Au Courant Summer 2018

Au Courant

THE MAGAZINE OF WEST ISLAND COLLEGE S

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Au Courant Magazine This Issue 01 03 05 07 12 13 15 17 19 21 23 24 25 26 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Farewell Looking to the Future Student Feature International Studies 2018 Summer Reads Dream Big Et En Plus, Nous Parlons Français!

Tools in the Tool Kit Athletics: A Year of Highlights Outdoor Education Music Education: Providing a lens to 21st Century Learning Back to the Future Cabaret!

Alumni Feature: Todd Halowski Grade 9 Celebration Graduation Valedictorian Address: Rory Gilliland Student Scholarships Alumni Class Notes Alumni Achievement Awards Upcoming Events

WIC is committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship. This publication is printed on 10% postconsumer waste recycled paper.

Editor-in-Chief Ms. Mueller Director of Marketing and Communications

WIC Copy Editors Mrs. Ryder, Executive Assistant Ms. Huhn, Manager of Corporate and Human Resource Services Ms. Ginzberg, Librarian

Graphic Designer Mr. Sengaus

Photographers Erickson Group Edward Ross (Edward Ross Photography) WIC Yearbook Club Members Ms. Meckelborg, Director of Grade 7 Studies

The Au Courant is published twice a year for parents, alumni and friends of West Island College.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: West Island College, 7410 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary AB T2H 1M5

West Island College is proud to be associated with: ÂŽ

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Carol Grant-Watt, B.Ed., M.A. HEAD OF SCHOOL As I sat to write and ponder my last Au Courant article, I found myself moved to tears as I contemplate leaving the College. Of course, when tasked with deep thinking I find my centre in the great outdoors. My office window is big and bright, and I turned my thoughts to the rainy weather outside. The Campus Core is within sight and the trees I fretted about all winter are in full bloom and beautiful. The campus plan has come to life from the concept drawings. I was recently reminded by a group of Grade 12 students that I see life in metaphors and here was one staring directly at me. My article unfolds from this.

D. Elton Trueblood was an author, theologian and chaplain at both Stanford and Harvard universities. He wrote: “A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full-well he will never sit.� How simple and powerful is this statement? I have often referenced this quote in my writing and it forms a foundation for my core values. My parents instilled in me the belief that life spent in service to others and one which leaves the world a little bit better is something one should do. It is my sincere hope I have accomplished this in some measure during my time at WIC.

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West Island College has been my second home for the

I look forward to hearing about the continued success

past nine years and I want you to know how grateful I

of West Island College and its families. Thank you for

am for the opportunity to be a part of this remarkable

your trust, support and belief. In closing, I quote Glinda

community. The myriad opportunities to work with

from the Broadway musical Wicked. “I’ve heard it said

amazing colleagues and parents has been incredible.

that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing

My greatest joy has been spent in the company of your

something we must learn. And we are led to those who

children and they have taught me life-changing lessons.

help us most to grow if we let them. And we help them

My thoughts return to the trees recently planted;

in return. Well, I don’t know if that’s true, but I know I’m

survivors of their first Calgary winter. Not only have they

who I am today because I knew you. Like a comet pulled

survived, they are taller and thriving and I am not only

from orbit as it passes a sun. Like a stream that meets a

hopeful for the future of this amazing school but excited

boulder halfway through the wood. Who can say if I’ve

to see what it does next.

been changed for the better? But because I knew you, I

At the time of this writing, I have spent my evenings and some weekends at sporting events, fine arts concerts and art showings, drama productions, staff functions, board meetings, parent gatherings and a quick trip to Silicon Valley with a dynamic and focused group of students. It has been a very busy and rewarding time.

Last evening, I attended a new student-led initiative called WIC-X. One of our Grade 12 students initiated and created this event modelled after the TED Talks franchise. As I sat in the audience and listened to six student talks, I was moved to tears. Their poise,

have been changed for good.”

To this amazing community, please accept my heartfelt thanks for all that you have taught me. I am eternally grateful and leave a piece of my heart behind forever. I am so pleased to welcome Ms. Chantal Gionet in whose capable hands the College will continue to thrive and prosper. After all, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” M. Mead. Merci beaucoup and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

intelligence, compassion, and vulnerability left me speechless and humbled. The future is indeed bright, and I am so proud of the amazing students who let me share their journey.

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the future, this velocity only increases. Educationally, Artificial Intelligence, virtual classrooms, field trips to such places as the Savannas of Africa or the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, and holograms to visualize models were seemingly the realms of pure science fiction à la Star Trek, Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Tron. Today, students can use their phones to communicate across time and space, the Microsoft HoloLens to explore the internal structures of the heart, or Google Maps and Google Arts & Culture to explore first-person views of thousands of places. These are relatively rudimentary, but still almost unimaginable a decade ago and the pace, ubiquitousness, and impact of such elements are only increasing. Though traditionally education is monolithic and highly resistant to change, it has on a whole become more responsive and flexible to the needs and interests of the learner (charter schools, sports schools, online schools, etc). The evolution of technology further acts as a lever for educational change and broadens the opportunities and experiences that exist for students

Dave Horn HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL As a science and technology enthusiast, technology and learning often come to mind when thinking about the future.

During a recent visit with my grandfather, he was astounded when I was able to share videos of my son Shea riding his first pedal bike and then connected with him via FaceTime all from my iPhone which had been sitting in my pocket. It reminded me of just how nonchalant we can be with some pretty amazing technology. To be fair to him:

not only influencing how they learn and demonstrate mastery but also in shaping and re-shaping what they are preparing for in the future.

As an educator, I am excited by shifts in education that are occurring and the possibilities that technologies wrapped in sound teaching practices yields for students. As we return in the fall, we will see students continue to increasingly be the co-authors of their learning, further growth in cross-curricular learning and expanded incorporation of project and problem-based learning, along with broadened experiential learning experiences. By purposefully leveraging authentic learning opportunities to critically engage students, and cross-disciplinary projects to facilitate transference of knowledge and skills, we develop their ownership, academic capacity and aptitude as well as their ability to successfully navigate novel situations. Situations like the myriad of uncertainties and opportunities that will exist

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my grandfather was born in 1928

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the first programmable computers were built in the

the leaders, creative problem-solvers, entrepreneurs and

early 1940’s and filled entire rooms

innovators of the generation.

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the hand-crafted Apple-1 was built in 1976

While only having been here at WIC a year, it is clearly

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the first commercial cell phone came into existence

evident that WIC’s Purpose, Promise, and Commitments

in 1983 and may or may not have fit in your briefcase

are more than just words on the walls and that a thriving

but certainly not your pocket

community committed to developing well-rounded

as they move into post-secondary and the workforce as

students exists. I believe that in addition to developing

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the first iPhone was only released in 2007

I would surmise that many of us are now accustomed to new and better technology each year. That is a steep rate of change, and if we peeked behind the curtain of

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a student’s academic prowess it is just as important to ensure their physical and mental wellness as well as the soft skills needed to lead and thrive in a changing and more open-minded society: empathy, resilience, integrity,

self-advocacy, communication, and collaboration

You are headed off on new adventures in new places

are also developed. Whether it takes shape through

and will be meeting many new people. Be who you are

involvement with organized sports, outdoor education,

and say what you feel, because those who matter won’t

clubs, conversations in assembly and TA, or one-on-one

mind and those who mind won’t matter.

conversations these are key areas we will continue to focus on, in collaboration with you the parent, when we return for the 2018-19 school year.

A closing story for symmetry. When we were recently in IKEA, a ladies voice made an announcement over the PA and without hesitation, my son shouted out “Hey Siri, is that you?” As I work with my team and your children I am always cognizant of how we capitalize on new norms, new opportunities, and best prepare our youth for the world tomorrow, one which is quickly different

Take a risk and try something new. It has been my experience that in life, you are more likely to regret the things that you did not do, rather than the things you did that may not have worked out as you planned.

Your actions define you. Regardless of how you think, where you have been, who your parents are, what you are wearing, you will be judged by what you do.

Furthermore, those actions, over time, will determine who you are. So make it intentional - define yourself.

from the world of yesterday. As always, I look forward

Don’t be in a hurry to join the permanent work force.

to working with you to create the best possible

With apologies in advance to your parents, I think as

learning experiences.

young adults, you have the next eight to ten years to really invest in yourself. It is a relatively small window

John Reid

of time, without the responsibilities of marriage and

HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

parenthood. In my opinion, it should be a time of study,

My inspiration for this article comes from observations and comparisons of life as a student now and my life as a student back in what could be considered the stone age – the pre-internet days.

As we think about the future, I would advocate that we should all try to spend less time interacting with our devices and more time interacting with our friends

travel, internships, service, etc. Focus on filling your tank with education and experiences so that your life becomes richer, not necessarily your bank account – but that often happens in the long run as well.

Finally, remember that the journey is far more meaningful and enriching than the destination is.

Stay in touch!

and family face-to-face. I worry about all of us being fixated on our devices and I lament (though I am just as guilty as anyone) the erosion of interpersonal and live-exchange of ideas. I am reminded of that classic cartoon of two friends sitting at the same table texting one another and then smiling and saying “LOL”. We can easily get blinkered by the ease and anonymity of emails and texts and often forget that so much of communication is conveyed through tone, inflection, and body language. When you can be someone's friend just by clicking the “like button”, you miss out on letting friendship slowly develop. We should all try to find more time to have good old-fashioned face-to-face conversations.

Graduating class of 2018, you have been a wonderful grad class – thank you for your support and leadership this year. Here is my annual, unsolicited, advice to you as you head off to university. I do not mean to imply that I have the market cornered in this area, but I have been observing what works for successful people all my life and I think there are some retrievable lessons here for us all.

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GRADE 7 At four years old, Levi started horseback riding and

Whether she is riding or at the barn, Levi is able to live in

was instantly in love with the sport. After riding for two

the moment, forgetting any problems or challenges she

years, she began to compete in show jumping. She

may be facing. Consequently, despite the challenges that

has won the Royal West at Spruce Meadows, and she

juggling school and competitive riding can cause, riding

regularly competes at Rocky Mountain Show Jumping

helps her relax, which in turn helps her focus at school.

competitions in and around Calgary. This past year, Levi

Even with a busy riding schedule, Levi still manages

travelled with her horse, Harmony, to Thermal California

to excel in her academics as well as participate in WIC

where she competed at the HITS Desert Horse Park.

extracurriculars such as the Global Awareness Club and

Having never competed in the United States, this was a

Debate Club.

big step for her.

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GRADE 12 Amelia began playing squash when she was six years old and has competed at increasingly higher levels of competition ever since. In 2012, Amelia participated in her first Alberta Winter Games. Since then she has competed, with great success, in tournaments such as the 2017 US Junior Open, the 2017 Alberta Open- which she won, and the 2018 Junior National Championships Girls Under 19. Amelia is currently ranked first in the Girls Under 19 Alberta squash rankings and is ranked in the top 10 in the Girls Under 19 Canadian rankings.

Squash has benefited Amelia in more than just her physical fitness. She credits her exceptional organizational skills and time-management abilities to squash. Her involvement in squash constantly provides her with goals to be determined and passionate to achieve. It has also been an excellent source of stress relief for her. When Amelia is not competing or excelling academically at WIC, she coaches young children ages four to six, about the basics of squash. She also assists the head coach during lessons for children ages nine to twelve, teaching them a more in-depth perspective of the game. Amelia has achieved such great success in squash that she is a member of the 2019 Canada Winter Games Squash team.

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were very friendly. In this area of language barriers, a smile went a long way. Other times, they allowed us to take pictures of them or rest on the area in front of their house. The trek was truly the highlight of the trip for me.

The Nepali cuisine was a pleasant surprise (though some don’t share this view) I found the food enjoyable almost every time. Being in a developing country, the food was never extravagant or rich, usually rice, chicken, and vegetables. But, it was always enough to satisfy our hungry bodies after a long day of trekking, touring, or working. There was one item of food that I think everybody agrees was delicious – momo! Momo is a style of dumpling native to Tibet, and we got the opportunity to make and eat it.

JAY HILSDEN STUDENT

Upon our arrival in Kathmandu after our trek, we went to a great restaurant where one of the chefs demonstrated making the dish before we got the

hat do you think of when someone says Nepal?

Most likely the tall peaks of the Himalayas. Or maybe the bustling streets of Kathmandu. That is what I imagined Nepal to be like in the months leading up to our departure. What we got was a diverse and interesting culture, fantastic cuisine, friendly people, but most importantly, the experience of a lifetime.

The trek was probably the highlight of the trip for many of us. The peaceful mountains and quiet villages created a relaxing atmosphere, one that we never wanted to leave. Throughout these three days, we had surprisingly good food and unsurprisingly incredible views. The top

opportunity to try. Needless to say, our momos were… not the best. However, when we got the chance to taste the momos that the chef had made; we fell in love. From that moment on, whenever we were served momo, everybody was delighted and you could hear a collective, excited, “YESSSS!” arise from the table.

Both of our service projects this year were great fun. Both the SMD School and the Shree Janakalyan Secondary School were rewarding but in very different ways. The SMD School was more of a play session than a service project. It was clear, though, that while we weren’t doing any hard labour or tutoring, we

three moments for me on the trek were playing soccer on a small rice paddy plateau, exploring the quaint town of Ghandruk, and seeing how people lived their lives in rural Nepal. The pictures of our soccer game are like something on a postcard. A cool mauve sky, silhouetted hills, a small group of kids kicking around a soccer ball were all truly picturesque. The town of Ghandruk is one of the largest establishments in the Sivalik hills or the foothills of the Himalayas. The stone houses that made up the town have a mysterious charm and some of the wood carvings on the tresses and windows of the houses were some of the most intricate and exquisite pieces of artistry I have seen. Inhabited by about four thousand people, we could tell the community was close-knit. People from the town were drinking tea and talking to each other. Others were doing construction work, presumably on new houses. It wasn’t just Ghandruk, though, where we saw the generosity of the Nepali people; all the people we saw throughout the trek

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...we were putting smiles on the children’s faces, which was priceless...

were putting smiles on the children’s faces, which was

tops created a mystical atmosphere that’s synonymous

priceless. And boy were those children cute! We played

with the country. The intricacies of the carving on the

“Monkey in the Middle”, catch, soccer, variations of “Ring

tresses that support the roof, as well as the window

Around the Rosy”, and more! Their enthusiasm to play

covers are nothing short of incredible. Despite being

with us was contagious, causing some of the more soft-

built hundreds (or even thousands) of years ago, many

spoken people in our group to open up and laugh and

of these buildings have survived earthquakes we can’t

play with the youngsters. At the school, we also met

even begin to imagine. Some, however, did not make it,

a former WIC student, donating his time to starting a

and through our visit to Kathmandu’s Durbar Square,

club to teach the kids about electricity and engineering.

we got a chance to see the restoration of some of

They hosted an experiment for us to try that was

the buildings after they were damaged or destroyed

run and taught by the Nepali students. It was really

in the earthquake of 2015. These workers were doing

interesting to see the kids of the club teaching those of

an incredible job recreating in painstaking detail

us struggling with the simple concept how to do it. The

the essence and characteristics of the extraordinary

Shree Janakalyan Secondary School did include manual

complexes that once stood there.

labour, and while it was fun to play with the adorable kids at SMD, we knew the work we did here would leave a lasting impression on this school and its students. The painting went on for a day and a half, but by the end, the school had three freshly painted classrooms, ready to be put to use. The school was incredibly grateful and even put on a small cultural show for us, which persevered through rain and squeaky microphones. What both of these amazing schools had in common was the incredible gratitude they showed for us, having spent time working and amusing the kids, and their gratitude is something that will stick with me for a long time.

The architecture of Nepal is one of intricate design, ornate grandeur, and nothing many of us had ever seen before. Some ancient temples were tall, multi-roofed, masterpieces, with incredible sculptures of animals and warriors guarding their doors. Other structures were massive monuments to Buddha, called stupas.

These hemispherical treasures gleamed snow white and dazzling gold. The flowing prayer flags attached to their

At the end of the trip, Hong Kong was a little different, to say the least. Not only had we not seen a skyscraper in two weeks, the ones on the island of Kowloon were some of the tallest in the world. While there were a great many dissimilarities, which shouldn’t be too hard to imagine, one similarity was Buddhism. On one hill, one of the world’s tallest and grandest Buddha statues resides, watching over the mountains and harbours of Hong Kong. This massive bronze cast, named the Tian Tan Buddha, was an incredible work and rivaled some of the stupas and buildings we had seen in Nepal.

My recollection of this trip contains so many moments that have been engraved in my memory; it is impossible to put them all on paper. The architecture, culture, landscape, and everything in between was what helped to make this trip such an incredible one. I still often find myself yearning to go back so I could hike up to Ghandruk or visit the stupas in Kathmandu. Thank you, Nepal, for all the memories. I cannot wait to return!

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Sarah Ginzberg LIBRARIAN With summer break soon upon us, the relief from

If you prefer Historical Fiction, I would recommend The

schoolwork allows for plenty of time to pursue a wide

Alice Network by Kate Quinn, The Nightingale by Kristin

variety of activities – including plenty of time to catch

Hannah, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by

up on some good books. If you are looking for some

Jamie Ford, or The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.

recommendations this summer, look no further – I have

The Alice Network, The Nightingale, and Hotel on

plenty! (Those that know me know I always have a lot to

the Corner of Bitter and Sweet all focus on a variety

say regarding literacy, reading, and books in general, and

of themes surrounding war. The Power of One is an

that I’m not shy about voicing my opinions in

inspiring novel about a young boy’s will to survive and

this regard.)

to overcome any obstacle in order to achieve his dream

If you have not read some of these classics, this summer is the perfect time to cross them off your list. If you like Fantasy and Science Fiction, The Harry Potter series

of becoming the welterweight champion of the world.

This novel takes place in South Africa at the height of apartheid.

by J.K. Rowling, A Wrinkle in Time (and the four other

Other great fiction reads for the summer include A

books in the Time Quintet featuring the Murray Family)

Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and The Shadow

by Madeleine L’Engle, and The Night Circus by Erin

of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The Watchmaker of

Morgenstern are a few of my favorites. The Night Circus

Filligree Street and The Bedlam Stacks, both by Natasha

in particular is a beautifully written novel that will make

Pulley, are also fun reads. As a side note, A Prayer for

you believe in magic. I also recently read and enjoyed

Owen Meany, The Shadow of the Wind, The Night Circus,

the Themis Files trilogy (Sleeping Giants, Waking Gods

and The Power of One are four of my all-time favorite

and Only Human) by Canadian author Sylvain Neuvel. A

novels. I have read each too many times to count!

new novel that has been added to my “favourites” is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. An epic Fantasy novel that is beautifully written, The Name of the Wind is

I wish everyone a wonderful, fun-filled summer and look forward to hearing how you spent your break!

a story that you will lose yourself in.

Many novels are recreated as blockbuster movies. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and the Harry Potter series are all great books that have graced our theatres. As with the recent releases of A Wrinkle in Time and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, I always find it interesting to see the director’s take on the story, and whether they decide to remain true to the novel or move in an entirely different direction. These are all fun, fairly quick reads that you can get lost in.

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DEBRA KLIPPENSTEIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

At West Island College, our promise is to “challenge,

One of WIC’s commitments to our students and parents

inspire and support one another as we imagine and

is creativity. Together we can be creative without

create our best futures”.

boundaries. Together we can be critical thinkers who

Our focus is on exceptional and unparalleled teaching and learning which necessitates bold plans for the future.

challenge ideas, pave new paths, and encourage inventiveness.

The Head of School and Board of Directors of WIC have

Our constant desire for improvement has created a

developed a facilities and infrastructure Campus Master

culture of discipline, focus, creativity, and innovation.

Plan and Operations Plan to meet the evolving needs of

The vision for WIC is to expand into a true educational

the College community. Ensuring that we have adequate

campus within a secondary school environment. This

resources for our students, and improving, expanding

concept for a larger, enhanced campus is the result of

and building new facilities to enhance our learning and

collaboration amongst administration, our Board of

academic support spaces

Directors and members of the community.

are paramount.

Our dreams are big.

Our Campus Master Plan includes a new athletic and health facility, sports field with a field house, and an expanded Learning Commons and science park. Through the improved WIC campus, we as a collaborative educational community will provide extraordinary opportunities and experiences that will spark curiosity and prepare our students for the world beyond WIC.

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West Island College is committed to maintaining the highest level of educational programming, curricular, and extra-curricular experiences for our students.

Government funds pay a portion of what it costs to educate each WIC student, with tuition funds and annual fund donations making up the balance. However, government funds are not available for capital building, facility upgrades, or new equipment, and tuition pays only for instructional costs. As an independent school, any building improvements or funds for capital projects have to be raised independently.

WIC has grown into the impressive facility it offers today because of the generosity and patronage of the administrative leaders and families who have come before us. You can play a vital role in our future greatness and further transformation of our campus.

With your help, we can empower our youth to become learners, leaders, and world-changers. Funding for these future capital projects will be sought in the form of gifts provided by our parents (current and past), grandparents, alumni, and other community supporters.

Significant financial resources will be required to make our big dreams a reality. Our future success depends on the generosity of the WIC community. As we move forward, we will be asking you for your philanthropic support. Please join our inclusive community of enthusiastic leaders, learners, educators, parents, alumni, and supporters.

We invite every member of the WIC community to engage in a discussion of expanding our possibilities in our pursuit of educational excellence.

Let’s start the conversation.

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Sandrine Berezowski DIRECTOR OF FRENCH IMMERSION Le département d’immersion française s’est donné

The French Immersion department has the objective of

pour objectif de promouvoir de manière dynamique et

promoting an innovative and vibrant image of the

innovante, une image de la langue française.

French language.

Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous avons souhaité mettre

To achieve this objective, we highlight the skills of our

en valeur les compétences de nos élèves à travers des

students through innovative and creative projects. This

projets créatifs pour illustrer le dynamisme et la pluralité

further illustrates the dynamism and plurality of

de nos classes.

our classes.

Nos élèves relèvent le défi d’étudier dans un

Our students have been challenged to study in

environnement bilingue depuis de nombreuses années

a bilingual environment for many years and they

et ils s’y épanouissent en participant à de nombreux

thrive by participating in many classroom projects and

projets de classe et d’activités extrascolaires à WIC.

extracurricular activities. We encourage and support

Nous les encourageons et nous les accompagnons dans

them in the realization of their dreams in both French

leurs rêves en français et/ou en anglais, cela dépend

and/or English.

du moment.

This article is inspired by the promotion of Francophonie

Cet article est inspiré de la campagne pour la promotion

in the world, and the desire of WIC students to show

de la francophonie dans le monde et du souhait des

that they have multiple passions; French being one

élèves de WIC de montrer qu’ils ont de multiples

of them!

intérêts. Le français en est un !

At the end of the day, whether they are passionate

En fin de compte, qu’ils soient passionnés de mots,

about words, art, sports, science, algorithms, adventures

d’arts, de sports, de sciences, d’algorithmes, d’aventures

or musical notes, our students all have a good reason to

ou de notes de musique, nos élèves ont tous une bonne

say “and we can speak French too”!

raison de dire : « Et en plus, nous parlons français » !

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collectively meaningful matters, while making character and citizenship other skills to develop as well.

Tony Wagner emphasizes creativity, innovation, entrepreneurialism and adaptation will be critical attributes for students to have upon entering the future workplace. Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity? also stresses the need to encourage and facilitate more innovative thinking in the classroom.

Tim Brown’s Change by Design and David Kelley’s Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All explains human-centered design thinking.

Kelley makes clear the importance of this methodology based out of the Stanford d.school and at his creative consulting company, IDEO. Organizations today actively seek individuals who think outside the box to help solve real-world issues - from clean drinking water to improving public transportation to assistance with regional healthcare concerns.

WIC continues to evolve its educational program to

Scott Bennett HEAD OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INITIATIVES West Island College prides itself on providing unparalleled learning experiences through international travel, outdoor education and real-world based opportunities here in Calgary. Educational pedagogy is constantly evolving to best prepare students as future careers are rapidly changing. This requires schools to explore how to provide new experiences and to develop key skill sets. Educational experts identify a number of core competencies in order to better prepare students for a world that is changing at an exponential rate. The

meet these new competencies while still preserving rigorous academic standard. The College added the design thinking methodology this year shifting the Business 10 course to incorporate this approach in addition to adding a Focus Friday D.Lab Club. Students learn empathy, prototyping, failing and continuous testing to solve problems that are of interest to them.

Options such as Engineering 9, Coding 8, and Robotics 8 also apply critical and computational thinking for students to solve real problems in team-based projects.

Students will continue to be exposed to the likes of CAD Solidworks /Fusion software, 3D printers, HoloLens, drones, data analytics, and coding to name a few.

College plans to continue to infuse these essential skills

WIC faculty, working alongside the STEM Learning Lab

for students in the next strategic plan.

team, have been transformative in the way we deliver

A few educational thought-leaders works will guide the College moving forward. Grant Lichtman’s Moving the Rock: Seven Levers We Can Press to Transform Education, Michael Fullan, Joanne Quinn and Joanne McEachen in New Pedagogies for Deep Learning: Leading Transformation in Schools, Districts, and Systems and Tony Wagner’s Creating Innovators all identify common core competencies essential for

on our program of studies to align with these core competency skills. Several interdisciplinary projects were designed this year for our Grade 7s. The first is a scratch language coding project which inspired computational thinking with students investigating how temperature fluctuations can impact a substance's state of matter They then coded their themed environments to change through a random generation of math expressions.

student learning. Critical thinking, problem-solving,

A second project was the environmental science unit

working collaboratively and effective communication are

that included cross-curricular connections through

key skills these nationally recognized authors have all

STEM-based activities, hands-on inquiry, data

agreed upon. Lichtman would add learning how to learn

analysis, and student-centered problem-solving. This

and developing academic mindsets to this list. Fullan

unit focused on ecosystems and plants for food

would also agree with students learning how to learn

and fibre, with connections to social studies, math,

along with a deeper learning focusing on personally and

technology, and language arts being intentionally

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incorporated. Additionally, the unit utilized themes from Journey 2050, a curriculum-based school program that provides resources and virtual simulations to encourage student exploration of world food sustainability. A Journey 2050 field trip to the Nutrien Western Events Center at Stampede Park rounded out the overall experience to increase student awareness of agriculture.

The third project was a Grade 8 Freshwater and Saltwater Systems Science unit that connected the programs of study with an analyses comparing Earth and Martian terrain. The students provided images, data sets, and Google Earth maps of our planet and Mars to analyze biological and geological indicators potentially associated with underground water/ice.

WIC aspires to create unparalleled real-world learning experiences. Chip and Dan Heath in The Power of Moments suggest you create moments of elevation (defining moments that rise above everyday), insight (something might influence our lives for decades), pride (create moments of courage or achievement) and connection (positive defining moments with others).

To offer these pivotal moments reinforces Lichtman’s suggestion to build robust, sustainable communities of interest-based learning beyond the physical boundaries of classroom and campus.

WIC’s recent school trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley; one of the most creative and innovative places, reinforces this core value. The trip motto ‘Creating Innovators’ speaks to this belief and included stops at Stanford d.school, IDEO, Google, Workday, Apple and Plug and Play Tech Centre to get a sense of the culture, meet the people, and to better understand how their own career pathway may intersect in the future place.

WIC is doing great work ensuring our students are well prepared for the future.

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Todd Larsen HEAD OF ATHLETICS AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING The 2017-2018 year has been an exceptional year full of fond memories and accomplishments. This year we have had much to celebrate and for athletics, in particular, it has been a pivotal year. The sports season started quickly and within a few weeks, we were already celebrating the accomplishments of our Senior Golf teams who won both the boys and girls gold medal in zone competition. By the end of November, we were finishing the volleyball season and the Senior Boys Volleyball team had finished first in the city and second in the provincial tournament, a new best for a WIC Senior Volleyball team. In the competitive Division 1 Grade 8/9 boys basketball league, WIC had an unprecedented undefeated season and brought the championship banner home. In WIC’s inaugural year offering a Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team, the team had a phenomenal year. The team finished the season in first place and proudly got to capture the city championships on home court. WIC’s tradition of badminton supremacy continued with both our junior and senior teams dominating the league championship by large margins. As spring began to finally bless us with longer and sunnier days, soccer, field hockey, track and field and the rugby seasons began. The Senior Girls Field Hockey team followed up the momentum of the previous season and proudly won several games against some of the biggest schools in the city. The track and field team registered a massive roster that exceeded 100 students and once again battled to become the number one school in our league. In a fairytale ending to the year, the Senior Boys Rugby team captured several major wins and won the zone championship. As we celebrate this year’s great accomplishments, the contemplation of what 2018-2019 will bring has all of us excited and ready for another great year.

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Sue Snow

constraints. Students must be able to “think on their feet”, collaborating instinctively with their peers to react

FACULTY

21st Century Skills is a term generally used to refer to certain core competencies such

and resolve unanticipated occurrences in a performance.

Communication skills have always been valued in the workplace and in public life. But in the 21st century, these

as collaboration, communication, critical

skills are even more important. It is not surprising that

thinking and creativity that advocates

music students become better communicators. This is

believe schools need to teach to help students thrive in today’s world.

not simply an outgrowth of the self-confidence gained through performance. Successful performers are good listeners as well. Musicians do not just hear, they learn to

~ NACE

listen to nuances and silences. Effective communication is a two-way process and learning to truly listen

21st century learning involves what

is essential.

are coined as the “Four C’s”:

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving has long been a

•

Collaboration

•

Communication

•

Critical Thinking

•

Creativity

valued skill in society. While critical thinking and problem solving used to be the domain of ‘gifted’ students, now it is a critical domain for every student.

Musicians are pushed to set a goal and work through a series of intermediate steps to reach it. They must think critically, plan and prioritize their work so that all the basics are taken care of in a timely fashion. This allows

Collaboration is an essential skill because it is inherent in

sufficient time for polishing the performance and making

the nature of how work is accomplished in our workforce

any adaptions that might be needed.

lives. Years ago, most work was accomplished by individuals working alone. Today, much of all significant

Music programs provide students countless

work is accomplished in teams, and in many cases,

opportunities to develop strong critical thinking skills.

global teams. Not only does music teach skills from

Musicians must be able to analyze the various parts

within the curriculum, but it extends to skills such

of a musical score and also synthesize those parts to

as heightened personal discipline and responsibility,

understand and appreciate “the bigger picture” and

collaboration and teamwork, and leadership.

combine those pieces into a new whole.

Music students must work effectively, rehearsing the

When performing repertoire, students must carefully

small details before a performance and do so creatively

analyze notation to understand the composer’s intent

and collaboratively with the other musicians of the

and the historical context. They must explore the best

ensemble. They must work collaboratively within

means by which they can bring that understanding to

their sections and accomplish the work under time

life through performance for their audience.

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In the past, Creativity, along with innovation skills has been perceived as secondary in our overall curriculum.

Today, creativity and innovation are key drivers in the global economy.

direction, innovation, and collaboration.

“All these skills – which align with what many educators now refer to as ‘twenty first century skills’ – will be needed by every student in order to survive

Music education develops the creative capacities for

successfully as an adult in an increasingly complex and

lifelong skills by sharpening student attentiveness,

technologically driven world” ~ From STEM to STEAM

strengthening perseverance and equipping students to

David A Sousa/ Tom Pilecki.

be creative.

With this ever-changing educational landscape, West

In addition, music develops empathy in students and

Island College recognizes the need to stay up-to-date

broadens their perspective of the world in which they

with current trends. By promoting the “Four Cs” through

live. They learn to understand what motivates people, to

avid support of the fine arts in both the curricular and

forge relationships, to care for others, and, as a result,

extra-curricular activities, West Island College is able to

become more thoughtful communicators.

better prepare students for life after WIC.

Music and the arts in general, develop skills in creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, communications, self-

BACK TO THE FUTURE Brittany Babott FACULTY

“If the water reflects the sky…one giant fluid mirror ever effervescent and abstract in its dancing steps. I wonder if the reason we can never see the bottom is because it truly reflects everything…”

The importance of arts-based learning has been researched and it has been known to have powerful effects on students. I could talk anyone under the table on the benefits of fine arts education, but I will spare you from my pedagogical tirade…for now. In honour of the theme of this season’s Au Courant being “A Lens to the Future”, I have employed one of our talented

The above quote was from The Irremediable Heart is

artists at the college to write about her perspectives

a Satellite, the collective creation that was our spring

on the future of fine arts education. Annabelle Penney

production. The show was a student-created work and

is an interdisciplinary artist who is not only amazing at

the beautiful prose and poetry continues to rattle around

poetry, she is an accomplished playwright and actor. The

inside my brain. The reason theatre holds such a special

following is from her pen, and I can safely say that with

place in my heart is in its ability to bring people together

students like Annabelle coming-of-age, our future is in

to have a transformative experience. If art is functioning

good hands.

well, it is reflecting current society in an authentic, messy and complex way. The same can be said for the system of education.

“I was six years old when my mom took me to see The Nutcracker for the first time. I instantly fell in love with the ballet. The swirling tulle, the stage lights, the

Theatre, much like education has its share of cyclical

gracefulness exemplified in all the ballerinas. It was unlike

cycles. There are trends that emerge and are tried that

anything I had ever witnessed, so pure and beautiful. I

subsequently reach their shelf-life. These practices

was lucky to grow up in a household where we viewed

die and are later resurrected, they become reborn

an education in the arts as one of the finest things any

and renewed with updated and trendy names.

girl could have in her arsenal of how the world works.

We collectively accept these new systems and we

As I have grown up, I have kept that inquisitive spirit

implement them all the while we are experiencing a

about the arts. I am not here to preach that STEM

strange kind of déjà vu. I was fortunate to grow up in the

is not important or that everyone should become a

system of education that was the “whole child” trend.

professional artist right now. But, in a society so focused

Discovery learning, sensory stations and arts integration

on excellence and innovation, to me sometimes ‘STEM’

ran rampant.

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can sound like an overused buzzword. But the arts, the arts that have been around for thousands of years. The arts that enticed both royalty and peasants. Created bonds and brought communities together. Made us

CABARET!

cry, made us laugh and reminded us of the beauty still inherent in the world. It is important that as the world moves forward into a new era of learning we do not forget the one program that teaches what nothing else can- empathy. Evidence from brain research is only one of many reasons education and engagement in fine arts is beneficial to the educational process. The arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor skills to creativity

Cindy Martin FACULTY

The evening of May 24th, 2018 marked the inaugural WIC Fine Arts Cabaret. This event dreamed to life by the Fine Arts Council of 2017-2018. With the help of all of WIC’s Fine Arts teachers (Sue Snow, Tania Marie Cooper, Brittany Babbot, and Cindy Martin), the students put

and improved emotional balance. One must realize

together a true Cabaret-style variety show.

that these systems often take months and even years

The theme for the evening was 1920’s jazz club and Lucy

to fine-tune. In a study conducted by Judith Burton,

Wall designed a fantastic poster. Parents, teachers, and

Columbia University, research evidenced that subjects

students alike came dressed in their 1920’s best! Alex

such as mathematics, science, and language require

Cook was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, and

complex cognitive and creative capacities “typical of

she and the tech crew, Thomas Graham, Krista Cooper,

arts learning”. The arts enhance the process of learning.

Makenna Osis, Ben Rosen, and Abby Longworth, kept

The systems they nourish, which include our integrated

the evening rolling.

sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional, and motor capacities, are, in fact, the driving forces behind all other

Some highlights of the evening were the improvised

learning. I spend the majority of my day sitting at a desk

solos from the Grade 7 Jazz Band. These young students

regurgitating information and memorizing facts. But

created their solos as they played. The entire group

the arts completely change the learning environment

learned to communicate with each other musically

of one’s discoveries. For me, it completely reignited my

and displayed this new skill with enthusiasm. It was an

love of learning. I swore I was never going to be one

amazing performance by such young musicians!

of those people who ended any sort of article with a question but, can you imagine a world without art? I imagine it to be a very lonely and dark world. With art, people share common places at theaters and public space. People share with families and friends. Everybody can interact and see new visions through the arts. You

The newly-formed Girls’ Choir, working under Ms. Cooper, also debuted during the evening. These girls were dedicated all year, meeting weekly. Their first public appearance was a success, and filled with bravado and elegance!

meet others with almost the same restlessness. We

Along with the Jazz Band performances, there were

come together for a reason, to find the enjoyment and

poetry readings, a piano and voice duet by Ben Lemoing

excitement in all kinds of good art. At the deepest level,

and Sage Gilliland, two scenes from the play Almost,

the creative process and the healing process arise from

Maine by John Cariani, and Improv Club performances.

a single source. When you are an artist, you are a healer; a wordless trust of the same mystery is the foundation of your work and its integrity.”

The silent performance of the evening was an art show that consisted of work from art students, Grades 7 through 12. The Art 30 students had their abstract skeleton projects on display along with all the sculptural work that the Art 10 and 20 students had recently created. Artist statements accompanied the works which explained the inspiration and messages behind the conceptual pieces of work.

All in all, the inaugural WIC Fine Arts Cabaret was a hit!

It was well-attended and will be a much-anticipated yearly event. We hope to see you all there in 2019.

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with his current level of training.

The day after he saw this young patient, a Canadianborn chiropractor held a press conference with Sidney Crosby to discuss how they had taken the injured hockey player and after nine months of no clinical improvement, were able to evaluate and help him recover from his concussion systematically. “The Kid” was back thanks to

Todd Halowski

CLASS OF 1993 Todd graduated from West Island College in 1993. He attended one year at the University of Calgary before volunteering in Quebec for two years. During his time in Quebec, he was delighted to meet many wonderful people and enjoyed a diversity of experiences. La Belle Provence and its people still hold a tender spot in his heart.

the help of a chiropractor.

What did this chiropractor know that Todd did not?

Dr. Halowski set himself on a course of learning. He was able to study at the Carrick Institute, founded by the doctor that had treated Sidney Crosby. He devoted thousands of hours to the study of applied clinical neuroscience and with that, he felt puzzle pieces falling into place including answers about his own previous concussion and recovery.

Upon his return to Calgary, he attended

This research path brought his past and

the University of Calgary to complete

future together. Not only did he learn how

a Bachelors of Science in Health and

to help his patients with Mild Traumatic

Exercise Physiology. Thanks to the

Brain Injury, he learned why he still had

influence of great teachers at West Island

lingering symptoms from his earlier MTBI.

College, school athletics, and challenging coursework, he was hooked on learning,

Dr. Halowski is the Director of HALO

exercise and sports.

Clinic. With his team, he supports patients that are dealing with a wide variety of

Todd was involved in a motor vehicle

health complaints, from sports injuries to

accident that, on the surface, left him

neurodegenerative health conditions.

bumped and bruised. However, he actually suffered a more severe injury; a Mild Traumatic

Watching his grandfather decline from Parkinson’s

Brain Injury. This would help to define his professional

disease instilled a desire within Dr. Halowski to help

life today as the challenge of that trauma became

those who suffered similarly. Even helping one person

an opportunity that helped shape his learning and

with Parkinson’s disease have a better quality of life

professional focus.

would be a victory for Todd. He has watched patients go

Todd chose to attend the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa after completing his undergraduate degree. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in June 2005

from wheelchairs to walking and from walkers to freewalking. Witnessing the progression of his patients is extremely rewarding.

with a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Halowski returned

Dr. Halowski continues to study and learn, utilizing skills

home to Calgary and began to practice his specialty.

he developed at West Island College 25 years ago.

Through his love of athletics and health, he built a multidiscipline practice that focused on sports and optimal performance.

He recognizes that although life has not been linear, it is full of joy. There have been bumps, challenges and curves. Good memories and resiliency learned in early

In the fall of 2011, a young patient presented to his office

years have prepared Todd for life’s challenges. West

wearing sunglasses and earplugs, finding both light and

Island College was an excellent foundation for a great

sound too stimulating. Six weeks before arriving at his

experience.

office she had been playing with friends and struck her head on the monkey bars, regaining consciousness on the ground with her current symptoms. He wanted to help her but felt that he did not have all of the answers

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Rory Gilliland VALEDICTORIAN Good evening parents, teachers, faculty, and especially my fellow grads. It is an honour to be standing before you and speaking to all of you on this occasion.

There are just a few important thoughts I would like to touch on over the next several minutes, and with any luck, you’ll be paying attention to at least some of what I have to say.

First and foremost, I believe we owe some recognition to the teachers and faculty at West Island College. They have worked tirelessly to guide us through Junior and Senior high school; please, let’s give them a big round of applause.

High school was hard. Thinking back on the last six years, our minds are assaulted by memories of seemingly daily encounters with scantron sheets, homework, weekly style points, endless science labs, and countless math quizzes.

And who could forget the Cold War Project that, despite all warnings, we left until the last minute. At times, we must have seemed a circus act with the classes, clubs, sports teams, and social life that we were juggling all at once.

Now, grads, we have made it, and I am delighted to inform you that we are done high school except for a few more diplomas that we’re not going to talk about.

We are masters of the Cold War, wizards of many languages, mad scientists, math geniuses, and remarkable jugglers.

Our class has risen to the top on Alberta Diplomas and AP exams, and consistently dominated the rugby, volleyball, and basketball leagues, among many others.

Our class has contributed to years of successful drama productions, band concerts, and fine arts galas.

We have touched the lives of the impoverished, the disabled, the hungry, and endangered animals; we’ve raised awareness for global issues like bullying and illiteracy, and we’ve given back to our environment.

Through International Studies, many of us were even able to help build schools, teach children, and effect

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Au Courant

meaningful change ourselves.

The list goes on. These are our accomplishments, and

to grow and develop. Embrace difficulty, because

they are being recognized this evening. I encourage you

everything worth having in life begins with a challenge.

to take a few seconds tonight to reflect on what we have achieved and how we have grown as individuals; it is no small feat. While our shared past is precious, we must move on to the future, and the future is scary.

We have all done a lot of thinking about what lies beyond the safe confines of West Island College, and such thoughts always set the heart pounding. However, my hope is that we will come away from this ceremony a little more comfortable with what lies ahead.

Yes, the many difficulties of high school are fading to the background. But, that does not mean that we no longer

Perhaps that was a bit heavy, and I'm almost finished, so let me leave you with a final thought. Sure, high school was tough, and yes, you are done now, but challenge in your life is far from over; indeed, it may be just beginning.

So, grads, I encourage you to be bold in embracing challenge with open arms, be brave in finding ways to flourish under difficulty, and be ready to rock this world‌ and keep up your juggling.

Thank you, and have a great evening.

have challenges to face.

Inevitably, there will be new challenges ahead: we have to learn to live away from home, deal with our new responsibilities in society, and thrive as individuals. We will have to keep practicing our juggling too.

For those allergic to the word “future,� thanks for bearing with me; I brought it up for a reason.

The next big chapter of our lives will come with its challenges, but I want you to recognize two things about challenge: firstly, it is not going away.

You will always have challenge in your life; there will always be another Cold War project. But what I would suggest is to look at difficulty in a different light: it does not go away, so you might as well enjoy it.

When faced with challenge, surround yourself with friends, and savour the sweetness of overcoming difficulty. Find comfort in pushing your boundaries and you will always feel at home.

Secondly, I want you to recognize that challenge is the lifeblood of improving not only yourself, but everything around you.

Look at the challenges we faced in high school, and look what has become of it: we're intelligent, athletic, and well-rounded people who have given back and improved our community in countless ways.

Carry this spirit forward and look at challenges not simply as obstacles to overcome, but as opportunities

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Sam Allison The Seymour Schulich Community Service Award is given to students who demonstrate a combination of academic excellence, contribution to school life, and service in the community. The award fully covers the academic expenses of the first three years of the Engineering program at the University of Calgary. Sam is honoured to have been selected to receive this award and is grateful to those who make the Schulich Award program possible. Sam has been actively involved in the WIC community since Grade 7 and went on to serve as Co-President of the Roots and Shoots Club, Bedard House Captain, and Prefect. She also participates in debate, basketball, field hockey, and track and field.

Outside of school, Sam is a competitive ringette player having played on Team Alberta twice. With them, she attended the Western Canadian Ringette Championships as well as the Canadian Ringette Championships. She will be starting her 5th year as a ringette coach this year and has been able to apply many of the skills acquired at WIC to this role. Sam would like to thank the WIC Faculty and Staff for their amazing support and encouragement over the past six years, without which this award would not have been possible.

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Rylie Essington

Lucy Wall

Rylie is very honoured to have been chosen as one

Lucy is honoured and excited to be receiving the

of the ten candidates for the Queen’s Accelerated

University of British Columbia's International Major

Route to Medical School (or QuARMS) 2018 class. This

Entrance Scholarship. The award is given to UBC's

opportunity is granted to those in high school who

top international applicants who show exceptional

demonstrate strong leadership skills, maturity, integrity,

academic achievement and promise, as well as

and altruism, along with a proven academic ability. The

community involvement and strong extracurriculars.

program is a shortened track that consists of a two-year

The scholarship will provide opportunities for rewarding

undergraduate preparation, followed by direct entry

academic and leadership experiences and networking

into Queen’s Medical School. Rylie’s dream of one day

with a community of award-winning students. Lucy's

diving into a medical field began during her time in high

passion for biology developed throughout high school

school, as she gained experiences with healthcare on

and will continue to grow through enrolment in the

both a personal level, and through the Health Sciences

Faculty of Science at UBC Vancouver in the fall, where

Certificate at WIC. She has also attended multiple

she also hopes to maintain involvement in the arts

medical conferences over the years which she believes

community. Joining WIC in the 11th grade from the

have helped her to immerse herself in the expectations

United States, Lucy has made the most of her time at

of the profession, while expanding her network in the

the College through opportunities such as the FAME

medical community. During her time at WIC, Rylie

Council, promoting art in the community through events

became the founder of our school’s first Peer Mentorship

including WIC's first Fine Arts Cabaret, and traveling to

Program, targeted to support mental health within the

Nepal through the International Studies program. She

school community. Her advice to anyone trying to get

encourages future students applying for scholarships

into medical school is to go after what interests them.

to pursue their passions and interests both outside of

People often convince themselves that there is one path

school and through the countless opportunities at WIC,

to get into medical school, yet more often than not it

which will then allow their applications to be filled with

is those who have a unique story accompanied by a

unique experiences. She is very grateful for the support

sincere passion that succeed.

she has received from her family, friends, and the school, and is excited to attend UBC over the next few years.

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C L AS S N OT E S Patrick Creery CLASS OF 1989

Joe D' Angelo CLASS OF 2007

Patrick was recently

After graduating from

nominated for a Rosie (the

WIC in 2007, Joe attended

Alberta Media Production

Acadia University in Nova

Industry Association's

Scotia where he obtained

annual awards) for Best

his Bachelor of Business

Performance by an Alberta

Administration, specializing

Actor for his performance

in accounting. From there

in 'The Parent Council,' a

he chose to remain on the

web series that he wrote,

East Coast, articling at KPMG

produced and acted in. The

Halifax while pursuing his

series itself was also nominated for Best Web Series

Chartered Accountant designation. After successfully

- Fiction. The series was produced through Patrick's

passing the 2013 UFE, Joe relocated back to Calgary

company, Round Two Productions, and is currently

and accepted a position at a small power generation

in development to produce more episodes. The pilot

company called Kineticor Resource Corp., where he

episode can be seen on YouTube.

currently works as their Controller. Kineticor addresses the demand for greater efficiency and optimization of resources through decentralized power generation.

Since 2014, Joe has also been involved with Special Olympics Calgary as a Coach for both the golf and floor hockey programs. Most recently, he had the opportunity to organize the 2018 Calgary Floor Hockey Qualifying Tournament, a two-day qualifying tournament for the 2019 Alberta Winter Games; graciously hosted at West Island College in February, 2018.

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Ted Hoyda

Phil Shaer

CLASS OF 2000

CLASS OF 1991

Ted is currently the Chief

Phil Shaer graduated from

Resident in Urology at

WIC in 1991 and has been

the University of British

living in Ottawa since 2000.

Columbia in the Department

He is married to Caroline

of Urologic Sciences. He

Dubé and has two daughters,

started the five-year surgical

Kaelin and Ryann, both of

program in 2014 after

whom take great pleasure

attending the Cumming

in correcting his French and

School of Medicine in

Caroline’s English. After

Calgary. Prior to this,

leaving Calgary, Phil obtained

Ted completed a PhD and Post-Doctoral Fellowship

a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in

in Neuroscience which provided him a tremendous

French from Université Laval in Quebec City, followed by

opportunity to explore his interests in the basic sciences.

a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Windsor

Ted, along with his wonderful family, Laura, Charlie and

in 2000.

Bellamy, will be moving to San Diego next year for a Surgical Transplant Fellowship and to engage in stem cell research at the Salk and Scripps Institutes. His goal is to return to Canada afterward as an academic transplant surgeon focusing on building implantable organs.

Phil joined Canopy Growth Corporation, the world’s largest publicly traded cannabis company (TSX: WEED, NYSE: CGC), in 2016 after nearly a decade as General Counsel at Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. (formerly MOSAID Technologies Inc.), a role which had him travelling regularly to China, Germany, Japan,

Beth O’Dwyer CLASS OF 2008

San Francisco, South Korea and Taiwan as well as host of other countries. As Chief Legal Officer, Phil now leads a team of lawyers who are responsible for Canopy’s

Beth graduated with a

reporting obligations as a publicly traded company as

Bachelors of Education

well as its other legal needs. He also leads Canopy’s

Degree from McGill

Human Resources department, hiring approximately 800

University in 2013 and

people in the last 18 months, and with over 1,000 jobs

went on to complete her

still to be filled. Additionally, Phil is intimately involved in

Montessori Diploma in

business development, having closed many dozens of

Toronto, Ontario. After

multimillion-dollar deals in the two years since he joined

working abroad for a year in

Canopy. During this time its market cap has increased

Australia, Beth came back

from $500M to approximately $6B.

to Calgary to teach Grades 1 through 3 at Calgary Montessori School. She did not realize how much she would enjoy being back in Calgary and is so happy to be close to family and friends. Beth is still able to travel during her summers off and is always plotting her next great adventure.

In 2017, Phil was named Dealmaker of the Year at the Canadian Lawyer InHouse Innovatio Awards. Phil also received the Ottawa Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 Award in 2008 and was a finalist in the Lexpert® Rising Stars—Leading Lawyers Under 40, in 2011.

Most recently, Phil has been announced as a finalist for the 2018 Osler Purdy Crawford Deal Making Award.

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Adam Melnyk

Amish Patel

Rugby MVP Adam Melnyk

Amish Patel graduated from

graduated from WIC in 1998.

WIC in 1999. He went on to the

Upon graduation, Adam

University of Alberta for his

attended the University of

Bachelor of Commerce. Along

Calgary where he obtained a

the way he also picked up a

Bachelor of Communications

Masters in Finance from the

degree with a Minor

University of Alberta and an

Concentration in Urban

MBA from Queen's University.

Studies.

Professionally, Amish is the Director of Energy Services for

Adam was recently featured

ATB Financial and manages a

in the 2016 Canadian Top

portfolio just shy of $1 billion.

40 Under 40. He is most recognized for his work with our vulnerable population

Along with his family, he supports an all-girls school in

and the multiple outreach programs he has helped

India to allow girls to complete their schooling through

create. In 2005, Adam helped start up the “DOAP� team.

high school - something that would not otherwise be

The DOAP team, or the Downtown Outreach Addictions

possible as funding is often cut at the primary level

Partnership team, helps individuals with addictions

for girls.

access services such as emergency shelters, addiction treatment, health care and housing. By providing an alternative and more appropriate response to substance abuse issues and public intoxication, the DOAP team has reduced the burden on other services such as the

Amish also supports numerous local causes that all revolve around the same themes of children, education, and sports such as the Cancer Foundation, the Ride to Conquer Cancer, the MS Foundation and many others.

Calgary Police, EMS, and hospitals. Whereas previously,

Amish has spent a lot of time as a director for numerous

an individual under the influence of alcohol or drugs

not-for-profits. From a sports perspective, Amish

could potentially be left for hours in the hospital

contributed just under ten years as a director for both

with no place to go, the DOAP team will now come

the Calgary and Edmonton Ultimate Players Associations

to pick this individual up, and even occasionally be

- two very large ultimate frisbee organizations.

involved in their discharge planning. This may include

From a children and education perspective - Amish

supporting this individual with placement in a shelter

was a director of West Island College for five years

or safe environment, providing them food and clothing,

and currently serves on the board of directors for

providing them with resources for detox and most

Foundations for the Future Charter Academy - the

importantly providing them with help for the underlying

largest charter school system in Canada with over 3,600

issue of their addiction.

students. Finally, and if you ask Amish most importantly,

Adam has also been instrumental in other well-known projects such as the Calgary Alpha House Society, Safeworks, and Calgary Urban Project Society.

he was director of the Hayati Children's Foundation for over five years. It was with the HCF that Amish was able to raise funds (over half a million dollars to date) to support 100+ children in developing countries who would otherwise have not been provided with the

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necessities of life. Amish found it rewarding to see that,

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with the help of the HFC, the children were given food, clothing, and shelter. The key piece was providing these

Nadim Vasanji

children with an education and equipping them with the

Prior to his graduation

skills necessary to enter the workforce as adults. Amish

from WIC in 2001, Nadim

has recently been asked to join two national charities to

Vasanji was Head Boy and

further their work - but for the next year or two Amish

Valedictorian of his class.

is going to take a step back and focus on raising his two

Following graduation, Nadim

children - Maya and Rohan.

attended Harvard, graduating in 2005 with an Honours Cum Laude Degree in Economics.

Joanne Chapin

He started his professional career at McKinsey Company

Joanne Chapin graduated from

in Chicago. During this time,

WIC in 1994. She went on to

he had the opportunity to live

receive a Bachelors in Music

and work across the US, Canada, the Middle East, Asia,

Performance with Honours at

Europe, and Africa.

the University of Calgary in 2000, and got her professional

Returning to school, he attended the University of

start in Aaron Copland’s opera

Chicago Booth and graduated top five in his class. He

“A Second Hurricane”. Since

was the recipient of the Siebel Scholarship, a scholarship

then, she has been a featured

program that recognizes the most talented students

soloist and chorister with Choir

at the world’s leading graduate schools of business,

21, Toronto Masque Theatre,

computer science and bioengineering. He was awarded

Nathaniel Dett Chorale, the

the scholarship for both academic performance and

Toronto Symphony Orchestra,

leadership.

the Toronto (Men-dull-son) Choir, and the Elora Festival Singers.

One of Nadim’s notable experiences throughout his career was the opening of a restaurant in Chicago with

While with the Elora Festival Singers, Joanne was

a business school colleague. Raising capital through

nominated for a Grammy award in 2011 for Best Small

friends and family, operating the restaurant and then

Ensemble Performance and a Juno award in 2013 for

brokering the sale of assets to another restaurant taught

Classical Album of the Year.

Nadim many lessons. He says that while the restaurant was not successful, learning from the challenges proved

She has also held roles in several theatrical performances

to be great life and business lessons for years to come.

including R. Murray Schafer’s “A Children’s Crusade”, which won the 2012 Dora Mavor Moore award for

After a variety of experiences, Nadim returned to

Outstanding New Musical or Opera.

McKinsey and Company and spent a number of years leading projects for more than 200 global clients.

Joanne has continued to impress as she was nominated for a 2017 Grammy award for “Best Choral Performance”

Nadim is now the Director of Corporate Development

and a 2017 Juno award for “Classical Album of the Year”.

for Northleaf Capital, a leading Canadian Private Markets Investment Firm. Nadim participates in all aspects of

Joanne continues to be active with tours and

Northleaf’s corporate development activities including

performances, she is currently performing with the

new product development, corporate strategy and

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Elora Singers

planning, corporate finance and corporate operations.

professional core.

Joining the team initially as a VP on the investment team, he has helped the organization grow, now with more than $10 billion in commitments under management on behalf of public, corporate and multiemployer pension plans, endowments, foundations, financial institutions and family offices.

Nadim and his family now live in Toronto.

Summer 2018

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Registration Day September 4

First Day of Classes September 5

An Evening with the Head of School September 6 7 p.m.

Undergraduate Awards Ceremony September 7 9 a.m.

Grades 7-12 Meet the Teacher Night September 12 7 p.m.

Parent Teacher Conferences October 10-11 5 - 8:30 pm

Open House October 25 7 p.m.

Grades 9-10 Transition Evening November 1 7 p.m.

Remembrance Day Ceremony November 8 9 a.m.

WIC Annual General Meeting November 22 7 p.m.

Winter Concert December 4 Jack Singer Concert Hall 7 p.m.

Drama Production December 12-14 7 p.m.

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Grades 7 to 12

Be Bold.

Be Brave.

Be Ready.

OWN YOUR FUTURE westislandcollege.ab.ca

403.444.0023 7410 Blackfoot Trail S.E.

West Island College Calgary

@WICYYC

admissions@mywic.ca

West Island College Calgary ®

Summer 2018

40

West Island College Calgary

@WICYYC

West Island College Calgary

7410 Blackfoot Trail S.E. 403.255.5300 www.westislandcollege.ab.ca

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