The Link, Summer 2022

the CONNECTING THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL COMMUNITY

CDS FACULTY AND STAFF

IN THIS ISSUE

11 Years at the Helm The PAC Turns 20 The Growing Mind Debating on World Stage The Noble Family Alumni Notes SUMMER 2022

KICK OFF OUR 50TH YEAR!

50 YEARS OF MEMORIES AT CDS! CDS is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

To help celebrate, we have a full slate of large and small events planned for our community, including: Founders Dinner: Saturday, October 1, 2022 50th Doors Open Event: Spring 2023 (date still to be determined) Auction 2023: Friday, June 2, 2023 50th Alumni Celebration Event: Saturday, June 24, 2023 Be sure to visit our 50th Anniversary website www.cds.on.ca/cds-turns-50 as we add more micro-celebrations throughout the year.

Please send your favourite CDS photos and memories to communications@cds.on.ca for our website, social media and posterity!

SUMMER 2022

CONTENTS FEATURES 6

John Liggett Looks Back As we kick off our 50th anniversary, CDS’s fourth Head of School, John Liggett, reflects on his first 11 years.

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Balance with a Bang Head of Drama, Scott Garbe, shares memories from the first 20 years of our Performing Arts Centre.

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The Growing Mind What Makes Gen Z Tick?

The more we understand this group, the better we can help them to thrive.

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Another World Champion CDS hosted the 34th World Debating Championships in April, winning overall champion yet again!

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Where Are Our Debaters Now? Coach Kerstin Wyndham-West checks in with 12 of her previous world debaters.

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Drama Spotlight Mark your calendars for the upcoming Junior and Middle/Senior School productions!

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Meet the Noble Family Read this issue’s Alumni Profi les and catch up with Katie ’05, Jacquie ’06 and

FROM THE ARCHIVES Pictured above are students Andrea Craig ’91 and Shane Peachey ’91, along with co-founder Edmond G. Eberts, original teacher Alison Scott, first Headmaster John Pratt, co-founder Moffat Dunlap and original teacher Peter Taylor at the unveiling of the Founders plaque at the 15th anniversary celebration in May 1988.

DEPARTMENTS

Colin Noble ’08.

2 From the Editor

3 Message from the Head of School

4 School Highlights 33 Connections

18 Timelines

38 Alumni Notes

24 Athletics Update

31 Community News

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Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

You’ve made us proud — we wish you all the best!

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

ON THE COVER: CDS Faculty and Staff gathered for this photo on August 29th, 2022, to kick off the 50th anniversary year!

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FROM THE EDITOR

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY, CDS!

EDITOR

Where were you in the fall of 1972?

Kim Sillcox, Director of Communications and Marketing

CONTRIBUTORS

I’

VE BEEN WAITING 10 years to say this, having started my role in June 2012. After learning that the school would be celebrating its 40th anniversary shortly after I arrived, I made a point of gathering CDS history thinking it may come in handy when we celebrated the 50th.

The actual anniversary of the school’s opening is September 11, 1972, when 47 intrepid students first arrived in our classrooms. But rather than focus on one day, we have decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary for an entire academic year.

We will be doing this by sharing historical vignettes on social media and in The Link, driveway banners featuring some of our illustrious alumni, a coffee table book due out this spring in hard copy and digital version, alumni greetings, a 50th website, and numerous 50th-themed events throughout the year.

We “teed off” the celebration year on August 18th with a golf tournament open to all members of our community and hosted by the CDS Alumni Association (photo on p. 33).

On the first day of school, our students, teachers and parents wished CDS a Happy Birthday at the 50th-themed Welcome Back BBQ. And on October 1, we invited our Founding families back to see the school they conceived of and helped to build during the first decade of its existence.

The rest of the year will unfold with a series of macro- and micro-sized events stamped with the 50th anniversary theme.

Our Junior School Building Magic wing is scheduled to open this academic year, which is when we will host a doors open style event. Stay tuned for more exciting details.

We will welcome everyone back in June,

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for the much-anticipated return of CDS Auction – a Golden Jubilee edition. We’ve missed hosting this event for the past three years and can’t wait to bring it back to campus!

Finally, we will put a bow on our 50th celebration year with an all Alumni event on June 24. We look forward to sharing the lineup with you!

Yes, this is going to be an incredibly exciting year for CDS and we would love to welcome you back for one or multiple events to help us celebrate the magnificent school you have helped to build and grow over the past 50 years.

Be sure to check out our 50th anniversary website for more information at www. cds.on.ca/cdsturns50. Questions? Please email one of our two co-chairs: kim.sillcox @cds.on.ca or tracey.scott@cds.on.ca.

One last thing: Everyone loves photos and stories, so please send us your favourite pictures or memories with short descriptions and dates for social media posts, 50th website galleries, and the coffee table book we are working on. All input is welcome.

Please email to communications@cds.on.ca.

Have a great year CDS! Kim Sillcox

Director of Communications and Marketing

Gisa Bevacqua-Tirone Celia Bland Suzanne Bowness Scott Garbe John Liggett Jenna Romanowich Kellan Sherman ’22 Jon Soules Karen Sumner Ann Wildberger Kerstin Wyndham-West

DESIGN

Michael Cherkas

PHOTOGRAPHY

Stan Behal Photography Zach Lawton Kim Sillcox Beatrice Stefanescu Jen Weening

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

EMERGING FROM THE STRANGEST OF TIMES We’ve all been on this journey and are ready to move on!

Y

OU ARE LIKELY familiar with the adage “time is not linear.” I think our collective experiences during the pandemic bear witness to the truth of this saying. It has been far too long since things could be considered “normal.” And it has felt, on occasion, like we have been looping through a recurring timeline rather than stepping forward into a new phase.

In speaking to staff during this fall’s opening meeting, I had to map out the number of school years during which we have been dealing with the most unusual of circumstances. The 2019-20, 2020-21

… it may take everyone a little while to recall, and fit into, what was considered normal in terms of routines and practices. But we will fall into the customary ebb and flow of the school year soon enough. I must say, I am looking forward to this new normal with a great sense of delight.

and 2021-22 years were all substantially impacted. In fact, you have to go all the way back to the 2018-19 school year to find a wholly normal year! I find that timeline almost incomprehensible when I lay it out on paper. And yet the journey was real and was a significant challenge to us all—parents, staff, and especially our young people.

Thankfully, barring the arrival of some ill-timed super variant, we are largely through the strangest of times and very much looking forward to a return to normalcy. Given it has been a number of years since we have experienced a steady state of affairs, it may take everyone a little while to recall, and fit into, what was considered normal in terms of routines and practices. But we will fall into the customary ebb and flow of the school year soon enough. I must say, I am looking forward to this new normal with a great sense of delight.

The Board of Directors, the entire CDS faculty and staff and I very much look forward to welcoming you back on campus this fall as we launch the 50th anniversary celebration year of CDS and get to experience that much sought-after feeling of community and connectedness that we have all missed.

See you at the school soon everyone!

John Liggett

Head of School

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SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS News from around CDS

2022 Portrait of a Grad Videos Watch our latest Portrait of a Graduate videos featuring Henry Xiu, Neyla Kirby, Nicole Damianidis and Connor Fortin at www.cds.on.ca/portraitofagrad.

Student Captures National Junior High Speech Championship for Third Year For the third year in a row, MILLIE STEINMANN ’25 is the Canadian Junior High Speech National Champion, placing second in Solo Acting, first in Impromptu and first in Persuasive.

Student Organizes Mock Election As a lead up to the June 2nd provincial election, Ethan Wahba ’24 organized a mock election for students in Grades 5-12 with the help of CIVIX, a Student Vote program and national charity dedicated to strengthening democracy.

Quest to interview WWII veterans while they are still alive As a lead up to Remembrance Day last year, Jaxon

Parents Return to Campus CDS hosted two Parent Gatherings this spring, one for Junior School parents and one for Middle/Senior School parents. It was wonderful to welcome our parents back to campus!

CDS Debater Wins World Championship for 4th Time For the fourth year out of seven, a CDS Debater, Maria Ivoditova ’22, won the World Independent and Public Speaking Championships hosted virtually by CDS in April! Read the full story and highlights on what some of our former debaters are doing now on page 26.

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Hekkenberg ’23

CDS Public Speakers Finish Strong at IISPSC Ethan Wahba ’24 and Eliza Pasha ’22 were finalists in two of their three events and Nilou Doust ’22 was a finalist in one at the

International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC) finals. CDS finished as the 3rd place Canadian team and 4th placed team overall out of 42 teams and 120 students from around the world, and Ethan won the trophy for the Top Competitor Under 16.

had received more than 80 handwritten notes from veterans in the US and Canada. He also volunteers at a senior home, where he met Ken Atkinson, a 97-year-old Barrie resident who was a Bomber Command Air Gunner for the RAF during WWII. Mr. Atkinson instilled a sense of urgency in Jaxon to chronicle these veterans’ histories. Jaxon shared some of his video interviews with the Senior School to help bring history to life.

CDS Raises the Roof of Eversley Schoolhouse!

Lifer Walk Returns After a two-year hiatus, GY Lifers made the annual walk to the Junior School for milk and cookies with Mrs. Wildberger, Director of Junior School.

Known as the “Lifer Walk,” graduating students who have attended CDS since JK, SK or Grade 1 look forward to taking this trip down memory lane on their last day of school.

CDS Captures Mock Trial Title Eight Senior School students competed in the Mock Trial finals held in person at the Newmarket Courthouse this spring and CDS emerged as this year’s Mock Trial Champions! Congratulations to Tarini Amarasinghe ’22, Jessen Patel ’24, Jessie Rudin ’23, Eliza Pasha ’22, Monika Nascimento ’25, Nilou Doust ’22, Kian Doust ’24 and Olivia Budweth ’25, and their faculty coaches

Mme Davidson and Mr. Downer.

Diversity Committee Hosts Michèle Newton Ms. Newton is a changemaker and advocate and shared her intersectionality and Black lived experiences as a special guest during the Senior School Advisory morning in February. Ms. Newton provided unique insights, fantastic resources, and leading expertise through an equity lens.

Over the holiday break, our construction crew began the process of raising the roof in the 1883 one-room schoolhouse. Mr. Edmond G. Eberts, one of our cofounders and donors to this campaign, sent us this photo with the tagline – Shovels Up!

CDS Student Receives Schulich Leader Scholarship Marianna Speranza ’22 received a prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship to attend Western University where she will be studying Computer Science and Business Administration at the Ivey Business School this September.

Nominated for her outstanding academics and entrepreneurial spirit, Marianna is only the second CDS student to receive this prestigious award. Lukas Weese ’14 was the first.

Live Music Concerts Returned this Spring After a two-year hiatus, Senior School Coffeehouse and both the Junior and Middle/Senior School spring Music Concerts returned to in-person gatherings!

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FEATURE

John Liggett celebrates 11 years of community at CDS

MORE THAN A DECADE OF MAGICAL DEVELOPMENTS

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BY SUZANNE BOWNESS

he occasion may have happened over a decade ago, but Head of School John Liggett still recalls the night that he and executive director of advancement Brent Johnston dreamed up The Country Day School’s new tradition of hosting dinners with CDS families. “We were having dinner in the 1883 schoolhouse, and it was a night of conversation and dreaming,” recalls John. “We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could meet parents like this?’ And so that first year, we actually invited everyone for dinner, 25 families at a time. About 400 families came, and it was a really wonderful insight for me into this community: where it was headed, what parents wanted to see happen, and what they were already proud of.”

The exercise also helped him to really fall in love with the school and his role, in which he recently passed the 11-year mark. “The school got right under my skin and became a part of me because I literally sat down to dinner with everybody.”

It was through those meetings with the community that John heard again and again about the first major project of his tenure. “Nine times out of 10, the response was that we needed a lunch program,” he says. Especially urgent was the need for a proper dining hall, given that students were eating at tables assembled and taken down in multipurpose spaces every day. The school launched a campaign that raised just under $11 million toward a $20 million rejuvenated Senior School and Dining Hall. And just like that, lunch at CDS was transformed. “We built this wonderful building and added wonderful spaces. Now we unabashedly have the best lunch program,” says John.

Of course, John left the specifics of the lunch program to the experts: dieticians to plan the meals and chefs to execute them. Major decisions included installing a real pizza oven but not a deep fryer and offering multiple options generally made from scratch, a challenge when feeding 1,000 people daily. John (continued on page 8)

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“The most important part of the school has nothing to do with bricks and mortar facilities, it’s developing deep relationships between colleagues and faculty, faculty and students, student and student, parent and teacher.”

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FEATURE

(continued from page 6) was on board with all of these ideas but was skeptical upon entering the Niczowski, Temovsky, Arrigo Dining Hall that first day in September 2015 with flank steak and chimichurri sauce on the menu. “I was so engaged in how it was going to work operationally that I hadn’t even thought to check what was for lunch. So, I walked over to see what they were making. And I’m thinking, ‘Guys, it’s green.

These kids are not going to eat green chimichurri sauce.’ And they said, ‘Trust us.’ And sure enough, everybody nearly licked their plates. The kids loved it.”

In his 11 years at CDS, John says he’s benefited greatly from trusting his colleagues and building relationships. “The most important part of the school has nothing to do with bricks and mortar facilities; it’s developing deep relationships between colleagues and faculty, faculty and students, student and student, parent and teacher,” he says. “We’re not perfect. And students may not love it every day, because we make mistakes. But we care.

And we create an atmosphere at CDS that is welcoming. I often talk about the intangibles of care and fun.”

Asked what he sees as fun at the school, John points to a myriad of elements, from coffee houses where students share their talents on stage to the three dramatic productions that CDS mounts each year. Overall, there’s fun in providing a varied and balanced experience. “That’s our creed. It’s literally our tagline: Education with Balance. And I think our families are very much attracted to that model, because it works. It encourages a

young person to not be single-minded to a fault,” he says. “When a passion is discovered amidst a number of other pursuits, we find the well-rounded person emerges, which equips them for success in post-secondary and adult life.”

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e adds that universities have also started to prioritize balance. “One of the reasons families invest in this kind of education is to prepare their children and get them into wonderful post-secondary institutions where they can further pursue their studies. Over this past decade, universities have begun to broaden their intake metrics. This positions our students well for admission.”

John’s own children attended CDS and make him proud as examples of young men pursuing what they want out of life. His eldest, Josh, started in Grade 9 and is now a licensed commercial pilot for Jazz/Air Canada. “He’s probably in the air somewhere right now,” says John. “I’m so proud of him and how the school prepared him. He’s an excellent pilot, and a self-sufficient, wellrounded young man.” Liggett’s other son, Aiden, six years younger than Josh, spent even more of his schooling at CDS. He’s now at the University of Guelph studying to be a veterinarian. “He has the best group of friends anybody could ever ask for from this school. His studious nature was also nurtured successfully by CDS, and he’s a warm, caring young man.”

John says that CDS has also been a good

“When a passion is discovered amidst a number of other pursuits, we find the well-rounded person emerges, which equips them for success in post-secondary and adult life.”

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John says that CDS has also been a good fit for him as an educator because he shares its values, and loves the sense of community that’s endured over the years.

(clockwise from upper left) Dina Arrigo ’17, Stephanie Temovsky ’21, Sonya Arrigo ’15 and Paige Ofield ’16 help break ground on the highly anticipated Dining Hall and Senior School Expansion at the Welcome Back BBQ in September 2014.

John leads a group of parents on a tour of the Back 40 in Fall 2015.

Chatting with Junior School students taking delight in the new Niczowski, Temovsky, Arrigo Dining Hall in Fall 2015.

Meeting with parents at the Welcome Back BBQ in 2018.

Walking the new Junior School build with Head of Facilities Brian Jimmerskog in 2022.

fit for him as an educator because he shares its values and loves the sense of community that’s endured over the years. “I think the ability to connect with kids, to veer off for five minutes in a lesson and tell a funny story, or hear an amusing story from a student, those to me are the precious times of a classroom experience where you end up learning more from an anecdote than you do from the formula you’re supposed to be presenting that day,” he says, noting that the experiential learning elements that CDS offers also provide even more opportunities for those moments, from hiking and camping to a visit overseas to Vimy Ridge.

Of course, creating beautiful spaces for learning also helps to provide a focal point for community. The latest is the new project to preserve the 1883 schoolhouse and create a new space for the Junior School, currently housed in the oldest wing of CDS. Once again, the project started with an idea that seemed a little impossible at first— what if they could just put a roof over the schoolhouse? A school within a school? But then John pulls out a drawing of the plans and the image is exactly as you’d imagine.

“I had this vision while standing out there one rainy day and envisioned the historic schoolhouse protected and fully enclosed,” he says. “When you walk in the front door of the new school wing, the first thing you will see is the old school. It’s magical. And because our Junior School is also a magical place, we came up with the name ‘Building Magic’ campaign.”

Waylaid by the pandemic, fundraising got delayed but has ultimately exceeded its target and construction is in full flight. “The shovel is in the ground and steel is rising, and we hope to open next academic year,” says John with pride.

Yet even as these transformations take the school to new levels, it’s the consistencies of community, collegiality, and yes, fun, that make the CDS experience something for families to embrace and for this Head of School to continue to lead with pride. ■

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FEATURE

BALANCE WITH A BANG

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of our landmark Performing Arts Centre. That was the moment when CDS stepped into the national spotlight to bravely declare the vitality and importance of the arts in the life of its community and its students—and establish its reputation as one of Canada’s foremost independent schools.

By Scott Garbe, Head of Drama

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F

rom its humble beginnings in 1972, guided by the vision of its founding families, CDS had been steadily growing.

Over the decades, academic and athletic facilities had been thoughtfully put in place, and by the end of the millennium, the leadership of the school found itself at a crossroads.

In 1996, a strategic plan developed by Head of School Paul Duckett, with the support of the Board of Directors, stated that “music, drama and the visual arts are essential elements of child development and necessary components of a liberal arts education.” In other words, the arts were

the critical final piece of the puzzle if the school was to truly provide “Education with Balance.”

There was a lively arts scene at CDS, but before the PAC was built, its young artists lived a nomadic existence. In the absence of a performance space, music concerts were offered in the gymnasiums of the various school divisions. The sound quality was poor, as notes from the young, earnest players ricocheted off the unforgiving cinderblock walls. Parents strained their necks to peer over the heads of other preening parents who were similarly forced into contortions to glimpse their children playing the stirring themes from the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

Concerts in the gyms could also be unbearably hot and humid. One parent recalled beloved former music faculty member Mr. Arrigo sweating so profusely as he conducted that the dye from his necktie had bled into his white cotton shirt by the time final bows were taken. From their folding card table under one of the side basketball nets where they annually manned the PA system, Mr. Garbe and Mr. Lewis would keep out a sharp eye for the next drooping student to faint from atop one of the teetering wooden benches that served as the makeshift choir bleachers.

The Physical and Health Education Department also proved to be generous hosts as spring elementary theatrical productions like Puss n Boots and Treasure Island took place in the old Junior School gym. Shows in the fall and winter, involving students in the Senior and Middle Schools, were mounted in the former Senior School foyer— what is now the Senior School fitness room. This was also the space where everyone’s brown bag lunches were eaten and assemblies were presented. Each November and early March, while students quizzically munched on their soon-to-be-outlawed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a stage floor, proscenium arch and front curtain would be erected. The stage floor extended back into the former Senior library, which served—thanks to the patience and generosity of late librarian Ms. McRory—as the backstage area.

In 1992, a VW dune buggy was even stored by director John Sweeney in the library before being rolled onto the stage as “Greased Lighting” during a production of Grease. The lighting instruments illuminating the stage were car headlights mounted into aluminum cylinders that were then bolted onto the wooden beams which circled the foyer. A precariously exposed tangle of wire led from the back of each lamp to a wobbling classroom desk that perpetually had one leg shorter than the other three. Upon this desk rested a homemade four-channel lighting board that fed power to said wires through a series of four sliding faders, all of which were missing their plastic nobs. Needless to say, the lighting cues consisted only of two options: “Lights up. Lights down.”

At a second wobbly desk beside the lighting operator sat the sound technician, who played sound effects from the back of the room (continued on page 12) THE LINK SUMMER 2022

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Grandparents’ Day in the Di Ciano Atrium.

Diamond Schmitt architectural drawing from 2000 of the new Performing Arts Centre.

1999 performance of Neil Simon’s Fools in SS Foyer.

2014 CDS On the Catwalk Fashion Show.

2019 JS production of James and the Giant Peach Jr.

(continued from page 11) through a portable double cassette player with a broken handle. Later, a technical revolution was unleashed when the tech team graduated to the use of silvery compact discs.

While the limitations of the space, which sat a maximum of 80, were multitudinous, the quality and imaginative scope of the productions would not be denied. None other than Chair of the Board Carol Proudlock played piano at the side of the stage for a production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Plays by the likes of William Shakespeare, Tom Stoppard and Neil Simon—rehearsed in a drama portable located at the back of the Senior School parking lot—graced these homemade and improvised spaces until, after decades, it finally became clear to the leadership of the school that the intrepid, nomadic and irrepressible young artists of CDS needed and deserved a home where the fulness of their talent and vision could be realised.

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T

aking up the challenge on May 8, 2000, the Board of Directors at CDS approved a proposal to build a stateof-the-art Performing Arts Centre.

The ambitious plan was unlike anything that had been seen nationally in the independent school system and would rival the best performance spaces in the GTA. Internationally renowned architect Jack Diamond of Diamond Schmitt Architects won the bid to bring form and shape to the artistic dreams of the CDS community.

What struck CDS stakeholders immediately was that Mr. Diamond’s approach was to allow the design to unfold from the artistic needs of those who would be left to use the building—to work from the inside out, rather than imposing a grand architectural flourish that would restrict the practical use of the space. To this end, Mr. Diamond and his lead assistant, Jon Soules, met extensively with members of the Music and Drama and Theatre Arts Departments to understand the manner in which

Former Music teacher Nick Arrigo directing MS band, spring 2011.

they intended and hoped to use the space. As Mr. Soules recently commented, “You must realise that we didn’t design anything out of thin air. That theatre came from the dreams of the folks in the school community.”

Great care was made to ensure the Performing Arts Centre would be a space that would not only accommodate the immediate needs of artistic performances, assemblies, seasonal events, public speaking, and extracurricular activities, but would also would allow for the future growth of the student body and increasing artistic sophistication of the productions mounted in the years and decades to come.

To that end, Scott Garbe, Head of Drama, enlisted the additional help of two of his former professors from York University, professional lighting designer Peter McKinnon and Chair of Theatre, consultant and prominent Canadian designer Phillip Silver. Mr. Silver especially and generously spent hours looking over blueprints during various stages of the PAC’s development, troubleshooting practi-

Unique design features as recalled by Jon Soules, architect with Diamond Schmitt

• A foundation for the theatre space that is poured separately from the rest of the •

•

• 2009 student Talent Show.

Performing Arts Centre to prevent sound transfer and vibration from other areas of the building.

An absence of vent covers at the end of the ducts in the theatre. Instead, heated or cooled air is introduced into the space quietly through large perforated drums located high in the ceiling of the space. If you sit in the empty theatre, this is one of the reasons why it is completely silent, a feature not only essential during school productions and performances but also highly valued by prominent recording companies like the classical label Naxos, which has recorded at the school in the summer months.

A large soundproof set of double doors that leads from the Gord Lytle Workshop directly behind the stage into the theatre space, allowing for fully constructed set pieces to move into place without being disassembled and reassembled. This large entryway has also been effectively used as an artistic entrance during performances, as in CDS’s production of Fiddler on the Roof.

The seating in the theatre is fully retractable, allowing the space to become a “black box” – a large studio where any type of presentational style and audience arrangement that might be imagined is possible, from traditional proscenium shows like The Sound of Music (the first musical to be presented in the PAC) to alley-style immersive productions like Ahead by a Century.

• Textured walls and adjustable drapery/panels that allow for an acoustic turning of the theatre space depending on its use.

• A large trap room under the stage floor that allows for a variety of entrance and lighting possibilities from below, as was featured in the entrance and disappearance of the witches in Macbeth and the entrance of John Proctor’s dungeon in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. This feature is also used to create an orchestra pit for musicals such as CDS’s production of Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights.

cal aspects of the design with Mr. Garbe, who in turn would process and communicate that feedback through Mr. Soules back to the team at Diamond Schmitt. Those extra collaborative hours, which would ultimately number into the hundreds, resulted in many unique features of the space which would later find their way into future performance spaces designed by Diamond Schmitt, such as the Four Seasons Centre for the Arts in Toronto, home to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. These features have also helped to ensure that the PAC remains as cutting edge today as it was when it opened 20 years ago.

And so it was, after 18 months of construction, hundreds of hours of planning, the generous support of the CDS community—and after a final farewell production of Bill Irwin’s Scapin was mounted in the Senior School foyer in the fall—that the landmark Performing Arts Centre was opened in January of 2002. Professional stand-up comic and CDS alumnus Fra-

ser Young ’95, along with Canadian acapella

singing legends The Nylons, were the first to perform for the standing-room only crowd.

The dream was a living, breathing reality.

For the young artists of CDS, it was like going from an old Ford Pinto to a gleaming red Ferrari. The 31,000 square foot space housed a flexible performance space seating up to 400, a rehearsal/recital hall, two music classrooms, a drama studio, a second classroom, scenic and costume shops, new English and Music offices, three music practice spaces and the aforementioned trap room.

Soon, future symphony bassoonist Bianca Chambul ’12 would be playing in the Spring Concert and Grammy-nominated singersongwriter JP Saxe ’11 would be acting with his young peers in The Diary of Anne Frank and playing keyboards in CDS’s full-school production of Godspell.

“I think the greatest thing about the PAC is that the school showed how well it understood the importance of the arts by building

this space,” said Kevin Walker ’03. “As someone who has spent my entire life involved in the arts, I believe it’s one of the most important aspects of education a child can have …

The opportunity to build some of those sets was a huge game changer for my experience doing theatre at CDS. This was where we also played music, held talent shows, and eventually graduated.”

Hundreds of young artists now had a home that matched their ability to imagine and dream. More than that, the Performing Arts Centre has become the heart of the CDS community, a place where athletes are feted with awards, assemblies convene, debaters compete, talent show contestants cheer, veterans are honoured in moving Remembrance Day ceremonies, Grandparents beam, and thousands of graduates are celebrated in the presence of their teary-eyed parents and guardians as they embark on their life’s journey.

After a long wait, it was balance—with a bang. ■ THE LINK SUMMER 2022

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THE GROWING MIND

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

WHAT MAKES GENERATION Z TICK? The more we understand this group, the better we can help them to thrive

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arents and teachers know that they are guiding the growth and development of unique individuals. Within families and classrooms, today’s young people form a cast of unique characters who speak, listen, learn and act differently from each other, with diverse passions and talents.

At the same time, there is something to be said for shared generational traits. With time passing, we have acquired some insights about Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials. What about Generation Z? Born 1996 to 2012, these middle school, high school and university students are in the process of solidifying their identities and setting

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their future paths. What social, cultural and political factors have shaped them? Who are they becoming?

And how can we support them in their journey?

Below are some answers to these questions in somewhat broad terms. Grouping by age is, after all, only one lens to adopt: race, gender, sexuality, religion and geography are a few others. In addition, much of the data gathered so far has come from university students and young people beginning their careers. Nonetheless, we can get a glimpse into where Gen Z teens may be headed in their travels by surveying the generational landscape. (continued on page 16)

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THE GROWING MIND Gen Z are “born self-learners,” the first generation to know they can find the answer to any question online and who prefer to figure things out themselves.

(continued from page 14)

WHAT HAS SHAPED GEN Z?

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n their 2019 book Generation Z: A Century in the Making, authors Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace emphasize early on that access to—and immersion in—technology their entire lives has had a significant impact on this generation. Global events, movements, conflicts, triumphs and crises are literally at their fingertips, primarily through smartphones and tablets. A Pew Research Center study has found that almost 90% of 13- to 17-year-olds report using the Internet “almost constantly” or “several times a day.”

Coming as no surprise to parents and teachers, the authors call Gen Z “digitally native and digitally dependent.” Marcie Merriman, a researcher for Ernst & Young, describes Gen Z as “born self-learners,” the first generation to know they can find the answer to any question online and who prefer to figure things out themselves.

As a consequence of their connectivity, Gen Z is very much aware of personal discord and bullying via social media and, according to Merriman, this “constant perceived threat of personal harm has become a defining characteristic for this generation.”

They are also aware of rising suicide rates and reported mental health issues among young people, both of which are related to feelings of isolation and depression generated by time spent online.

In addition to technology shaping their lives, for better and for worse, Gen Z have lived through—or experienced the impact of—the Great Recession that occurred from 2007 to 2009, the most severe economic and financial breakdown since the Great

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Depression. Today, we are experiencing the “Great Resignation,” which may present opportunities for Gen Z going forward but which has also widely broadcast a deep dissatisfaction among workers, with voluntary en masse exits from the workplace. Gen Z may soon make up some of those exits, with Deloitte reporting that 40% plan to leave their work in the next two years and that 35% are willing to leave without another job lined up. Perhaps not surprisingly, 75% of Gen Z prefer a hybrid or remote working option.

Also according to Deloitte, Gen Z report that the rising cost of living is their number one concern, with climate change, unemployment and mental health following closely. Almost half of Gen Z say they are stressed “all or most of the time,” with their long-term financial future their top concern.

In addition to technology, the economy and climate change, other global factors that have shaped Gen Z include wars and large-scale migration movements, escalating gun violence and mass shootings in the US, advancement of LGBTQ+ recognition and rights, an increasingly diverse world, and greater attention paid to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Last, parenting style has shaped this generation. Merriman contrasts parents of Millennials with parents of Gen Z, with the former more validating and sheltering than the latter. Gen Z parents, she says, moved toward “educating and preparing their kids to avoid, plan for or deal with life’s difficulties.” Rather than helicopters, she describes these parents as “stealth fighters, consistently monitoring their [kids’] activity, communication and movements—zipping in, dropping bombs and redirecting

as necessary—but just as quickly zipping back out.”

Gen Z report experiencing higher expectations, more responsibility and more adultlike treatment from their parents than have previous generations. Even as youngsters, they feel more pressure from parents to focus on their careers (perhaps in response to economic uncertainty) but also a more open and consultative relationship, sharing opinions and advice both ways.

WHO ARE GEN Z BECOMING?

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o what impact has their historical context and parenting had on Gen Z? Mentioned already are stress and mental health struggles, partly related to worries about economic stability and climate change and partly owing to their radically connected online existence. But there is more to the picture. They also have a unique blend of independence, self-confidence and belief in the power of relationships.

In terms of character traits, Merriman describes Gen Z as self-aware, self-reliant and driven as well as innovative, productive, goal-oriented and realistic. She refers to them as the entrepreneurial generation, interested in starting business ventures while fully expecting their first attempt to fail. They view failure as a learning opportunity—part of their pragmatic and realistic rather than idealistic outlook. And they view themselves as highly informed and capable of taking charge of their own lives.

Seemiller and Grace fi ll in this picture further from workplace and college surveys.

They add that growing up in an increasingly

diverse world has made Gen Z open-minded and accepting of people from backgrounds different from their own, including a range of sexual and gender identities. The majority are champions of inclusivity and equality. They see themselves as able to view the world from someone else’s perspective and to work cooperatively with diverse people.

Gen Z also describe themselves as determined and as what Seemiller and Grace call “relationally motivated.” In a college survey, 75% of students reported being motivated by not wanting to let others down and 75% by making a difference for others. These students also report being motivated by personal achievement, reaching the next milestone, and opportunity for advancement.

Despite this emphasis on achievement— in school and in their careers—only about a third of Gen Z report being motivated by public recognition, acceptance by others, or competition with others. The majority respond more to relationships and the idea of helping others than to accolades and wins.

A McKinsey study adds that Gen Z believe in the “efficacy of dialogue to solve conflicts and improve the world.” That same study offers the following statements as Gen Z statements: “Don’t defi ne yourself in only one way:” “Be radically inclusive;” “Have fewer confrontations and more dialogue;” and “Live life pragmatically.”

As a final note, it’s interesting to consider that two-thirds of Gen Z believe that communities are formed by causes and interests, not economic backgrounds or education levels. They are less interested in “sorting” people by race, religion, class, gender and other conventional markers and more by who shares their goals and vision.

TAKEAWAYS FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS

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ow can this information help all of us to guide and support the young people in our care? Here are a few takeaways based on the data collected.

• Gen Z are experts at navigating the online world. They need help with understanding what they see, managing bullying and negative messaging, questioning unrealistic digital representations of “perfect” lives, and maintaining healthy relationships with friends and peers. Critical thinking skills are of paramount importance for this cohort: being nimble online is not the same as knowing how to sift and rank information, engage in analysis and interpretation, and reach reasoned conclusions. Online engagement without advanced critical thinking skills is a recipe for disaster.

• Some of the stress that Gen Z feels comes from self and parent expectations of achievement and from parental emphasis on establishing successful careers. They might benefit from the adults in their lives letting them know that they don’t need to achieve at the highest levels in order to be loved, respected, happy or able to make an impact on the world.

• This generation has a strong independent streak. They value self-reliance and creating their own solutions. They respond positively to being able to make age-appropriate choices and decisions and to helping design family life and learning activities.

• Gen Z’s independence is tempered by a desire for dialogue. The expect that others will engage with them and take their views

seriously which, for teens, means that their views will make a difference in the family or the classroom. Relationally motivated, their connections with friends, teammates, family and teachers fuel their ambitions and aspirations.

• With a realistic and pragmatic bent, Gen Z respond well to reasons and explanations provided by parents and teachers when they are asked to do things or given no for an answer. The reasons don’t have to be complicated—“It’s fair that we all clean up” or “The purpose of the activity is to expand self-awareness”—but they will be expected.

• Alongside that pragmatism is an innovative mindset and an interest in creating new ventures. This generation is willing to try new things and fail—which requires that parents and teachers make those opportunities available and support new schemes that bubble up.

• Last, adults have a lot to learn from this generation. They are more tolerant and accepting of differences than any other. They recognize prejudice in the world and believe in inclusivity and equal rights—and in forming coalitions to make change.

They are anxious about the climate crisis and want to take personal, family and community action. And they believe in a nonhierarchical exchange of views where all contributions are worthy.

Understanding a bit more about what makes Gen Z tick allows us to better guide and support them, from helping to relieve some of their stresses to championing their ideas and initiatives. They are also building a more sustainable, creative and cooperative world. ■

This generation is willing to try new things and fail — which requires that parents and teachers make those opportunities available and support new schemes that bubble up.

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TIMELINES

JUNIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 5

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1. Each Junior School student participated in a candle laying ceremony in the Peace Garden at the JS entrance culminating in a candlelight vigil to recognize Remembrance Day and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The inspiration came from the time-honoured practice in The Netherlands where Dutch children place lit candles on the graves of Canadian soldiers and leave them lit overnight in a silent tribute.

2. The Junior School Pathways to People members sorted books, organized signs and put up The Giving Tree this year, and the Junior School raised $2,307 for The Leeder Place, York Hills and Rose of Sharon at the annual Book and Treat Sale!

3. The Junior School Holiday Concert returned in person for our musicians, bringing joy to our community!

5. JK students feed the chickadees during Outdoor Ed. 6. Grade 5 and 6 students worked hard filming their plays for French class: Louis la Grenouille and Chat Angora. After the March Break, they added their own backgrounds using an app called GreenScreen to present their plays to their classes.

7. Rainbows in JK Class brightened everyone’s day!

8. Mayor Pellegrini visited Grade 5s to talk about local politics and civic duties.

He spoke with students about everything from the importance of voting once they turn 18 and getting involved in their community to his role in enhancing recreation and roads in King and the volunteer Fire Department.

9. During Earth Week, numerous JS classes spent time outside cleaning up garbage blown around campus and looking after our environment.

FEBRUARY 4. SK students participated in the annual Chinese New Year Dragon Dance.

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MAY 10. Grade 6 Robotics Challenge returned and students had an hour and a half with their Lego Mindstorms EV3 kits to design and build their BattleBots before stepping into the ring to crown the best of the bots.

EVE_4 ultimately came out on top!

11. Grade 4 students were busy in the studio this term learning how to use paper in order to create insects, tree twigs, leaves and grass to the theme of “Going on a Bug Hunt.” Students carefully placed their paper sculptures into their glass jars to make it look as though they had gone on a bug hunt.

12. SK students enjoyed an epic adventure into space complete with astronaut helmets and jet packs thanks to Astronomy in Action and their teachers Ms. Vipond and Ms. Sutcliffe. While in space, they saw craters forming on the moon and visited each planet in the solar system. After waving hello to the astronauts in the International Space Station, SKs returned to earth in time for lunch!

13. Results of the Grade 5 and 6 Public Speaking Contest were as follows: Logan Colozza in 5J tied for first place for his speech, “The Power of Water,” with Fotini

Gougoulias in 5C and her speech, “The World’s Tallest Trees.” First place in Grade 6 went to Maya Di Biase in 6B for her speech, “The Importance of Children’s Mental Health,” and second place went to Kara Karch in 6S for her speech, “Every Child Has a Right to Education.”

JUNE 14. Primary JS French students dazzled parents and staff with in-person performances of their year-end French drama productions! Grade 1s performed La Poule Maboule, Grade 2s performed a fantastic production of Les Trois Petits

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Cochons, and Grade 3s did an amazing job performing Comment y aller?

15. Students in 1M and 1D built their own communities as part of the Grade 1 social studies curriculum. First they brainstormed which buildings they needed and wanted, then they added community helpers, people, houses, roads, street signs and cars. Finally, they invited family members and teachers to tour what they created!

16. The Junior School Track & Field Day returned to Hawksworth Field as students enjoyed discus, sprints, shotput, javelin and many other fun events!

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MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 1

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NOVEMBER

JANUARY

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1. Middle School students in Ms. Weening’s Navigating the Digital World class worked in teams to compete against each other using controlled robots they built with their VEX Robotics kits.

3. Mr. Garbe and the cast and crew of this year’s MS drama production, Searching for Greta, received a special shoutout from NYC’s Broadway Teaching Group for their world premier of an original musical.

4. Even though we started the New Year in remote learning once again, the Middle School Choir picked up where they left off with “Music Mondays,” joining Ms. Romanowich online to play music games, learn the ringtone challenge, and begin working on fun songs as a way to gather together virtually.

5. Snowshoeing in the Back 40!

6. Middle School students created #BellLetsTalk bubbles to share important messages about mental health.

DECEMBER 2. Middle School enjoyed a “Book Tasting” in the Library this month. Grade 7s designed a five-course meal through a mix of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Horror, and Realistic Fiction, a wonderful way to encourage students to choose books outside their comfort zone.

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MARCH 7. Grade 7 Science students learned about thermal contraction and thermal expansion with Ms. Winterink.

APRIL 8. The Middle School hosted two guest coaches from Cricket Canada to teach not only about the sport, but also to talk about the culture. Grade 7 and 8 students had a lot of fun learning and playing the world’s second most popular sport!

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9. Ms. Wellnhofer’s intramural Mountain Biking Club hit the trails this spring. Not only did they have fun traversing the trails, they also got creative building ramps to jump and ride over.

10. Ms. Purdy ran her Guidance classes for all students in Grades 7 and 8 to help them start preparing for Senior School and thinking about their futures.

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MAY

11. Students in our Grade 8 Creativity and Media course spent part of the year learning about the myths associated with creativity and how to access their own inspired thoughts and put them into action.

In the final term, students took part in the 20Time Project where they chose a topic

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that was especially exciting for them. The task was to pick something that they loved that would also be beneficial to others.

Students were encouraged to reach out to mentors from within our community to get feedback and advice throughout the project, and many of our faculty and staff graciously supported their work.

The projects this year were absolutely awe-inspiring. Some examples of their creativity included a pair who developed their own cookie company with proceeds going to teen mental health, a group of students who marketed and managed a school LemonAID stand to raise funds for Sunnybrook Hospital’s Cancer Centre, and students writing their own graphic novels in an effort to provide marginalized members of our community with more

representation in literature.

A massive thank you to our Grade 8s for all of their time and dedication to this project!

12. Ice cream makes a great surprise afternoon treat!

JUNE 13. Ms. Costanzo, a faculty advisor for the Debating and Public Speaking Club, shared news at the final Assembly that the CDS Debating team came in 4th out of 50 teams at the Canadian National Junior High Debate Championship.

Congratulations to Kaitlyn Zhang ’26 for placing 6th out of 100 participants and Audrey Jiang ’26 for placing 8th!

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TIMELINES

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 3

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NOVEMBER

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1. CDS debaters achieved success in the fall Fulford Debate competition. Averie Easton ’24 won second place in the Junior division, and she and Diviya Amarnath ’25 won third place as partners in the Junior division. Maria Ivoditova ’22 won second place individually in the Senior division and Arjun Walia ’22 won third place individually and then went on to place first as partners, winning the Senior Fulford Trophy.

2. Middle/Senior Music Night delighted its viewers in a virtual concert!

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FEBRUARY 3. Congratulations to the editors Claire Johnson ’22 and Ranly Li ’23 and all those who submitted great content for the winter edition of The Eversley Register!

4. Maria Ivoditova ’22 and Nilou Doust ’22 competed at the Canadian National Public Speaking and Debating Championships. Nilou finished 10th overall and Maria was crowned the 2022 National Champion and qualified to represent Canada at Worlds in April.

5. Social Justice held a book drive for The Children’s Book Bank in Toronto. Run

by CDS alumna Loribeth Gregg ’09, Director of Programming & Development. @bookbankcanada provides free books and literacy support to children and families in high-need communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Congratulations to the Social Justice Club for raising more than $900 and donating more than 500 books!

MARCH 6. The Jameson Project, an initiative launched by the Student Council based on a practice of Jameson Dowling ’22 asking students to submit the name of a fellow student who offered a random act of kindness to them recently, was a huge success. Eighty-one Senior School students were recognized for their acts of kindness.

The top-nominated student, Ella Ballard ’24, was interviewed by Tawana Ngorima ’22 who shared that Social Justice would award $500 to the charity of her choice.

She chose SickKids!

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7. Ms. Wellnhofer’s Grade 11 Healthy Living and Outdoor Activities class made hypothermia wraps and maple toffee and helped fill 36 jars of CDS Honey this spring!

APRIL 8. Both Isaac Khan ’23 and Noah Hudson ’24 received their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Senior School Assembly.

9. Mme. Davidson’s GY French Class made crêpes for breakfast as part of Language Week festivities.

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MAY 10. GY Writer’s Craft students wrote books customized to individual Grade 1 students and met with them to read and share their work.

11. Grade 11 Outdoor Ed spent three days hiking and exploring the Bruce Peninsula and Tobermory!

12. The CDS Cyclones #4951 Robotics team competed in the provincial FRC, playing a total of 12 matches and placing 25th out of 67 teams. Not bad for their first competition in two years!

13. The CDSMUN 2022 conference, The Witching Hour, was led by GY students Nicole Damianidis ’22 and Russell Sorbo ’22, with an historical focus on the Salem witch trials.

JUNE 14. Inclusivity Club raised the Pride Flag in celebration of Pride Month for the second year in a row.

15. Averie Easton ’24 was recognized at the final Assembly for having her writing entry “Decay”chosen to be showcased in the INCITE Magazine.

16. Congratulations to the entire Portraits Team, including Megan Johnson ’22, Georgia Benjamin ’23, Sydney Young ’22 and Madeline Brayman ’22, on a successful launch of the 2021-2022 edition of Portraits!

17. GYs took part in their annual shirt signing ritual in honour of their final day of school!

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WINTER & SPRING ATHLETICS 2022

The CDS co-ed Ultimate Frisbee team finished the regular season 3-1, advancing them to the CISAA finals where they lost to Lakefield in the semi-finals.

EXCERPTS FROM THE MIDDLE & SENIOR SPRING ATHLETIC ASSEMBLY

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t’s safe to say sports have played a very large part of my life, and CDS has provided me with many fantastic memories with a lot of wonderful people.

Upon the return from online learning, I was so grateful and excited to be back playing sports with my friends.

“As my last ever baseball game came to an end this spring, I found myself hoping that others had enjoyed a similar experience and that the love for sports will always remain a part of the CDS culture.

As student-athletes, we’ve been resilient and thankful these past few years, and I hope that you all can continue to exhibit these qualities going forward. Thank you.”

Kellan Sherman ’22 is studying Sport and Event Management at the University of Guelph

Senior Boys’ D1B Basketball.

Middle School Track & Field team – U14 Girls won CISAA Gold.

Jensen Schemmer placed 5th in high jump at OFSAA with a jump of 1.5m.

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The Senior Girls’ 4x100m relay team of Hannah Clarke, Reese Falkenberg, Alex Estabrooks and Lauren Neil won CISAA and placed 2nd at Metro Championships!

Senior Girls’ D2 Volleyball won CISAA Gold.

CDS Girls’ CISAA Gold medal Snowboard team.

MARI PIETERSEN ’22 CAPTURES GOLD FOR CANADA The same week of her Graduation and Prom, Mari Pietersen ’22 was one of three goalies playing net for Team Canada in the U18 Hockey World Championships held in Madison, Wisconsin. Sent in as the replacement goalie in the preliminary round game against the U.S., she remained the starter for the rest of the tournament and helped clench a 3-2 victory in the finals over the U.S., the heavily favoured defending champions. She was named Player of the Game at the post-game ceremony and made it back to attend Prom 24 hours later!

Mari will play D1 Varsity Women’s Hockey for Boston University starting in the fall of 2023.

Senior Girls Hockey won CISAA Silver.

Richie Zhang ’23 and Rayna Zhou ’23 (serving) won CISAA Gold in D1 Sr. Co-ed Badminton.

CDS Boys’ CISAA Silver medal Snowboard team.

DEAN SHERMAN RECEIVES MCNALLY AWARD After 25 years of coaching, totaling more than 50 teams, including Senior Girls’ Rugby, U14 Boys’ Basketball, U14 Boys’ Hockey, Senior Girls’ Basketball, and U14 Girls’ Rugby, Dean Sherman retired this spring. At the Spring Athletics Assembly, Mr. Andersen awarded him with the McNally Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to our athletic program. Thank you Coach Sherman!

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ANOTHER WORLD CHAMPION

CDS hosted the 34th World Debating Championships in April, winning overall champion for the fourth time in seven years

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CDS debater made history once again in April at the 34th annual World Independent Debating and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSC) hosted virtually by The Country Day School. As a finalist in all four of her events, Grade 12 student Maria Ivoditova captured the overall World Champion title and was a Grand Finalist in Impromptu Speaking and Interpretive Reading.

CDS hosted 116 students from public and private high schools representing 13 countries from around the world for this

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virtual championship, including Cyprus, Lithuania, Morocco, South Africa, UK, USA, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan and South Korea.

Maria’s Persuasive Speech concerned the dangers of the exploitation of the world’s second most used natural resource: sand. Her Interpretive Reading was a harrowing piece, exploring the horrendous impact of war on families, taken from Heather Morris’s novel Three Sisters. Based on a true story, the novel follows the lives of three Jewish sisters as they are ripped from their homes and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II.

Coach Kerstin Wyndham-West with this year’s overall debating champion, Maria Ivoditova ’22, following CDS’s hosting of the World Championships.

In a typical year, the WIDPSC brings together students from around the world for six days of in-person competition. Since 2008, CDS students have traveled to eight other countries for this prestigious competi-

tion, including Lithuania, Germany, Australia, the UK, South Africa and Hong Kong.

However, for the past three years, COVID has forced the competition to be held entirely online. The Country Day School ran it for two weeks in two separate time zones with the competitors from around the world taking part in both pre-recorded and live components. The Finals and Grand Finals for all events were held live on Zoom.

Maria’s victory at WIDPSC 2022 marks the fourth time in seven years that CDS has produced a World Champion public

speaker and debater. Anna Croxon ’20 won overall World Champion in Toronto in 2019; Olivia Railton ’17 won the title in Sydney, Australia, in 2017; and Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 won the title in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2016.

“It is so gratifying to hear how the skills that our students have learned through the public speaking and debate program at CDS continue to be put to use in their lives and careers,” says Ms. WyndhamWest. “As an educator, there can be no greater reward than to see your students thrive and follow their dreams using the tools you have given them.” ■

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Rachael Andrew ’09 Worlds’ Qualifier 2009

WHERE ARE OUR DEBATERS NOW? Ms. Wyndham-West, who has coached CDS debaters for the past 25 years and has qualified at least one student (sometimes two or three) for Worlds for the past 15, recently caught up with a few of her former orators this summer for The Link. She asked them how they feel their participation in Debating and Public Speaking has helped them in life.

Rachael graduated in 2017 from Osgood Hall Law School and worked at Dentons law firm from 2016-2021, predominantly in the financial services department.

“A significant portion of my job includes negotiating contracts, conference calls, and presentations to various clients. While at Dentons, I was one of the organizers and coaches of the Dentons Cup—a negotiation competition partnered with Osgoode Hall to select teams to compete and coach at the Canadian National Negotiation Competition.

Last year, I moved to one of my clients, Cortland Credit Group Inc., a Canadian private debt asset manager. I play a key role in the execution in a variety of legal matters, including the revision of term sheets, credit agreements and ancillary agreements, and also provide professional input relevant to legal issues.”

Reid Dobell ’12 Worlds’ Qualifier 2012

Reid is an economic analyst at the US Department of State in Washington, DC. Before that, he was a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and spent several years in francophone Central Africa as a member of the Peace Corps. He misses living in King City and practices his public speaking skills all the time.

Lukas Weese ’14 Canadian National Public Speaking Finalist and IISPSC Champion of Radio Newscast and After Dinner Speaking

Lukas is currently a multiplatform sports journalist, broadcaster and content creator, working as an Associate Editor (News) at The Athletic.

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“Public speaking provided me with the confidence to speak in front of an audience, whether that’s doing play-by-play broadcasting or communicating on the radio, TV and podcast. Debating prepared me to look at multiple angles of a story and the importance of thorough reporting when supporting an argument. I can’t mention public speaking and debating at CDS without the memories of travelling with amazing people. The Banff Springs Hotel is an all-time highlight.”

Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 World Champion at WIDPSC 2016

“My participation in public speaking and debating has had an incredible impact on my life. It was through the CDS Debate program that I discovered my passion for acting and performing. I’m currently a working actor splitting my time between Toronto and Los Angeles.

One of my more recent projects was a feature fi lm called Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which was executive produced

by Academy Award winner Guillermo Del Toro for Lionsgate and CBS fi lms.

“During the pandemic, I co-founded The Canadian Speech and Debate Academy (CSDA) to help teach young people the importance of speech and debate. Debating gave me the confidence to voice my opinions and to follow my dreams, and I’m so grateful to share the skills I learned at CDS with the next generation of speakers.”

Olivia Railton ’17 World Champion at WIDPSC 2017

Having just finished her Law degree at Oxford University, Olivia worked this summer as a strategist for a creative agency in London. She debated competitively

by teaching me how to communicate in the different styles necessary for speaking to different people. Debate made me confident in my ability to articulate myself, which makes me all the more confident as an individual navigating the business world.” throughout university and continues to coach both public speaking and debating.

Olivia is starting her master’s of science in Philosophy and Public Policy at the London School of Economics in September and hopes to return to debating competitively during her post-grad studies.

Jack MacDonald ’20 Ontario Provincial Debater and Fulford Debate Champion

“I began studying business at McGill University with a major in Strategic Management in the fall of 2020. I finished my second year of studies this past spring and have continued participating in Model United Nations, serving as committee chair at the McGill Model United Nations Assembly in 2022 and 2023.”

“Though it is bittersweet to say goodbye to CDS after three years of debate and public speaking, I will take all that I have learned with me everywhere I go. I am excited to attend Brown University in Rhode Island starting in September where I will study International Relations and Mathematics.”

Abraham Litwin-Logan ’19 Ontario Provincial Debater and Fulford Debate Champion

“After spending two years studying Law at University College London, and continuing my debating career there (first place in the Bristol Intervarsity Debating Competition, finalist in the UCL Law Team Debating Competition, finalist in the UCL IV Pro-Am Debating Competition, and Competitions Head for the UCL Law Society), I am now going into my third year at Columbia Law School where my focus has shifted towards commercial real estate and blockchain technology.”

Anna Croxon ’20 World Champion at WIDPSC 2019

“I graduated from CDS in 2020 and am currently going into my third year at The George Washington University majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution in the Middle East. I am studying for the LSAT and hope to pursue a law degree after graduation!”

Maria Ivoditova ’22 World Champion at WIDPSC 2022

Billy Tsiolis ’20 Ontario Provincial Debater and Fulford Debate Champion

“I just finished my freshman year at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts where I’m majoring in fi lm and television production (world’s leading fi lm school!). I’ve spent this summer working in the Toronto fi lm industry with the Eggplant Picture and Sound production company.”

George Tsiolis ’20 Ontario Provincial Debater and Fulford Debate Champion

“I’m enjoying studying Commerce at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Outside the classroom, I spend most of my time running the Web3 investment fund I’ve co-founded with fellow debate alumnus Abraham Litwin-Logan ’19. USC has a very diverse student body. Debate helped prepare me to build relationships with my classmates

Eliza Pasha ’22 Worlds’ Finalist at WIDPSC 2020

“What originally started off as a fun extracurricular turned out to change my life. Debate and Public Speaking have given me the knowledge to communicate and express myself coherently and the confidence to change the world. CDS Debate transformed many aspects of my life and helped me accomplish many goals in my high school career including leading and organizing a peaceful protest (The Walk 4 Unity), starting my own national organization (The Youth Frontier) and pursuing undergraduate studies in Commerce at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School. CDS Debate has helped me become a better writer, thinker, speaker and person.”■

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THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Bravo to the Grade 4-6 cast, crew and directors of Welcome Home! for their fantastic live performances on April 22-23 and YouTube Premiere on April 30!

The Grade 10-12 cast, crew and directors of Our Town did an outstanding job performing Thornton Wilder’s most frequently performed play as both live and YouTube Premiere productions on March 4-5!

Last spring, families of cast and crew got to enjoy live performances once again!

COMING THIS SCHOOL YEAR!

Join us for one or both of our 2022 – 23 upcoming productions!

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Matilda the Musical

The Little Mermaid Jr. Friday and Saturday, November 18 & 19 Junior School Grades 4 – 6 An enchanting and magical animated classic based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale and Academy Award winning Disney film, The Little Mermaid Jr. takes place in a magical kingdom

beneath the sea, where a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she’s the girl with the perfect voice.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday, March 2, 3 & 4 Middle & Senior Schools Grades 7-12 Based on the Roald Dahl children’s book, Matilda the Musical is the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

COMMUNITY NEWS Recent appointments and staff news

CDS SUMMER CAMP RETURNS FOR 2023!

School in New Hampshire and a two-time inductee to their Athletic Hall of Fame.

Sean Chambers and his partner, Melissa King, welcomed a new arrival to their family, Ovie Koan Chambers King, on April 9, 2022.

He reports that Malakai is proving to be an attentive big brother. Mr. Chambers has taught in the Middle and Senior Schools since 2021.

Mandy Cronin joined CDS as Athletics and Health and Physical Education Department Coordinator last December. She holds a BA in Communication from the University of Maine, where she played goalie for the Black Bears Women’s Ice Hockey team all four seasons, serving as captain in her final two. Ms. Cronin went on to play five years in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and then became one of seven players to found the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), where she played for another five years.

She has coached goaltending for the past 22 years in high-level programs in the US, Canada, Finland, Austria and Italy. In 2007, Ms. Cronin founded M-Power Hockey Inc., offering private lessons, camps and clinics for girls in hockey. She is thrilled to be back in an independent school setting, as she is a graduate of New Hampton

Mark Dilworth joined CDS as our new Director of Educational Technology last December. He has a BA in Geography and B.Ed. in Outdoor and Experiential Education from Queen’s University, and an M.Ed. in Leadership and School Change from the University of Alberta. Mr. Dilworth’s 20 years of educational experience includes elementary, social studies and computer teaching in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Manila.

He also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Buffalo where he designed and delivered courses towards the Certificate of Educational Technology. Most recently,

Mr. Dilworth worked at the Zurich International School (ZIS) in Switzerland for the past 12 years, holding various roles including the Data Protection Lead, Director of Research and Organizational Development and Director of Educational Technology.

Madeline Sutcliffe will be the Summer Camp Director and Mandy Cronin is the Assistant Summer Camp Director. Former CDS Summer Camp Director, Andrea Leacock, will ensure a smooth transition.

Stay tuned for details!

Jasmine Ferdousi joined CDS

last September as a Middle and Senior School Associate teacher.

She earned her Honours BSc in Kinesiology and B.Ed. from Lakehead University and most recently completed her Master of Science in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, studying at the Neurotrauma Impact Science Laboratory.

Ms. Ferdousi has played a variety of sports but specialized in volleyball, basketball,

DEPARTMENT HEAD UPDATES Gisa Bevacqua-Tirone will take the role of Middle/Senior Schools Drama Academic Head.

Chris Edwards will take the role of Middle/

Senior Schools Science Academic Head.

badminton, and ultimate frisbee.

She competed on Team Canada for the U20 Women’s and U23 Mixed Ultimate teams, attending international competitions, and is currently the Vice President of Ontario Ultimate. Ms. Ferdousi brings several years of teaching experience working with the Simcoe County District School Board and Western Quebec School Board.

Alanna Houston and her hus-

band, Kevin Tudhope, welcomed the arrival of a son, Miller James Tudhope, on March 10, 2022.

Ms. Houston is the Co-Head of the Student Services Centre and has been a member of the Senior School faculty since 2014. She is also a member of the CDS Class of 2007!

Lara Gee will take the role of Junior

School Technology Academic Head.

Sarah Hudson will take the role of Middle/

Senior Schools English Academic Head.

Jennifer Weening will take the role of Middle/

Senior Schools Technology Academic Head.

James Houston has

assumed the role of IT Operations Administrator responsible for the management and prioritization of (continued on page 32)

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COMMUNITY NEWS Recent appointments and staff news

(continued from page 31) projects and innovating new processes and technology into the IT Department. Dr. Houston has played a key role in advancing technology at CDS since 2016.

Allie Kousathana joined CDS last

December as our Athletic Development and Physical Wellness Coach. She holds a B.Sc. in Kinesiology from the University of Toronto and a M.Sc. in Strength and Conditioning from St. Mary’s University. Ms. Kousathana brings many years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach, having worked with children in planning, monitoring and implementing individual and group strength and conditioning programs at the Twist Performance and Wellness facility; as a strength and conditioning intern with the USA Olympic Men’s 7s Rugby Team; and overseeing training sessions and creating specific training programs at the Victory Athletic Centre.

Richard Perks joined the

Aramark staff in January as a Chef working with the Dining Hall staff to deliver delicious and nutritious meals for the entire community.

He has since moved into the role of Head Chef upon the departure of Chef Marcello. Chef Richard is married to CDS alumna Jacquie Noble ’06!

Isabelle Racine married Michael

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Patterson at Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City on July 2, 2022.

Mme Racine has taught French in the Junior School since 2018.

Lauren Roszell and Mike Walsh

welcomed a daughter, August Emily Walsh, on May 28, 2022. Ms. Roszell has taught music in the Junior School since 2011.

Leighton Yong joined our Junior School in the Resource Department last fall and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Political Studies and a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. He is currently working on his Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto. Mr. Yong has taught in various countries around the world including Poland and Qatar. Most recently, he was at Saltus Grammar School in Bermuda teaching Grade 5 and Middle School Humanities. ■

CDS BIDS ADIEU TO THREE GREAT ONES! At this year’s Graduation ceremonies, CDS bid farewell to three teachers who have dedicated their lives to the teaching profession, much of it spent at CDS. We shall miss them dearly.

Joan Hargrave supported CDS for more than 10 years. In fact, few individuals in the history of CDS have had as many varied short-term positions as Joan, including JK, SK, music, French, Grade 3 and Grade 5. She embraced wherever she was assigned with her trademark smile and music, along with a high-degree of professionalism and support shown to her students and fellow colleagues.

Scott Garbe served CDS continuously for 26 years as a Middle and Senior English and Drama teacher and as the Head of Drama for the past 20. His creativity and passion are the stuff of legend, having impacted so many young lives in both subtle and profound ways.

This year, Scottie will continue to work part-time on our 50th anniversary celebrations with Steve McCutcheon, Mark Burleigh and Jenna Romanowich.

Dean Sherman taught math and science at CDS for 25 years, serving as Head of Math for 10 years, and as Director of Middle and Senior Schools for a combined five years. As a coach and mentor on the field and on the court, Dean also positively influenced the lives of many young people and helped garner countless CISAA championships for CDS.

CONNECTIONS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Alumni news and updates

Welcome Back Alumni Event!

Join us back on campus for a Fall Holiday Celebration — a geat way to catch up with fellow alumni and faculty.

Friday, October 7, 7:00-9:30 pm No RSVP necessary

Attention: Members of the Classes of 1997 & 1998!

PAR FOR THE COURSE We had a great turnout at the 50th Golf Tournament on August 18th! Thank you to our sponsors and all community members who took part!

Join us for your 25th reunion Friday, October 21, 2022 7:30 pm!

Spouses and significant others are welcome. Questions? please contact us at alumni@cds.on.ca

Call for Alumni Executive Members!

Interested in helping plan upcoming events? We would love to welcome you onto the Alumni Executive. Please contact alumni@cds.on.ca to learn more.

Stay Connected!

THE SECOND ANNUAL ALUMNI CHESS TOURNAMENT held on March 30th was a great success with 16 competitors from the Classes of 2018-2022. There were two rounds: three games of round-robin followed by playoffs (quarterfinals, semis, final). Games were 10-minute rapid style. Thank you Mr. Jugoon, and kudos to all the participants!

As we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary throughout the year, please ensure that we have your correct email coordinates so that you will receive regular updates. And don’t forget to follow us online too!

@TheCDS1972

CLASS OF 2012 CELEBRATES 10 YEARS! Members of the Class of 2012 had a fantastic gathering in June and it was great to welcome so many back on campus! Members of the Class of 2013, please ensure we have your updated information so you can stay apprised of our plans for June 2023!

Network with CDS alumni at our LinkedIn page!

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KATIE NOBLE ’05

LOOKING INWARD FOR INSPIRATION While enjoying raising her family abroad

Katie and husband Derek Joslin with their daughters Elizabeth and Annabelle hike the Austrian Alps, near where they live.

W

ith one foot in Europe and the other in Canada, Katie Noble ’05 carries on the family tradition of putting down roots and raising children around the world.

Having grown up in New Zealand, Australia and Canada, Katie now resides in Villach, Austria during husband Derek Joslin’s hockey season. Off season, they usually live at their Haliburton cottage, nicknamed Camp Joslin, though during the pandemic they stayed with parents Nancy and Gerry in Uxbridge. Young daughters Elizabeth and Annabelle are growing up learning German and English.

That’s a lot of moving around, but Katie is used to it. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a major in political science and minors in business communications and art history, Katie earned a Master’s in Sales Management from Humber College before starting a career in software sales. Beginning on the phone with the task of generating leads, she advanced through several companies and positions before taking on a leading sales role which, of course, required a lot of travel.

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I love seeing new places and meeting new people.

I feel like I’m very adaptable, able to adjust to new situations and connect to people in all walks of life.

I think I partly picked that up at CDS.

places and meeting new people. I feel like I’m very adaptable, able to adjust to new situations and connect to people in all walks of life. I think I partly picked that up at CDS. The moment I arrived in Grade 9, I experienced a very welcoming and inclusive environment. People wanted to talk to me and invited me to join all kinds of activities. I came out of high school very wellrounded and also open to new experiences— which I continue to pursue now.”

At CDS, Katie was in the music and drama programs, played basketball and rugby, and was a member of Student Council. A strong science student, she also took math and music all the way through high school.

“I liked to dip my toes in everything! I built my confidence that way and also learned how to handle a variety of new situations and people. That helped develop me as a person and also in my career. The overall CDS environment teaches so much more than academics.”

Once at university, Katie continued to be highly involved in student life, sitting on the senate and various boards at Trinity College and selected by fellow students as Head of College in her third year. She helped run student events and oversaw

the budget. And of course, she met and befriended a great variety of people.

“One theme in my life is that I like to help people,” she says. “Student leadership is a great way to create positive experiences for your peers. I do that in my work as well—connect to people in a helpful and authentic way. I’ve been a stay at home mom for a few years now and I’m getting a bit restless!”

In August, Katie and family will return to Austria for what will be her sixth season abroad.

“Growing up in my family, I’m somewhat used to a nomadic lifestyle, as is Derek with his hockey career,” she says. “And we love Europe. Life is slower there—people don’t work as much and there’s lots of time for family and friends. It’s a great quality of life and a great opportunity to show the girls the world.”

Derek has another year on his contract, after which Katie will ponder her career options. She loves working in sales and would also like to go into business for herself. That would mean starting an entirely new chapter in her life—which is a very Katie thing to do.

“One thing that has served me well in life is to look inward for my forte,” she says. “We all have natural abilities that we nurture. I ask myself, how can I use what I have inside me and what I care about the most to shape my life? I think looking inside and drawing on my strengths has helped make me a very adaptable person.”

She adds, “I hope students today are doing the same thing—ignoring messaging about what they ‘need to’ or ‘have to’ do with their lives and focusing instead on an internal sense of who they are and what matters to them. None of us has to fit into any particular mould. We each have our own gifts to develop and offer to others.” ■

JACQUIE NOBLE ’06

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND While pursuing her PhD and raising a family

J

acquie Noble ’06 sometimes jokes

that she peaked in high school.

“While obviously not true, it’s fair to say that I loved that time in my life. I had a fantastic group of friends. I was heavily involved in the music programme and in student leadership. And I felt that my teachers really cared about me.

CDS was more than just a school. It was a place where I really became myself.”

Today, that self is married to Richard Perks—or Head Chef Richard, as he is known at CDS where he works with the Dining Hall staff to deliver delicious meals for the entire community. Jacquie also has a young son, Charlie, and is in the process

of completing her PhD in Forensic Anthropology. So there have been many peaks since high school. Yet she can trace her love of learning and also of teaching to her CDS years, spanning from Grade 8 through to graduation.

“However I performed in my subjects— and like anyone else, I was better at some than others—I always knew that our teachers wanted us to love the material and do well,” she says. “I’ve been more inspired by my CDS teachers than by any others since.”

After graduation, Jacquie completed a double major in human biology and biological anthropology at the University of Toronto and also won the Trinity College Leadership (continued on page 36)

Jacquie with husband Richard Perks, CDS Head Chef, and their son Charlie.

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(continued from page 35) Award for contribution to student life and was also elected Head of College at Trinity. After working for the Honourable Kellie Leitch, then Minister of Labour, for a few years, Jacquie moved to Queensland, Australia to attend Bond University where she acquired a Master’s in Criminology. She then earned an MSc in Forensic Science from the University of Western Australia before joining its PhD program in Forensic Anthropology. She also met Richard, who hails from England, while at school Down Under.

Jacquie has personal ties to Australia, her family having lived there and also in New Zealand before moving back to Canada when she began Grade 6. With neither Jacquie nor sister Katie ’05 happy in their Toronto girls’ school, the family moved to Aurora, and all three Noble siblings eventually joined CDS. A strong math and biology student, Jacquie knew she would take the science route at university. At first, she had medical school in mind. But then she discovered forensic anthropology through a third-year osteology course.

“I was learning all about bones and found it fascinating,” she says. “What can human bones tell us about individuals or groups? Anthropologists come at this question from a research or academic rather than medical side of things. I find it interesting to start with nothing when it comes to identifying remains and then slowly put together a complete puzzle.

Male or female? How old? How long dead?

Sometimes, we can even tell what they did in their lives from clues in their bones.”

Having tackled some of these questions while working on excavations in Australia,

Italy, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia, Jacquie has published some of her findings in academic journals. But despite her love of her subject, she has a passion that outshines research: teaching.

“The best part for me is helping others to understand this field,” she says.

“Students love this science, and it’s fun for me to see their excitement. My love of teaching reaches back to my time at CDS. My teachers were friendly and enthusiastic and inspired me to go down this path. They were great mentors, and now I’m trying to be the same for others.

I’ve been to school around the world, and CDS has a really good thing going on.”

With university teaching jobs in her field few and far between—only three schools in Ontario have a forensic anthropology program— Jacquie is open to where her career might take her. She is on track to complete her PhD in early 2023 and aspires to country living, with the specific country as yet unknown.

“I might stay in Canada,” she says. “I would also love to return to New Zealand sometime. With his skillset and experience, Richard can work anywhere. Right now, I’m not sure where we’ll land. I’m open to possibilities.”

Jacquie would counsel young people to have an open mind about what their future may bring.

“There is pressure on high school students to commit to a specific path early,” she says. “But I would say, don’t stress if you don’t know what you want to do. Take a variety of courses at university and wait and see what happens. Take the time to really know yourself. In some ways, I’m still doing that.” ■

My teachers were friendly and enthusiastic and inspired me to go down this path. They were great mentors, and now I’m trying to be the same for others. I’ve been to school around the world, and CDS has a really good thing going on.

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COLIN NOBLE ’08

PUTTING HIMSELF OUT THERE While drawing on the leadership and communication skills honed at CDS

L

ike his sisters Katie ’05 and Jacquie ‘06, Colin Noble ’08 describes high

school as “one of the best times of my life.” Arriving in Grade 9 after only having attended all boys’ schools, his first adjustment was to co-ed life.

“That was a great change for me personally,” he says. “There was a learning curve, as I was pretty shy. I had to make the adjustment to a new environment and to having girls as friends and partners, which was really good for me.

I enjoyed the classroom dynamic and learned a lot about myself.”

Another reason Colin enjoyed high school: “My days were filled with learning, playing sports, playing music and choir. I was busy from early morning to late evening, doing things I loved. And when you’re in so many activities, you make really interesting friends. Some people I saw only in band, others only on the field or the rink. Belonging to so many different teams and groups introduced me to a lot of unique and creative people.”

Colin with his wife, Diana and daughter, Olivia.

Academically, Colin was strongest in the maths and sciences, with physics “a favourite and a lot of fun” and chemistry close behind, “even though I got bad marks,” he laughs.

Colin credits his teachers for making learning interesting and the classroom a fun place, no matter the subject. He is also grateful for the support he received from his coaches, especially when serving as team captain, and from faculty advisors as House Captain and Student Council President. Today, he looks back on those leadership experiences as fundamental to who he has become.

“I had to learn to speak in front of the school at assemblies, to lead students in activities and to steer the whole Student Council team,” he says. “It meant a lot to me to represent the student body and to learn how to do that well, including making mistakes. One thing about CDS is that it’s okay to make mistakes—people will step in to guide you and help you do better. It was the same with learning about team dynamics in sports and in music. I still draw on all those experiences today.”

After starting his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Toronto and then completing it at Bond University in Australia—where Jacquie eventually joined him—Colin articled with KPMG in Sydney where he earned his Australian CA

My days were filled with learning, playing sports, playing music and choir. I was busy from early morning to late evening, doing things I loved. And when you’re in so many activities, you make really interesting friends.

designation. He then returned to Toronto with KMPG where he wrote the Canadian exams and earned his Canadian CA designation. Leaving the CA profession, Colin took on a role as chief financial officer and general manager at Sutton Group real estate brokerage, eventually making the jump into real estate sales and development as a career.

“I followed in dad’s footsteps when I chose accounting,” he says. “It’s the foundation of every business and a great way to learn about all aspects of a company. I draw on that experience now that I’m a licensed realtor. In addition to understanding the financial and office management side, I now work with clients to help them find a great place to live.”

Colin loves the relationship-building side of his work and making an impact in people’s lives. He draws on the leadership and communication skills he honed at CDS to connect to clients and coach them through the complicated process of finding and acquiring a new home. It’s an important moment in their lives and he appreciates being a part of it.

He also loves being a dad to Olivia and partner to wife Diana, a Winnipegger and account executive at Salesforce. Colin and Diana met in Las Vegas over a decade ago and lived together in Australia before moving back to Toronto in 2017.

“Olivia’s just turning one, and already it’s hard to remember life without her,” says Colin. “She brings so much joy to our lives. It’s amazing watching her develop her personality every day. We have another child arriving this November, which will start a new parenting adventure for us.”

Like Katie and Jacquie, Colin believes he learned a lot about success as a person and as a professional from his CDS teachers.

“Developing relationships with my teachers taught me a lot about developing relationships with clients,” he says. “That time in my life built my confidence and my skills and made me appreciate how important it is to build connections with others.

I would say to students today, take advantage of all the opportunities that CDS provides. There are experiences available that you will never have again in the same way, in such a formative time of life. Put yourself out there, make connections and become everything you’re capable of becoming.” ■ THE LINK SUMMER 2022

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Leading as a Role Model for Others CHRISTINA BANNERMAN-NICKERSON ’93 is a Regional Business Director for Novo Nordisk (where she has worked for the past 15 years), a Danish company helping to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases. This spring, Christina and her family traveled to New York City where she received the 2022 Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Rising Star Award for her business leadership and for serving as a role model to others. She takes great pride in leading an exceptional team of Sales Managers, Sales Representatives, and Clinical Educators covering Nevada, Northern California, and Hawaii. After Country Day School, Christina graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition/Chemistry. She went on to acquire her MBA from Regis University and to earn credentials as a Registered Dietitian. She resides in Chandler, Arizona with her husband Rob Nickerson and their son Austin (12 years old). When she is not working, you will find her either traveling Christina and family at awards luncheon with her family or at the Arizona (l-r) husband Rob, son Austin, Christina, hockey rinks cheering on Austin as and niece Kelby. he plays goalie.

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1990s

ROB BANNERMAN ’93 lives in Illinois with his wife Michelle, a 2nd grade teacher at Hampshire Elementary School and girls’ basketball coach at Hampshire High School, and their two teenage children. Daughter Kelby is a sophomore at Davidson College, Davidson, NC, where she plays NCAA D1 basketball, having been coached by her mom from elementary through to her high school career. Son Bryce, a high school senior, is a defensive cornerback on his football team and runs cross country, recently winning the conference with his 4x400 relay track team and qualifying for the state finals in 2022.

Rob is in his 17th year at computer software company PTC working as a Business Development Manager in software sales. He plays ASHL hockey at the local rink every week and enjoys sailing in the summer and skiing in the winter. He and Michelle enjoy spending time together supporting Bryce and Kelby and also scuba diving. They were recently in Costa Rica volunteering for two weeks at the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Centre located outside San Jose in Provincia de Alajuela, Turrucares.

2000s PAUL FOGOLIN ’01 is the Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs at the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, representing Canada’s fast growing video game industry. He began his career at Queen’s Park as Special Assistant to the Premier of Ontario before becoming the Premier’s Strategic Lead for Northern Ontario. Paul then moved on to become a Senior Advisor to the Minister of

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Providers of Ontario. Paul has also served as the President of the Empire Club, Canada’s oldest and most respected speaker’s forum. He holds an Honours degree in Political Science from Queen’s University and a Certificate in Public Speaking from the University of Toronto.

Paul is an avid golfer and big Raptors and Jays fan. He lives in Oakville with his wife Candace and their two sons Brooks and Nash.

Tourism, Culture and Sport. He has since held positions as the Director of Stakeholder Relations & Operations for Ontario’s Minister of Health, Vice-President of Government & Stakeholder Relations at the Ontario Retirement Communities Association and Vice-President of Government & Industry Relations for the Federation of Rental Housing

in February, these four awards will inject a total of $1.8 million in new funding for studies looking at obesity, acute myeloid leukemia, liver cancer, and the tumour microenvironment. Dr. Jackson is an Investigator in the Systems Biology Program at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health in Toronto where he is researching the “characterization and treatment response of Hippo pathway regulated immune response to breast cancer.”

HART JACKSON ’02 is one of four promising, early-career scientists in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to receive $450,000 over the next three years to support ground-breaking cancer research through the 2022 Terry Fox New Investigator Award program. Awarded

EMMA COLUCCI ’03 and her partner, Adam Henderson, welcomed the arrival of their son, Lucius, on November 21, 2021. Emma and her family live in Toronto and enjoy frequent visits from her mom and former CDS French teacher, Mme Leslie Colucci.

CAITLIN BARNES ’09 is living in Victoria, B.C. and teaching Kindergarten at St. Michaels University School. She also runs a wedding planning business called VOW & Co. and The VOW Cabin and writes that “It’s been so much fun!”

KATIE SHOTBOLT ’07 and her partner, Jeff Davie, welcomed a baby girl, Sophie Kathleen Shotbolt Davie, on October 9, 2021. Katie works at McCain Foods Limited and has served as a member of the CDS Board of Directors since 2018. She and her family live in Toronto.

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Catt Filippov ’11

Studying Playwriting in NYC

CIARA KOTH ’12 is currently working as a copywriter at The Bay in Vendor Media Partnerships, which is her dream job as it combines her two passions for writing and fashion. She has also started a small business drawing and selling custom portraits that can be found on Instagram at @koth_illustrations.

Ciara is currently living in Toronto.

KAREN SO ’08 has completed her medical degree at the University of Hong Kong and is pursuing her specialist training in Orthopedics and Traumatology at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. Karen still plays for the Hong Kong Rugby team, which she accompanied to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017 in Ireland and captained for two seasons in 2018 and 2019.

Catt Filippov ’11 is beginning the fi nal year of her MFA in Playwriting at Columbia University in NYC. She has been hard at work on her thesis piece, Rotten Roots, a multimedia performance that examines the shame, guilt, and confusion of being Russian during Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Rotten Roots premieres late spring/early summer 2023.

Catt recently played Coach Cockroachevich in the new drag musical Looking Back Through Stained Glass with Nancy NoGood. She is also working on a modern new translation of The Cherry Orchard and on another project recreating Alexander Calder’s Circus with objects found solely at the Goodwill Outlet in Queens, NY. Catt and a few other CDS drama alumni took time out of their busy schedules this spring to videotape a shout out to our Junior School cast of Welcome Home!

2010s BLAIR COXHEAD ’12 has been busy for the past few years running his own company while working for another. He had been working for a company that manufactured PET blow molding machines that produce bottles for pop and water at high volumes per hour. Blair started off as Parts and Inventory Manager there then moved up to Parts and Service and General Manager before the company was purchased

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and relocated to Switzerland. He then started his own business doing parts and service work for some of his former customers, as well as new customers. Blair was recently recruited by a company in the US to manufacture stretch blow molding machines and is now working in Michigan while still living in Caledon. He is currently in charge of ordering and servicing parts and designing new machines.

McKinley is 2022 World Cup Bound!

M fourth year of studies at TMU and graduated during the pandemic. She is now working as an Architectural Designer and Marketing Co-ordinator at an architectural practice that focuses on laneway suite design in downtown Toronto.

HANNAH (CARLTON) NELSON ’14 and her husband, Logan, welcomed the arrival of a baby girl, Belle Vie, on September 16, 2021. She and her brother, Oliver ’21, stopped by the school this spring to introduce Belle to the CDS community. Hannah is a freelance designer and travels between Las Vegas, NV and Orlando, FL for her husband’s work as a pilot.

KATE JONES ’15 attended Western University for her undergraduate degree in Medical Science after graduating from CDS but quickly decided the medical profession wasn’t for her. She decided to take a year off to earn money and worked on her portfolio for the Toronto Metropolitan University Bachelors of Architectural Science program. Kate writes, “What attracted me to TMU’s architecture program was the co-op between the third and fourth year of study where a select number of students could apply for a 16-month working term at architectural practices.” She managed to qualify for the co-op and worked at a few Toronto-based studios that specialize in sustainable residential infill design and various commercial work. Kate finished her

McKINLEY HUNT ’15 has had a busy spring completing her M.Ed. from Queen’s University in March and playing her final UK pro-rugby game with the Exeter Chiefs Women’s Team in June.

Although Exeter lost to the repeat champions, the Saracens, it was an amazing accomplishment for a team that has only been in existence for two years. After just two seasons, the Exeter Chiefs Women’s Team not only won the Allianz Cup but also made runners up in the Premier 15s Finals.

In a statement following the game, the Club said, “In only their second season together,

this incredible group led by head-coach Susie Appleby have laid the foundations for a legacy of Women’s Rugby in the Southwest and broken the monopoly of success which the Londonbased clubs have enjoyed for several seasons … It has long been a tradition of the club to (continued on page 42)

Kendal Merrill ’13

Opens Personal Training Gym in Orangeville “Sports and fitness were a major part of my life at CDS, and I was lucky enough to play on a sports team during every term, with soccer being my main focus!

“As fitness and health have always been passions of mine, opening a gym has been a goal I’ve wanted to achieve throughout my life. I am so grateful and humbled to say that with hard work and dedication, I have now opened my very own private personal training gym in Orangeville. We are called HQ Fit Studio and we officially opened on June 4th!

“HQ Fit Studio specializes in personal training and fitness classes. Because we are a smaller brand with grass roots, we focus on immersing ourselves in the community and building meaningful relationships with every client that walks through our doors! As we are not a corporate/membership style gym, our facility creates a very private and exclusive environment, allowing our clients to really focus on themselves (alongside their trainers) for that hour.

“We are also proud to say that our gym is outfitted in state-of-the art Canadian made, local equipment!”

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(continued from page 41) mark major milestones with an Open Top Bus parade, and the achievements of this squad deserve no less celebration.”

McKinley then travelled to New Zealand to play exhibition matches this summer in advance of the World Cup in New Zealand this fall.

Logan Hunt ’17

Soaring High as an Air Ambulance Pilot Logan Hunt ’17 graduated with a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Aviation with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Mount Allison University in 2021. As part of the aviation program, he also completed the flight training component at Moncton Flight College. Beyond academics, Logan was a varsity athlete during all four years of university. It was at CDS that he fell in love with long distance and endurance sports and continued this passion at university by racing long distance events as a varsity swimmer.

While he and his younger brother did not overlap while at Mount Allison, Nevis ’21 has followed in Logan’s footsteps and is now pursuing a Commerce degree in Aviation there.

Since graduation, Logan has been on an incredible and fast-paced adventure. He immediately started work as a commercial pilot flying SkyDivers at Skydive Wasaga Beach and says, “Having fare-paying passengers leap out of an airplane 10,000ft above the ground is a surreal experience and gave me a great opportunity to gain experience as a new professional in the aviation industry.” He continued working as a skydive pilot all last summer, which led him to his current role as an Air Ambulance Pilot in Northern Alberta in September 2021. “Working in the north has given me the opportunity to see parts of Canada that most will only ever dream of. Last winter, I got a front-row seat to the best northern lights in Canada and experienced temperatures that reached -50˚C. During the summer months, regions of this latitude experience 24/7 daylight making it truly a place of extremes! Working as an Air Ambulance pilot, I have had the opportunity to fly a Beechcraft King Air into some truly remarkable places in the Canadian western and prairie regions. Flying into unique places such as Whitehorse and Edmonton keeps it a challenging adventure.”

Logan attributes much of his success in aviation thus far to his amazing network connections throughout the industry, with the most influential stemming from within the CDS community. “Over the past five years, Mike Cross ’03 and Josh Liggett ’15, both commercial pilots, have taken on an incredible mentorship role providing invaluable guidance during my schooling and the start of my flying career. A huge thank you to my mentors for truly going above and beyond to support a fellow member of the CDS alumni community!”

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SUMMER 2022 THE LINK

ALI IWAI ’17 graduated from CDS in 2017 and then attended Queen’s University for four years completing her Bachelor of Science. She graduated with a Biology-Psychology Specialization and a Smith School of Business Certificate.

As at CDS, Ali was very involved within the Queen’s community. She joined the hockey and volleyball intramural teams and volunteered for a mentorship program called Friday Friends where students organize and facilitate social events for young adults with special needs. Ali now works at a Healthcare Marketing Agency called the Gibson Group and spends her free time with friends, family, and on the golf course.

JEREMY GARBE ’19 was awarded the Maurice Price Foundation Summer Research Internship with the College of the Humanities at Carleton University this summer. Jeremy’s winning research proposal was on “The Effects of Genre and Narrative on Philosophical Writings: An Exploration of the Merits of Philosophical Literature.” In his project, he researched the or-

ALUMNI NOTES

Doing Her Part to Close the Education Gap reached a crisis with our kids and their education. She doesn’t pretend to have the life experiences or the answers to solve these problems. But what she does have is curiosity and a passion for understanding more about the “why” and the “how.” Why is this happening? And, how can we fix it? To find answers to these questions, Sophia is speaking with thought leaders across different spectrums of our society. Learn more at eLearn.fyi.

SOPHIA JOFFE ’21 is studying Commerce at Queen’s University and has just released a podcast called “Close The Gap with Sophia Joffe” available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. On “Close the Gap,” Sophia has conversations with thought leaders about a critical issue: how to close the education gap that disproportionately impacts kids from minority groups and lower-income families. Sophia believes that COVID has amplified this education gap to the point where our society has

igin and development of philosophical literature to better understand its argumentative merits and compared genres such as dialogues, poems, novels, and plays with more formal modes of conveying ideas, such as essays, treatises and letters. Jeremy is now in his fourth year at Carleton pursuing a combined honours in Humanities and Philosophy, and his work has been recently published in two undergraduate journals; a short story titled “The Sentinel and the Nomad” in the Spring 2022 edition of The Reed: an Undergraduate Existentialist Journal and an essay titled “The Privilege of Risk: a Critique of Nietzsche’s Philosophy of Life” in the Ipso Facto: The Carleton Journal of Interdisciplinary Humanities.

2020s BILLY AND GEORGE TSIOLIS ’20 joined students in Grade 12 Film Studies and Grade 11 Communications Technology classes virtually in December to share valuable insights into the many post-secondary and career opportunities that exist in the world of film production.

IN OUR MEMORIES …

Ryan Elder ’16 passed away on February 1, 2022. Ryan attended CDS from 2005-2010 for Grades 2-6 and is the older brother to Alana and Logan.

The brothers are attending the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, one of the world’s leading film schools. Billy is studying the art of film and George is studying business.

Thank you to ANNE-MARIE BASSI ’21 (studying Life Sciences at U of T), PATRICK WILSON ’19 (studying Applied Mathematics Engineering at Queen’s) and GEORGIA EWERT ’19 (studying French at the University of Ottawa), as well as two current CDS parents, Lynda Polygenis and Elizabeth Gesualdo, for taking part in a panel discussion with Mr. David Huckvale as part of our annual GY Transition event!

Kim Thomson (Original) passed away on April 5, 2022 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

She attended CDS from 1975-1977 for Grades 7 and 8, as did her younger siblings Tara, Liza and Brian. Kim’s parents, the late Sheila and Al Thomson, were big supporters in starting the school, and Sheila was very involved in the early days of the CDS Auction.

Daniel Laurier ’10 passed away following an accident on May 22, 2022. Daniel attended CDS from 2006-2008 for Grades 9 and 10 and is the younger brother of Genevieve ’09.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF

INTRODUCING THE COUNTRY Tarini Amarasinghe Karan Amin Jake Andersen Ethan Bain Quinn Binnie Liam Bousada Cameron Boyd Paige Brainis Madeline Brayman Alessia Carbone Alexie Carogioiello Tomas Chacin Riya Chopra Grace Croxon

Tate Dallimore Nicole Damianidis Mason Davis Alessia Di Biase Jameson Dowling Zack Downey Mackenzie Falconer Chantal Flowers Connor Fortin Emma Fulawka David Galviz Alexander Gille Sophia Guido Danyal Hakeem Shayan Heybati

88 GRADS

Jake Hollett Vlad Ignatenko Maria Ivoditova Alexis Jenkin Claire Johnson Megan Johnson Luke Jones Adam Karabatsos Noah Katzin Alex Kim Sophie Kim Neyla Kirby Ryan Langille Max Leroux Jamie Li

88%

ONTARIO SCHOLARS

POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION DESTINATIONS Boston University Brock University Brown University Carleton University Duke University Emily Carr University of Art + Design Fanshawe College

Fashion Institute of Technology George Washington University McGill University McMaster University OCAD University Queen’s University St. Francis Xavier University

2022

Our 88 graduates have demonstrated immense grit and resilience during their high school careers and have accepted offers of admission to top programs at a diverse selection of post-secondary institutions across Canada, the US and UK. Well done, Class of 2022! We could not be prouder of you and wish you all the best!

DAY SCHOOL CLASS OF 2022 Cindy Ma Ethan MacDonald Chelsea Mao Simone Masini Sydney McGrath Kate Michelberger Robert Milliken Adam Monaghan Sarah Muxlow Ava Muzzo Lauren Nediu Lauren Neil Tawana Ngorima Elijah Ogor Angela Paolicelli

17 ‘LIFERS’

Toronto Metropolitan University Union College University of Bristol (UK) University of British Columbia University of Guelph University of Ottawa University of Southern California

Eliza Pasha Isabella Pasquali Mari Pietersen Kieran Porter Jayden Posen Russell Priestly Keegan Robinson Nicoletta Rotundo Isabella Ruso Samantha Schaus Rachel Schnekenburger Kellan Sherman Noah Smith Zach Smith Russell Sorbo

Marianna Speranza Juliette Ste. Marie Toby Steinmann Bella Sun Chris Suriwka Nilou Tabandeh Doust Charlotte van Nostrand Arjun Walia Kevin Wasserman Charlotte Wright Henry Xiu Katie Yeates Sydney Young Ian Zhang

100% RESILIENCY

University of Toronto University of Waterloo University of the West of England Bristol Western University Wilfrid Laurier University York University

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Happy Birthday, CDS!

The feeling at our Welcome Back BBQ was one of elation, not only to be celebrating Back to School once again in person, but to be acknowledging that our school is now a half century young!