MagazineSPRING 2012

Welcome from Head of School

Pinewood Derby

The Lower SchoolStudent Council

Tanzania Service Trip

Students Reflecton the Trip

TanzaniaPhoto Project

India Service Trip

The Joy of TakingPart in InternationalService Work

Students Taking a Stand

Alumni ProfileAlanna Silver, ’02

Alumni Q&A with Robert Lee and Evan Silver

The York SchoolAlumni AssociationPresents Matchmaker

Courthouse Art Project

FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILIESOF THE YORK SCHOOL / VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2SPRING 2012

FEATURE STORIES

Magazine

The York School

A coeducational, non-denominationalInternational Baccalaureate WorldSchool for students from JuniorKindergarten to Grade 12

Lower School campus (Junior Kindergarten – Grade 5)1639 Yonge StreetToronto, Ontario M4T 2W6

Upper School campus (Grades 6 – 12)1320 Yonge StreetToronto, Ontario M4T 1X2

T 416.926.1325 F 416.926.9592

Our mission: To develop inquiring, knowledgeableand caring young people who areengaged citizens of the world.

York on Yonge Magazine is published by the Advancement Department for the families and friends of The York School.

Head of SchoolConor Jonescjones@yorkschool.com

Marketing and Communications OfficerMarika Motiwallammotiwalla@yorkschool.com

E-Communications OfficerKara Lysne-Parisklysne-paris@yorkschool.com

Advancement OfficerPearl Goodmanpgoodman@yorkschool.com

Advancement Assistantand Alumni RelationsSara Da Silvasdasilva@yorkschool.com

Meet the Buddies

The Head Girl and Head Boy

Middle SchoolActors Present New Canadian Kid

Brainiacs

Robotics FinaleCompetition

A Leaderin Debating

York Debating Coach Wins Willis S. Mcleese Award

Design, Technologyand Toys

Gap Year in Ghana

A Visit fromCanadian Brass

InternationalBaccalaureate Schools of OntarioUniversity Fair

Parent Volunteers

YPA Annual General Meeting

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WELCOME FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL

CONOR JONES

Welcome to York on Yonge MagazineFocus on Leadership

Welcome to the Spring 2012 edition of York on Yonge Magazine featuring a focus on leadership within our community.

There are many sayings about leadership, some trite and others apt. The best leaders I have ever had the privilege to follow shared a few traits:they were other-centred rather than self-centred, they held strong convictions,they were passionate, they relied on their past experiences to guide them, andthey were successful because they could communicate with diverse audiences.The best leaders are willing to step in and serve when the situation arises because of their past experiences. The best leaders are confident and capable,prepared to lead not innately because of who they are but because their experiences have prepared them to become leaders.

The York School is a place where we expressly prepare our students forleadership. We do this in all aspects of our day, whether directly through stu-dent government, competitions or providing opportunities for our students totake risks, or tacitly by teaching what good leadership is through our faculty,support staff, alumni and parents’ examples of leadership. We are fortunateto have such great guides in our community.

These stories, including the Lower School Student Council, our first-everPinewood Derby in the Middle School, or the life-changing moments our UpperSchool students experienced on their trip to Tanzania, illustrate some of themoments these future leaders will reflect on when the time comes for them to lead. I am proud of our students, our school and our community and feelconfident in the future because of the experiences our future leaders are having daily at The York School.

Please enjoy these stories and I hope they bring to life the amazing thingsthat your children have accomplished. Thank you for reading this magazineand sharing it with others.

Sincerely,

Conor Jones,Head of School

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PINEWOODDERBY

“Ready, set, race!”

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Adam Pukier was certainly not pining for any more glory after hecame out on top of the first AnnualPinewood Derby at The York School.His car was the Overall Champion in all the heats. And with chants of “Pukier all the way!” comingfrom his classmates in the stands,Adam rolled swiftly to victory.

The first-ever Pinewood Derby was a success, not only for Adam, but foreveryone who was a part of it. Thisinnovative experience was orchestratedby the Grade 7 students led by JustinMedved, Director of InstructionalInnovation and Jan Noestheden, MYPDesign and Technology teacher.

This event will be remembered forthe exceptionally creative designs of thecars, the energy that filled the gym wheneach car tore down the aluminum trackand the superior sportsmanship andcamaraderie displayed by the students.

It was all hands on deck as Mr.Jones manned the starting gate, kickingoff every race with an enthusiastic

“Ready, set, race!” The Grade 5s eagerlycheered from the bleachers and weighedin for the People’s Choice Award forBest Design, and the Grade 7s watchedin anticipation as the cars they builtfrom scratch raced down the track.

Students had roughly eight weeks to use the Design Cycle to createa car put together from a block of wood. On race day there were a total of 52pinewood cars in four lanes, racing in 90-second heats. In the end, three trophies were given out: the People’sChoice Award (voted on by Grade 5s, 6s,7s and 9s) went to Bryn Harvey-Raymond,the award for Best Design (as voted onby teachers) went to Pieternel Bax andfinally, the Overall Champion went toAdam Pukier. Olivier Charest-Descommewas given Honourable Mention for hisinnovative design showcasing TorontoDJ Deadmaus and Paige Koritz wonfastest Track Record with the fastest run down the course.

“I can’t wait to see the designsthe students come up with next year,”said Mr. Medved.

THE LOWERSCHOOL STUDENTCOUNCIL

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Being powerful and having fun isthe mantra for the Lower SchoolStudent Council. This group ofenthusiastic young leaders is madeup of 20 students, with represen-tatives from each grade in the LowerSchool. The students are led by Pat Jerred, Lower School Director of Curriculum and Anne Bell, LowerSchool teacher.

“They are a very dedicated group of students and take their responsibilitiesvery seriously,” Ms. Jerred said.

The York School believes it isimportant that students learn to beleaders and speak up for what theybelieve in from a young age. Combinedwith the opportunity for students fromdifferent grades to work together, thisbenefits students and prepares them forleadership roles in their classrooms andas they move on to higher grades. Oneother important life lesson taught in theLower School Student Council is to beresponsible but to have fun while doingit. So far, students have accomplishedboth. They have held class meetingswhere they ask their peers for ideas andsolicit concerns about the school; theyhave organized popular Spirit Days,Pajama Days and the Halloween Parade.And to top it all off, there will be aTalent Show near the end of the year.

One of their proudest accomplish-ments can be seen in the main lobby of the school. They organized a “WhatMakes You Happy at York?” initiative,which is now displayed on the bulletin

board for all to see. Here, the studentswent to all the classes in the school andasked what each person’s favourite thingwas and what they thought made Yorkspecial. The students like talking to otherstudents and being able to tell their stories.

“It makes me happy that we wereelected,” said Tarik Irshad, a student inGrade 3.

Each student was elected by theirclassmates after writing and presenting amini-speech about their goals as studentcouncil members. Classmates voted onwhich speeches they liked best.

To make sure everything runssmoothly in the Student Council, eachmember signs an Essential Agreementwhich includes listening and takingresponsibilities seriously.

Ellie Martin, Grade 4, is excited tobe part of the group and likes the waythe Student Council makes her feel.

“It makes me feel powerful andorganized,” she says.

The group’s organizational skillscame in handy when they extended theHouse Points Challenge to the wholeLower School. Now, thanks to the StudentCouncil, all items of students’ clothingat the Lower School are labelled respec-tively with the student’s name. TheHouse with the most students who tookpart in the challenge won the most points.

“The best thing is that there is arange of ages and they all work together,”said Ms. Jerred.

We can look forward to seeing moreof these young leaders in the years tocome. Keep up the good work!

It’s fun to be the representative for the class and come up with good ideas. I like the different age groups and giving advice to younger students.” —Carly Bongard, Grade 4

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TANZANIASERVICE TRIP

In March of 2012, 11 students and two teachers embarked on the journeyof a lifetime to Tanzania. They spenttime volunteering at the Amani Centrefor Street Children, a home for streetchildren in the village of Moshi.

York School students spent time helpingprepare food in the kitchen, assisting inArt, Music and English classes, as wellas cleaning and organizing a storageroom, unloading donations and paintingwater tanks. The physical work wasrewarding, but so was spending timewith the Amani kids.

The second part of the trip experi-ence included taking in African wildlifewhile on a camping safari. They travelledthrough the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater,Olduvai Gorge, Mto Wa Mbu village andLake Manyara National Park.

The International Service Expeditionto Tanzania is a unique opportunity forstudents to step into the world classroomand learn important lessons that mayotherwise never be learned—to challengeworld views, to experience greater inter-national and cultural understanding,and acquire increased sensitivity to theneeds and perspectives of people livingin developing regions of the planet.

The students were intelligent, giving and caring during their time atAmani. They gave selflessly—from cooking and cleaning to painting andplaying. They were open-minded inquirers,asking good questions to learn aboutthe culture and people of Tanzania.They were risk-takers, trekking acrossthe world to experience somethingunfamiliar to their own lives.

STUDENTS REFLECT ON THE TRIPBy Lauren Clarfield andBrandon Mitchell

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On March 8, 11 daring York Schoolstudents embarked on an adventurethat we will never forget. As theplane landed there was a lot ofexcitement. After a total of 20 hoursin the air and a 45-minute snuglypacked dhalla dhalla ride, we wereshocked to find ourselves out of thecomfort of our own beds and in adeveloping country. Though a fewof us suffered jet lag, we were eagerto begin walking around the townof Moshi, Tanzania.

The Amani Centre for Street Childrenis a place we will never forget. The language barrier seemed to have noeffect on our ability to interact with thechildren. Within minutes of entering the building and playground, we found ourselves among some of the best soccer players we had ever seen. Ourskills significantly paled in comparison.After they laughed at us falling, and we did the same, it wasn’t hard to realize that the sense of humour of children is universal.

It seemed that soccer wasn’t theonly thing they were incredible at. Theirjump rope skills also took us aback. Weeven attempted to compete with them

at our school’s sport, Ultimate Frisbee,and found ourselves at a loss. We helpedby unpacking donations, folding clothes,cataloguing books, cleaning out the storage room, helping to cook and cleandishes and painting water tanks. Ourfarming skills were even put to the testwhen we, both York and Amani kids,went to the local farm to plant maize.Leaving the Amani staff and childrenwas something we all found challengingand we’ve spent a lot of time reflectingon our time there and the children thatwe were fortunate enough to spendtime with, play with and learn from.

The safari was an incredible experience as well. We were able to wit-ness every animal in Africa’s “big five,”as well as almost any African animalyou could think of. We spent six nightsin tents in the African wilderness. Wewere warned about animals during thenight, and one morning found out thata lynx had hidden bones under four ofthe tents during the night. Being 10 feetaway from an elephant shading itselfunder a tree and a lion eating a zebrawas something only a few people in theworld can say they have seen. It was anamazing experience to see firsthandAfrica’s wilderness.

The entire experience is some-thing we will always remember.

The Amani Centre forStreet Children is a placewe will never forget.”—Lauren and Brandon, Grade 10 students

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TANZANIA PHOTO PROJECTBy Christian Byrne, Grade 10

Christian Byrne, a Grade 10 student, sawthis trip as an opportunity to explore hispassion for photography. Please turn tothe next pages to see his discoveries.

Why Photography?In the summer of 2010 I got very sick. I wasn’t able to eat for a few days andhad trouble talking. It was pretty boringsitting in my bed all day, so I started tolook at cameras pretty casually on theinternet. After a few days, I began tobecome more and more interested inthe technical aspects having to do withaperture, shutter speed and othermechanisms. This encouraged me to

start saving up and finally I bought aused camera from an online photo forumand the interest just grew from there.

The Photo ProjectI’ve known for a while that I wanted tobe a conflict and economic instabilityphotojournalist so I decided to use theTanzania trip to investigate whether ornot that really was what I want to do withmy life. I decided to rent a lens whichwould allow me to really focus on portraitsand landscape shots, instead of a longzoom lens for the safari we were doing.This lens allowed me to take lots of portraits of the people who lived there.

01 Calvin The most memorable moment for me as I took photos for this project was seeing a kid at the Children’s home. He really got my attention. His name was Calvin and he was one of the most hardcore street kids at Amani. We went out intothe yard to play with the kids and Calvin was one of the first kids to come up to me.I found out that he lacked some social skills because he has been addicted to gluefrom a young age and has never gone to school. But when he came over to me hebent down and looked into the lens of my camera, I pressed the shutter button andhe immediately wanted to see the picture. This is what I got. Although it isn’t mybest picture from the whole trip and may be overexposed a touch, I believe it tellsone of the best stories of the whole set.

02 The kids at Amani pass the timeby doing acrobatics, and wereeager to show off their skills to us.They would show us their back-flips and handsprings. In betweeneach jump they would wait for a reaction from us. I took this picture while a kid was looking at us after he had successfullycompleted a back handspring.

03 The kids were able to use thechalk we donated not only aslearning supplies for the chalk-boards in the classroom but alsofor their own decoration. Theywould draw different images ineach other’s hair and on theirskin, and were happy to show off their art to us.

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04Baraka One of the quieter kids at Amani, he was always happy to have his picture taken.He was very photogenic and while many people shied away from the camera, he stayedproud and posed for the camera, crossinghis arms and looking straight into the lens.

05Esa One of the ‘lifelong’ Amani kids, he was brought to the children’s home by hisparents when he was very young. He hasseen many of his friends come and go, yethas been stable and able to accept morestructure in his life and appreciate whatAmani has given to the street children ofTanzania. He was always eager to get a picture and I think this image really bringsout the detail of his skin and does a greatjob at illustrating his story.

06Rama One of the more social and vibrantkids at Amani. He certainly wasn’t camera-shyand under the tents behind the soccer fieldat Amani, he was keen for me to take picturesand video of him smiling and rapping. Hewas charismatic as can be and always eagerto make friends with the kids from York. I shotthis picture after he had rapped in Swahiliand was ecstatic to have captured it on film.

I can truly say Tanzania was a life-changing experience. Upon my return, while reflecting on the experience, I realized that there were too many amazing momentsto remember all of them. I think it was the first time I really was able to under-stand my place in the world, and just how lucky I am. After my experiences inTanzania, I no longer take things at home for granted. I realized that constants inmy life, such as school, food and shelter, are things that are not always availablein other people’s lives. It really put my own situation into perspective for me.

INDIA SERVICE TRIPBy Jim Brickell, Upper School teacher

Fifteen York School students tookpart in volunteer work at Familiesfor Children Orphanage (FCC) andGlobal Pathways School (GPS).They worked with babies, toddlers,little girls, little boys, big girls, bigboys and children in special care.

Other tasks included classroom assis-tance, computer assistance, librarianassistance, arts and crafts leadership,mural painting, distribution of donatedgoods, group sports and games leader-ship in and around the properties andgeneral maintenance duties as directed.

Students participating in the India Trip attended a number of sessionswith the group, including a weekend

retreat, group training sessions, infor-mation sessions on FFC and GPS learningabout what their roles at the orphanageand school would be. They also partici-pated in Indian literature book talks,planning and making public presenta-tions, researching life in South India,liaison with teachers in Lower and Middleschool, fundraising, attending an Indiandinner in Toronto, obtaining vaccinations,and participation in a packing session.

In addition to service work at our projects in India, students had anopportunity to visit a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site at Mahabalipuram, visitspice farms and markets in Kerala, andspend two days with IB students fromChinmaya International School.

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Reflecting upon the three weeks my classmates and I spent in India, I am filled with so many happy, unforgettable and life-changing memories.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to take part in such anamazing experience, and it is hard to describe the excitement that grewamong our group over the months leading up to our departure. Throughthe applications, weekly meetings andalmost daily e-mails, it seemed like aneternity before we would actually bewalking in the streets of India. But atlast on March 10, after a gruelling 27hours in transit, the heat of the Indiannight was finally upon us.

While the meetings and intenseplanning that led up to our departure

THE JOY OF TAKINGPART IN INTERNATIONALSERVICE WORKBy Talia Klein, Grade 11 student

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prepared me for the work and servicewe were to do, I never anticipated thestrength of connection that I would feel with the students, children andstaff I worked with. It feels strange to bewriting this reflection on my experiencefrom the comfort of my bedroom, behindthe screen of my own laptop and so faraway from the children whom I had theopportunity to meet and spend timewith. I know that I am not alone in sayingthat through this trip I formed friend-ships and bonds with children whom I will never forget. Whether it was helping out in the special care unit

of FFC, teaching lessons and readingbooks within the Junior Kindergartenclassrooms or carrying children as they climbed the monkey bars of the‘Circus,’ I was constantly amazed by the people I met.

Back in Toronto and almost threeweeks since our return, I realize that I amforever changed by this experience. Intravelling so far from my comforts, bothgeographically and mentally, I was forcedinto a world very foreign to my own. Butby embracing the culture, people, sights,sounds—and most importantly, the smells—I could not have felt more at home.

STUDENTSTAKING A STAND

Two Grade 5 students, took it uponthemselves to hand-make 300 pinsfor everyone in the Lower School towear on February 29, a very specialday in which students, teachers andour whole community came togetherto take a stand against bullying.

Each pin said “The York School—Pink T-shirt Day. Stand Up.”

This message resonated with ourwhole community as our students cametogether to show their unity and fierceopposition to all of the kinds of bullyingthat can take place in schools.

The school has made a concertedeffort in our daily activities to focus onkindness first. Elissa Klein-Beiber, socialworker, has been leading the way asstudents and teachers inculcate habitsof appreciation and making friendshipsinside and outside the classroom.

Each classroom has a paper clipchain that grows every time kindness isshown and noticed. This goes along withthe initiative to have children learn howto make positive statements to showappreciation for their fellow classmatesusing the attitudes and the attributes of the Primary Years Programme.

Although the Finding Kindness initiative is an ongoing source of pridefor the Lower School, on February 29,

all the students came together to standup to bullying and join the now nation-wide movement of “Pink T-shirt Day.”

This is an initiative that started at a Nova Scotia school when a Grade 9boy wore a pink shirt to school and wasteased. The following day, a group ofboys wore pink T-shirts and handedthem out to others to show solidarityand stand up for the bullied boy. Themovement caught on.

Pink T-shirt Day is all about anti-bullying, accepting everyone and teach-ing young people that they are great theway they are and no one should ever be bullied for being different.

Each Lower School student hasspent time in classrooms talking aboutthe meaning of the day and decidinghow to appropriately decorate T-shirtswith anti-bullying slogans. The T-shirtssymbolized a way to make their thoughtspublic. Some of the slogans were “Standup! Help others!” “Don’t bully”, “Makea difference today” and “Friendship :)”

The assembly showcased LowerSchool talent as the Grade 1 to 5s readpoetry and a story, did a dance routine,acted out a skit, and the Glee Club did aspecial performance of the Taylor Swiftsong ‘Mean’.

We are proud to support the Pink T-shirt movement and to stand upagainst bullying.

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Alanna Silver makes the elusivetask of combining passion and talent seem easy. As a RemediationSpecialist she uses her backgroundin psychology and education toimprove the skills of students aged 6 to 16.

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Psychology from theUniversity of Western Ontario, she wenton to get a Masters in Child Study andEducation with a teaching designationfrom the Ontario Institute for Studies inEducation (OISE). Alanna never wantedto be a classroom teacher and knew

two things: she liked getting to knowpeople and working with children.

Everything came together for thisYork School graduate from the class of2002 during her Adaptive Instruction forSpecial Education course at OISE. Here,she listened to a talk on a “readingmastery” program and she thought “wow,this is so interesting.” She contactedthe speaker, as well as the speaker’sboss, and found herself working at AngusLloyd Associates shortly after that.

Angus Lloyd Associates, at Yongeand St. Clair, is a place where teacherswork with children who are a year ormore behind their peers, often with

by Marika Motiwalla

ALUMNI PROFILE

ALANNASILVER ’02

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diagnosed disabilities and develop-mental disorders in core subject areassuch as English, Math and Writing. Thestudents have sessions here in additionto attending school. The teachers worktowards a 90 percent accuracy rate anduse a mastery model. This means that,until a student has mastered one skill,they do not move onto the next.

“We make the students feelextremely safe and then we can moveforward from there,” she said.

The benefits of one-on-one teachingare considerable, according to Alanna.Angus Lloyd Associates help studentswho aren’t learning as they should in aclassroom setting. They teach studentsat a pace they are comfortable with.Morale boosting and motivation play keyroles in Alanna’s daily lessons. Some ofthese students have been told repeatedlythat they are not at the same level astheir peers, and she steps in to buildthem back up to where they need to be.

Alanna’s understanding of psy-chology comes into play as she meetseach challenge head on. By tailoring herlessons to each student, she is able toget the optimal results for every student.Whether she has to be calm and consol-ing or upbeat and bubbly, she developsan individual rapport with each studentas he or she learns.

“It definitely works,” she says.Alanna was always drawn to small

class sizes and one-on-one attention.She remembers truly excelling from thespecial attention of her teachers whileworking towards her InternationalBaccalaureate Diploma.

“There is a lot of trust in the students at York, which is so refreshing.The amount of attention I received wasunbelievable,” she said.

Alanna spent one day a week for ayear volunteering in a classroom at York.She assisted in Julie Selley’s Grade 1 classand enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

Now, Alanna is able to give one-on-one attention to all the students whocome her way and bring them up to speedwith their peer group. Alanna has beenwith Angus Lloyd for three years now,just recently adding assessment to herduties, using government-issued stan-dardized testing to her portfolio. She iscurrently working individually with about20 students and loves every minute of it.

On finding the right job, as shehas done, Alanna has this to say:

“There are a lot of careers outthere that you don’t know about. Don’tdecide what you want to do beforeyou’ve seen it in action. Find somethingthat fits your skill set and that you love,and then move forward with that.”

There is a lot of trust in the students at York, which is so refreshing. The amount of attention I received was unbelievable.”—Alanna Silver

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Robert Lee ’07

What have you been up to since York?After York I went to Queen’s Universityand got my degree in Chemical Engin-eering. I ran Engineering OrientationWeek and I also got really involved instudent government. Now I’m workingat the Boston Consulting Group.

What is your fondest memory of York?I definitely have a really positive memory of Challenge Week. Specifically,in Grade 9 when I went to the Yukonand we got to play hockey against abunch of RCMP officers—that was aunique experience.

Why should other alumni get involved?The York Alumni Association is a way tomaintain the community that we builtat York. It’s all the fun stuff—makingconnections, getting back in the buildingand seeing people you recognize. Whenyounger alumni are at university, theolder ones can help them navigate thelandscape and enter the job marketmore smoothly.

ALUMNI Q&A WITH ROBERT LEE AND EVAN SILVER

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Evan Silver ’07

What have you been up to since York?I went to the University of WesternOntario and am just about to graduatewith a dual degree—an HonoursBusiness Administration degree and a Bachelor’s in History. During my timeat UWO I played on intramural teamsevery semester, like when I was at York! And I also got involved in campus,municipal, provincial and federal politics. It has been a ton of fun!

What is your fondest memory of York?I have a few! I was really proud when I got my IB scores back; I had workedhard and doing well was an amazingfeeling. I also remember winning aBasketball Championship and I lovedgetting to know students in higher grades.

Why should other alumni get involvedwith the Alumni Association?Being a part of the the York AlumniAssociation is a chance for younger alumnito connect with older ones and talk aboutuniversity experiences and entering thejob market. It is a great way to shareexperiences, stories and advice.

THE YORK SCHOOLALUMNI ASSOCIATIONPRESENTS MATCHMAKER

Grade 10, 11 and 12 students mettheir match this March. The YorkSchool Alumni Association hosted a Matchmaker event that pairedcurrent students with York alumniwho went to various universities in Canada and abroad.

The event strengthened the connectionbetween current students and alumniand also gave alumni a chance to returnto the Upper School building and catchup with their classmates and meetsome current students.

The dorm room setting made for

a fun environment, where advice andstories could be shared about eachalumnus’ university of choice. With awide and varied list of universities ourstudents attend, it was a rich exchangeof information and proved useful to thecurrent students who attended. Univer-sities represented were the Universityof Western Ontario, McGill University,Queen’s University, University of Toronto,Dalhousie University, Duke and Laurier.

Alumni are encouraged to keep intouch and contact the school with anyupdates on what they are doing and asalways, we encourage all alumni tocome back and visit!

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COURTHOUSEART PROJECT

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A mural created by Lower Schoolstudents as well as individualpieces of art from the Grade 3Build It Up unit and the Grade 2Boulders To Bits unit will hang inthe Family Courthouse on the 9thfloor at 393 University Avenue.

During the month of May, Lower Schoolstudents will be working together toproduce this mural under the coordina-tion of Vanessa Emer and MarjorieWilloughby, Lower School Art teachers.

They will be using acrylic paint, modellingclay and a variety of other materials tocreate a final mixed-media piece. Theskills acquired this past year includingcarving and printmaking, sculpture andcollage will all be incorporated in thiscollaboration.

Special thanks to parents, CathyTempesta and Nico Paul, for giving usthe opportunity to showcase our youngartists in this venue. The students willbe able to take a trip to the courthouse,meet the judges, and look at their art-work in its new home.

MEET THE BUDDIES

The Day Visit Buddy Program, whichstarted in 2009, is the perfect wayfor a prospective student to experi-ence what it is like to be a YorkSchool student during the courseof a regular day. The AdmissionsDepartment created the program socurrent students could personallywelcome prospective students toYork and show them the ropes beforethey made their decision aboutwhere to attend school. “Our bud-dies play an important role in theprocess because if a student isinvited for a Day Visit, the buddyhas a major impact on the impres-

sion the school makes from asocial perspective,” said AndreaMercer, Director of Admission.

As our buddies have found out, thebenefits of being a buddy are numerous,for themselves as well as for prospectivestudents.

“When people come to visit, youwant to make them feel like they arepart of the community. I always includethem in group projects in class andintroduce them to my friends and part-ners. I always want them to see howgreat York is,” said Emi-Lee Commisso,a Grade 8 student and buddy.

Being a buddy gives current students an opportunity to make a new

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friend and learn some life skills. It istheir responsibility to master the art of small talk and be comfortable withsomeone they have just met, all whilemaking the visiting student feel wel-come and answering questions.

Natasha Estey, AdmissionOfficer, coordinates the Day Visit BuddyProgram. Responsible, personable students with a range of personalitiesand interests are invited to be a buddyin the program and are trained for therole. Since we get a variety of applicants,the Admissions team is always eager to make the right match.

“I met my best friend, Alex Wilson,because she was my buddy last year!”said an excited Shannon Scherer, a

Grade 6 student and buddy. The buddies’ hard work and

dedication does not go unnoticed. The Admission team hosted a BuddyAppreciation Lunch, where each buddyreceived a Certificate of Appreciationand special recognition awards weregiven out. Buddies will also receive CAShours for their service contribution tothe school. Buddies take their role seriously and their pride in the schoolis sincere and compelling.

“Visiting students come away witha strong sense of what York is all aboutand whether or not it is a communitythat they can see themselves in and our buddies have a lot to do with that,”explained Ms. Mercer.

Over the past school year, I havebeen lucky enough to help lead thestudent body and the House Councilas Head Girl. I’m so thankful to havehad this opportunity; as a result of this past year at school, I foundmyself taking more risks, growing asan individual, and spending moretime with all the students at York.

Going into my role as Head Girl, Iexpected to be challenged not only bythe amount of planning and organiza-tion needed for events, but also by therequirement to “put myself out there.”I’m not an outgoing person by nature,so public speaking and being in the

spotlight were not easy for me. Gettingup in front of the student body, leadingassemblies, or dancing for HouseCouncil’s “York’s Got Talent” perform-ance were only a few of the many activi-ties I found nerve-wracking! However,the rewards of being on House Counciland leading York students were many,and made the whole experience evenmore memorable for me. I am proud of what we accomplished as a team.

House Council organized and carried out so many exciting housechallenge assemblies for Upper Schoolstudents, fundraisers and social events,and daytime challenges like finding theinfamous “Ishkabibel” around the school.I feel that our biggest accomplishment

LOOKING BACK WITH

THE HEAD GIRL AND HEAD BOY

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was engaging with so many of the students at York and hopefully makingtheir school days more exciting and welcoming. I really think we added toYork’s sense of community.

Leading York’s House Council forthe 2011–2012 school year has been somuch fun, and such an amazing experi-ence. Giving younger students people tolook up to and have fun with at schoolevery day is incomparable. I know I alwayslooked up to the House Council when I was younger, and I hope that our teamhas been able to provide a similar expe-rience for younger Yorkies. I will alwayslook back on this past year at York witha smile, and I hope others will too!

Hanna Grover, Head Girl 2011–2012

Being Head Boy has been a greatlearning experience for me. The onlyprior information I had was whatformer Head Boy, Jake Dancyger(2010–2011), had told me. What I was mostly expecting the role tobe was keeping the House Councilorganized. But it turned out thatplanning meetings, assemblies andfundraising events were only asmall part of the job and I learnedthat as the year went on. So muchof it was talking to fellow studentsand showing how spirited the student body can be. This role farexceeded my expectations and I enjoyed every aspect of it.

One of the biggest accomplishmentsHanna and I had was the Bring YourGame event at The York School in April.We teamed up with Greenwood CollegeSchool and Branksome Hall to create a talent show, displaying each school’stalent. It was a very enjoyable night,where you got a chance to meet studentsfrom other high schools in Toronto.

During my time as Head Boy I learned that teamwork is the mostimportant aspect when it comes to grouporganization. Hanna and I needed towork as a team all the time and togetherwe were able to bring the House Councilcloser. When everything is clicking andworking really well, it is usually theresult of great teamwork.

I felt like we showed younger students how spirited this school canbe. We tried to bring our enthusiasm toevery assembly and be role models forthe younger students. Student leader-ship is important because we developskills that we will use later on in lifeand give younger students someone tolook up to and look to as role models.Being a York School student and beinga part of the Diploma program gives you insight into the real world. Studentswho aspire to be leaders in the realworld should really try to achieve a student leadership position becauseyou learn new skills and techniquesthat help you along the way.

Russell Hanson, Head Boy 2011–2012

I felt like we showedyounger students how spirited this school can be.”—Russell Hanson, Head Boy 2011–2012

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MIDDLE SCHOOL ACTORS PRESENT NEW CANADIAN KID

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What are some of the challengesfor a new immigrant in Canada?Our Middle School students delvedinto this question in their renditionof the New Canadian Kid, by Torontoplaywright Dennis Foon, in March.

These students brought the story of a new immigrant child in Canada alivethrough Foon’s inventive script. Issues

of racism and bullying were addressedin this play and our students engagedthe audience by showing them theresponsibilities that are involved insupporting everyone who is part of ourtruly multicultural society.

The energy and enthusiasm fromthe actors was palpable and the DramaRoom was filled with excitement duringboth performances. Directed by AlisonHunter Stewart, this play showcased ourtalented middle-schoolers and delivereda powerful message. Congratulations to everyone involved!

BRAINIACS

In February, students in Grade 3 gota firsthand look at what an UpperSchool biology class would be like.It was a special class with a visitfrom Upper School science teachersRita Pak and Marie Aragona. Butthese two teachers were not the onlysurprise in store for the Grade 3s.They brought along with them asheep’s brain, on which theydemonstrated a dissection, muchto the awe of the Grade 3s.

After a lesson about the different sidesof the brain and how they affect behav-

iour, as well as an exercise to test both sides of the students’ brains, thesheep’s brain was revealed.

Students got to take a closer lookand even touch the brain as Ms. Pak andMs. Aragona dissected it and showedthe young scientists the various partsand what connections there were totheir own bodies.

“It was amazing, and looked socool and now I know where my memoriesgo,” said Avery Moorhead, a student inMs. Faba’s class.

These students’ hippocampi willstore the memory of this lesson for along time!

It was amazing, and lookedso cool and now I knowwhere my memories go.”—Avery Moorhead, Grade 3

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ROBOTICSFINALECOMPETITION

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They came. They searched. They rescued. Grade 6 students combinedtheir brains and LEGO’s brawn at theRobotics Finale in February. The culmi-nating competition was held in the gymand was an occasion for our studentsto showcase what they had beenworking on for the past three months.

The challenges their robots and they facedwere fourfold. Deliver a First Aid Kit with-out dropping it, avoid landmines, movelandmines, and finally, transport humans.

The students learned how to buildand operate their robots using a programcalled NXT Programming, and LEGO. Formost, making their robot move was theirgreatest accomplishment.

“We were always figuring outwhat it was doing and trying to fix theproblems,” said Bryann Davidson, MariBell and Saffi Schonberg.

The parents who watched theevent were impressed by the dedicationand perseverance of their children. “Itwas a challenge in planning, organizingand teamwork,” said Catherine McHugh,parent of Alex Hare. “They were so intoit and it was great to see that so manysubjects were involved in the process of this; as a result, they have becomeproblem solvers,” added Greg Hare,Alex’s father.

Each group was assessed onteamwork, design, construction, pro-gramming and overall success of eachmission. “All the teams had an excitingafternoon and were able to showcasetheir skills in building, programmingand designing their robots. We are looking to expand the program to Grade7 next year,” said Urvi Shah, TechnologyTeaching and Learning Coordinator.

BEST DESIGN

Harrison SolishWilliam LloydReuben KingJack McMaster

THE WINNERS:

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Harry WarrenJasper DobbinAbrar RahmanBen Adelberg

BEST OVERALL

Kidus NegatuMakonnen

Shane ThorsteinsonSebastian Eguiarte

GROUP WORK

Sydney KohnArielle SilverbergVeronica LongYahya SalehLiam BushellWilliam Bellamy

Congratulations to Robert Sniderman, a Grade 12 student, on his achieve-ment at the World Individual Debateand Public Speaking Championship atMoreton Bay Boys College in Australia.Robert reached the finals (top 12) inboth impromptu speaking, as well as debating.

He then went on to the debate grandfinal (top 4), ultimately winning thethird-place award in debating andplaced 13th in the world overall.

This tournament tested Robert’sskills and allowed him to engage competitors of a very high calibre whichpushed him to work hard in all of hisrounds. He was competing againstsome of the best student speakers from around the world. But, despite

the obvious competition between the contenders there was also camaraderie.

“When I think back to that compe-tition, the first thing to come to mindwill be the people, not the prizes,” saidRobert of the new friends he made. Withhis passion for and success in debating,it is safe to say Robert will continue topursue his passion at university and out in the world.

“Debating has become such alarge part of my life now that not doingit would just seem odd,” he said.

When asked what draws him intodebating Robert has this to say: “It givesme an opportunity to argue! Kidding...mostly. What really draws me in aboutdebating is how it forces you to takeopposing sides of everything. It reallyhelps me see two sides of any issue.”

A LEADER IN DEBATING

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This spring Grace Nolan, a York SchoolDebating Coach, was co-recipient of theWillis S. McLeese Award, through theOntario Student Debating Union. TheWillis S. McLeese Award is named forone of the most important benefactorsof Canadian debating.

The award is made available through theCanadian Student Debating Federationon nomination from OSDU and may bepresented to any person for outstandingservice to student debating in Ontario.

Ms. Nolan has had a passion forteaching debating for many years. Shebegan in high school, getting involved in traditional debating as well as ModelUnited Nations and Ontario Model Parlia-ment. Once in university she became adebate coach for high school students.Now she is an essential part of York’sDebate and Public Speaking Programand passes along her lessons learnedfrom debating to our students.

Her top three pieces of advice for youngdebaters are: it is important that youcriticize the idea and not the person soyour argument is credible; the secondis to stay calm and focus on improvingafter each debate rather than simplywinning; and her final piece of advice to students is to use their time wisely.

“They must be quick-witted, sharpand speak clearly,” she said.

Robert Sniderman is a perfectexample of these attributes. With Ms.Nolan’s coaching, Robert found himselfat the World Individual Debating andPublic Speaking Championship inBrisbane, Australia (see facing page).

“Debating has been a passion ofmine for half of my life and I am pleas-antly surprised about the award, but Iwould not be in the position I am if TheYork School did not have a vibrant andgrowing Debate and Public SpeakingProgram,” she said.

On behalf of the entire York Schoolcommunity, congratulations to Ms. Nolan!

YORK DEBATING COACH WINS

WILLIS S. MCLEESEAWARD

DESIGN,TECHNOLOGYAND TOYS

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This year the Grade 8 Design and Technology class combined theircreativity and spirit of giving. Using the new Design and TechnologyLab, each student designed and built a customized wooden toy tosend to the Families for Children Orphanage in India.

TOP: Danielle holding her work in progress—a woodenbead maze in the shape of a dog’s head.

TOP: Claire wanted to make an animal on wheels.Here she holds the first stage of her wooden zebra.

LEFT: Design and Technology teacher Jan Noestheden with student.

Robbie Mingay, York School alum-nus from the class of 2009, andSiwan Doyle, current Grade 12 stu-dent, have something in common.

Both made the unconventional choice tospend a year after graduating from highschool volunteering in Ghana. LatitudeGlobal Volunteering is the organizationthey chose to volunteer with.

Robbie, having completed histime in Ghana, has shared his storieswith Siwan and given her lots of advicebefore she embarks on her journey.

“Robbie told me to say yes to allnew experiences and not to be reluctantto try new things,” she said.

He speaks from experience. FromSeptember 2009 to February 2010 Robbiewas immersed in Ghanaian culture whilehe taught English to middle-school agedstudents at Nazareth School outside theport city of Takoradi. When he wasn’tteaching he was playing football withthe boarding students. He also took ona project to paint the lower school’sclassroom with some of his new friends.

“The most important thing to do

GAP YEAR IN GHANA

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TOP: Robbie Mingay, ’09 (far right), in Ghana.

is to always remain open to new experi-ences. Going to any new place there aregoing to be experiences and ideasyou’ve never encountered before andit’s important to be receptive,” he said.

Now a student at McGill University,Robbie looks back with fondness on histime in a country that he describes as‘beautiful, hot and dusty’. “I don’t thinkthere are friendlier people on the planetthan Ghanaians. I think I learned some-thing every day and all those differentlittle lessons and experiences had amassive cumulative effect by the time I had to leave,” he said.

Siwan too has decided to spendher six months in Ghana in a villagerather than in the capital city of Accra.She has not been assigned a specificvillage yet but she knows that she willbe teaching students between the agesof three and 18. Since her passion ismusic she will be teaching Music, alongwith English and Math. Siwan plays the

harp, piano and various percussioninstruments. After she has completedher gap year, she will be attending theUniversity of Cardiff to pursue a degreein music.

Robbie believes that his time inGhana taught him a great deal aboutbeing responsible for his health, safetyand general well-being in a foreigncountry and has contributed to hissense of self and independence. AsSiwan prepares for the trip of a lifetime,Robbie thinks she should keep this inmind: “You have to remember that youcame to do something good and thatyou believe in what you’re doing. Youmay not be able to end poverty but youcan help a kid pass his English examand get a high school diploma andthat’s pretty great.”

We thank Robbie for sharing hisstory about his gap year in Ghana andwe wish Siwan the best of luck in herendeavour!

A VISIT FROMCANADIAN BRASS

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On April 12 select Grade 9 to 12 music students had the privilege of viewing an intimate performance and taking part in one-on-one work-shops with world-renowned quintet,Canadian Brass. Canadian Brass consists of current York School parentChuck Daellenbach on tuba, AchillesLiarmakopoulos on trombone, EricReed on horn and Brandon Ridenourand Christopher Coletti on trumpet.

Founded in 1970 by Gene Watts andDaellenbach, Canadian Brass has reachedinternational acclaim. Their repertoireconsists of brass standards, as well as arrangements created especially forthem by critically acclaimed composerssuch as Michael Kamen and LutherHenderson. With a discography of morethan 100 albums, record sales surpassing2 million and numerous hits on theBillboard Classical Chart, Canadian Brassare truly a tour de force.

The importance of educating the next generation of musicians andinspiring young artists is very importantto each band member. They are currentlyArtist in Residence at the University ofToronto, and have created a brass sum-mer course at the Eastman School ofMusic. They are also ambassadors and

exclusive artists for Conn-Selmer MusicalInstruments and partners with El Sistema,an acclaimed global music educationprogram in Venezuela.

Everyone who had the pleasure of seeing them perform felt privilegedand inspired.

“Having Canadian Brass at ourschool was a phenomenal educationalexperience for our music students andstaff,” said Fabio Biagiarelli, musicteacher.

Following the concert, Grade 9and 10 brass music students had theopportunity to practice and hone theircraft in four individual workshops ledby members of Canadian Brass: tuba,trombone, horn and trumpet.

“The Canadian Brass performancewas incredible. As a saxophone player,it was so amazing to see how the five ofthem were able to blend their sounds,and showcase their ability,” said RobertSniderman, a Grade 12 student.

This educational experience was made possible through the VisitingArtists Program, a new program thatcreates opportunities for professionalartists to come into the classroom andmentor students. Thank you to ourAnnual Fund donors for making oppor-tunities like this possible.

INTERNATIONALBACCALAUREATESCHOOLS OF ONTARIOUNIVERSITY FAIRThe York School was the host of the first national university fair targeting International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma studentsin IB year one exclusively. Twenty-six universities from acrossCanada came prepared to speak about their programs andentry requirements directly to the IB students.

This intimate experience proved to be an effective forumin which to speak of the virtues of the IB Diploma Program and encourage universities to accept more IB students.

Approximately 1,100 students from 26 independent andpublic IB schools in Ontario attended. IB teachers, counsellorsand coordinators were appreciative of the opportunity to helptheir students prepare for their post-secondary options andeach student took away valuable information.

The York School was the perfect venue as it is centrallylocated, intimate and welcoming. The gym was bustling withexcitement and information. This fair will be presented as asuccessful model with other IB regional organizations at the IB Americas Conference in Mexico City this summer.

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Over the course of the school year, parent volunteers have helped createamazing experiences for our students. Thank you to all of the parents whovolunteered their time and efforts this school year!

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

Christie AckerJoni Adelberg Fiona AliRoseann AndreouMary Ellen AronoffNaomi AzrieliJodi BagerAllan Barish Marielle BaxSusan BedfordSara BellamyMercedes BenayonBarbi Benjamin-LevittIlena Borinsky Kathryn BowenPatrick BowmanAnn BradtRobert BradtDafna CarrDan CarrPhilip ChownLynn ClarfieldAndrea Cohen-SolishSuzanne CohonHeather ConollyDenise CooperLaurel-Ann Baker CorneliMary CostakosMichael CostakosRobin CruickshankDimitra DavidsonNettie DeaAmanda DermerAmanda DicksonSuzanne Dingwall Williams

Pheneke DinkloKelly DobbinDolores EguiarteDenise EllisKim Emerson ThorsteinsonDeanne FarrarAnn FeitelbergJoanne FoxChris FraserStephanie GallowayTrixia GenerLeslie GillerAnn Glazier RothwellCarole GliklichLaurel GoekeMar GonzalezGayle GreenbaumRenita GreenerFrancesca GuoloJane GutcherCathy HampsonCaroline HeickBarbara HendersSusan HummelErin IlesInji IrshadNicole IrwinPamela IsaakTeresa JohnsonKosara JovanovicMichael KatzSkye KatzTracy KayMeg KettlitzNargess Khosrowshahi

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Perri KirshenblattVictoria KondoNancy KoritzGraydon LauJoannah LawsonLinda LazzamAmy LengyelNatalie LippeyKerstin LueckCaro MacdonaldGlenn MackintoshJennifer MackintoshAlessandra MaglianoMary MarcuzziMary MartinJody MasonLiza MauerCristian MedeleanuAllison MenkesHailey Meslin Rebecca Meyer Elizabeth Miketinac Christy Moorhead Kathrin Murmann Nancy Nash Grace NealAlison NormanKarel O’BrienLinda O’LearyChristina PaapLeslie PaceEdita PageGraeme PageNico PaulMartha Pedersen

Robyn PerlmutarDawn PerlmutterJodi Peterson-CooperLinda RappSandra RotholcValerie SantoroCristina SavaDaniel SchonbergMaryann SeefussMaureen ShadeAlison SharmaLili Shalev ShawnAndrew SheinerJeanine SheridanSamantha SherkinAriane SiegelMaureen SimpsonFranci SnidermanMary Ann StallingsMichael StorferRobin Storfer Laura Thomas Liane Thomas-HicksLiza ThomsonDaniela TixiHarshi VashishtKatie WalmsleyClaire WarrenKaren WeinsteinArlene WilliamsKeddy WilliamsAndrea WoodPatricia WoodGrace Yuin Liu

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGAND VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

The YPA is your parents’association!The YPA is a group of parent volunteers dedicated

to fostering a strong community spirit among parents and students through the sponsorship and support

of a number of school programs and projects.

The YPA Executive will be elected on May 31 at the Annual General Meeting.

All parents are encouraged to attend.

For more information, please visit the website atwww.yorkschool.com/ypa_elections

Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. 1320 Yonge Street, Toronto

Upper School Drama Room (3rd Floor)