The Link, Spring 2020 by thecds1972

the

IN THIS ISSUE

The Growing Mind Trekkers Return Safely Embracing the North CDS First Responders Spotlight on Drama Eversley Register Alumni Notes

CONNECTING THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL COMMUNITY

SPRING 2020

OUR PIVOT

TO REMOTE LEARNING COVID-19 forces a quick switch to the virtual classroom PAGE 6

ALUMNI COFFEE HOUSE

THANK YOU!

to our Alumni (and Faculty) who contributed to the first-ever virtual Alumni Coffee House on May 21! It won’t be the last! Watch all 27 acts here www.youtube.com/countrydayschool

PERFORMANCES BY: Anthony Rea ’15; Isabella Giancola ’18; Trinity De Simone ’17; Jordan Robertson-Reid ’19 and Nicholas Adams ’18; Aimee Lee, Faculty; Bianca Chambul ‘12 Edward Adams ’18; Amanda (Munger) Novak ’99; Ian Rokas ’19, Michael Rokas ’16, Sam Cantor ’17 and Corson Panneton ’17; Kimberly Ginou ’04; Mark Burleigh, Faculty; Samantha Stellnberger ’17 Scott Garbe, Faculty, Julia Garbe ’17 and Alicia (Glenn) Webster ’99; Alicia (Glenn) Webster ’99; Philip Jacobs ’91; Jordan Robertson-Reid ’19; Nicholas Adams ’18 and Will Guy ’18; Mackenzie Johnston ’17 Paul Jewer, former Board Chair; Allyson Whitmell ’19; Josh Collins, Faculty; Ethan Lavis ’18; Kabir Walia ’19; Julia Garbe ’17; Zac Spiegelman ’13; Dimitri Kanaris ’10; Christian Fedele ’09

SPRING 2020

CONTENTS FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS 2

From the Editor

26 Fall Drama Spotlight

Message from the Head of School

34 Community News

School Highlights

36 Connections

14 Timelines

37 Alumni Snapshots

20 Athletics Update

39 Alumni Notes

Together Apart Remote learning The Country Day School way.

The Growing Mind Life Lessons Under Lockdown What can we learn and teach our children in the midst of a pandemic.

Peru Trekkers Return Home Safely A story of adventure for the ages.

Embracing the Great White North Practicing winter survival skills on Outdoor Ed trek.

The Rebirth of The Eversley Register While meant to be a paper launch, COVID forced it online.

CDS Alumni First Responders A snapshot of a just few alumni who are doing their part to keep us safe.

Hoops Nostalgia Reflections on our February Alumni vs Senior Boys basketball game.

Remembering Walter Davison CDS mourns the passing of a beloved former Middle School teacher and gentle soul.

ON THE COVER: Clockwise from top left corner:

Join CDS Online Social Media www.facebook.com/TheCDS1972 www.twitter.com/TheCDS1972 www.youtube.com/TheCDS1972 www.instagram.com/TheCDS1972 Network with CDS alumni at our LinkedIn page

Ms. Celia Bland, Mr. Zac Fanni, Mila Marcelli in Grade 6, Mrs. Ann Wildberger, Mr. Jordan Zero, Mr. Rob Waldron, Ms. Melissa Mazurkewich, Ms. Alanna Houston ’07, Student Council Co-Presidents: David Kuntz ‘20 and Isabella Bousada ‘20, Mr. Dave Harvey and Ms. Susan Scott. In the middle: Grade 11 English students: Nadine Barone, Emily Chang, Erica Campagna, Ashley Munro, Christina Chkarboul, Eden Saley, Tegan Asprey and Steven Li.

THE LINK SPRING 2020

the

FROM THE EDITOR

ADAPTING TO THE CHALLENGE

EDITOR

Kim Sillcox, Director of Communications and Marketing

How will we remember this unprecedented time?

CONTRIBUTORS

AVE YOU FOUND yourself saying lately, “It has taken a pandemic to … .”? I have, and that includes releasing an online issue of The Link magazine. Perhaps it is a fitting tribute then that we celebrate 30 years of The Link with a new digital format. While we will return to mailing hard copies in the future, we have made the decision to publish the spring 2020 edition entirely digitally. According to Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, “When bad things happen to you unexpectedly, part of grit is being able to navigate those stormy waters.” Her research shows that “gritty” people “tend to look for things they can learn and grow from so when it’s all over, they are no longer at baseline, they are actually better.” We are living a moment in history which, according to Professor Duckworth, could be a paragraph, a few pages or even a full chapter. Who do you want to be during COVID-19? How do you want to remember this time? COVID-19 also required CDS to make a dramatic shift to remote learning. As a school that has always approached technology with balance, the transition at CDS has been remarkably seamless. In our cover story, Together Apart: Remote Learning The Country Day School Way, you will read about how it has been an evolving and expeditious shift. Talk about a copious amount of grit demonstrated on all fronts! Our students and parents transitioned to learning and working from home, and our faculty, who have always thrived on relational teaching, taught science and geometry, music and art – not to mention physical education – remotely from their home offices last term. We also bring you a story on the Peru March Break trip, our usual School

SPRING 2020 THE LINK

I think of others and see how to help them I make my talents available to those who need them I start to give up what I can’t control I stop compulsively consuming what hurts me, from food to news

I grab food, toilet paper and medications I don’t need

WHO DO I WANT TO BE DURING COVID-19?

I spread emotions related to fear and anger

I identify my emotions

I am empathetic with myself and others

LEARNING ZONE

GROWTH ZONE

FEAR ZONE I complain frequently I forward all messages I receive

I get mad easily

I live in the present and don’t focus on the future

I become aware of the situation and think how to act

I evaluate information before spreading something false

I recognize that we are all trying to do our best

I thank and appreciate others

DESIGN I keep a happy emotional state and spread hope

I look for a way to adapt to new changes I practice quietude, patience, relationships and creativity

Highlights, feature news stories, a shout out to CDS Alumni, including front line workers in our Alumni Notes section, as well as two highly impressive Alumni Profiles: 1. Adrian Battiston ’05 shares the story of his career pivot from medicine to law in the entertainment industry. 2. Michael Cherny ’08 has worked his way up the ladder at Deloitte to Senior Manager Lead for the Future of Trust, while championing diversity and inclusion along the way. Talk about grit! So, on this magazine’s 30th anniversary, we we bring you the first entirely online version as a flipbook. It is our hope that come the fall, we will return to mailing you a glossy magazine once again. However, from this point forward, The Link magazine will likely always have a virtual component as it continues to help connect the CDS community. Stay safe and happy reading, Kim Sillcox

Director of Communications and Marketing

John Andersen Gisa Bevacqua-Tirone Mark Burleigh Christina Chkarboul ’21 Leslie Colucci Zac Fanni Scott Garbe Warren Lang John Liggett Karsen Roy ’20 Karen Sumner Kerstin Wyndham-West

Michael Cherkas

PHOTOGRAPHY

Stan Behal Photography Tabitha Chan ’12 Stephen DiNallo Zac Fanni Katherine Holland Nick Iwanyshyn Jeff Kirk Zach Lawton Andrea Leacock Steve McCutcheon Kim Sillcox Denise Steadman

The Link The Country Day School 13415 Dufferin Street King, ON L7B 1K5 T: 905.833.1220 F: 905.833.3655 E: communications@cds.on.ca www.cds.on.ca Correspondence is welcome The Link is published by the Offi ce of Community Relations at The Country Day School for CDS families, alumni, staff, faculty and friends.

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD In these times more than ever

F MY MEMORY IS CORRECT, I have written on this theme before. But I think it is worth repeating. Given that The Country Day School – and indeed, schools around the world – have faced incredible challenges these last few months, it takes on even greater meaning. In my view, education is a partnership between school – teachers, coaches, mentors, counselors – and parents that forges a character-laden and self-aware young adult out of the child who steps foot tentatively into our Kindergarten classrooms. It is truly the

The Country Day School is a place where all parts of the community genuinely care, share values and dedicate their whole selves to the work of the village in raising a child, parents and faculty alike. They give of themselves in order to support, know and inspire those in need, and in turn the village supports them in the pursuit of this.

collective effort of a community – or a village, if you will. Also, in my view, this is best achieved by an in-person community rather than solely a virtual one. And while we can certainly positively benefit from a patch of time in a virtual community stance, I wonder if the positivity persists if the virtual nature of community is extensively prolonged or even made permanent. I boldly put forward that it takes an actual village to best raise a child. Furthermore, it is not the physical construct of the village that plays the largest role; it is, most importantly, the nature of the people IN the village that makes the difference. The Country Day School is a place where all parts of the community genuinely care, share values and dedicate their whole selves to the work of the village in raising a child, parents and faculty alike. They give of themselves in order to support, know and inspire those in need, and in turn the village supports them in the pursuit of this. For these reasons, and indeed many more, we very much look forward to having all members of our community – our village – back on campus in the fall and beyond. But until then, I am off to my next Zoom call. Good grief … . Happy summer and stay safe, John Liggett

Head of School

THE LINK SPRING 2020

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

NEWS FROM AROUND CDS

HOW TO BE YOUR BEST WHEN PARENTING GETS HARD t’s as if the Parent Association had a crystal ball. In early February, it hosted Kirsten Siggins for an interactive talk about managing emotions and navigating difficult conversations with your children. Kirsten is a certified executive coach, co-author of The Power of Curiosity: How to Have Real Conversations That Create Collaboration, Innovation and Understanding, and co-founder of the Institute of Curiosity.

CDS SINGS O CANADA

First-ever Virtual Senior School Coffee House They say that music is good for the soul. So when Carly Campoli ’20 and Andrew Easterling ’20 (co-MCs) learned that Coffee House was going to be cancelled, they rallied the troops, and with the help of faculty advisor Ms. Houston and Digital Media Specialist Mr. Lawton, the show did go on on April 16. Featuring 16 unique pre-recorded acts, we broadcasted the spring Coffee House on YouTube Premier with a live chat that provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the entire community! Thank you to all of our performers and our audience members who tuned in to enjoy it live. Watch it here: youtube.com/TheCDS1972 Portraits, The Country Day School’s Art & Literary magazine, also made its virtual debut shortly thereafter. Our Co-editors Ariana Akbarieh ’20 (who also designed the beautiful cover) and Taryn Goldberger ’20 worked hard to get this issue out. View it here: www.cds.on.ca/publications

SPRING 2020 THE LINK

n mid-May, the Music Department asked everyone belonging to the CDS community to sing O Canada to an accompaniment provided by our talented musicians in the Senior School. With much of our community at home, we can often feel isolated from one another. However, similar to Coffeehouse, we can feel more connected through music. Through the magic of virtual choirs, Ms. Promane and Mr. Zero of the Music Department have sought to create, participate in and continue this sense of community we know so well, offering our own version of CDS Sings O Canada with the many voices of our community.

World Read Aloud Day – Full School Participation In February, Ms. MacMillan spearheaded a full school effort to celebrate World Read Aloud Day, a global movement that highlights the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories. Founded by the nonprofit LitWorld and sponsored by Scholastic, the event is celebrated by millions of people in more than 100 countries. Senior School students were paired with Junior School students in reading their favourite books while Middle School students rotated classrooms to hear their teachers read their favourite books, poems and stories. It was also a school-wide dress down day with all proceeds going toward purchasing books for The Small Project, Code Canada and The Children’s Book Bank in Toronto (run by CDS alumna Loribeth Gregg ’09). As you can see, the spirit of reading captured the entire school!

CDS ANNOUNCES NEW BUS FLEET ust before March Break, Mr. Liggett announced that we now have our own dedicated fleet of nine CDS school buses outfitted with three-point seatbelts at every seat. These standard size buses, which will service our morning and afternoon commuter runs, are also equipped with internal cameras. Wherever possible, CDS buses will be used for field trips during the day and we hope to start using them in September!

SELF-ISOLATION SERIES BLOG

hristina Chkarboul ’21 has been

helping the Communications team in writing stories for the website, Link magazine and Education with Balance blog for the past two years. At the start of remote learning, we asked her if she would chronicle her learning from home experience in a “SelfIsolation” series within our CDS blog

format. She enthusiastically agreed. For the past few months, Christina has shared her thoughts, experiences and new pastimes during quarantine. Her positivity and creativity are admirable and an inspiration to students and adults alike. Be sure to check it out here: www.educationwithbalance.com. Here’s an excerpt: “A clichéd ‘silver lining’ can be found even in this pandemic with an open mind and hands itching for occupation. The push for motivation and productivity while we’re all stuck at home, as I mentioned briefly in a previous post, can be troubling and easily find its way to negative self-talk and remorse for not having accomplished what you thought you should have. Nevertheless, there’s an endless list of activities and hobbies that can be picked up and worked on with all this extra time, as long as you are assured that you aren’t making yourself feel obligated or tied to them once you begin.”

and inspected the 5000 protective science lab gloves to ensure they were safe to donate. He then dropped them off in response to Southlake Regional Health Centre’s PPE drive for donations.

CDS DONATES PPE TO SOUTHLAKE HOSPITAL ess than a week after we transitioned to remote learning following March Break, members of the Science department informed Head of School John Liggett and Head of Facilities Brian Jimmerskog that we had a decent stock of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in the building. As the only person in the School at the time, Brian located

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY In April, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day together, even though we were apart! #ActsofKindness #TrashFreeTuesday #ZeroWasteWeek #ReusableWaterBottle #EarthDayatHome #EarthDay2020

THE LINK SPRING 2020

COVER STORY

In April, our Grade 1 students starting meeting once again (albeit virtually) on Google Meet. Shown here are the students in 1M.

TOGETHER A P A R T Remote learning The Country Day School way BY KAREN SUMNER

Mr. Dave Harvey, Director of Academics for Middle and Senior Schools and one of the primary architects of the transition to remote learning.

SPRING 2020 THE LINK

Ms. Celia Bland, Director of Senior School making one of her Monday morning Assembly announcements.

Christina Chkarboul ‘21 was our studies in self-isolation blogger.

Mrs. Ann Wildberger, Director of Junior, School sends her message to the community.

Ms. Houston, Student Services Guidance Counsellor and Science teacher, shared multiple wellness tips online with fellow SSC Counsellor Mr. Drake.

Mr. David Huckvale, Director of Admissions and Post-Secondary Counselling continued to advise GYs and admit students from home.

Mme Marshall taught her French students how to cook ratatouille en francais on Google Meet!

ow does a school community known for delivering education with balance stay connected and whole when life moves off campus? By building on two of its greatest qualities: strong teamwork and outstanding faculty. Families rise to the challenge of home classrooms. Students draw on the magic quality of youth to master new technology in the blink of an eye. Teachers blend video, live instruction, independent work and extra help to provide varied and meaningful learning – with their signature warmth and humour.

Grade 2 students shared their poetry with each other and their parents during a virtual evening Poetry Café event.

Looking back, it’s astonishing how quickly the school transitioned to remote learning and school life. Google Meets. Daily Instagram posts. Online activities. Audio bedtime stories. Monday morning messages. Home deliveries of learning materials and grad wear. Wellness Wednesdays. Parent surveys. Neighbourhood visits from a safe distance. House challenges. If there was a way to rethink, adapt and carry on, some enterprising soul found it – and brought everyone along with them. (continued on page 8)

Grade 9 drama students enjoyed a virtual chat and Q&A with two professional actors who talked about the importance of doing what you love.

THE LINK SPRING 2020

COVER STORY

Ms. Jen Weening, our Technology Integration Specialist, came back from maternity leave to help create the remote learning platform

Mr. Jordan Zero, one of our Music teachers, demonstrated extraordinary technical wizardry in editing abilities.

(continued from page 7) At every step, the first priority was always relationships. A great school is built on close connections between parents and teachers, teachers and students, students and their classmates. Staying close is staying strong – academically, emotionally, socially.

“

A FLUID LEARNING ENVIRONMENT True to its nature, CDS rolled out a thoughtful and measured approach to the use of technology. Our youngest learners have different needs than our tech-savvy teens. And our commitment to wellness means knowing when to make use of screens and when to have students switch off and continue their learning in their living room…or kitchen…or backyard…or driveway…or garage. “Our curriculum has always been designed with purpose, and that continues whether we’re on campus or at home,” says Director of Junior School Ann Wildberger. “We can’t pretend life hasn’t changed. It has. At the same time, we have stayed true to what CDS is by offering creative and

The school’s emphasis on balance has helped us all a lot. We need our classes, which are a great way to see our friends while we continue learning. But we also need time off our computers to exercise and get outside. All of our teachers care about how we’re doing, not just in our classes but in our lives. On Student Council, we spread the same message: let’s stay connected, let’s take care of ourselves and each other, and let’s find ways to have fun together.” Isabella Bousada, Student Council co-president

Ms. Seedhouse, Ms. Cooper and Mr. Burleigh set up a Foot Mini-golf Challenge for their JS students.

engaging lessons and holding onto essentials like physical education, art, music, public speaking – all of the elements that create balance and spark joy in our students’ lives.” As Director of Academics for the Middle and Senior Schools, Dave Harvey saw the need to blend continuity with flexibility when it came to deciding on a daily timetable. The school held on to its familiar A/B schedule while also empowering teachers to make the best decisions for their students. How much time is needed for synchronous learning? For asynchronous? For full-class meetings? For small groups? For one-on-one conversations? “We didn’t like the idea of committing to a rigid schedule, such as live class time in the mornings and independent work in the afternoons,” says Mr. Harvey. “Our teachers always start with what’s best for student learning and make wise pedagogical decisions. More than ever, this is a time to design curriculum and monitor learning on a period by period basis, gathering feedback along the way. Flexibility

CDS REMOTE LEARNING TIMELINE First meeting of Crisis Communications Committee

JAN 22

Faculty meeting about possibility of remote learning

JAN 23

MAR 2

First coronavirus outbreak communication to parents – updates continue weekly

SPRING 2020 THE LINK

Premier Ford announces State of Emergency – only essential staff allowed on campus

The WHO declares COVID-19 a global pandemic

MAR 4

Students asked to take all their learning materials home for March Break

MAR 11

MAR 12

Province of Ontario calls for public schools to close through to April 3; CDS informs families that remote learning will launch on March 24

MAR 17

CISAA cancels spring term athletics

MAR 30

State of Emergency extended – schools will remain closed until May 4

APR 2

Survey sent to parents about remote learning

APR 6

Launch of Google Meet for Grades 4, 5 and 6 homerooms

APR 9

is needed. This is a different world, so we continually adjust.” Delivering the best possible academic program means innovating in the face of change. It means focusing on essential skills and aptitudes. It also means working together as a community to meet the needs of each student. “This is a school where we design our own solutions,” says Mr. Harvey. “We start from what’s right for our students, our families, our culture. And then we work together to build from the ground up. Remote learning hasn’t changed that, though it has certainly presented its challenges.” Families have taken note of how faculty have risen to those challenges. “Parents tell me they deeply appreciate how hard our teachers are working,” adds Mrs. Wildberger. “It’s like they’re experiencing a school Open House from home every day. And they’re just knocked out by the commitment and care they see. That’s been a wonderful sidebar to these unusual times.”

STUDENT LIFE AND SCHOOL SPIRIT Count on Middle School Director Rob Waldron to combine fun challenges with House points, like stacking book spines to create “found” poetry or practising keep ups for physical activity. Or on Mr. Drake and Ms. Houston for modelling life balance on Wellness Wednesdays. Or on the Portraits team for creating the first-ever virtual Coffee House. Or on Student Council for issuing both fitness and chess challenges. There are so many ways to learn and have fun at the same time. And there’s something for everyone. “One of CDS’s great strengths is the variety of activities and experiences,” says Director of Senior School Celia Bland, whose weekly messages now arrive from the pond, trail or book-lined home office.

Launch of Google Meet for primary homeroom classes

APR 15

MS/SS exams cancelled, assessments will continue

APR 16

Survey results shared in The Backpack; CDS hosts online Coffee House with about 200 attendees

APR 17

“

I wanted to send you a note expressing my gratitude for creating such a wonderful online learning experience. This has been a tough time all around, and the fact that CDS students have had such good educational support has been crucial to their learning and mental health. The school has adapted to the changing needs of the students and come up with creative ways for them to learn, socialize, actively rest, and meaningfully contribute. I can’t imagine how many long hours the teachers and staff have put in to creating this new learning model, but we appreciate all the hard work at putting our students first and making sure they get the education they need in such a positive way.” Randee Sorbo, CDS Parent

Announced remote learning will continue through end of the year – June 12

Virtual Parent Association AGM

APR 26

Education Minister extends school shutdown until at least May 31

APR 29

“We can’t carry on as normal, but we can carry the same spirit forward, pursue our passion, support our community. We can still make music and art. Run for Student Council. Enter math contests. Vote for Valedictorian. Students care about their friends, clubs, causes and classes. So we continue to innovate and share our stories in all those areas.” Like everyone in the community, CDS student leaders have been tasked to find new ways for all grades to connect and have fun. In addition to the various challenges issued and the virtual Coffee House, there have been tips for finding balance, weekly trivia games, and a video version of the end of year assembly, among other activities. While Student Council members and the entire Grade 12 class have keenly felt the loss of time with friends during their final year at CDS, everyone has been committed to staying connected during school, in the evenings and on weekends. “We wish we were still hanging out in the grad lounge every day,” says Student Council co-president David Kuntz. “This is a special year, and our grade is really close. We’re missing each other a lot, and we know the other grades are too. That’s why we use our weekly Student Council meetings to come up with new ideas to raise spirit and share some laughs. Our role is to help make student life great. We stay focused on that.” As the school year comes to a close, there is some poignancy when reflecting on the first half of 2020. “I’m proud of the way everyone has stepped up to meet the challenges of remote learning and school life,” says Ms. Bland. “We miss being in the same space – in the classrooms and on the stage and the fields – but I’ve been touched by the warmth and closeness I see everywhere. Though we’re apart, our whole community is passionately committed to being together.” ■

MAY 4

Virtual Grade 12 Transition to Post-Secondary Event with about 100 attendees

MAY 8

GY Milestone Event; Junior School Year End Assembly on Google Meet

Final (virtual) Senior School Assembly

MAY 8

Postponed Building Magic Campaign groundbreaking

MAY 27

JUNE 11

JUNE 12

Grade 6 Grad Porch Visits; Middle School Year End Assembly on Google Meet

THE LINK SPRING 2020

THE GROWING MIND BY DR. KAREN SUMNER a freelance writer and editor based in King City

LIFE LESSONS UNDER LOCKDOWN What can we learn and teach our children in the midst of a pandemic?

UR WORLD CHANGED at lightning speed earlier this year. Life felt normal in January, a bit uncertain in February, and almost unrecognizable by March. Our kids headed out for the break and then never went back to school. Many of us quickly set up remote offices or stopped working altogether. Zoom and Google Meets became fixtures of our days. Picking up groceries transitioned into an intricate dance of planning, distancing and sanitizing. We cut ourselves off from one another, hunkering down in our homes to stay safe. We worried about – and sorely missed – our extended families, friends and communities. It’s disorienting to be suddenly flung into a new reality. At the same time, how we view and respond to the challenges we face are within our power. What if we can all come out stronger? More connected to each other? Kinder and more compassionate? It all starts with our choices and beliefs.

SPRING 2020 THE LINK

If we adopt what’s called an external locus of control, we measure the value and meaning of our lives mainly by external factors – the things that happen to us and around us. This orientation can create feelings of helplessness and doubt about our ability to overcome challenges. Alternatively, with an internal locus of control, we find meaning in our own choices and actions, no matter what the world delivers. We believe we can shape our experience. We think, “Whatever comes my way, how I respond is up to me.” Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth is a signature feature of having an internal locus of control. Our focus is on how we respond, where we exercise influence, and what personal resources we draw on. This is what parents wish for their children – that in the face of adversity, they tap into their own power to shape their experience. That they believe in their ability to make a difference. That they create their own meaning, rather than have it thrust upon them. The coronavirus outbreak has challenged all of us to adapt, learn (continued on page 12)

ISTOCK.COM

THE LINK SPRING 2020

THE GROWING MIND

(continued from page 10) and grow. There have been tragic losses of life and threats to our sense of security. At the same time, there are opportunities we can embrace by recognizing the value of adversity.

WHEN ADVERSITY COMES CALLING The business world has long embraced the adage that “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The general idea is that for entrepreneurs, professionals or even C-level leaders in large organizations, failures and setbacks can yield valuable insights for moving forward. The entrepreneurial world in particular embraces a “fail fast” philosophy, which basically means adopting an iterative process of growth rather than attempting to calculate and eliminate all variables in advance. Complex environments are hard to predict, so it’s better to make decisions, test outcomes, and continually adapt rather than launch a fully-formed vision of perfection. The general idea is that adversity and hardiness go hand in hand, with setbacks leading to greater growth in the end. A recent study at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management has shown that young scientists who just missed out on receiving funding – scoring just below the threshold to be awarded financial support – enjoyed more long-term success than their colleagues who scored just above the threshold. The “near misses” had more successful careers than the “just made its.” Why? It seems they developed more strength and wisdom from early hardship than their peers did from early success. The value of adversity has long been a topic when raising and teaching children. We know that “snowplow parents” – those who remove obstacles in their child’s path in order to ensure success – raise more anxious and risk-averse children. Along the same lines, teachers who over explain or over help inadvertently send the message that their students aren’t capable, thus undermining their confidence and autonomy. The research is clear that in order to become young adults who believe they can achieve what they set their minds to, kids need to struggle a bit, fall down sometimes, and solve their own problems whenever possible. They need adversity in their lives. But not too much. Think of the three bears: life can be too soft, too hard, or just right. Kids need challenge – but not overwhelming hardship – to thrive. The best life lessons seem to arrive in that sweet spot of just right: difficulties that can be endured and overcome with perseverance. Those are the near misses of life, the fast fails that offer step by step growth. The challenges of our current pandemic fit this framework. While

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Kids need challenge – but not overwhelming hardship – to thrive. The best life lessons seem to arrive in that sweet spot of just right: difficulties that can be endured and overcome with perseverance. Those are the near misses of life, the fast fails that offer step by step growth.

our lives have changed, perhaps permanently in some ways, parents can help their children to view the setbacks and difficulties they experience as near misses, not catastrophes. In doing so, they can teach their children to be resilient, have perspective, empathize with others, and adapt to change. The ultimate outcome is for young people to develop a strong internal locus of control and believe in their own abilities.

NINE WAYS TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN TRYING TIMES Adaptability lies at the heart of resilience. Think of the bamboo that bends in harsh winds and then bounces back – compared to the uprooted oak tree. Psychological resilience follows the same pattern. It is the capacity to work through frustration or misfortune without long-term negative consequences. Or, in the language of child development, it’s the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully – whether that system is an individual, family or community.

How can parents help their children develop resilience in the midst of a health emergency like a pandemic? Researchers at the Chicago Center for Family Health at the University of Chicago identify nine processes to engage in: 1. Make sense of adversity: view crises as manageable and meaningful. 2. Have a positive outlook: focus on hope and potential. 3. Practice transcendence: connect with larger values. 4. Be flexible: reorganize and restabilize to provide predictability and continuity. 5. Stay connected: provide mutual care and commitment. 6. Mobilize resources: establish financial security and gather community support. 7. Be clear: provide basic information and consistent messaging. 8. Share emotions openly: express both positive and painful feelings. 9. Solve problems together: engage in joint decision-making. An example of solving problems together could be surveying the pantry, deciding as a family what to cook, and having the children help prepare the meal. Another is creating a daily schedule together that allots individual responsibilities and meets everyone’s needs. Make it big and colourful and post it in plain sight. Having a positive outlook might include emphasizing that periods of self-isolation are temporary and will pass. Parents can also communicate that we know how to stay safe, we can still see our friends even if the rules of engagement change for awhile, and we have a unique opportunity to learn something new (how to sew, plant a vegetable garden or do 100 keep-ups). These nine processes strengthen individuals and families, whether in a time of crisis or not. They are worth reflecting on and adopting on a day-to-day basis, as they help children to develop perspective and understand that their mindset and choices make a difference.

than themselves – perhaps friends, family, community or even nature. A recent Harvard Medical School publication confirms that people who express their gratitude – in journals, letters or aloud to others – feel better about themselves and more optimistic about their lives. They also improve their relationships, exercise more and have fewer medical needs. What are some simple and effective ways your children can express gratitude? Write and send thank-you notes to people they appreciate. Or start a daily family journal in which everyone writes down one gift of life they have received. These can be as simple as a fun romp with the family dog, dad’s famous brownies, or the bedtime stories with mom. Or consider posting sticky notes on the fridge throughout the day that mark small moments that matter. The more we help our children see the goodness in the world, the more they cultivate a positive mindset and the better they navigate the stormy seas of life. Acts of kindness also protect against adversity. Whatever the outside world brings, choosing a compassionate lens and practising kindness reinforce for children that they can make an impact. Being kind to others has also been shown to increase feelings of calm and self-worth while also boosting energy and reducing depression. Perhaps solve kindness problems together as a family. Come up with ways to help others, whether additional periods of isolation arrive or we just continue to navigate the new normal of 2020. Is there something a neighbour needs help with? Can your family donate supplies to a food bank or shelter? Can a child help an elderly person with their gardening? Babysit for a family with a new baby? Make cookies for the garbage collectors or postal workers? Organize a neighbourhood toy swap? Practicing kindness and gratitude go a long way toward building resilience in our children and stronger communities overall. They also help all of us to focus on what matters most in life: taking care of ourselves and each other.

THE YEAR OF LIVING DIFFERENTLY THE POWER OF GRATITUDE AND KINDNESS Research also reveals that gratitude and kindness are protective factors against life’s adversities because their outward focus create inner reservoirs of strength. Focusing too much on ourselves actually weakens our emotional immune system, making us more vulnerable when hardship arrives. Gratitude is a feeling of thankful appreciation for the good things in life, which often lie outside ourselves. That’s the outward focus that helps people to connect to and draw strength from something larger

Life comes into acute focus in trying times. We tend to appreciate the simple things more, like playing on a sports team or having family over for a backyard barbecue. For the COVID-19 pandemic to mean more than hardship and loss of life, it’s up to us to shape our responses and experiences, now and in the future. When you look back on 2020, what do you want your children to see? You will have many family memories and life lessons stored up. Among them might be that we don’t learn and grow in spite of adversity but because of it. ■

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TIMELINES TIMELINES

JUNIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 4

DECEMBER 1. Annual Kindergarten Shape Parade 2. The Junior School Holiday Concert was enjoyed by all.

6. Grade 5 students visited with the Mayor of King, Steve Pellegrini, at the new Town Hall and asked him questions about local politics.

FEBRUARY

3. The annual Book and Treat sale raised $2,717 for Leeder Place, Rose of Sharon, and York Hills Centre for Children.

7. SK students performed a traditional Chinese New Year dance in recognition of the Year of the Rat.

4. Thirty members of the Junior School Choir, along with their teachers, spread some holiday cheer at Chartwell Park Place Aurora and Chartwell Oak Ridges retirement residences.

8. Junior School cast members of Frozen Jr. were treated to a personalized video message from Robert Creighton, who plays Weselton in the hit Broadway Musical Frozen!

JANUARY

APRIL

5. Amy Lin in 2W drew her own interpretation of the Junior School to present to Mrs. Wildberger.

9. Ms. Waller and Mrs. Marshall made porch drop off deliveries of new math books to their Grade 2 students. The smiles and waves they received made their day!

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10. Frozen Jr. Virtual Opening Night Party for cast, crew and parents of this year’s Grade 4-6 play was a night to remember! News that the production had been postponed until fall 2020 was disappointing for our young actors, so their directors thought a virtual gathering would help uplift everyone’s spirits. “The show must go on” rang true and everyone sang, danced and laughed to their hearts content! 11. Grade 6 student Kaitlyn Zhang tied for 1st place in the world with a perfect score in the Caribou Mathematics Competition. Kaitlyn celebrated the exciting news with Mrs. Street and Mrs. Wildberger on Google Meet and told her teachers, “I’m glad I can inspire more girls to become involved in STEM.”

12. While engaging in remote learning, students in 1V have continued with their 100 Acts of Kindness they began in January. From making rainbows with the words “Everything will be alright” and cards for hospital workers, to flower bouquets based on the #MuseumBouquet movement, they have been spreading sunshine to grandparents and seniors in their communities. 13. Students in 1M patiently waited for a Praying Mantis Ootheca (egg sack) to hatch, which yielded more than 200 Praying Mantis nymphs! Ms. Mazurkewich then made social-distanced driveway visits to drop off some nymphs for her students and read them a story.

14. The Grade 5 and 6 classes held their 12th annual public speaking competition on Google Meet this year, and students could present their speeches on a topic of their choice. Two speakers were selected to represent each class in the finals. For Grade 5, Myles Brown received an Honorable Mention, Maximiliano Freytes-Arias placed second and Lanna Wappel placed first. And in Grade 6, Kaitlyn Zhang received an Honourable Mention, Romeo Di Biase placed second and Sydney Tran placed first. Well done to all of our public speakers! 15. The Phys-Ed teachers have been releasing gym videos and challenges galore to keep their students engaged and active, including Foot Mini-Golf Fun!

16. Grade 6 students were tasked with creating/sketching an enviro-friendly home where they included a legend that showed their parallel lines/perpendicular lines and polygons as part of their geometry unit. Mila Marcelli took this project one step further and built a detailed 3D house.

MAY 17. For the Grade 4 Ancient Civilization final project, each student created a museum artifact as well as a scrapbook to highlight aspects of life in the civilization they researched at home. 18. Our JKs made their debut on Google Meet!

19. In their unit on growth and change in animals, the SK students got to share in the excitement of “virtually” watching their classmate Chloe Ma tend her incubator with anticipation for 21 days until one by one, her baby chicks began to emerge from their shells! 20. Grade 3 students were busy writing letters to grandparents, friends and front line workers to thank them for keeping us safe. Ms. Saunders encouraged them to submit their letters to The Globe & Mail so they might get shared in their online Coronavirus Update, and Brando and Allegra Vitullo’s letters were shared under an Act of Kindness! 21. Students in 2M and 2W participated in an evening virtual Poetry Café where they shared their poems with each other

and their parents. Students rehearsed their poems leading up to the virtual event, dressed up for the evening, and at the end of the fun evening were surprised to hear a special poem written for them by their teachers! 22. Grade 1s and 3s had fun searching the world for Ms. Romanowich and Ms. Baird’s missing chicken, CiCi. The teachers created a secret chicken decoding page and asked their students to listen to audio clues in their quest to find CiCi. 23. Our Grade 1s enjoyed their virtual visit with Officer Kristina from the York Regional Police to learn more about community helpers.

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TIMELINES

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 1

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

1. An impressive 35 Middle School students competed in the Canadian Intermediate Math Competition (CIMC). There were 9739 participants worldwide with an average score of 29 out of 60, and distinction certificates were awarded to students in the top 25%. The following Grade 8 students received a distinction certificate: Andy Chen – 37; Vincent Hui – 38; Stone Li – 39; and Derek Chen – 45 (just two marks below Senior School student, Jordan Chen ’23, who received the top score of all CDS participants and received the School medal with a score of 47)!

2. Middle and Senior Music Night & Art Exhibition

5. For the first time in fi ve years, CDS took home the Sterling Hall Cup trophy for the best school at the tournament! Congratulations to Olivia Budweth ’25 and Diya Mangat ’25 for winning first place in the junior category, with Molly Griffi ths ’25 and Lily Chen ’25 winning third place. In the senior category, Averie Easton ’24 and Sarin Gosal ’24 won first place, with Sarah Croxon ’24 and Ethan Wahba ’24 taking second place.

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3. The Middle School Council organized a holiday drive in support of “Holiday Heroes,” an organization that helps families in York Region who are having a difficult time this season.

JANUARY 4. Alex Samaras, one of North America’s leading singers in the jazz and new music idioms, held workshops with the Middle School Choir and Senior School Choir, and spent a day working with the Grade 7 Vocal classes.

6. Alex Xia ’24 and the MS Sustainability Council launched a Plastic Bag Take Back Initiative with great enthusiasm!

7. Officer Arezza from the York Region Police spoke with our Grade 8s about the YRP Values, Influences and Peers program. 8. Students and faculty demonstrated their support by wearing pink on national anti-bullying day #pinkshirtday.

MARCH 9. INTRODUCING … CDS ROCKET MAN! Alex Xia ’24 has been the heart of the MS Sustainability Council for the past two years. He has also been the driving force behind the success of our Rocket composter, faithfully trudging out to the shed in all kinds of weather, with or without Mme Colucci or Mr. MacMillan to help him, although he was often accompanied by Heidi Qian ’24, Vinci Wang ’25, or Jeffrey Chen ’25.

Back when the late Ms. Collins and Mme Colucci were meeting with the Council last year, Alex introduced the idea of building storage bins for the mulch the Rocket composter produces. Prior to COVID disrupting our lives, Mr. Mac’s classes were going to start building these during third term. Unfortunately, that never happened. However, in honour of Alex’s contributions to the program, we have proclaimed Alex honorary ‘CDS Rocket Man’.

A few weeks into our remote learning from home, Mme Colucci mailed Alex a handmade specially monogrammed apron to protect his CDS uniform while depositing food scraps in the Rocket. She had planned on presenting this to him at Assembly during Earth Week, but is hopeful he may be able to use it while cooking at home. Thank you Alex for your passion and dedication to the MS Sustainability Council! – Mme Colucci

APRIL 10. Mr. Waldron held weekly challenges this past term for his Middle School students to earn House points, encouraging exercise, chores at home, book spine poetry, board games and more!

MAY 11. Mme Marshall cooked up a little surprise for her Grade 7’s French listening assessment – Ratatouille! 12. Three debaters competed in the Canadian National Junior Public Speaking Tournament in Vancouver via Zoom. Millie Steinmann ’25, Ethan Wahba ’24 and Sarah Croxon ’24. Ethan finished just outside of the top 10, Sarah finished 6th place overall and Millie beat out all 57 other competitors to finish 1st in Acting and Persuasive making her the official 2020 Canadian champion!

13. Grade 7 students designed and built energy efficient homes for penguins as part of a “Save the Penguins” project. Ms. Winterink shared it with a friend who is a zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo, and she sent back a video shout out! 14. Middle School teachers got to reconnect with some of their students during Grade 8 Grad hoodie porch drop offs!

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TIMELINES

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 4

6 10

11 12

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DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

1. Our four VEX Robotics teams competed in a tournament at Newmarket High School and out of 39 teams, all four placed between 20th and 30th. Not bad for a fairly new team!

3. Author Victor LaValle chatted with Grade 11 English students via Google Hangout about two of his stories, The Ballad of Black Tom and Destroyer. He also talked about how his experiences growing up in the borough of Queens, New York has influenced his writing.

7. Grade 10 French students had a blast practicing all things French on the annual St. Donat trip.

2. Ms. Edwards recognized three students for their top 25% results in the University of Waterloo’s Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest (Grade 11/12) and Canadian Intermediate Mathematics Contest (Grade 9/10). For the Senior contest, Sean Song ’20 attained a 42 out of 60 (average worldwide score was 31)! And for the Intermediate contest, Jordan Chen ’23 attained a 47 and Henry Xiu ’22 a 38 (average score was 29 worldwide).

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4. Middle & Senior Schools’ Music Night and Art Exhibition 5. Arjun Walia ’22 scored consistently across all categories, especially Persuasive, Debate and Impromptu Speaking, at the National Public Speaking Championships in Winnipeg. 6. Writer and slam poet Brendan McLeod talked with Grade 12 Writer’s Craft students on how to give effective peer feedback.

8. The Grade 11 and 12 Music students put forth a tremendous concert as part of their Music ISU Performance, including GYs Anthony Botticchio, Jamie Dibble and Sean Song. 9. Check out our Day in the Life blog contributions from Tawana Ngorima ’22 and Arjun Walia ’22 at www.educationwithbalance.com. 10. Five members of CDS’s Model United Nations club (l-r): Peter Karabatsos ’20, Jack MacDonald ’20, Abby Boyd ’20, Christina Chkarboul ’21 and Ashley Munro ’21 travelled with Ms. Moonan to

Philadelphia for the annual Ivy League Model United Nations Conference for high school students. While lively debate and resolution drafting consumed nearly 20 hours of their time over the three days, they also had an opportunity for siteseeing, including a visit to the Liberty Bell! 11. The team of Jack MacDonald ’20, Georgie Tsiolis ’20, Maria Ivoditova ’22 and Tomas Chacin ’22 won the Winter Fulford Debating Competition for CDS. 12. Nilou Doust ’22 and Michelle Cai ’21 travelled to Ottawa for the Ontario Student Debating Union Sr. Provincial tournament, quite an event to qualify for!

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APRIL 13. MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER, WHILE APART Inspired by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring released on March 22, Head of Music Ms. Nancy Promane and Mr. Jordan Zero set about figuring out what would be involved in doing something similar, albeit on a slightly smaller scale, with their Grade 11/12 Music students. This is what they came up with: https://youtu.be/qP7ydiceQ_s. 14. In Mr. Fanni’s Grade 11 English class, students used Flipgrid to record themselves guiding their classmates through the visual elements of the graphic novel Destroyer, which related to their novel study of Frankenstein.

15. Mr. Garbe organized an online workshop for his Grade 10 drama students with professional actor and writer, Matt Edison, who shared his professional journey as they prepared to take their final performance monologues from the page to virtual stage. 16. While learning from home, Mr. Simmonds assigned his Grade 10 students the practical task of applying their knowledge of trigonometry to calculate the height of their house.

appropriate graphics and b-roll assets, created a script and recorded themselves as a news anchor, before editing it into a final package. 18. Students in Mr. MacMillan’s Grade 11 Environmental Science course were tasked with creating a presentation that would increase awareness of the global plastic waste issue and encourage a change of behaviour. Denny Hu ’21 created a timelapse video presentation on how plastics are impacting our lives – watch it on our YouTube channel.

MAY 17. The final project in Ms. Stefanescu’s Grade 11 Communications Technology class was to create a professional news report from home that featured only positive news. Students researched news stories from around the world, sourced

19. Nicole Damianidis ’22 won the 2020 Beaverbrook Vimy Prize, an invitation to participate in an intensive scholarship and immersive educational program in Belgium and France during the summer of 2021. CDS has only had one other winner of the

Vimy Prize, Reid Dobell ’12 in 2009, and one winner of their essay contest, Alia Brown ’17. 20. Because of COVID, this year’s Grade 12 art students exhibited their work as part of the Graduation Exhibition (GradX) online via a landing page designed by a former GradX student, Tabitha Chan ’12 in Community Relations! Take a look at the work of Ariana Akbarieh, Jack Benjamin, Mackayla Dabit, Yasmin Kirby, Nusha Naziri and Sabrina Pietrangelo here: www.cds.on.ca/ balance/arts/visual-arts/grad-x. 21. Senior School teachers made surprise drop offs of grad wear to our GYs!

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WINTER 2019-20

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS Boys’ Snowboarding Team won OFSAA Gold

EXCERPTS FROM THE MIDDLE/SENIOR WINTER ATHLETIC ASSEMBLY I know every person in this room has faced adversity before. I’m sure we’ve all been challenged academically, physically, or mentally. It’s within each challenge where we get to determine what our next steps to winning will be, because no one wakes up a champion. Often, it’s the process that counts more, the hours you put in when others don’t, that proves determination is essential to growth and winning.

U13 Girls’ D1 Volleyball won CISAA Gold

KARSEN ROY ’20

will be studying Kinesiology at Acadia University next year

Senior Boys’ D2 Basketball finished 2nd in their league (lost in semi-finals)

U14 Girls’ D1 Volleyball

Junior Boys’ D2 Basketball finished 1st in their league with an 11-1 record and won CISAA Gold

U14 Co-Ed D2 Hockey

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Our Girls and Boys’ Snowboarding Teams won double Gold CISAA medals for the 2nd year in a row (5th consecutive Gold win for the Boys)

U12 Co-Ed Hockey

Senior Girls’ D1 Volleyball

U12 Girls’ Volleyball U14 Boys’ D2 Basketball (lost in playoffs)

U16 Girls’ D1 Volleyball

Alpine Co-Ed Ski Team (7-12) Senior Girls’ D1B Hockey (lost in semi-finals)

U13 Boys’ D2 Basketball (lost in the semi-finals)

U10 Co-ed D2 Basketball (won CISAA Silver)

Senior Boys’ D1NC Hockey (lost in semi-finals)

CDS STUDENTS DRAFTED BY OHL CLUBS ON APRIL 4TH, CDS had three students drafted to the Ontario Hockey League. Congratulations to all three! Steven Li ’21 was drafted by Niagara IceDogs 162nd in the 9th round Quinn Binnie ’22 was drafted by Mississauga Steelheads 167th in the 9th round Jake Andersen ’22 was drafted by Oshawa Generals Hockey Club 293rd in the 15th round Recent CDS draft picks have included Jonah De Simone ’20 (Ice Dogs) and Victor Mete ’16 (London Knights, and now Montreal Canadiens).

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PERU TREKKERS RETURN HOME SAFELY A story of adventure for the ages BY KIM SILLCOX

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ETERAN TRIP LEADER and outdoorsman Andy MacMillan, and his co-leader Geneva Winterink, along with 19 adventure-seeking students, had judiciously been planning the World Challenge March Break service trip to Peru for nearly a year and a half with the group’s representative, Marcus O’Neill. Primarily student driven, even before departing, students had a hand in helping to orchestrate most everything, including the budget, transportation, accommodation and menus. It was also intended to be a physically and mentally rigorous, confidence-building trip, the kind of “rite of passage” experience that World Challenge is known for. World Challenge has led students on responsible overseas travel for 30 years. Their tagline reads, “150,000+ students forever changed on transformative trips.” They delivered on all fronts. As the March 4 departure date approached, the question of whether to cancel the trip due to news of the coronavirus was discussed at great length. Medical advice was sought and government travel advisories scrutinized before a carefully weighed decision was made to proceed. On the departure date, there had been no reported cases in Peru and only 20 cases in Ontario. Seven days later on March 11, the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic, and nine days later on March 13, Canada issued travel advisories. As we all know now, in the three weeks our group was in South America, the world as we knew it became a very different place.

ALMOST THREE MONTHS after their return and a few weeks before his retirement, I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. MacMillan about his memories of his final trip with CDS. Interestingly, Mr. Mac and Ms. Winterink, as well as the students, mostly remember the highlights, of which there were many. Mr. Mac attributes this to the outstanding professionalism and experience afforded them by their Expedition Leader, Diego Chaparro Londono, and the resilience demonstrated by our students.

THIS IS HOW THE TRIP UNFOLDED: MARCH 5 Arrived in Lima and took part in an orientation and responsible travel workshop. The group was briefed on respectful volunteering and travel etiquette by their

World Challenge Expedition Leader, Diego Chaparro Londono.

MARCH 6

Members of the group take a break during the Lares Trek to take in the alpine view.

Flew to Cusco and started to acclimatize to the altitude by taking a few day hikes, and then moved on to the remote agricultural village of Chari where they began the community engagement phase and service project. While initially scheduled to help build a shelter, they switched gears to address the more pressing priority of helping to build a water system. People in Chari gather their water as it comes down off the mountains and into a cistern where it is distributed throughout the community. “While the work wasn’t as glamorous or immediate as they had hoped, we were able to throw ourselves at the project knowing it would leave an impact.” The students dug trenches and cleared brush, and part of their budget was reallocated (1500 Peruvian soles or $800 CAD) to buying much-needed tools, including wheelbarrows, shovels, pic axes, paint and assorted plumbing parts that allowed the villagers to control the flow of the water system. CDS donated these tools to the community upon their departure. While in Chari, the group slept in tents behind the local school in a valley surrounded by mountains and lived among the residents for three days. They enjoyed good local fare prepared as part of a cultural exchange, including produce from the region served in delicious hearty soups, as well as a lot of chicken and also guinea pig! According to Mr. Mac, the townspeople showed the group endless gratitude, singing songs upon their arrival and departure, and thanked them repeatedly for the work they had done. They were also able to purchase some beautiful handmade gifts made by the women in Chari.

MARCH 8 While in Chari, the group deviated from the itinerary for an afternoon to climb Rainbow Mountain – a “black diamond white knuckle” mountain road drive and challenging day hike with an elevation of 5200m above sea level (Everest base camp is 5364m by comparison). (photo caption)

MARCH 9 When they returned to Cusco, the group packed up their hiking gear and headed out to the Saskia Ruins – an old Incan ruin that could be seen from downtown Cusco. Alexis Jenkin ’22 remembers this hike and view of the ruins as a highlight. “It was really pretty and the town was fun to explore afterwards!” (continued on page 24) THE LINK SPRING 2020

(continued from page 23) The group stayed in Cusco for three nights to get in a few more acclimatization treks, including one that was highly challenging. That hike was to Pit Marco, where they climbed to another spectacular Incan ruin with terraced valley walls. “I know for a lot of people, climbing through the mountains at such high altitude was a real challenge,” remembers Carly Campoli ’20. “There were two peaks that we had to get to during the trek before we were able to start climbing downhill. It was a super challenging feat for most, if not all of us, but when we made it, the feeling of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, as well as the views we were rewarded with, were the highlight of the trip for many of us.”

MARCH 12 Travelled to Cancha Cancha, where the group prepared for their main four-day trek to Lares. They hiked over land guided by locals, three porters, three cooks and a group of donkeys. The alpine views were absolutely breathtaking, revealing glacier-capped mountain peaks and glacier-fed streams running through the valleys where they saw Peruvian shepherds with their llamas and alpaca herds. The group spent three nights in the mountains with no communications with the outside world, only with the local villagers whom they met along the way.

While in Chari, the group climbed Rainbow Mountain - a challenging day hike with an elevation of 5200m above sea level. They also helped to build a water system for the local residents.

MARCH 15 It wasn’t until they arrived in Ollantaytambo that they began to realize the magnitude of what was happening in the rest of the world. It was from here that they were supposed to be taking a train to Machu Picchu the next day. The group checked into their hostel and went out for dinner. Walking home from dinner, they noticed people crowding around TVs in shops in the market square and through Diego’s translation learned that the Peruvian President had just closed the borders to the country and they had 24 hours to get out. It was 10 pm. They went back to the hostel and decided collectively that they would try to book a travel transfer back to Cusco that night before roads closed. Diego organized a van and car, they packed all of their belongings, and the group left at midnight in the cover of darkness for the three-hour drive back to Cusco.

MARCH 16 Upon arrival in Cusco early in the morning, they went back to their hostel to gather 24

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their belongings. They checked into another hostel that included cooking facilities because they figured they might be stuck there for two to three weeks. At this point, local roads had been closed. Mr. MacMillan and Ms. Winterink stocked up on groceries and started working the phone and internet lines back at the hostel with Diego to see if they could get a flight out of Cusco. They knew if they could get to Lima, Peru’s capital and largest city, they would have a much better chance of getting a flight back to Canada. Diego learned there was one flight out of Cusco at 9:00 pm that night. At 8:15 pm, Diego finally received word they were on the flight. The group jumped in two vans, entered the street, and got to the airport at 8:50

pm – but the gate was locked. Diego talked his way in because they had tickets. The airport was total chaos. According to Mr. Mac, it felt like they were in the movie Argo trying to get out. The flight had been delayed, but finally took off around 10:30 pm for Lima. While the airport was absolutely packed, the plane took off about two-thirds full. Upon arriving in Lima, they checked into a hotel for what they thought would be only a night or two.

MARCH 17 The group ultimately spent eight nights in the hotel in Lima. According to Mr. Mac, in spite of the uncertainty of when they would get on a flight home, the students’ spirits were good because they had each other.

“ …WHILE THE END OF THE TRIP WAS STRESSFUL FOR EVERYONE, I WOULDN’T TRADE THE EXPERIENCE FOR ANYTHING… BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I’M GRATEFUL THAT I WAS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WITH ME.” CARLY CAMPOLI ’20

The group in Chari; they hiked past Peruvian Shepherds tending to their llama and alpaca herds in the Lares Valley.

lucky to be served three meals in the open air restaurant until the local authorities shut it down. After a few dinners in their rooms, they realized they could eat together in the games room – and then they moved back to the dining hall. “We were never hungry and had lots of healthy choices,” remembers Mr. Mac. “The doors to the outside world had been closed and we were living in a 22-story bubble – but every room had a balcony.” Meanwhile, back in Canada - Mr. Liggett, Ms. Bland and team, along with the students’ parents, worked tirelessly around the clock to get the group home safely. While the idea of not knowing the timeline of their return was incredibly stressful for their loved ones and the CDS community back in Canada, the group was safe and pretty content where they were. That’s not to say there weren’t tears of joy when they received news they were going home.

MARCH 24

“I would have been in a completely different state of mind if it weren’t for everyone I was on that trip with. They kept me laughing and in great spirits throughout our entire hotel stay,” remembers Carly Campoli ’20. There were only a handful of tourists staying in the hotel, which had a permanent staff of about 12 who bent over backwards to make their guests comfortable. The hotel

manager, Ramon Diego, set them up in a private game room with a kitchenette, foosball and pool table, chess and cards. While the pool was not open, they could sit outside by the pool as the weather was quite nice, and for two hours a day they had access to a fitness centre and tennis court. The group also played a lot of soccer and volleyball. These activities broke up the day, and they were

The group received the green light that they were booked on a flight back to Toronto. Emotions ran high as they prepared to leave for the airport. News that Diego would not be accompanying them was crushing for everyone. He had already declined three flights back to Colombia in order to stay with them in Lima. He wasn’t even allowed to go with them on the bus to the airport; a Canadian official accompanied them to the military airport instead. According to Mr. Mac, things were tense right up until they boarded the plane. “When we saw that huge Air Canada plane on the tarmac, we couldn’t believe it. As we jumped off the bus and walked up to the plane, the staff were holding Canadian flags and saying welcome home – it was a pretty proud moment.” “The entire trip was a joy from start to finish. Even the part that we were in quarantine. There were no tears … all the reasons we chose to do the trip through World Challenge made it worth it. The kids were rock stars. And our friend Diego made it back to Colombia on April 12, Easter Sunday. ■ THE LINK SPRING 2020

EMBRACING THE GREAT WHITE NORTH Practicing winter survival skills on Outdoor Ed trek

BY KIM SILLCOX Six Grade 11 students, three leaders and a dog named Hank snowshoeing across frozen lakes near Espanola, Ont.

AT THE END OF JANUARY, the Grade 11 Outdoor Ed class embarked on their second of what was supposed to have been three adventure trips scheduled this year. Six students accompanied by Ms. Leacock and Mr. MacMillan journeyed north to Espanola, Ontario – 70 km southwest of Sudbury. They were dressed for the weather, donning their woolens from head to toe, as last year’s temperatures dipped down to -40C. The students had geared up for this trip for months, sawing branches for tinder and kindling, gathering pine bows for extra cushioning under sleeping bags, practicing pulling their gear on toboggans wearing snow shoes, rehearsing first aid and survival scenarios, and pitching their eight-person winter tents complete with wood burning stoves. However, none of them knew quite what to expect. The drive north was uneventful, the weather clear, and aside from it being the coldest day of their trip, the mood festive. The group arrived in Espanola around lunchtime, and Dave and Adam, their Lure

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“THIS WAS THE HARDEST THING I’VE EVER DONE, BUT ALSO THE MOST REWARDING.” “I WAS AMAZED AT HOW OUR GROUP CAME TOGETHER AS ONE.”

of the North guides for their four-day trek, met them to carry their gear by Ski-Doo to basecamp so that our students could acclimate to their snowshoes during their 7km hike through the woods. The first night was spent at basecamp where they got to know Dave, his wife and partner Kielyn, their dog Hank, and Adam, a Bushcraft Specialist from England. Prototype Snowtrekker tents were pitched, wood burning stoves stoked, and a rice fusion dish prepared for dinner. The night sky was incredibly clear and the illuminated tents shone bright for those who ventured outside to stargaze. Most everyone was surprised at how toasty warm the tents got, and only those who slept by the edge of the tent awoke to ice on their cheeks the next morning. “Hank the Tank” took to the group so well the first night, he was invited to join them on his first multi-day trip as a welcome distraction. The group set off right after breakfast, their destination West Quartzite Lake. Probably the second coldest day, temperatures were about -17C, but the blue sky

Our six intrepid Grade 11 students (l-r): Cooper Mull, Kai Sillcox, Scott McCann, Denny Hu, Rosie and Maeve O’Neill with Ms. Leacock (front); snowshoeing through the woods; stopping for a snack break; and preparing to set up camp for the night.

and effort of pulling a toboggan while snowshoeing across frozen lakes and portaging through dense woods kept them warm. The team arrived at its second campsite close to dark and had to hurry to get the tents up with what little daylight was left. A burrito dinner was devoured and after a few more stories from their leader Dave – who is passionate about all aspects of traditional winter camping, wilderness travel, and northern culture – these exhausted explorers crawled into their sleeping bags for the night. The next day they summited Mount Ararat. It was a steep climb, which they did in snowshoes, and offered a spectacular view of the North Channel of Georgian Bay and the La Cloche Mountain range. This was the warmest day so far, just a few degrees below zero, and it was a great feeling of freedom to travel light, not be pulling all their gear. The descent was a bit easier and they arrived back at camp for a well-earned pasta dinner and evening together by the fire.

“FOR THREE DAYS, WE REALLY DIDN’T SEE ANY OTHER SIGN OF LIFE, EXCEPT MAYBE ONE SMALL VILLAGE WAY IN THE DISTANCE.”

ON THE FINAL DAY, the group woke up early to dismantle the campsite and head back to Lure of the North’s basecamp. Temperatures rose above zero that day, which made for a slightly slower trek navigating a layer of slush, requiring frequent stops to knock frozen slush off the bottom of their toboggans and snowshoes. Some of the student’s takeaways included, “This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding,” “I was shocked and amazed at how our group really came together as one,” and “For three days, we really didn’t see any other sign of life, except maybe one small village way in the distance.” Others expressed an overall contentment of being outdoors, detached from their devices and the busyness of life. All in all, this intrepid group trekked 40km – forging their own path through dense woods and across snow-covered lakes – while solidifying friendships, building confidence and honing survival skills along the way. ■

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From l-r: Members of The Eversley Register editorial staff: Isabella Pasquali ’22, Jamie Li ’22, Sophie Kim ’22, Margo Vartanian ’13, Tarini Amarasinghe ’22, Maria Ivoditova ’22, Cindy Ma ’22, Jack Benjamin ’20, and Shayan Heybati ’22.

THE REBIRTH OF THE EVERSLEY REGISTER While meant to be a paper launch, COVID forced it online BY CHRISTINA CHKARBOUL ‘21

It is with great fervour and thrill that I write that The Eversley Register, the former staple of student civic engagement and journalism at The Country Day School, has been brought back into existence through the extensive efforts of dedicated students and staff supervisors. 28

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This rebirth was spearheaded by the Register’s new Co-Editors in Chief, Maria Ivoditova ’22 and Jack Benjamin ’20, with the support of English department faculty advisor, Ms. Hudson, who was the staff supervisor of the paper between 2010 and 2012, and Mr. Fanni, a new member of the Senior School English faculty. The initial idea for rebooting the paper came from Maria who, after attending a public speaking competition at a Boston high school last October and seeing the school’s student publication, felt a sense of inspiration to start up something similar at CDS. “I know that we have a lot of intelligent, driven students who have a great deal of interest in these big issues, such as current affairs, arts, and entertainment,” Maria said. “I know many talented writers here.”

“

THE EVERSLEY REGISTER WILL COVER EVERYTHING FROM CURRENT AFFAIRS TO THE ARTS IN AN EFFORT TO NURTURE A CRITICAL DISCOURSE THAT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO COLLECTIVELY, AND CONSCIOUSLY, BUILD THEIR WORLDVIEWS. OR, TO USE PLATO’S LANGUAGE, THE REGISTER PROVIDES A WAY FOR STUDENTS TO ACTIVELY REFUSE TO LET THE THEATRICS OF THE INTERNET AGE DO THEIR THINKING FOR THEM.” She believed that the paper would round out the scope of extra-curriculars offered at the School. The previous incarnation of the paper, which first started in 2003, thrived under the supervision of Ms. Hudson. According to Ms. Hudson, the paper acted as a unifying, inclusive force that allowed students to explore their interests and passions while developing vital skills in writing, communication, and technology. “There was always such a great buzz around the School when the latest edition of the newspaper was published,” she said. Mr. Fanni, an English teacher and coadvisor of the Debate and Public Speaking Club, felt the paper could not have been relaunched at a better time (his thinking back in February). “The terms ‘fake news’ and ‘post-truth’ have become unfortunate hallmarks of our current political era, yet these tensions are nothing new,” he says. “In the 5th century BCE, Plato abhorred the influence of poetry and described Athenian democracy as a

‘wretched theatrokratia,’ a society ruled by the theatre. Here at CDS, students will have an opportunity to participate in a democratic theatre of their own. The Eversley Register will cover everything from current affairs to the arts in an effort to nurture a critical discourse that will allow students to collectively, and consciously, build their worldviews. Or, to use Plato’s language, the Register provides a way for students to actively refuse to let the theatrics of the internet age do their thinking for them.” In January, Eversley Register alumna Margo Vartanian ’13 sat in on her first of what would become many club meetings, to share memories of how this paper impacted her worldview and nurtured her love of writing. New to CDS as a Grade 9 student, Margo enjoyed writing and was encouraged to get involved by her English teacher, Ms. Hudson. “I never had a platform, but with the newspaper, my inner journalist came out. It became my thing.” Currently a freelance writer and copywriter, Margo attributed her experiences on The Eversley Register as the reason she went on to pursue English, journalism, and media in her post-secondary ventures. While

writing for the paper, she enjoyed having a collective and supportive space where she could grow into the person she is today and explore various creative pursuits. The renewed Eversley Register aims to provide analogous opportunities for students to engage with their community and the world in a meaningful and tangible way. Ms. Hudson is beyond excited to work with students to bring back such a necessary and exciting outlet for student opinion and investigation. The relaunch of The Eversley Register is a reflection on the past decade and a look into the new one that examines past and emerging trends in politics and entertainment, sums up the ’10s, and provides a glance into the future of our world (pre COVID-19) both locally and internationally. While the original plan was to release a hard copy newspaper after March Break, the editorial team had to switch gears in a hurry, and with the help of Isabella Paquali ’22, who worked tirelessly to design all new templates, re-edit and package this relaunch edition together so that we could still deliver it to youhere: www.cds.on.ca/ publications. ■

Freelance writer and former Eversley Register contributor, Margo Vartanian ’13, sat in on several club meetings to share how working on the school newspaper impacted her world view and nurtured her love of writing.

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A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CDS ALUMNI FIRST RESPONDERS The following is a snapshot of just a few who are doing their part to save lives and keep us safe.

nity to social distance, this would undoubtedly not be the case!” Brianne considers herself blessed with two children, Kallan and Findley, and fortunate to have her husband working the front lines alongside her as a Cardiologist. Her message to CDS is: “I hope the CDS students, faculty and alumni remain healthy and come through this unprecedented time with grace and newfound strength in their community.”

Nick Howlett ’03

Brianne (Corcoran) Aiello ’99 is currently living and working in Syracuse, New York as an Intensivist and Pulmonologist. She writes that, “Fortunately, our healthcare system has been able to manage the influx of patients due to the coronavirus, but without the efforts of the commu-

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has been a paramedic in York Region for the past six years and is currently based out of the King City station, from which he has made a few visits to CDS in the past. Right now though, he is doing his part against COVID-19. Nick previously worked as a volunteer firefighter from 2011-2016, alongside CDS alumna Ali Lloyd ’05. His journey to becoming a firefighter and paramedic was not an ordinary one. After graduating from CDS, Nick spent a year pursuing a BA at Laurentian University. Having no idea what he wanted to do,

he went to work for his parents, both certified accountants, doing bookkeeping while working part-time on an accounting diploma. In Nick’s words, “It was definitely not for me, but I had to keep busy.” It was around that time (2009), that the Fire Chief in King Township, a good family friend, suggested Nick look into firefighting.

He started at Seneca College in its Firefighter program, and everything just clicked from there. “I finished Seneca in 2011 and right into a job as a Fire and Safety technician at Wonderland, which was an amazing experience.” Shortly after that, King City hired him as a Volunteer Firefighter, and he was suddenly working two jobs. In both capacities, Nick ran medical calls and did emergency medical training, which he discovered he loved and decided to attend CTS Canadian Career College, a private college in Barrie. It offers a fast-track Paramedic program that can be completed in 12 straight months rather than two years. Nick finished in 2013 and was hired by York Region at the beginning of 2014. The rest is history, and he is now also a skills instructor at CTS. According to Nick, “I have found my calling. I love working as a paramedic. I loved firefighting as well. Both are great careers.” Nick and his wife Jenna, four-year-old daughter Aubrey, and two-year-old son Logan now live in Alliston. His message to CDS is: “Stay home, stay safe and try to think about the positives. The simplest things we had taken for granted before this will be that much sweeter once this is all over.”

developing policies for disinfection of equipment, and educating patients and staff. She also provides 24/7 on-call coverage for all patients at Toronto General and Princess Margaret to ensure prompt flow of patients throughout the hospital network. Her message to CDS is: “Remember that the basic steps to prevent SARS-CoV-2 are the same steps we should always be taking to protect the most vulnerable among us.”

Callaghan Jull ’14 is in her first year working as a doctor at the Annapolis Royal Community Health Centre in Nova Scotia, where she has split her time between working in emergency medicine and ICU since COVID-19 hit. Callaghan has been part of a clinic group that has made the shift to keep the local emergency department open 24/7, as well as offering primary care seven days a week to meet the needs of the community. Because of her time spent in ICU caring for patients with COVID, she now has the most hands-on experience out of her group of doctors in her clinic. Her message to CDS is: “Be patient, stay safe, and follow the current guidelines.”

Nicole Gambino ’13

Kelsey Houston ’12 is an Infection Control Practitioner with the University Health Network at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. During this SARS CoV-2 pandemic, Kelsey has been screening, testing, isolating patients,

completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto in 2017 and was in her final year of Nursing School at George Brown College when COVID-19 broke out. When her school was cancelled due to the pandemic, Nicole started working at Markham Stouffville Hospital doing screening and patient registration in the COVID assessment centre and Emergency Department. She works alongside the doctors, NPs and RNs to ensure that they have a detailed picture of the patients’ symptoms and their potential exposure to the virus. According to Nicole, the entire staff goes above and beyond to make sure that there is no contamination between patients, staff and the public. It is incredible to see how quickly her hospital has responded to the pandemic, including the construction of an entirely new infrastructure to safely and effectively test for the virus. Her message to CDS is: “Stay safe, stay connected and continue to support each other through this difficult time!”

Riana Longo ’14 has been working on the front lines at the COVID assessment centre in London, ON where she pre-screens patients in the drive-through, assesses those who are probable COVID cases, performs test swabs, and provides patient education. Riana is continuing to work toward her Master’s of Science in Nursing in the thesis stream at Western University, and her “real” job prior to COVID was at St. Joseph’s Hospital in the Pain Management Program. Her message to CDS is: “Stay safe, healthy, and sane!” ■

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HOOPS NOSTALGIA Reflections on our February Alumni vs Senior Boys’ basketball game BY MARK BURLEIGH

AUTHOR’S NOTE I held off submitting this article because in late February/early March, our world was changing and I was no longer sure about the significance of this alumni news story. But now, in light of what’s transpired, I’m fascinated by our fundamental need to connect, reach out and remember, be nostalgic and reminisce, catch up, and hear about the goings on of people in our lives. The comfort and sense of peace that accompanies conversations, texts, video chats, and social media platforms, where we can revisit the glory days (fictitious or otherwise!), catch up with old friends and colleagues, and keep up in a virtual way have provided me with some calm and belonging. My semi-permanently parked car, my idle hockey equipment bag, and my empty gym office no longer provide the comforts of routine and connection. And so, in deference to the power of making connections and “having your teammate’s back,” I have written this story. Please reach out and call or text that former teammate, classmate, bandmate, or castmate. Get your dopamine hit, brighten their day, connect with your past. It’s helping me to manage this new “normal.” Please be safe and stay in touch. – Mark Burleigh, May 2020 CDS Faculty Alumni Liaison

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t might be the lighting, the smell, the sound, or just the “feel,” but when you walk back into your school gym, regardless of how much time has passed, you are transported back in time. Playing a sport, spending significant time and energy, making sacrifices and honouring commitment during your sentimental and developmental years all contribute to this feeling. You know what I’m talking about. You just know that you’re in YOUR gym. It doesn’t matter how much time has expired from the clock since you last stepped onto the court. And so it was on February 20, as I walked from my post in the Junior School gym toward the Senior School gym to welcome and host our Alumni Association’s 2nd Annual Open Gym Basketball Scrimmage for the current Senior Boys’ Basketball team and CDS basketball alumni,

I encountered a couple of familiar faces who needed some help with directions. These alumni had not been back to CDS since graduating in 2001 and 2010 respectively – and standing in the hallway outside our Senior School office, I was the lone familiar face at that time of day. Both “boys” had featured prominently in my career as a coach and teacher. They loved basketball and phys-ed, and we had some catching up to do. As we talked and walked, I gave them a running commentary of the “new” building. As we turned the corner and walked through the hallway toward their gym – past their grad photos on the wall – we reached the point where “old” Senior School meets the “new” Senior School, a space that had been their guidance office. It was then that they heard the unmistakable sounds of basketballs, voices and squeaking sneakers drawing them toward their old gym. They stopped talking

and their pace quickened. I felt I was watching two adult men become the “kids” whom I had taught and coached, their adolescent grins and excited expressions so recognizable, as they drew back the same wooden doors to reveal that recognizable parquet floor. The memorable dim lighting. The banners on the rafters. The unmistakable smell. They were met by the sights and sounds and smells of home. They encountered a gym full of faces and kindred spirits gathering to play, shoot some hoops and bury themselves in their passion. There were familiar faces of former teammates and teachers. They made new connections with fellow alumni from different eras. Professional networking and an employment opportunity was even discussed. They met current players, teachers, coaches and parents. The current members of the Senior Boys’ team sensed

Back row (l-r): Mr. Dean Sherman, Will Sherman ’19, Jackson Bain ’19, Tom Seymour ’03, Rayan Saleem ’19, Nick Ray ’01, Shayaan Khan ’19, Nicholas Tari ’13, Christopher Tari ’11, Alex Ceolin ’12, Ethan Dhanraj ’18, Mr. Steve McCutcheon, Lee Colucci ’01, John Celenza ’01, Jasper Dhanraj ’15, Glenn Brisbois ’18, Mr. Pete Milonas, Alex Simons ’10, Mr. Mark Burleigh; Front row (l-r): Caleb Clarke ’20, David Kuntz ’20, Arsalan Koosha ’20, Ben Smylie ’20, Sean Song ’20, Ethan Bain ’22, Kellan Sherman ’22, Mitchell Brat ’21, Denny Hu ’21 and Mr. Tony Young.

this was more than a game of basketball. They soaked it all in, as their older opponents reconnected and settled into this nostalgic space. Then they played. They competed and experienced that “feel” once again. They felt at home. And they had a sense of their metaphorical and very real CDS home court advantage. ■

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COMMUNITY NEWS

RECENT APPOINTMENTS AND STAFF NEWS

Andrew Bartle ’04 and his wife,

Lynda Grignano Polygenis joined

Krystal, welcomed their second child, Maevlyn Jae, on January 23, a sister for Ashton. Mr. Bartle is returning to teaching Outdoor Ed full time in the Junior School in the fall. Briana Courtemanche joined the

Junior School as the Before & After School Coordinator and an Associate Teacher last September and holds a BA (Honours) from Queen’s University in Dramatic Arts and History. She previously worked with Grade 6 students at the Queen’s University Enrichment Studies Unit and has also gained a wide range of experience teaching in the arts.

Shout out to the anonymous donor who donated a box to CDS Staff on December 14 to watch the Toronto Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets, 110-102!

The CDS Parent Association held a virtual AGM on Zoom on April 29th.

the Business Office team as the new Accounts Payable Administrator in December. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from York University. Her professional career began at Ernst & Young LLP in the audit practice, then moved into the Corporate Tax Compliance & Advisory group. After taking some time off to raise her two boys, she returned to the workforce at a local CPA firm. Ms. Polygenis has been a member of our CDS community for 13 years as a parent of Christian ’21 and Michael Polygenis ’27, along with her husband and former Board Chair, Dimitris Polygenis. Ashley Waller

Zachary Fanni

joined the Senior School English Department last September. He holds a Masters in English from the University of Western Ontario, a BA in English from the University of Toronto, and a B.Ed. from OISE, University of Toronto. Mr. Fanni was previously a Professor at Humber College teaching English, History and Philosophy courses in the General Arts & Science Department. Prior to that, he taught English and Ancient and Canadian History at UTS. Lia Kitchen

joined the Senior School Office as an Administrative Assistant, Middle/Senior Schools last October. Ms. Kitchen is an administrative professional with 34

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Six retiring CDS faculty members: Steve McCutcheon, 30 years; Mme Leslie Colucci, 22 years; Andy MacMillan, 22 years; Nadine MacMillan, 22 years; Mary Fournier, 8 years; Margot Beech Kennedy, 4 years = a GRAND TOTAL of 108 years! We wish them all a safe and adventure-filled retirement. Stay tuned for full tributes in the fall Link magazine!

and her husband, Ben Jamieson, welcomed the arrival of their second child, Jack Bedford on April 15, 2020. Big sister Alice is thrilled and Ms. Waller reports that he is an amazing little guy already! One week before delivering Jack, Ms. Waller made physically-distanced porch visits to deliver math workbooks to her Grade 2 students! Jen Weening

more than 10 years of experience in the legal, financial and customer service environment. Joanna Krisko

joined the Middle and Senior School faculty as a member of the English department last September. She

holds a BA in English from Lakehead University. Her additional teaching qualifications include Guidance Specialist and English (Senior Qualification), and she is currently working toward a Master of Education degree. Ms. Krisko previously taught for more than 12 years in the Kenora and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Boards.

and Shawn Levesque welcomed their second daughter, Camille Denise Clara, on December 13th, a sister for Maëlle. Ms. Weening is the Technology and Integration Specialist for the Middle and Senior Schools.

IN MEMORIAM

CDS Remembers Walter Davison 1966 – 2020 DURING THE LAST WEEK of school, we received the heartbreaking news that Mr. Walter Davison, a beloved CDS teacher for 24 years and former Director of the Middle School, had passed away of natural causes on June 15. Mr. Davison’s gentle spirit and devoted dedication throughout his years at CDS positively impacted everyone he met along the way. None of us will ever forget him. Mr. Davison first entered the teaching profession immediately following graduation from the University of Toronto. Having volunteered as a coach, tutor, and supply teacher at Upper Canada College (his alma mater) while an undergraduate at U of T, he would often joke that he never left school. He had taught at both UCC and Sterling Hall School before arriving at CDS in 1992, and Camp Ponacka was his summer “home away from home” for more than 40 years. A celebration of Walter’s life will take place at a time when we will be able to safely gather once again. In his memory, donations to The Country Day School, Upper Canada College or Camp Ponacka, 376 Ponacka Rd., Highland Grove, ON K0L 2AO would be gratefully accepted by his family. Our Facebook pages have overflowed with heartfelt tributes to Mr. Davison. Here are just a few memories that capture his essence and dedication to his students: One of the best. I still remember him occasionally pulling out his 12-string guitar to play for us at the end of Grade 8 science classes. He was incredibly talented and a great teacher. MICHAEL MANIACI ‘99

I had the amazing opportunity to travel with Mr. D to India to build a school and explore the beauty and culture of India. It was a life-changing experience, and it was amazing to see him work and interact with the locals to create a new place of education. Also, Grade 7 ducklings were my favourite part of Middle School MEG LAVIS ’13

Mr. D, you are already so missed. I will never forget when you saw me struggling on a test in Grade 7 and you quietly came over and put a wind-up action figure on my desk. You always knew how to support your students with your sense of humour and gentle nature. You positively impacted so many lives – thank you for being our teacher. ALLIE (DUNLAP) ERDODY ‘03

Mr D. was always there for all of us. Whether it be his unwavering encouragement and support in class, his self created phrases like “Grissom clean” for cleaning beakers, or singing and playing the guitar - he never failed to bring a smile to our faces. Try to fathom the love that must be present in one’s heart for a person to always go out of their way to print out and gift every photo he took. He will forever be missed, and will always live on in our hearts. RAEESA RAJMOHAMED ‘15

Mr. D, there are many great teachers at CDS, but you were one of the few truly exceptional teachers. It takes a very special person to teach students in Middle School (which is a challenging time in life), and you were simply a master at it. I would have never survived my first set of exams without your guidance. You made science fun. No one could organize and execute a trip to Europe with teenagers or a dogsledding adventure better than you did. You are very missed and loved by the CDS community. DAPHNE DUNLAP ‘02

Such an incredible educator and leader. He created such an amazing community sense and bond for us Middle Schoolers. I will never forget his love for Snoopy and all the photo keepsakes. Very sad to hear this news – he will be missed. CAITLIN (BARNES) TAMANE ‘09

Mr. D, you were one for the ages ... a true educator, in every sense of the word. I’m lucky to have had you guide me through the years at CDS. LEE COLUCCI ‘01

Walter was my friend. Up to his last days, we talked and laughed. Reading all these lovely tributes has helped me with my grief. Beautiful messages of Walter’s gifts to his students through his trips, teaching, humour, intelligence, inspirational quotes, awesome organizational skills and sense of harmony in all things. He touched us deeply. “Where there is deep grief, there is deep love.” This is my last gift to you, Walter. Rest easily, dear friend. JOAN MARTIN, retired CDS teacher 1988-2007

THE LINK SPRING 2020

DRAMASPOTLIGHT

THE 39 STEPS: A LAUGH-A-MINUTE FARCE Documenting the process of putting on a play

HEN WE STARTED the process of rehearsals, our Into the Breach Instagram Coordinators, Carly Campoli ’20 and Andrew Easterling ’20, came to us with an exciting idea. They wanted to document the process of putting on a play in, you guessed it, 39 steps. I will follow suit, but with many fewer steps.

STEP 1 PICK A PLAY It is always difficult for the drama department to settle on a play to produce. We read plays aloud, all in an effort to choose one that is both thematically relevant and fits the needs of the students. As this year’s theme is “Laughter is the best medicine,” The 39 Steps seemed like a perfect choice. Our challenge was to expand a play that is generally produced using only four actors into one that could accommodate our cast. 36

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STEP 2 REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE Rehearsal is the part of the process that is simultaneously frustrating and fulfilling. They can be tedious, tiring and troublesome, yet they are often the source of great laughter and help to create a bond between all involved. Whether it’s teaching the cast how to use a rotary phone, dance, dip or just move as if from another era, the incredible effort on the part of these brave young people, and the hilarity that often ensues, makes for scores of memorable moments.

STEP 3 TAKE A RISK (A.K.A THE FINAL PERFORMANCE) It is the act of making oneself vulnerable by creating and then presenting a play that is the true reward of any production. There is so much to gain from this process. These students became more confident with each step they took on the stage. They learned

The 39 Steps was Mme Colucci’s final CDS production working in costume design after dozens of shows, hundreds of costumes and thousands of hours. Merci Mme, come back and visit soon!

about the past and each other by engaging in the art of theatre making. They shared stories, both with their fellow cast and crew members, and now with you, the audience. This connection – the magic that happens backstage, on stage and in that space between the audience and the actor – is the most valuable part of any play. It is this intangible, yet very palpable connection that keeps us coming back to the theatre. In a time where arts education is being undermined, where connection with others often takes a digital form, it is vital to engage in such communal activities that remind us what is to be human. To laugh together and risk together is what will keep us together. ■ – Gisa Bevacqua-Tirone, Director

ALUMNI SNAPSHOTS

ADRIAN BATTISTON ’05

THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY Doing whatever it takes to secure a dream job

hen you practice law in the music industry, students often seek your guidance about breaking into the field. For Adrian Battiston ’05, who has spent six years as inhouse counsel for what is now Anthem Entertainment, the advice is simple. “I tell them to put in the work so that they are ready when the door of opportunity finally opens,” he says. “And when it does, you don’t walk through it. You have to jump through it.” Because he battled through surprises, delays and uncertainty on the path to his dream job, Adrian learned that’s the only way. When he left CDS, he intended to be a doctor, only to discover healthcare wasn’t to his liking. Pivoting his career plan, he completed a law degree at the University of Leicester in England. After graduation, he needed a way to re-enter the Canadian legal industry and so applied and was accepted as an Upper Year Transfer Student, in second year, at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. His arrival did not go smoothly. Having been abroad, Adrian didn’t know that the only way to get a coveted summer job with a medium or large law firm in Canada is via an on-campus interview at the start of second year. Caught by surprise, he secured a grand total of zero interviews. Facing an uncertain future, he turned to his interests for inspiration. “Music has always been central in my life,” he says. “I realized I wanted to be a music lawyer and decided to do whatever it took to make it happen.” After a year of non-stop networking, researching and cold calling, Adrian got his chance right before his third year was set to begin. He landed a meeting with two lawyers at a boutique music law firm in Toronto. As the meeting was wrapping up, he made them an offer. “I didn’t have classes on Fridays, so I offered to sweep the floors or put stamps on letters. Anything to get my foot in the door.” They took him up on it. He started out doing odd jobs. But by Christmas it had snowballed, and he was getting requests from lawyers all week long. As he took on more responsibility, he fell in love with the ethos of the firm. “It was such a cool vibe,” recalls Adrian. “No suits. Music playing all the time. Inspirational partners. Sophisticated work with clients who were Canadian music icons. In my head, this was the place I needed to be.”

The firm’s small size meant there weren’t funds for an articling position, so Adrian wrote his bar exams under a cloud of uncertainty. Then he got a call. A partner at the firm had recommended him to a corporate client in the music industry looking to hire a law student. He went from no job prospects to starting work Monday morning. But on a two-month contract, the uncertainty continued. Then it was extended to five months. Then to a year. And then the CEO called Adrian into his office and said, “You aren’t going anywhere. You are going to be in-house counsel for us.” The door of opportunity had opened and Adrian jumped through. Looking back on the role CDS played in his journey, Adrian feels the school’s emphasis on balance helped to nurture his wellroundedness and passion for music. He also sees the interpersonal skills and relationships he built as game changing. “It is an invaluable strength to have a genuine network of people who support each other.” Adrian’s CDS network is ever-present in his life. Along with his brother Daniel ’03, Adrian stays regularly connected to his friends from the Class of 2005 through a group chat. Members include Josh Tuttle, Armen Khajerian, Curtis Vickers, Gabe Jenkinson, Jamie Nelles, Jon Fiuza, Kyle Hubbard, Ryan Rudge, Steve Tafeit, Tom Finkle, and Zach Pancer.

How often are they in touch? All the time. “The other night, we had a chat going about which houses in Harry Potter correspond to which houses at CDS,” laughs Adrian. “And we play cards together, all the time!” ■ THE LINK SPRING 2020

ALUMNI SNAPSHOTS

MICHAEL CHERNY ’08

LIVING HIS TRUTH Blazing trails in business, diversity and inclusion

t’s hard to describe exactly what Michael Cherny ’08 does at Deloitte. Before com-

pleting his bachelor of commerce at the University of Toronto, Mike started as an intern and has been there ever since. His first full-time role was as a staff accountant in 2011, after which he became a senior accountant, a senior consultant, chief of staff for the Audit Public Practice, and then the senior manager lead for the Future of Trust in 2019. What is the Future of Trust? And how is he leading the way? “These are good questions,” laughs Mike. “My current role was designed for me, so I didn’t inherit an established position. Which makes it a bit harder to describe. Basically, I work in the area of trust, which is the next big movement in the business world. It’s a new model of thinking. Deloitte wants to be a leader in this space, putting out ideas and 38

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helping companies to position trust at the forefront of what they do.” Companies that lead with trust take into account not only their shareholders but their relationships with their employees, customers, communities, suppliers – every part of the business. Whereas purpose is about knowing why a company does what it does, trust is about acting with integrity and being guided by the right intentions. In Mike’s world, trust trumps purpose. Deloitte’s own research indicates that only four in 10 Canadians find organizations to be generally trustworthy. Mike and his Future of Trust team provide data, insights and guidance to business leaders on how to actively build trust or regain it when it’s lost. The coronavirus pandemic presents particular challenges. “How are companies responding to the crisis?” asks Mike. “Are employees being

protected? Is profit emerging as the only priority, or is everyone working for and with the company being taken into account? It’s good to have purpose, to stand for something. But how does the whole ecosystem fare, under normal conditions and also during tough times? Trust is like glue. It holds relationships and systems together.” Mike sees positive outcomes for companies that lead with trust: people are treated better, data is protected better, and communities are valued more. Given the complexities of measuring, monitoring, building and nurturing trust, Mike’s days are dynamic and often surprising. “I like a challenge,” he says. “I like a lot of stimulation. I’m attracted to new ideas and new processes that haven’t existed before. I’m guessing that the role I will take on next doesn’t exist yet. Not that I’m in any hurry. I love what I do.”

TO STUDENTS, HIS ADVICE IS TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY AND NOT APOLOGIZE FOR WHO YOU ARE. “IT’S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT. OTHERS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND BE YOUR CHAMPION. AND IT MAKES FOR MUCH BETTER RELATIONSHIPS.”

ike’s unique career trajectory is you don’t live authentically,” he says. as much a result of his talent as “There’s the stress of hiding, daily choices his championing of diversity and and negotiations about how to act and who inclusion. He leads Deloitte’s to be. All of that space has been unlocked Pride Employee Resource Group for me. I’m relieved to be who I am, and it and helped create the company’s has also made me more present in my work new Gender Transitioning Guidelines, and in my relationships. It’s so much better which other organizations are now using as to bring your whole self to work and to a model. He also actively promotes a more everything you do.” intentional focus on advancing underrepreMike had the support of his friends and experience. Michael still values the comsented groups in the workplace. family – including sister Mirella ’07 – as well munity feeling at CDS and the opportunities as his partner Caroline, who was a catalyst In the wider community, Mike serves to pursue his passion for music and sports. in his transition. “I once said to her, ‘I want on the board of The 519, a not-for-profit He was on the softball, golf and basketball the world to see me the way you see me.’ She dedicated to advocacy for the inclusion of teams and has fond memories of being the helped make that happen.” LGBTQ communities, and is a committee Arts Coordinator on Student Council. At He is still in touch with some CDS member of CPA Ontario and the Women’s Trinity College at U of T, Mike continued to friends, especially Karen So ’08, who is a College Hospital Foundation. He also doctor and also captain of the Hong Kong play sports and ran the intramural program served as treasurer of Pride Toronto for a women’s rugby team – the first ever Hong for the college. Today, he still plays softball. few years. Kong rugby team to make it to the World “I play on a women’s league that I joined For his advocacy work and also his deciCup. The team is currently vying for a secbefore I transitioned,” he says. “I was a bit sion to publicly share his transition story, ond run in 2021. worried that I wouldn’t get to stay on the Michael has earned several honours and “Karen is a great friend and great support,” team when I came out, but they were all so awards, most recently as the 2019 Catalyst says Michael. “I wish we could see more of amazing about it. Everyone just said, ‘Nah, Canada Honours Champion. Catalyst is a each other. She and Mirella and a handful global non-profit that helps companies build you’re one of us.’ I felt so welcomed and of other alumni keep me tied to CDS. I was loved.” a more inclusive work culture and accelerate so pleased when Mr. McCutcheon got in progress for women. As part of its mission, it ransitioning has been an overwhelmtouch after I transitioned to say hello and ask recognizes the men who champion diversity ingly positive experience for Michael. about my name. Would I like it to change and inclusion in the workplace. There were nerve wracking moments, in the CDS files? I would. It was nice to be Mike became that champion when he like coming out at work and wonderasked in such a thoughtful way.” publicly shared his transition story on his ing how his colleagues would view Michael has a few messages to share as 28th birthday. He posted a picture of himself him. After all, corporate culture isn’t a result of his lived experience. To schools, standing in the Deloitte lobby wearing a known for its barrier-breaking track record he suggests that students be presented with “Birthday Boy” button and announced, “Hi, on diversity and inclusion. But Deloitte was all possible options, such as wearing a kilt I’m Mike. And today is my first day living my truth.” Up until 2018, he had been living different. The day Mike posted his “Birthday or not as a uniform example. In general, he Boy” picture, a profile of him was posted advises that it not be left to young people to as Michelle, an identity that hadn’t felt right on the company’s internal website in the escalate a gender issue. “Aim for inclusion since he was a young student at CDS. He “People to Be Proud of” section. rather than accommodation.” just never felt like a girl. Mike never experienced the blowback To students, his advice is to live authenti“I remember when I first arrived at CDS he feared. Instead, he received thousands cally and not apologize for who you are. “It’s in Grade 3,” he says. “Part of the process of personal and email messages celebrating okay to be different. Others are here to was getting fitted for the school uniform. and thanking him for his decision to share support you and be your champion. And it When I tried on the tunic in the school his story. Many came from professionmakes for much better relationships.” store, I burst into tears. I hated dresses. In als who wanted to transition at work but When it comes to his choice to make his general, my life growing up felt like weardidn’t know how, including other Deloitte transition story public, Michael recognizes ing a costume all the time, and this moment employees. his own responsibilities. “As a leader, an ally, made that so present and evident. Life has Of all the changes in Michael’s life since a friend, a colleague, how can I help others gendered uniforms, and so do schools. That transitioning, one of the most important has to unlock that precious brain space? And was always hard for me.” been freeing his mind. how can I continue to ready the corporate Despite never feeling comfortable before “A lot of brain space is taken up when world for the next generation?” ■ his transition, school life was a positive

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CONNECTIONS

ALUMNI NEWS AND UPDATES

THANKS FOR JOINING US AT THE ALUMNI HOLIDAY GATHERING! SAVE THE DATE FOR THIS YEAR: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020! Ms. Alanna Houston ’07 with Dima Kalander ‘19, Victtoria Ardellini ‘19 and Zoey Pietrobon ‘19

2019 Grads Allyson Whitmell, Claire Luba, Rebecca Train and Kitt Empey

LOST AND THEN FOUND: ’04 CDS CLASS RING he first week of May, I received an email from a self-described metal detector enthusiast in Kingston who had found a CDS class ring and was wanting to return it to its rightful owner. In his email, he included a few photos from which I could see that our clever alumnus (or his parents) had had his ring inscribed with the dates, 93-04, and the initials, N.K. Thankfully, our yearbooks are now digitized, so I was able to quickly look up the 2004 yearbook from home and ascertain that this ring belonged to Nick Kadysh ’04. Nick made my job even easier, by including a mention of his 11 years at CDS in his yearbook comments, and I saw in his record that he had attended Queen’s University. With 99.9% confidence, I sent Nick an email with the news, and because almost everyone was working from home then, I heard back within the hour. We connected by phone and sure enough, he had lost his ring in 2006 while a student at Queen’s, had since replaced it, but nevertheless was thrilled to hear someone had discovered the original. The ring has since found its way back to Nick in Toronto. We hope that this CDS Good News Story serves as a fun reminder to all members of the Class of 2020 to get their rings engraved. Shout out to Bob Brey, the good Samaritan in Kingston! – Kim Sillcox

T 2019 Grads Christian Ghezzi, Andrew Schaus, Leighton Jull, Daniel Torrealba, Wilson O’Neill and Patrick Wilson

Brigitte Hermanns ‘12, Kerrigan Brown ‘12, Tabitha Chan ‘12 and Kate Martini ‘12

Upcoming Events 2020

2021

Alumni Pub Night Wednesday, October 14 Details to follow.

10 Year Reunion Dinners for the Class of 2010 and 2011 Friday, June 11

Alumni Holiday Gathering Friday, December 18 Details to follow.

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Alumni Reunion BBQ Saturday, June 12 25 Year Reunion Dinners for the Class of 1995 and 1996 Saturday, June 12

YOUR ALUMNI EXECUTIVE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN MEETING ON ZOOM SINCE APRIL!

Join CDS Online Social Media www.facebook.com/TheCDS1972 • www.twitter.com/TheCDS1972 www.youtube.com/TheCDS1972 • www.instagram.com/TheCDS1972 Network with CDS alumni at our LinkedIn page

ALUMNI NOTES

& Public Policy Leader for General Electric Canada and Director of Public Affairs for Red Bull Canada. Prior to working in the corporate sector, Nick gained a deep understanding of Canadian government as a campaign and legislative staff member in multiple levels of government, most recently directing the Outreach department of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition at Queen’s Park in Toronto. He has also worked at the Canadian Parliament as a policy advisor. Nick is trilingual (English, French and Russian) and is a graduate of Queen’s University. He lives in East Toronto with his wife, Olga, and two daughters, Milena (4) and Sasha (2). He is active in non-profit and community initiatives in Toronto, including fundraising for Toronto East General Hospital and as a member of the board for Yonge-Dundas Square. Nick remains close with some of his CDS classmates, including John MaGee and Pete Elmhirst.

Stacey Bruhm ’05 and Martin Mezulis welcomed a baby boy, Mason Charles, on February 18, 2020. Stacey is Manager of Finance at Magris Resources, a private mining company, and lives in Etobicoke.

05 Kate (Lloyd) Guy ’96 married Noel Guy on November 3, 2019 in Huntsville, ON and had planned to honeymoon in Australia in March until it was postponed by COVID-19. The couple is living in Bradford and had qualified and been training to compete in the Boston Marathon in April, but as of now the Boston Marathon has been moved to September. Kate, in particular, is really looking forward to this race as her family and sister Alyson Lloyd-Biggar ’00 all live in the Boston area and are planning to cheer them on!

Both avid runners and triathletes, Noel had hoped to compete in the Half Ironman World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand in November, and Kate had been trying to qualify for the Half Ironman race in Victoria, BC in May 2020. After receiving the news that both races were cancelled, Kate and Noel are staying positive and using this year to train hard for the 2021 race season! The two are self-employed and assist one another with their businesses: Kate runs IntriKate Events Inc, an event and marketing company, and Noel runs Green Guy Gardening, a landscaping and snow removal business.

Nick Kadysh ’04 has more than a decade of experience as a public affairs professional, and is currently the Head of Corporate Affairs for JUUL Labs in Canada, managing all of their relationships with government, outside stakeholders, and the press. Nick’s previous roles include Government Affairs

Katie Duncan ’08 graduated from Brock University in 2012 with her Honours Bachelor of Accounting and obtained her Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant designation in 2015. Katie works at Millard Foster Thibeault Youell Professional Corporation as a partner where she provides taxation, assurance, and accounting services to clients in Aurora and surrounding areas. She is also a member of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

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ALUMNI NOTES

Ashley Whitehead ’97

An Associate Dean of Veterinary Medicine

Marissa McGaffey ’09 graduated from the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the Ontario Veterinary College, following the completion of an Honours Bachelor of Science with a Minor in Psychology at McMaster University. She was selected for one of the eight coveted internship positions at the Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre, and will begin work as a clinician in June. Throughout her DVM, Marissa worked as a research assistant in the Ontario Veterinary College’s Department of Clinical Studies, investigating biofilm formation on and sterilization of 3D printed medical implants. Her first manuscript, Manual polishing of 3D printed implants by laser powder bed fusion decreases biofilm formation, was published last spring by PLOS One. Marissa was also chosen to present her current research on sterilization of 3D printed orthopaedic implants at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Surgery Summit in Las Vegas last October. In her first year she won the Extra Mile Award by class vote for her work on behalf of the class as a class representative. In her final year she was awarded the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Student Surgery Award for exceptional aptitude through initiative, diagnostic skill, dexterity and perioperative care. Marissa is now looking forward to her internship year, the challenges that come with it and meeting her patients!

Following a Bachelor of Science program at the University of Guelph, Ashley completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2005. She then moved to Wisconsin where she completed a rotating equine internship at the Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Hospital. In 2006, Ashley returned to Guelph for a combined clinical residency and graduate degree program in large animal internal medicine, which she completed in 2010. She obtained the status of Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM) in 2012. Ashley has been on faculty at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine since 2010 and teaches a wide variety of courses across the curriculum. She is currently Associate Dean of Clinical Programs and works within the executive leadership of the Faculty. Ashley also practices at Moore Equine Veterinary Centre, just north of Calgary, and provides large animal internal medicine consultations and case management. Ashley and her husband, Dustin Bunney, just celebrated their second wedding anniversary. They of course share their home with a multitude of animals and enjoy spending weekends on the Bunney family ranch.

Leslie (Guldimann) McGowran ’09 and her husband, Drew McGowran, welcomed a little girl, Fiona Vera, on November 23, 2019.

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Margo Vartanian ’13 is a freelance writer who is in the process of relocating to Los Angeles to further her career in writing and journalism. She studied English literature, rhetoric, and media at the University of Toronto, while holding congruent internships at Narcity and StyleDemocracy. Post-grad, she worked as the social media manager of multiple compa-

Montana Mortimer ’10 is a partner with EdgePoint Wealth Management in Toronto and was back on campus in January hosting EdgePoint’s EDGEucation Camp, a financial literacy seminar, where Montana and her colleagues addressed inflation, the power of compounding, investing and more. The event was organized by this year’s Student Council.

nies before fully freelancing. She now develops written content strategies for various brands and hopes to be creative director of different projects. She is still 4'9" and loves to read. Ms. Hudson and her student editorial staff are indebted to Margo for helping to relaunch The Eversley Register during Term 2 (read the story on page 28).

Erin Curtis ’14 is currently working on completing her Master’s at the London School of Economics and Political Science in Media and Communications in the political communications field. She hopes to be done by August 2020 and will then attend Queen’s Law School in September. Erin would be happy to speak with CDS students about her continuing education experience and what it is like to study abroad.

Emily Addison ’11

Advising Ontario’s Premier on Public Policy Lukas Weese ’14 is currently attending Centennial College’s graduate sports journalism program. As a passionate sports follower who has covered sports for a variety of outlets (Sportsnet.ca, PGATour.com, Raptors Republic, Canadian Baseball Network, LastWordonSports. com), Lukas launched Weesesports Quarantine Chronicles @Weesesports on Twitter during COVID-19. Through this video podcast series, Lukas has interviewed numerous athletes and sports media figures, including Bob Elliott (Hallof-Fame baseball writer), Chuck Swirsky (former play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors) and Bob Nightengale (baseball columnist, USA Today). For episode 10 on May 14th, he chatted with fellow CDSer McKinley Hunt ’15 @RugbyCanada NSW15s about her journey into the sport, battling injury, and staying motivated during the pandemic.

Emily Addison ’11 after graduating from the University of Western Ontario in the spring of 2016, Emily attended Royal Holloway, University of London in the United Kingdom where she earned a Master’s of Science in Political Science and International Relations. Upon graduation in the fall of 2017, Emily moved to New York City to undertake a six-month internship at the United Nations Secretariat in the Office for Disarmament Affairs where she supported peace-building work around the world including the development of disarmament programs in 14 countries emerging from conflict. Since moving back to Toronto in 2018, Emily has worked for the Premier of Ontario in various roles including her current position as the Deputy Director of Policy. In this role, Emily advises the Premier and Ministers on various policy areas including the province’s intergovernmental affairs efforts by working with provincial, federal and international partners on issues that affect Ontarians. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily’s role has evolved. With the need for collaboration across all levels of government, Emily works in partnership with staff across the country and advises Cabinet on innovative public policy that supports the health, well-being and economic position of Ontarians and Canadians during these unprecedented times.

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ALUMNI NOTES

Olivia Railton ’17 is a third-year law student at Oxford University. Recently, she completed an exchange at Leiden University in the Netherlands where she decided to focus her studies on Human Rights Law. While in quarantine, she volunteered to serve as one of the Grand Finals Judges for the FDT Canadian Public Speaking Contest, in which three CDS Middle School students participated live on Facebook.

Julia Brown ’13

Is Growing her Almond Butter Business Julia Brown ’13 first started making Julia’s Best Ever Almond Butter for herself, friends and family as a first-year student pursuing Media, Information and Technoculture at Western University. When the demand for her product took off, she had to start charging her friends and family members and eventually landed her first retailer, The Roost Café, in her hometown of King City. Now, six years later, she has since graduated (2017) and her product is sold in more than 100 retailers across the GTA, Halifax and BC. Things progressed quickly after Julia met her now business partners at a food demo in Toronto. They helped her source the necessary equipment to start her own Julia’s Best Ever facility in Vaughan so that she could increase production at a more rapid pace. This larger volume has allowed her to get her product into more stores, including Loblaws, Vince’s Market, No Frills, and soon-to-come Metro. Julia’s product line now includes four flavours of almond butter: The Original Smooth (with chia and flax seeds), Crunchy (with chia and flax seeds), Date (with hemp hearts) and Nude (no sugar or salt). As well, Julia’s almond butter remains peanut and gluten-free.

Graydon Staples ’17 just completed his second year at St. Francis Xavier University pursuing a double major in BSc Chemistry and BBA Finance and on the Varsity Track and Cross Country teams.

Chloë Flowers ’18 and Victoria McIntyre ’18 are pursuing a Drama Specialist and English major with a double minor in Drama and Creative writing respectively at the University of Toronto. The two friends co-wrote and directed a staged reading of A Portrait of Two Men in U of T’s historic University College JCR in December. The story is based on Victoria’s great grandfather and great uncle, James and John McRuer, two of the Canadian artist Tom Thomson’s closest friends. It shares the life of Tom Thomson and is an exploration of the power of art, how identity is shaped by sexuality, and what it means to be a friend. Julia Garbe ’17, who is studying at Waterloo, and Madison-Shira Hossack ’18, who is also studying at U of T, came to watch!

18 Sebastian Jedrzejewski ’16 will graduate from Edinburgh Law School this summer, finishing his final year as Editorin-Chief of the Law Review and President of the Edinburgh Sports and Entertainment Law Society, which he helped found this year. In the fall, Sebastian is attending The London School of Economics to pursue an MSc in Financial and Commercial Regulations, while at the same time wrapping up his legal traineeship working on international soccer employment arbitration decided by FIFA.

Beth Fournier ’15 graduated from McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor Degree in Legal and Political Philosophy. Following graduation, she and a few other McMaster alumni were selected for an internship for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa where she worked in the Agency’s Access to Information and Privacy Branch. After the internship, Beth accepted an offer from the Canadian Border Service Agency, where she is now working in their Headquarters in Ottawa as a Junior Socioeconomic Analyst in their Transformation and Strategic Integration office.

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Victor Mete ’16 a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, teamed up with Dunn’s famous smoked meat deli chain to provide 500 meals to front line healthcare workers in Montreal.

McKinley Hunt ’15

In Pursuit of an MEd and Final Rugby Season McKinley Hunt ’15 graduated from Queen’s University with a BA Honours with Distinction in History, Political Studies, and Geography in 2019 and a B.Ed. in May 2020. Throughout her five years, she played on the Queen’s Women’s Rugby team, with the exception of a 16-month hiatus for rehab due to an ACL injury in 2018. Following her recovery from surgery in 2019, McKinley returned to the Canadian National Team that November in San Diego to beat the United States in two consecutive games and earn the ranking of #3 in the world. That same year, McKinley won an OUA Provincial Championship and a USports National Silver Medal with Queen’s, and earned OUA First Team All-Star, First Team All-Canadian, and Tournament All-Star recognition. Upon completing her B.Ed. in May, she learned that she had been named the Queen’s Female Athlete of the Year and was awarded the PHE ‘55 Alumnae Award, given to the female athlete who best displays qualities of scholastic achievement, leadership, competitiveness, sportsmanship, and exceptional contributions to her team. McKinley hopes to play one final season with the Gaels while pursuing a Master of Education degree at Queen’s in September. She then plans to move to the UK to supply teach and train full time ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which will take place in New Zealand in fall 2021.

Gabrielle Goudie ’18 directed her former castmate, Jeremy Garbe ’19, in Angels in America at Carleton University’s Sock ‘N’ Buskin Theatre Company production in January. Julia Garbe ’17 and Mollie McLaughlin ’18, who came up from Queen’s University, were both in the audience! Gabrielle just completed her second year at Carleton and is majoring in English.

Magnus Krever ’18 and Wilson O’Neill ’19 crossed paths at the Western University Invitational last December. Wilson, who was running for the Mustangs, won the 42" hurdles and Magnus, competing as a Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawk, placed 8th in the 1000m. Wilson went on to be named the Bob Vigars Male Rookie of the Year at Western and placed 5th in the 60mH at the OUA Championships, followed by a bronze medal at USports Championships in a new lifetime best of 8.14s.

Shout out to these fine Alumni and two of their parents for joining our virtual GY Transition Panel discussion in May! Luke Bannerman ’18, Rebecca Train ’19, Ken Whitmell, Lexi Benlolo ’18 and Amanda Benlolo ’19, Shayaan Khan ’19, Alissa Train, Ian Rokas ’19, Ethan Dhanraj ’18 and Jasper Dhanraj ’15, and Dima Kalander ’19. Their advice was invaluable!

Jordan Robertson-Reid ’19 was back on campus in January helping out with a rehearsal for the Senior School production of The 39 Steps and has just completed her first year pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre with Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Jordan also had two performances in our virtual Alumni Coffee House in May!

IN OUR MEMORIES … Gordon B. Wilson Sr. passed away peacefully on April 11, 2020 at his home in Aurora. Gord and his wife, Janet, are the parents of five children, four of whom were CDS original students: Gordon Jr., Laura ’76, Susan ’78, John ’80 and Alexandria ’83. Gord was the first Foundation Chair for CDS and a longtime supporter of the CDS Auction through his business, Wilson-Niblett Motors. He was also instrumental in the successful auction bid in 1978 to purchase the land upon which CDS stands today. Cameron Spence NG ’07 passed away on May 22, 2020. His siblings Courtney NG ’03, Graham NG ’05, and Trevor NG ’09 also attended CDS.

“Greetings from CDS! This place sure isn’t the same without all of you in the hallways and classrooms, the Back 40 and on the playing fields. Hope you’re staying safe and that we see you back here soon!” Brian Jimmerskog, Head of Facilities, has been keeping our school safe.