alumni in October 2013. Pictured here: Back RowLeft to Right: Albert Lim ’10, Matthew Dunlop ’10, Maggie Shanahan ’11, Nathalie Breitschwerdt ’11, Meg Van Aardt ’13, Natasha Krstajic ’13, Johannes Breitschwerdt ’13 Front Row- L to Right: Tara Bhardwaj ’11, Danielle Flynn ’11, Stilina Anagnostakos ’13, Althea Pitters-Fisher ’11 33
P ic k ering college association
The PCA is working hard to enhance our volunteer program at Pickering College. From providing training opportunities for volunteers and Chairs, to creating a new streamlined Volunteer Statement of Commitment that provides a framework and consistency to our program, the PCA is dedicated to making each volunteer experience positive and worthwhile. This fall has been extremely busy with the Welcome BBQ, Fun Fair, Book Fair, monthly Coffee Hours, Grade lunches, hosting Interguild Suppliers’ Day, the Volunteer Reception at the AGM, Junior and Senior School teacher appreciation days, and more. New this year, the PCA created “The Grey Lady Tales, A Haunted Tour of Rogers House.” A packed house watched the 2006 “Grey Lady” documentary and then went on a hair-raising tour that included the Walking Dead, ghosts, dramatic presentations and less-scary hands-on activities for our junior students (and chicken parents). The evening was a fabulous success which was entirely due to the hard work and creativity of our Senior School Committee (who provided the scare factor!) and our Junior School Committee (who ran the main floor “G” rated activities!). A substantial amount of food was also collected for the Newmarket Food Bank on this evening. Thanks everyone! 34
PCA Executive Linda Stevenson, PCA Chair Kim Bilous Anna Cook Andie Desforges Alexander Floyd ’14 Chantal Gionet Blake Melnick ’81 Mirella Morra Karen Whetstone Maria Wolscht
three cheers for our pC volunteers! Volunteering is at the core of Pickering’s community spirit. Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who give their time and talent to the school’s many events and initiatives. Alumni Class Reps Jack Houghton ’47 Philippe Coupey ’57 Doug Reed ’58 Robert Bryant ’60 Peter Davis ’61 Malcolm Campbell ’65 Allen Shully ’67 Gregory Dopulos ’68 Stephen Widdrington ’83 Eddie Lee ’86 Christopher Campbell ’87 Kevin Allan ’88 Thomas Tam ’95 Patrick Turner ’97 Isabelle Payne ’98 Ryan Turner ’99 Laura Ann Lobraico ’01 Jason Carmichael ’02 Grade Reps Andie Desforges Diane Farmer Joanne Golding Beverley Hagias Nancy Kerswill Jill Krstajic Teri Macias Andrea McMullen Elan Moore Linda Nunn Laura Purves Elizabeth Ritchie Krystie Robinson-Vincent Interguild Representative Donna Fordyce New Parent Mentors Rosemarie Benjamin Nicole Cortese Andie Desforges Diane Farmer Joanne Golding Lisa Jeppesen-Dhanjal Tzipora Jeppesen Krystie Robinson-Vincent Vida Sernas Strategic Plan David Allan ’02 Philip Allan ’71 Ann Armstrong Patrice Barbanchon Stephen Barratt ’86 Kimberly Bartlett Charles Beer ’59 Tim Beers Sally Benevides Hopkins Rosemarie Benjamin Gina Benvie Christina Bianco Kim Bilous Graham Birt Elizabeth Bouchard Brian Bowes Hugh Cameron
Cortney Cassidy Claudia Chavez Gilles Cinq-Mars Anna Cook Steve Cope Ian Cowling James Cumming Michael Daleman Sarah Demarco Kevin Desforges Janet Downer Beth Egan Beric Farmer Diane Farmer Catherine Farquhar David Fiscaletti Jay Fletcher Adam Floyd Debbie Floyd Stephanie Forgie Shelley Frank Alexis Furlan Dean Gessie Chantal Gionet Andrew Gordon ’02 Andrew Grant ’92 Gaitree Gupta Scott Hammell Toby Hatch Susan Hundert Ian Johnston Shannon Kelly George Keltika Ajit Khanna Thomas Kim Wendy LaValle Penelope Lawson-Cameron David Lehto Patti Lewis Tom Lewis Robert Martin Kelly Mason Laura Mason Malcolm Mason Arnold Massey Erin Matthews Mary McClenaghan-Martin Dale McInnis Arlene McLeod Mirella Morra Nicole Murphy Stephanie Pickering Ian Proudfoot Brian Purdy ’56 Lindsey Rife John Robertson Chris Robinson H. Romkema Jessie-May Rowntree Alana Simon Sheri Simon Kim Smith Roger Staines ’86 Jennifer Steele Linda Stevenson Mitchell Stevenson Kevin Still
Lisa Sturrup Peter Sturrup Charmaine van Schaik Pina Viscomi Frank Viti Elizabeth Walker Stuart Walker Bo Wang Frape Karen Whetstone Maria Wolscht Stephen Wood Jane Zavitz-Bond Hilltop Bookstore Mandy Coleman ’16 Jason Liang ’14 Alyssa Nunn ’17 Emily Nunn ’14 Adam Pitters-Fisher ’16 Ben Qiu ’14 Hilltop Shop Joanne Golding Matthew Hundert ’16 Aleksa MacDonald ’14 Maria Mathews Samantha Murphy ’17 Chiara Naccarata ’12 Madeline Philp ’18 Jenna Skurnac ’18 Adam Starr ’16 Classroom and Co-Curricular Sagalina Doré Learning Commons Tribute Program Rosemarie Benjamin Chair, Annual Fund Kelly Mason Staff Appreciation Committee Elan Moore - Chair Anna Cook Andie Desforges Donna Fordyce Nilgen Perez Juli Prochazka Krystie Robinson-Vincent Ellen Rosen Sandy Scherre Linda Stevenson PC Ambassadors – Admission Events Celine Barratt ’19 Elaine Barratt Stephen Barratt ’86 Katelyn Beswick ’18 Alexis Borlestean ’15 Guillermo Carsolio Lauren Cinq-Mars ’18 Marc Cinq-Mars ’20 Adaora Dozie-Chukwuma
Erin Falcon ’18 Debbie Floyd Debbie Funk Heinrich Funk Emily Golding ’19 Gabriela Gonzalez Michelle Kelly Nicholas Kelly Ally Krstajic ’16 Andrew Larcombe Jane Larcombe Jeongsook Lee Yew Kong Leong Betty Lu ’15 Aleksa MacDonald ’14 Daniel Mason ’18 Alanna Miller ’17 Adam Murphy ’19 Samantha Murphy ’17 Jaimee Pedersen ’18 Julie Pedersen ’17 Sarah Ritchie ’15 Alexander Smith ’19 Adam Starr ’16 Katherine Starr ’20 Margo Starr Sydney Stevenson ’17 Fun Fair Volunteers Sherry Barclay Kim Barlow Rosemarie Benjamin Kim Bilous Anna Cook Teddy Ding ’17 Charles Hsieh ’16 Naznin Jindani Diane Johnson Doreen LaBrash Carol McDougall Vickie McInnis Karen Meisel Tiffany Mok ’16 Allison Montgomery ’17 Junyoung Park ’17 Juli Prochazka Caitlyn Proctor ’16 Margaret Saarimaki Lisa Simmonds-Kim Kayla Timbers ’16 Nadine Vessio ’14 Willa Wang Bruce Xu ’16 Hilltop Skating Yard Sale Joel Berger Christina Bianco Salvatore Bianco Toby Hatch Nina Lekhner Dale McInnis Vickie McInnis Liza Moskaltcova Laurie Philp Janet Proctor Rhonda Raby Willa Wang Ruth Wolff 35
three cheers for our pC volunteers! Reunion Weekend Kevin Allan ’88 Jessie Hu ’15 Ahkina Kim ’15 Vicky Liu ’16 Tiffany Mok ’16 Aisling Qiu ’14 Risa Saito ’15 Keith Singer ’88 Sara Sun ’15 Ada Wang ’15 Joanne Wu ’14 Lester Xu ’14 Lucinda Yang ’15 Host Families for CAIS Junior Girls National Soccer Tournament Andie and Kevin Desforges Debbie and Adam Floyd Pamela and Kevin Gardner Lisa and Martin Hambrock Michelle and Ken Kavanagh Vida Sernas and Alan MacDonald Kelly and Malcolm Mason Marilyn and Dennis McLaughlin Elaine and Randy Miller Gillian and Graeme Montgomery Nicole and Thomas Murphy Laurie Philp Linda and Mitchell Stevenson Staff Appreciation Junior Lunch Coverage Rosemarie Benjamin Amy Beth Claudia Chavez Anna Cook Audrey Dehan MacRae Andie Desforges Laurie DiCarlo Trish Duffney Diane Farmer Donna Fordyce Christine Fullerton Pamela Gardner Joanne Golding Jenny Guan Tzipora Jeppesen Mary McClenaghan-Martin Elan Moore Mirella Morra Liza Moskaltcova Nilgen Perez Leigh Ann Pitre Ashley Powell Jill Powell Juli Prochazka Krystie Robinson-Vincent Ellen Rosen Margaret Saarimaki Sandy Scherre Alana Simon Jason Smith Margo Starr Linda Stevenson Carmela Vaccaro Charmaine van Schaik Danielle Visco Willa Wang
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PCA Ghost Tour Sydney Berger ’21 Jack Beswick ’22 Katelyn Beswick ’18 Meghan Beswick ’20 Nicole Cannon ’18 Memo Carsolio Gonzalez ’15 Lauren Cinq-Mars ’18 Maya Dhanjal ’18 Alexander Floyd ’14 Hannah Floyd ’17 Celeste Frank ’20 Lottie Funk ’14 Well Gao ’14 Michael Gautier ’14 June Gleed ’15 Amber Gocool ’16 Emily Golding ’19 Katie Hopkinson ’15 Hamza Kara ’18 Grant Kavanagh ’15 Justin Kim ’19 Nupur Krishnan ’18 Joe Li ’15 Betty Lu ’15 Sean Malins-Umansky ’17 Daniel Mason ’18 Amanda McDougall ’15 Kate Moody ’15 Michaela Morra ’22 Mirella Morra Leilah Mouna ’16 Chiara Naccarata ’12 Shayna Nicholls ’15 Jaimee Pedersen ’18 Madeline Philp ’18 Patrick Prochazka ’18 Ben Qiu ’14 Megan Robinson ’18 Holly Rouselle ’15 Jenna Skurnac ’18 Alexander Smith ’19 Linda Stevenson Sydney Stevenson ’17 Grace Still ’21 Cynthia Zhang ’14 Hilltop Skating Board Members Christina Bianco Toby Hatch Liza Moskaltcova Rosanna Naccarata Janet Proctor H. Romkema Lisa Sturrup Hilltop Skating Euchre Night Joel Berger Sydney Berger ’21 Christina Bianco Jean-Michel Bombardier Toby Hatch Margo Starr Maria Wolscht
Take your Grade 9 Student to Work Day Ryan McCluskey ’06 Patrick Turner ’97 Santa Claus Parade Volunteers Sydney Berger ’21 Christina Bianco Julia Bianco ’19 Thomas Bianco ’24 Fiona Bombardier Jean-Michel Bombardier Noah Bombardier Toby Hatch Anastasia Moskaltcova ’19 Liza Moskaltcova Dawn Murphy Jack Proctor Janet Proctor Jordan Proctor Amy Wolscht Erica Wolscht Hannah Wolscht Holiday Home Tour Committee Andie Desforges, Co-chair Donna Rouselle, Co-chair Rosemarie Benjamin Pamela Falcon Lisa Hambrock Sandra Liem Lisa Marshall Andrea McMullen Karen Meisel Elan Moore Lori Pedersen Nilgen Perez Laurie Philp Nancy Prittie Annalise Rickman Krystie Robinson-Vincent Vida Sernas Lisa Shirriff Holiday Home Tour Carlos Avila Mandujano ’16 Laura Anagnostakos Sherry Barclay Garrett Barlow ’17 Kim Barlow Rosemarie Benjamin Maurice Berleth ’15 Amy Beth Kim Bilous Camila Bolivar ’16 Alexis Borlestean ’15 Jessica Buckmaster ’15 Karen Burrows-Smith Memo Carsolio Gonzalez ’15 Fernando Casanova Ochoa ’14 Nathan Chang ’14 Jerry Chen ’15 Andrea Cleland Kathy Clubbe Steve Cope Zahan Cooper ’14 George Cui ’17 Denise Cumiskey
Judith Davidson Teddy Ding ’17 Andrew Donnell ’15 Lori-Ann Duffy Quinn Duffney ’17 Catherine Elliott ’14 Diane Farmer Sean Farmer ’15 Gabriel Flammia ’17 Debbie Floyd Adam Floyd Isaiah Fong ’15 Ryan Forde ’15 Donna Fordyce Well Gao ’14 Loren Garcia Barriga ’15 Pamela Gardner Vanessa Gardner ’19 Margalit Gavrilov Kathy Gillespie Joanne Golding Jacob Hagias ’15 Martin Hambrock Toby Hatch Katie Hopkinson ’15 Katharina Hoss ’15 Seven Huang ’15 Michelle Hudson Yuka Imonawa ’14 Rennie Ip ’16 Bonnie Irving-Carr Lisa Jeppesen-Dhanjal Heather Jonasson Victoria Jonasson ’17 Kairav Juta ’17 Sandra Kaszuba Andrew Kaszuba ’14 Amy Kavanagh ’17 Grant Kavanagh ’15 Michelle Kavanagh Karen Kelln Ahkina Kim ’15 Zachary King ’17 Jill Krstajic Catherine Lane Penelope Lawson-Cameron Hannah Lee ’14 Tommy Li ’16 Vicky Liu ’16 Alba Lu ’15 Aleksa MacDonald ’14 Serena MacDonald ’17 Nicolas Macias ’14 Carolyn Mancuso Emma Mantle ’17 Olivia Mantle ’14 Daniel Mason ’18 Kelly Mason Malcolm Mason Mary McClenaghan-Martin Carol McDougall Marilyn McLaughlin Mollie McLaughlin ’18 Alanna Miller ’17 Elaine Miller Tiffany Mok ’16 Allison Montgomery ’17 Gillian Montgomery Margaret Montgomery ’16 Liza Moskaltcova
PC archives Leilah Mouna ’16 Christopher Nam ’15 Shayna Nicholls ’15 Justin Nitsopoulos ’14 Sarah Nowlan ’15 Patricia Ollerenshaw Gina Papazian Junyoung Park ’17 Jaimee Pedersen ’18 Julie Pedersen ’17 Laurie Pendyk Nilgen Perez Mara Pezzutto Laurie Philp Madeline Philp ’18 Leigh Ann Pitre Stephanie Porath German Pozdnyakov ’14 Michela Prefontaine ’14 Nancy Prittie Caitlyn Proctor ’16 Laura Purves Aisling Qiu ’14 Sufia Rahemtulla ’17 Kallin Raynor ’15 Judi Rees-Mantle Gloria Resendiz ’16 Annalise Rickman Sean Rickman Sarah Ritchie ’15 Tyler Ritchie ’16 Emily Romano ’17 H. Romkema Martin Roodenburg ’14 Holly Rouselle ’15 Jacqueline Rueping Risa Saito ’15 Vida Sernas Samantha Shaw ’16 Nicole Shouldice ’16 Kim Smith Brent Snow ’16 Elizabeth Snow Matthew Sochaniwskyj ’17 Mark Sochaniwskyj ’15 Zenia Sopuch Kevin Spiering ’14 Margo Starr Adam Starr ’16 Katherine Starr ’20 Nicole Stella Sydney Stevenson ’17 Linda Stevenson Lisa Sturrup Heather Suters Samantha Tan ’15 Almudena Taupin Muelas ’17 Melissa Turner Nadine Vessio ’14 Summer Weldon ’16 Karen Whetstone Joanne Wu ’14 Vivian Xin ’15 Lester Xu ’14 Lucinda Yang ’15 Jason Yang ’17 Vanessa Yim ’15 Eugene Yuan ’16 Emily Zhang ’16 Jasmin Zhang ’16
Johnny Zhang ’16 Rachel Zhang ’15 Tarrow Zhou ’15 We would also like to express our sincere thanks to the staff of: ADM Design Inc. ARTful Solutions Cassidy’s Flowers Christine Gairdner Design Flowers by Terry of Aurora Foxglove Interior Design Katherine Joy Interiors LRB Interiors Pathways to Perennials Schakel Greenhouse’s Yorkshire Garden Services QSP Imagine Seasonal Fundraiser Margo Starr Staff Appreciation Senior Lunch Coverage Kim Bilous David Black Magdie Buder Anna Cook Eleanor Cumiskey Maria Dzisiak Diane Farmer Donna Fordyce Beverley Hagias Susan Hundert Judy Jeppesen-Timbers Michelle Kavanagh Karen Kelln Jill Krstajic Teri Macias Andrea McMullen Elaine Miller Elan Moore Linda Nunn Nilgen Perez Krystie Robinson-Vincent Ellen Rosen Donna Rouselle Kristine Shaw Margo Starr Linda Stevenson PCA Ornament Decorating Diane Farmer Debbie Floyd Donna Fordyce Joanne Golding Krystie Robinson-Vincent Linda Stevenson
Pc Alumnus in History Fred Buller ’32 was “the renaissance man who devised the systems that made the famous de Havilland plane, the Beaver, a reliable bush plane.”1 Fred was born in Vancouver on the Sunshine Coast. He attended Pickering College in 1932 to complete his Grade 13 year. He briefly attended the University of British Columbia, travelled to Edinburgh to work in a shipyard and returned to Canada in 1936 during the Great Depression. It is at that time that Fred became fully committed to aviation and attended the Boeing School of Aeronautics. He quickly rose through the ranks in the aviation field, noted for his expertise and capabilities. During the war, the government was quick to place him in various positions in order to aid the war effort and he invited them to assign him wherever his talents could do the most good. He was eventually sent to DHC’s Central Aircraft subsidiary to work on the Mosquito project and later joined the engineering department of the de Havilland Aircraft in 1944.
Beads for Babies Coffee Hour Tzipora Jeppesen
One of Fred Buller’s major contributions to the re-invention of the Beaver was the skiwheel landing gear. He has been described as “the most talented engineer ever to work at de Havilland Canada.”2 37 Source: “The Immortal Beaver” by Sean Rossiter published by Douglas & McIntyre 1996. 1. Pg 52 2. Pg 45
upcoming events Wednesday, January 29 Thursday, January 30
6:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12 Wednesday, February 19 to Friday, February 21
7:00 p.m.
Grade 10 & 11 Parent Night for Course Selection Grade 8 Parent Info Session for Course Selection
Newmarket, Ontari
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmar TEL (905) 895-1700 • 1-877-89 VOLUME 35 ISSUE two E-MAIL admissions@pickeringc
Re-enrolment Deadline
EDITOR
Senior School Musical Production of Little Shop of Horrors
jessie-may rowntree
Monday, February 24 to Friday, February 28
Spirit Week
Monday, March 3
Winter Athletic Awards & Banquet
CONTRIBUTors KIM BARTLETT KIM BILOUS
GRAHAM BIRT
9:00 a.m. & Primary Mini-Musical 4:00 p.m.
NOELINE BURK
ANNA COOK
7:00 p.m.
Honour Society Reception
NAOMI CÔTÉ
Gala
JANET DOWNER
CHANTAL GIONET
TAMER HIGAZI
Grandparent and Special Friends Day
JULIA HUNT
ELAINE KLIEM
Junior School Springfest
ERIN MATTHEWS
7:00 p.m.
Senior School Springfest
KAREN MEISEL
Wednesday, May 14
6:30 p.m.
Arts Night
Thursday, May 22
11:00 a.m.
PCA Spring Luncheon
Wednesday, March 5 Wednesday, April 2 Saturday, April 12
6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 13 Thursday, May 8
CIS Music Festival 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Friday, May 23
Sports Day
Monday, May 26
Spring Athletic Awards & Banquet
ALANA SIMON
NICKY WOOD
GRAPHIC DESIGN
VANI ROUSE
Thursday, May 29
9:45 a.m.
Closing Meeting for Worship for Senior School
TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS, IDEAS
Monday, June 9
8:30 a.m.
Closing Meeting for Worship for Junior School
INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Tuesday, June 10
1:00 p.m.
Kindergarten Graduation
jrowntree@pickeringcollege.on.ca
OR FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND jessie-may rowntree 905.895.1700 EXT. 234
Wednesday, June 11
4:30 p.m.
Grade 8 Graduation & Dinner
Thursday, June 12
6:00 p.m.
Grade 12 Grad Celebration
Friday, June 13
11:00 a.m.
Grade 12 Commencement Ceremony
16945 BAYVIEW AVENUE
NEWMARKET, ONTARIO
Golf Tournament
CANADA L3Y 4X2
TEL: 905.895.1700
FAX: 905.895.8916
Thursday, June 19
Annual Giving supports all that is unique about Pickering College. By making your annual gift, you help to ensure that Pickering College remains strong and continues to build on our history of excellence. Please call Alana Simon at 905.895.1700 ext. 254 or go online to www.pickeringcollege.on.ca and click on “Support Us.” 38
PICKERIN
PICKERING COLLEGE
www.pickeringcollege.on.ca the PILLARS
is PUBLISHED BY THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, STUDENTS, STAFF AND FRIENDS OF PICKERING COLLEGE.
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 4X2 TEL (905) 895-1700 • 1-877-895-1700 • FAX (905) 895-9076 E-MAIL admissions@pickeringcollege.on.ca • WEB www.pickeringcollege.on.ca
Forza d'Amici Gala
PICKERING COLLEGE Newmarket, Ontario
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 4X2 TEL (905) 895-1700 • 1-877-895-1700 • FAX (905) 895-9076 E-MAIL admissions@pickeringcollege.on.ca • WEB www.pickeringcollege.on.ca
Save the Date: Saturday, PICKERING April 12, 2014 Newmarket, Ontario
COLLEGE
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 4X2
TEL (905) 895-1700 • FAX (905) 895-9076 Pickering College invites you to• 1-877-895-1700 an evening of dining, E-MAIL admissions@pickeringcollege.on.ca • WEB www.pickeringcollege.on.ca dancing and entertainment.
Location: Ferrari Maserati of Ontario 200 Auto Park Circle, Vaughan For more information, contact Sandra Liem, Manager, Special Events, at 905-895-1120 ext.403 or sliem@pickeringcollege.on.ca
Join the Pickering College community at the
15th Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 19, 2014! This year’s 18-hole Tournament will be held at the beautiful Silver Lakes Golf and Conference Centre, just north of Newmarket. Carved from mature forest and rolling countryside around the meandering Holland River, Silver Lakes is a four-star championship golf course, rated one of the top courses in the GTA by Ontario Golf magazine. It will be great day of golf, contests, food and fun. Come for the whole day, or just join us for dinner. For more information, contact Sandra Liem, Events Manager, at 905 895 1120 x 403 or sliem@pickeringcollege.on.ca.
39
learning for life. creating the future.
Our dedicated teachers focus on the whole child, so students develop confidence, social conscience and acquire the skills and knowledge for success. Spend a Half Day Friday, February 21, Friday, April 4, Friday, May 9 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Grades 2 to 8) 8:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. (Grades 9 to 12) Your child can attend class, meet our teachers, join us for lunch! Limited space available. Registration required.
PICKERING COLLEGE Open House (JK to Grade 12) Newmarket, Ontario Wednesday, April 9
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, Canada 4X2p.m. 6:30 ON, p.m. to L3Y 8:00 TEL (905) 895-1700 • 1-877-895-1700 • FAX (905) 895-9076 E-MAIL admissions@pickeringcollege.on.ca • WEB www.pickeringcollege.on.ca Meet students, staff, faculty and parents. Learn more about our specialized
programming, go on a personal tour of our historic campus and learn more about our extraordinary students and teachers.
$5,000 Entrance Scholarships Available for Grades 7, 8 & 9 To register, please contact our Admission Office at 905-895-1700 ext. 277 or admission@pickeringcollege.on.ca
PICKERING COLLEGE www.pickeringcollege.on.ca Newmarket, Ontario
Independent Co-educational Day and Boarding School 16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 4X2 TEL (905) 895-1700 • 1-877-895-1700 • FAX 895-9076 Preparatory since 1842 | JK(905) to University E-MAIL admissions@pickeringcollege.on.ca • WEB www.pickeringcollege.on.ca 16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada
PICKERING COLLEGE pickering college Newmarket, Ontario
16945 Bayview Avenue, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 4X2