Ashbury News Spring 2017 by Ashbury College

Ashbury News Spring/Summer 2017

125TH YEAR

CAIS

Rugby

Ashbury

Ball

Alumni

Profiles

Table of Contents

Ashbury News Spring 2017 Ashbury News is published twice a year and sent to over 3,800 alumni, parents and friends.

News & Notes

Ashbury News is printed on 35% recycled paper. Online magazine updates are available at ashbury.ca Please submit news, story ideas, alumni updates, and any address changes to:

School News 6

South Africa scrums

Ashbury College Communications Office 362 Mariposa Avenue Ottawa, ON K1M 0T3 communications@ashbury.ca Phone: 613.749.5954 Front cover: Sarah Vickers, Grade 12, and the Girls Rugby team on the pitch during the CAIS National Rugby Tournament, hosted by Ashbury in April. The team went on to be tournament champions.

The sweet life in Maple

Ashbury Ball

Features 12

Inside front cover: Jeremy Olivier, Grade 8, slides on the ice during Winterlude.

Paying it forward

Back cover: Senior students write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test in March.

Peak policy

Design and layout by AN Design Communications

Going with the grain

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Ashbury Alumni

Home and Away

Chatter

MOVING? Update your address. alumni@ashbury.ca

We remember 24

NEWS & NOTES

Head of School

From the

2 | Ashbury News

lthough we place International Day on the calendar each year, the spirit of internationalism permeates each day and all facets of the Ashbury experience. This is not a simple function of our boarding program, or our strong link to diplomatic missions in Ottawa, it speaks to our values as a school, and those of the Candian experience. For International Day this year, students identified the theme of “human rights” – “les droits humains.” The challenge of the day was to ask good questions, gain at the very least a sense for the complex issues at hand, and consider action items and solutions at both the grassroots and policy levels. We were fortunate to have renowned speaker, Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, join us and his speech resonated with students and faculty alike, as we were all reminded of the relative good fortune we enjoy as Canadians. Les thèmes discutés nous entourent dans les médias, et nous cherchons à faire face à ces défis, avec un esprit ouvert, toutefois de regarder plus loin à la vie quotidienne des gens, dont la plupart cherchent de vivre en paix et prospérité. Wherever we live or travel, we must always consider the state of human rights and the status that people hold. In doing so, being reflective and unblinded to what may, or may not exist, in our own countries and communities, is a responsibility for us all. Although the scale of human rights varies tremendously between nations and within nations, migrants continue to seek places of refuge like Canada, in part due to our reputation for human security and rights. A prime example of those seeking refuge is the Syrian refugee family we sponsored last summer. The Al Kaouds will mark their one-year anniversary of arriving in Canada, just days after we as a country celebrate our 150th birthday. The family continues to thrive in their new home in Ottawa, with all members rapidly learning English, the parents

learning to drive on snow-covered roads, and the students mastering quintessential Canadian pastimes like ice skating and tobogganing. The Al Kaouds’ presence in our immediate and wider community has been a meaningful one for our Ashbury volunteers who interact closely with the family. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Al Kaouds long after our formal commitment to them concludes. Several of our students had an opportunity to meet another human rights activist this year. Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, was in Ottawa to address Parliament and receive honorary Canadian citizenship for her work as an advocate for female education. Ashbury students had the chance to meet her personally later that day, at the Pakistani embassy—a memorable encounter to be sure. Our own alumni are among those working to improve conditions around the world, and continue the tradition of Ashburians’ values-based DNA. Mitch Kurylowicz ’15 opened his school for boys in Kenya earlier this year, the result of many years of fundraising and hard work. Frédérique Delapree ’97 advises on world trade, and Fred Stoddard ’74 influences sustainable global food chains. We invite you to learn more about them in this issue, as their impressive accomplishments serve as both inspiration and a source of pride for our current and future students. Probitas, Comitas, Virtus, Norman Southward Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

academics

Augmented

A variety of new courses will be on offer for Ashbury’s 126th year

English students, like those in John Richardson’s class, will have a choice of options starting in September, as Ashbury offers both IB Literature and IB Language and Literature.

New Senior School offerings include Beginner Mandarin and Earth and Space Science.

English options, and that all students will have an opportunity to experience IB English. The Literature course is bound to appeal to students who love to read and analyze the written word, and engage in scholarly discussion with their classmates and teachers. For students interested in combining the study of great literature with the study of media, culture, and how language shapes our world— including in music videos, blog posts, emails, and tweets— Language and Literature might fit the bill. “We are seeing happy cross pollination happening between the two programs, and from the world around us,” says John Richardson, Ashbury’s Head of English. “When a politician tweets or gives a provocative speech, or when a new ad causes controversy, for example, we bring that material into the classroom for instant analysis and discussion.” All of the new courses are designed to both appeal to, and benefit students as they prepare for post-secondary education. “We’re excited by the curriculum available to students this fall,” says Head of School, Norman Southward. “As educators, we are always seeking to provide students with the very best options to give them the skills needed for an ever-changing world.”

3 | Ashbury News

n exciting range of new courses in Science, Technology, Languages, Social Science and IB Language and Literature will be available to Senior School students starting in September. The expanded options will further build on Ashbury’s pre-university OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs. Those students following the IB or Ashbury bilingual diplomas will now have more content courses to choose from in French— en fait plus d’options pour notre “option bilingue” pour nos élèves! A Learning Strategies course offered in Grade 9 will prepare students for demands of high school, preparing them for the journey ahead and instilling good habits to carry with them to university. Innovative courses in Design Technology will include components on animation, web design and media production. Earth and Space Science will cover astronomy, planetary science, Earth materials and geological processes. The addition of Language and Literature to the English program means that students have a choice between two

NEWS & NOTES

snapshots

School News

Junior School students visited Winterlude to celebrate Canada’s 150th.

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Snow didn’t affect the fun at the annual winter carnival, as Junior and Senior students competed for House points, and celebrated the season with cold-weather sports, games and activities.

Canada’s 150th was a running theme throughout many Junior School activities this term, including a day of programming centred around Canada’s history and future.

Ashbury partnered with Ottawa’s RA Centre to deliver quality programs and services to students and faculty in the Chris and Mary Taggart Fitness Centre, including fitness classes led by a personal trainer.

NEWS & NOTES

Science students had an opportunity to present and discuss their scientific research and investigations, during the spring Connect2Science event.

Nicholas Sullivan, Grade 11, was one of 50 students from across Canada asked to compete in the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad in March.

Ashbury launched an inaugural partnership with Ottawa River Keeper, where students are responsible for monitoring and maintaining environmental conditions in beach areas along the Ottawa River. Junior School students helped clean up at Petrie Island this spring for Earth Day.

Grease was the word, as Musicals @ Ashbury transformed the theatre into Rydell High in the 1950s.

International Day was another chance for Ashbury students and faculty to share cultural traditions—and tasty food—with one another, while exploring global issues and challenges.

Six students attended the Round Square Regional Conference for the Americas in Buenos Aires, Argentina in April.

5 | Ashbury News

Twenty Ashbury students headed to Peru over the March Break, for a service trip that included working with children in local elementary schools.

NEWS & NOTES

Africa scrums

South

Ashbury rugby players tour Cape Town and Johannesburg

hirty-one Ashbury students, several teachers, coaches and parents, travelled to South Africa in March for a skill-building rugby trip that combined history, education and international engagement. With visits to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, the trip incorporated sightseeing—including a tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned—a safari, and excursions to the townships of Soweto and Langa, where Ashbury players engaged with local students on the pitch.

“Every student who has gone on these trips will tell you the greatest experience, and many would say life changing, is the work they have done with kids in the townships,” says Ashbury teacher and rugby coach, Ian Middleton. “Working with students who have nothing, including shoes, who are so enthusiastic about coming out and participating, is eye opening and incredibly gratifying for our students.” During the trip, Ashbury made donations of transportation services, rugby equipment, and clothing to the schools visited. Ongoing fundraising for the schools takes place via sales of rugby balls in Ashbury’s school store.

6 | Ashbury News

“The rugby sessions and the township tours really opened my eyes on how privileged we are. Since I have returned, I have related many aspects of my everyday life to life in South Africa, and my experience there. For example, many of the areas we visited in South Africa were experiencing extreme droughts, and I got into the good habit of preserving water. The overall trip was an unbelievable experience and I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to go on a trip such as this with my friends.” —Tommy Sachs, Grade 10

NEWS & NOTES

“You don’t always remember the math classes, or the bio tests, you remember trips like this. Playing with the kids in the townships struck a chord that you don’t exactly feel on the rugby field. It was an experience of a lifetime I will never forget.” —Kaniz Williams, Grade 11

“With each day of the tour proving more and more special, the last day, walking around in the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, in the pin-drop quiet, the grandness of it all really hit me. Being halfway around the world, on a rugby tour, and finding myself immersed in such a rich culture and history was really so far beyond what I could have expected coming on this trip.” —Chris Abrahamsen, Grade 11

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1 2

3 Photos courtesy of Thomas Saikely, Grade 12

All other photos courtesy of Ian Middleton

NEWS & NOTES

CAIS National Rugby Ashbury hosts tournament for Canada’s top amateur rugby athletes

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shbury welcomed rugby teams from across Canada to Ottawa as it hosted the 22nd CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools) Rugby Tournament, April 21–23. The weekend provided not only an opportunity to showcase some highcalibre rugby, but also a chance for students to experience the national capital during Canada’s 150th celebrations. With the sun shining on the Ashbury field on Sunday, in what was arguably the most exciting final in the tournament’s 22-year history, Vancouver’s St. George’s College kicked a penalty on the last play of the game to beat Aurora’s St. Andrew’s College 15–13. In the girls’ final, Ashbury College won their 12th championship, beating Bishop’s College School of Lennoxville, Quebec 27–12. For the first time in the tournament’s history, sevens were included in the schedule, which provided for some excellent rugby, and a chance for some of the smaller CAIS schools to participate. In the boys’ final, Country Day School

(King City, ON), who went 0–3 on the first day of the tournament, defeated Bishop’s College School 17–7. On the girls’ side of the draw, an all-western final saw Athol Murray College of Notre-Dame (Wilcox, SK) defeat St. Michael’s University School (Victoria). The tournament featured 26 schools from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec and over 550 student athletes participated. The on-site games drew crowds of Ashbury parents and other spectators, and all games were live-streamed, reaching much wider audiences each day. The tournament was a year in the making, and special thanks goes out to all of the Ashbury faculty, coaches, students and parents who made the weekend such a success. Added thanks to Carleton University, for the use of their fields and facilities on Friday and Saturday. Ashbury teams will compete at next year’s tournament, hosted at St. Andrew’s College.

NEWS & NOTES

Rugby Canada honours Ashbury’s Jen Boyd

Junior School faculty will become first female head coach of rugby at University of Ottawa

with the national under-20 team and her leadership with the 2016 FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire) World University Rugby Sevens Championships team. The award follows Boyd’s third consecutive selection as Quebec university conference coach of the year award and second straight Ottawa Sports Award as top female coach in the nation’s capital. Boyd will take a one-year leave from Ashbury this September to pursue the new role. She says she enjoyed balancing her teaching with her part-time coaching with the Gee-Gees, but she is looking forward to focusing completely on her passion: working with female athletes. 1

Jen Boyd has coached countless rugby players at Ashbury.

Junior School faculty Boyd receivedw Rugby Canada’s Female Coach of the Year Award for 2016 at a ceremony in March. Boyd will be the first female head coach of rugby for the University of Ottawa next year.

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en Boyd will be saying goodbye to her Junior School students this June as she embarks on a position with the University of Ottawa, where she will become the first ever full-time women’s rugby coach at a university in Canada. The sport of rugby and Boyd have been synonymous for many years, as the former player-turned-coach shared her expertise with both Ashbury students, and athletes at a national level. Boyd has over 40 championships to her name as a player and coach with Ashbury, Ontario U19, the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club, Rugby Quebec and Canada since 1997. She played on Canada’s Senior Women’s Rugby team in the early 2000s, then progressed to coaching, and has been involved with the under-20 national team since 2013, when Canada won the Nations Cup in England, and most recently during the Can-Am Series last summer. While she worked part-time at the University of Ottawa for the past four years, as the full-time Women’s Rugby Head Coach for the Ottawa Gee-Gees, Boyd will run practices and provide individualized training programs for athletes. She’ll also work to recruit some of the country’s best players to Ottawa. “I plan on travelling extensively across Canada to attend various athlete identification combines, tournaments, and camps to find the best and brightest future student athletes,” she says. Boyd will also be coaching in the university’s Human Kinetics department, and hopes to find a role in the Education department as well. Rugby Canada recognized Boyd in March when she received the Female Coach of the Year Award, for her work

NEWS & NOTES

Hoop dreams realized Senior Boys Basketball team crowned provincial champs

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t was a successful season on the courts for the Senior Boys Basketball team as they repeated as “AA” City Champions, and were firing on all cylinders as they entered the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) tournament in March. Led by the “Big Three” (Noah Kirkwood, Lloyd Pandi, and Owen Boisvert, all Grade 12) the team headed into the OFSAA tournament with their sights set on becoming provincial champions. The goal? A gold medal to add to

the team’s collection of bronze, from two years ago, and last year’s silver. Coach Ian Mackinnon had the team firing on all cylinders as they entered the OFSAA tournament. The boys cruised past their first four opponents but came up against a very strong team in the finals. Ashbury found themselves down by one point at half but rallied in the second half to win by 14 points. Congratulations to all the coaches and players for an amazing year. Go Ashbury go!

NEWS & NOTES

highlights

Athletic

swimmers moved on to OFSAA, where Alex Bui captured the Bronze medal in the Boys’ 50m breaststroke. On the slopes, Ashbury skiers made their mark. The Nordic ski team continues to grow in size, and this year was highlighted by the performance of Tyler Allan, City Champion, who then went on to capture gold at OFSAA. Other athletic accomplishments include City Championship rankings for the Senior Girls Volleyball, Curling and Snowboarding teams. Well done to all of our athletes! (Our spring athletic results will be shared in a future issue.)

The Swim team enjoyed a successful season, with 30 swimmers heading to OFSAA, and a bronze medal win for Alex Bui, Grade 9 (last on right, second row) in the boys’ 50m breaststroke.

Clayton Gao, Grade 11, was one of the Ashbury stars in the pool this season.

The Senior Girls Volleyball team wrapped a successful season with a trip to the City Championships.

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tudent athletes represented the school with pride in a myriad of sports over the winter term. The coaches’ and athletes’ level of commitment was evident in the outstanding results, which culminated in several City Championships. Ashbury also had 61 athletes represent the school at the provincial championships—OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations)—this winter, and captured OFSAA gold in both boys’ basketball and Nordic skiing, and bronze in OFSAA swimming—an amazing feat for a school with a population of 520 senior students! Ashbury made waves in the pool this year. After capturing the City Championships, an unprecedented 30 Ashbury

NEWS & NOTES

in Maple

The sweet life

New residence opens to boarding students

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ate last fall, a handful of Ashbury students moved into the school’s newest residence called Maple. The boutique-style residence is located on Maple Lane, directly across from Maclaren Hall and the campus sport fields. The up to eight students who live in Maple Residence have a unique proximity to all campus amenities, while enjoying intimate surroundings. A large open common room looks onto campus, while a generous outdoor deck complements the mix of single and double rooms with semi-private bathroom facilities. Available to students seeking a slightly different residential experience in the community, a residential teaching team provides on-site supervision and support. Students have full access to all campus facilities seven days a week, as well as welcoming atmosphere for reciprocal visits in the larger, all-girls Heather Gillin Residence. With demand for boarding spaces on the rise, Ashbury’s admissions team welcomed the opportunity to increase offered space. When the home became available in 2016, the school took advantage of the site, and renovation crews worked throughout last summer and fall to adapt

the home to the high calibre already established in the other residences. So far, the new residents are loving their new home away from home. “Living in Maple Residence is extremely comfortable, not only because it is amazingly equipped, and you can find everything you need there, but also because of the small amount of people living there,” says Valeriya Tektel, Grade 10. “You feel that you are co-habiting not with just people you go to school with, but with sort of a family.” The residence’s location to campus is a particular benefit for boarders, like Tamara Luna Alfaro, Grade 11 who describes the short journey to school as, “really neat, especially during the winter.” Erica Mooney is the head of Maple Residence. She says she loves the smaller size of the house, citing that it makes group activities easier. “We are able to have one off-campus outing each term, family-style dinners in Maclaren Hall a couple times each term, and have Tea and Treats every week,” she says. “The girls look out for each other like sisters, and it makes it feel like a home.”

NEWS & NOTES

Maple Residence from the outside.

The residence includes all the comforts of a home away from home.

Bright and spacious living areas are popular with Ashbury students.

Shared bedrooms still provide space for individual living and studying.

Mapleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close proximity to campus allows for easy access to school events, such as the recent Spring Fling.

A communal kitchen allows space for students to prepare snacks or food to accompany group activities.

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NEWS & NOTES

furniture

Fun

in the Junior School

Ashbury Guild donation provides new seating for students

hanks to a generous gift from the Ashbury Guild, Junior School students now have a variety of seating options in the POD.

With the aim of best supporting kinesthetic learners, Junior School faculty ordered a bike desk, some different models of balance balls, and some bean bag chairs. So far, the new furniture has been a hit with students who report the following:

“ “ “

The balance balls improve your posture, so you’re not slouching down in your chair.” The ball lets you get your energy out in a different way so you’re not distracting other people.” The bike helps you move around while you’re sitting and reading.”

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anada celebrates its 150th birthday in 2017, but the year also marks 150 years since the birth of Ashbury’s founder, G. P. Woollcombe, who was born May 21, 1867. Stephen Woollcombe ’57 has written a biography of his grandfather, The Life and Times of George Penrose Woollcombe – Educator, now in its second printing. The book is available for sale at the Ashbury bookstore, at Books on Beechwood, and online at Chapters, and Amazon (see gpwoollcombe.ca for more details). All proceeds and royalties from the book are being donated to a fund to support a new student award: The Founder’s Award for Service and Effort.

NEWS & NOTES

financial assistance

Can

change a life?

to both my parents and my alma matter for the opportunities I received. With the financial piece of the puzzle solved, I was welcomed into a world of opportunity. Like Ashbury College, I found faculty who believed in me and pushed me to be better. I found coaches who taught leadership and team work. Beyond all this, I found a community that allowed me to try new things and accept me for who I was. As Chair of Ashbury’s Financial Assistance Committee, I now find myself on the other side of the table, and I wish you could experience the feeling I have when we communicate financial assistance offers to families—it’s indescribable, and many times it involves tears. Sometimes the offer goes to a family new to the school, who never dreamed this was possible, and other times it’s a current family who thought they would need to withdraw their son or daughter due to cost. Financial assistance is a unique, and often life-changing gift. At graduation this year, there will be over 150 students walking across the stage. Within this group, there will be 12 students who would not be there without the generosity of donors who give to the financial assistance program. I personally give to this cause every year, and I ask you to please consider a gift of any size to this meaningful program. Bruce Mutch Director of Admissions and Advancement

To make a gift to support financial assistance at Ashbury, visit ashbury.ca/advancement, email give@ashbury.ca or call 613-749-9630 ext 299

15 | Ashbury News

s part of our strategic plan, Ashbury College has committed to “expand access to an Ashbury education for students with merit and potential through a meaningful financial assistance program.” We all know that Ashbury College is a special place full of opportunity, challenge and healthy competition. For 64 of our students at Ashbury, financial assistance is supporting their experience at the school. This year, Ashbury College awarded over $475,000 in assistance to new and returning students—the most financial assistance the school has ever awarded. While we are proud of our concerted effort, this represents only a portion of the applications that we received. From an admissions standpoint, every cycle there are star candidates who are unable to attend the school due to limited financial assistance being available. We want to change this. As I compose this profile, it takes me back to my own independent school experience. I was afforded the opportunity to attend a similar school to Ashbury through the generosity of financial assistance, and a multitude of donors. While my parents wanted the very best education possible, they simply could not afford it. When I was offered a financial assistance package, there were still sacrifices that needed to be made by my family for me to attend Wilbraham and Monson Academy. I am eternally grateful

F E AT U R E S

Two Words

Word

optional third line of text

he 2016 Ashbury Ball marked an extra special year for the school, as we celebrated not only our 16th annual gala but Ashbury College’s 125th anniversary! ‘Reflections of Ashbury, inspiring our future’ was the theme as we paid tribute to where the school has come from, and looked forward to where it is headed. Ball co-chairs Jill Dickinson and Wanda Peters, along with their volunteer committee, worked tirelessly to ensure this sold-out event was one for the history books. Not only did the 2016 Ball raise $200,000 in support of

student programs, but guests contributed another $75,000 during the callout to fund bursaries and scholarships to increase access to our school. Ashbury is fortunate to have such a dedicated and engaged community around it, and it is our students who benefit most from their commitment. On behalf of the school community, we would like to thank Jill, Wanda, the volunteers, our partners Sezlik.com and Doherty & Associates, all event sponsors and guests for the memorable evening.

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Presenting Sponsors Sezlik.com Star Motors of Ottawa and Ogilvie Motors Ltd.

125 Sponsor 1251 Capital Group

Corporate Table Sponsors Doherty & Associates Dilawri Auto Excel HR Great West Life Parents of Ashbury District Realty Brown’s

Sponsors

Friends of the Ashbury Ball Arthur J. Gallagher Vittoria Trattoria Eddy and Elyse Malouf ’08 The Aliferis Family Big Rig Brewery Bassi Construction Ltd. Treasury Wine Estates WCPD Foundation CT Insurance Just 4 Kidz Dental CIBC

NEWS & NOTES

The gymnasium transformed into a beautiful time-themed room to reflect on the past and inspire our future.

Our hard-working 2016 Ball committee.

2016 Ball co-chair Jill Dickinson, Norman Southward and co-chair Wanda Peters. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Phillips)

Arnie ’78 and Vicki Mierins of Ogilvie Motors Ltd and Tara-Leigh Brouillette and Jeff Mierins ’82 of Star Motors of Ottawa. Both Ashbury Ball presenting sponsors. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Phillips)

School partners and Ashbury Ball presenting sponsors Charlie Sezlik ’86 and Dominique Laframboise of Sezlik.com (Photo courtesy of Caroline Phillips)

The Senior School jazz quartet serenaded guests as they arrived.

Junior School singers wished Ashbury a happy birthday.

Ottawa artist, Gordon Harrison worked on his ‘live’ piece for the auction, while guests took turns adding their own brushstroke.

Sonia Singh and Micheline Saikaley

All smiles at the 1251 Capital Group table.

SAVE THE DATE

2017 ASHBURY BALL

NOVEMBER

17 | Ashbury News

F E AT U R E S

it forward

Paying

Ashbury grads turned Ashbury teachers

any students turn to teaching as a career, but how many return to their former high school to be in front of a class? Ashbury is fortunate to have four current faculty members who are also part of the school’s alumni. Ashbury News sat down with the following faculty to chat about memories, change and mentoring students:

M G A D

ike Spratt, Class of 1991, who is completing his first year teaching Math in the Junior School

reg Taylor, Class of 1996, who has taught Senior English at Ashbury for 13 years

ndres Beltran, also Class of 1996, an Ashbury Phys Ed teacher for the past 14 years ave Beedell, Class of 1980, who has taught Science in the Senior School for 18 years

What do you remember about your student days at Ashbury?

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MS: I remember Ken Niles and Doc Hopkins, Hugh Penton, and Ross Varley. The teachers are really what you remember from the experience, and the impression they made. Aside from the teachers, football was a big thing for me. I played football throughout my years at Ashbury, as well I did downhill skiing and volleyball. Arts were always a primary focus for me; I was always going up to the art room to work on projects. GT: It’s always the people you remember. I remember my tour of the school before I was a student, and going down into the old music rooms, which were in the basement. The rooms themselves weren’t much back then, but I saw the music teacher, Lionel Tanod, and he was so full of excitement and great energy. He asked me who I was and why I was interested in the school. He made such a good impression, and he’s the reason I decided to come to Ashbury. DB: I remember trips to Quebec City and New York City. Students now of course are excited to go halfway around

Top: Michael Spratt, yearbook photo, 1991 Bottom: Mike Spratt ’91

F E AT U R E S

Left: Greg Taylor, last on right, second row, with the Ashbury Senior Soccer team, 1996. Right: Andres Beltran and Greg Taylor, both ’96

AB: The genuine interest of the staff is what stands out for me. The teachers here always supported me, even through tough times, and I will never forget that. What are the biggest changes you’ve seen over the years at Ashbury? MS: The physical changes at the school are really overwhelming. I walk around the building expecting to recognize things that aren’t there anymore. I love the constant co-curriculars on offer, even today; that hasn’t changed, and neither has the high level of involvement of teachers with students. DB: The physical building has changed for the better and the spaces we have now are amazing, but I would have to say the school had better outside facilities in the ’70s, including a large rink that was well used each winter. I miss

“These are massive changes, but Ashbury will always be Ashbury; the more things change here, the more they stay the same. It’s actually kind of impressive that this place is constantly evolving while still holding on to important traditions.”

the sense of the outdoors we used to have. From anywhere in the building, you could look outside and see nature. It was useful for learning, being able to see the connection to the outside. It was a very good thing to admit girls to the school. It took away the last vestiges of that cadet mentality that permeated the school. It definitely changed it for the better. GT: It’s honestly amazing how much the facilities and the building have grown over the last few decades. I actually think it has doubled in size since then. When I first came here, if you walked down the steps from the main hallway, instead of entering the Teron Foyer you would open a door and step outside into a courtyard. It was around that time that they started building the library and science wing (and Junior School), then the year after they built the theatre and Teron Foyer, with Maclaren Hall and the main gym years later. As a boarder, we lived on the second and third floor of the main building, rather than in one of the new residences. These are massive changes, but Ashbury will always be Ashbury; the more things change here, the more they stay the same. It’s actually kind of impressive that this place is constantly evolving while still holding on to important traditions. Why did you decide to pursue teaching as a career? AB: Being a teacher wasn’t always in the cards for me until relatively late. I come from a family of veterinarians, and I always thought that’s what I would do. I worked in my dad’s clinic when I was a student, and I loved animals. But

19 | Ashbury News

the world, but for us, even a trip a few hours away seemed exciting at the time.

F E AT U R E S

then I realized I had issues with sciences—that sciences and I just didn’t get along—and I started to think that maybe a veterinary career wasn’t in the cards for me. In Grade 13, I was recruited by Bishop’s for rugby, but my mom died in August, and I decided I just couldn’t be that far from home. So, I literally went to Ottawa U and opened up the catalogue to see what I could take. I landed on geography, so that’s what I did, but not with an intent to teach. I completed my first year at university, and then took second year off to play rugby in Wales. I came back to Canada, and coached some rugby at Ashbury while I was studying at university. My brother-in-law was a teacher at that time, and he’s the one who first planted the idea of me becoming a teacher. He won me over to the idea, and from that point on, I had a purpose and goal. MS: I was always drawn to working with kids, and teaching was a natural fit for me. In university, when it came time to decide on pursuing higher academics or a more vocational route, I chose teaching. I’ve never regretted that decision.

really unmatched in terms of level until I went to graduate school. I consider myself very fortunate to have been surrounded by some great students whose intellectual curiosity matched those far above their age. MS: I was fortunate to follow many of my friends from Ashbury to university, and I still keep in touch with many of them. I also met my wife Una Wallace at Ashbury, in Grade 12 Chemistry class, so that definitely changed my life. GT: It was very easy to do well academically at my old school. But when I came to Ashbury in Grade 12 for the IB program, in what I call the Ashbury tour of duty, I found the bar was raised significantly. That ended up being really good for me. Each student at Ashbury has something special, and ultimately that benefits everybody. AB: For me, Ashbury is a lot more than just a job, or where I collect my paycheque. I met my wife here (Kerry Starr ’96) and so many friends. Ashbury is really responsible for so much of what I have in my life today.

“There has always been the sense of developing the total person at Ashbury. The school has always seen that as important.”

DB: Both my parents were teachers, and growing up, I always said I wouldn’t be a teacher. I taught sailing when I was a teenager, taught canoeing, and coached cross-country skiing in university. Doing research work in university I noticed the difficulties that some students had because of gaps in their high school education. Eventually, as I drew on my own experiences, and wanting to help develop the whole person, I was pulled towards teaching in a high school setting.

How do you think Ashbury is different from other schools?

GT: The expectations are a little higher here, and students are generally eager to meet them. As a result, as teachers here, we have to spend comparatively little time on discipline. That means I don’t have to police students all the time, and I can focus more on teaching the material and having fun at the same time. It’s a lot easier to be me here, and everyone else can be, too.

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GT: I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to go into teaching when I was here [at Ashbury]. I went to Queen’s for four years, and was planning on going back to school for either medicine or teaching. I called Ashbury, and they let me come and do some on calls. That really helped me decide, and I went back to get my teaching degree and then ended up back at Ashbury. I credit the person I have become to the people who taught me here. I wanted the opportunity to pay that back. What would you say Ashbury means to you? DB: There has always been the sense of developing the total person at Ashbury. The school has always seen that as important. I always felt fortunate that the discussions I had with my fellow students at Ashbury were

Andres Beltran with the Ashbury rugby team, front row, third from right, 1996.

F E AT U R E S

Left: Dave Beedell, second from left. Right: Dave Beedell ’80

MS: The small class sizes really mean that teachers get to know students. The huge variety of things to do, from sports to clubs, mean that students get a chance to try out many activities they may otherwise not be exposed to. AB: One of the big value adds of this place is what we as staff bring forward. We truly offer a different product here: it’s the care and connection between the students and the teachers. How do your experiences as alumni affect your teaching? AB: When kids talk to me about being overwhelmed by all the things they want to do, I tell them, ‘I’ve been in your shoes; you’ll be fine, and you can do this.’ I know the context of the place, and I can see the big picture that teenagers don’t always have. I think it’s reassuring to them to know that we’ve been through what they’re going through and we came out the other side ok. MS: Ashbury gave us a well-rounded education; one where we developed academic and social skills, competitive spirit, and worldly vision. We were all a part of the school community and culture. I take pride in passing along this type of education to students. DB: I had some great teachers in high school who offered a fine example to try to live up to. A challenge is that they set a very high bar to reach! I had Ashbury teachers that

“It’s a case of do as I did. When students complain about coursework or IB, I tell them, ‘I did it, I survived, and you can, too.’” showed me about caring, being fair, connecting with people, being dedicated, and excited about learning. They made it easy to become very connected to the school. (I also had the occasional teacher that reminded us about what not to do, which also comes in handy for teaching.) GT: It’s a case of do as I did. When students complain about coursework or IB, I tell them, ‘I did it, I survived, and you can, too.’ When we remind a student to straighten a tie, or fix a uniform, it’s about upholding high standards. We do expect them to act in different ways, but our experience is helpful in letting them know we understand. It allows you to have a bit more empathy at times too. It’s a challenging place, with high expectations, and the uniform and culture and everything can feel a bit foreign at times; we know what it’s like to manage that. AB: The fact that we have lived the Ashbury experience is ultimately helpful for the school. We have that institutional memory. We remember and we are the torch bearers going forward.

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DB: There’s a strong sense of consistency at Ashbury, a greater sense of historical context than at other schools. And the spaces we have here are amazing; definitely better than what I’ve seen at other schools.

policy

Peak

Frederique Delapree ’97 tackles world trade in Switzerland

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eetings with professors of intellectual policy. Briefings on trademarks. Conferring with other diplomatic missions. Foreign service work, in a nutshell, amounts to a lot of writing and talking, says Frédérique Delapree ’97, who works in 1 Geneva, Switzerland for Canada’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization. “It’s never the same thing twice,” she says, “which is one of the best parts of the job.” Delapree has spent the better part of a decade working for Canada’s foreign service contingent. After graduating from Ashbury, she received a degree in political science from McGill, and then went on to earn a law degree from Queen’s University. “I always had in the back of my mind that it would be exciting to be a diplomat,” she says. In 2007, a friend who worked in the Foreign Service, sent Delapree an ad announcing the upcoming dates for the Foreign Service Exam, and suggested she take a crack at it. After what she calls “a very long process,” Delapree was hired as a Foreign Service Officer by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, now called Global Affairs Canada. She then spent two years working out of the department’s headquarters on Sussex Drive before getting her first posting to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., where she dealt with bilateral trade policy issues. After three years in D.C., she returned to Canada for two years,

to focus on international intellectual property issues before getting her current posting in Geneva, Switzerland. “Living in Geneva is great,” says Delapree. “It’s a cosmopolitan city, but you’re only an hour away from skiing and hiking in the Alps.” Delapree is continuing in the family business with her work as a bureaucrat. “Both of my parents were public servants and I was always interested in following in their footsteps,” she says. She also says the trips she took as an Ashbury student to Japan, France and the U.S. fostered her interest in international affairs. “Those trips were great, because not only did we have fun as tourists, but we also had the opportunity to learn about the places we were visiting both before, and during, our visits,” she says. She adds that her IB World History class and the international literature component of IB English and French also piqued an interest in international issues, and in the possibility of living abroad one day. She also cites the lasting friendships with “incredibly bright classmates from all over the world,” as having an influence on her choice of career. “Beyond schoolwork, I also have great memories from all the extra-curriculars that were available to us, in particular participating in chamber choir with Mr. Tanod, debating with Mr. Stojanovic, planning an all-candidates’ debate ahead of the 1995 federal byelection with Ms. Novick, rehearsing for Theatre Ashbury with Mr. Simpson, even struggling to complete the Spring House Run!” Delapree certainly didn’t struggle to demonstrate some of her worldly knowledge when she appeared as a contestant on the TV show Jeopardy in 2014.

F E AT U R E S

“Language skills, especially tougher languages like Mandarin and Arabic, can give you a real leg-up when you are looking for a job.” Brushing up on language skills—whether it be a second, third, fourth and fifth language—are also important. Language skills, especially tougher languages like Mandarin and Arabic, can give you a real leg-up when you are looking for a job, she says. Finding appropriate mentors are key, and Delapree says you should aim to do the same for people who are coming down the road when you’re further along in your career. “I think a sincere interest in other people and a genuine curiosity about the world are also important assets,” she says. “I would also note that the Foreign Service is definitely not the only way to have an international career, and I would encourage students to consider pursuing their interest in business, law, science, the arts and other fields, as these all can lead to global experiences.” 1

Delapree considers the proximity of the Alps a benefit of her work in Geneva.

Geneva, Switzerland is a global hub for diplomacy and banking.

Delapree represents Canada’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization.

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“I mainly thought it would be fun to visit a TV studio and get a free trip to L.A.,” she says of her decision to apply to be on the show. “Little that I know you actually have to pay your own way to the taping. “It was also great to meet a very diverse bunch of curious and nerdy people from across North America, and the best part of the day was definitely driving up to Sony Picture Studios gates and being waved through.” Chatting with host Alex Trebek was another part of the experience, and the two Canadians shared memories of living in Ottawa. “I was amazed to learn that Alex Trebek doesn’t actually stand during the show,” Delapree says. “He’s actually sitting on a very high stool that gives that illusion.” For students interested in following in Delapree’s nongame show footsteps, she suggests students look for opportunities to engage hands-on with international issues, whether it’s as a volunteer for an NGO, an intern at a Canadian Embassy or through some other formal or informal work experience. “It’s the best way to figure out what you’re really interested in and whether you actually like the type of work you’re pursuing,” she says.

Going with the grain

Researcher Fred Stoddard ’74 influences sustainable global food chains

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read. It’s a staple of many diets, but it’s a product about which most of us give little thought. And yet, each time you slice, toast or butter a piece of bread, you are handling something that has been improved by crop science, and the research of someone like Fred Stoddard ’74. That’s because grain technologists, as Stoddard is, work with breeders of seeds to look at the combination of genes and proteins that determine whether a variety of wheat will produce a good or poor loaf. And even if you choose not to—or are unable to—enjoy bread in one of its many traditional forms, grain technology still has a role to play in the available alternatives. “If you have celiac disease or other wheat intolerance, your special gluten-free foods are made safe and palatable because of grain technology,” Stoddard explains. Stoddard is professionally more interested in legumes (the pea and bean family) these days than wheat. Today

he works in the Department of Food and Environmental Sciences at the University of Helsinki in Finland, where his focus is on agronomy, crop science and crop quality—primarily related to legumes. He explains that nutritionally dense legumes require little nitrogen fertilizer, and as they grow, they change the soil environment, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi. Stoddard goes on to praise the health benefits of legumes, due to the high-protein nature of the dry, mature seeds that can either be turned into foods directly, or consumed second-hand after animals have converted them into milk or meat. The European Parliament recently recognized Stoddard’s legume expertise. He was part of a consortium that reported on the environmental impact of legume crops, for use in the 2013 revision of the Common Agricultural Policy that determines who gets paid how much for growing what in the European Union. The report has had an impact on all of European agriculture as a result, Stoddard says. While now fully developed, Stoddard’s science career began in Ottawa, where he graduated from Ashbury at the age of 16, the recipient of the Governor General’s medal. He then attended Carleton University, where he obtained a degree in biology, and where the seed (pun intended) of his current research focus took root. “It was the 1970s, when the idea of protein malnutrition took equal rank in the student imagination with impending ecological catastrophe, and I learned that legumes offered a solution to both,” he says.

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F E AT U R E S

A desire to be creative led Stoddard to pursue a postgraduate career in science, and he earned a scholarship to the University of Cambridge for a PhD at the institution’s Plant Breeding Institute. His research looked at the pollination requirements of the faba bean (also known as the fava bean), one of the few field crops that need bees for pollination. With a PhD in hand, Stoddard left England for the warmer climate of Adelaide, South Australia, where he landed a post-doctoral job focussed on high-protein wheat. “The intention was to increase the proportion of the wheat crop that could be used for high-value end-uses like bread, instead of being relegated to feed use.” That position eventually moved from Adelaide to Sydney. Along with a new work project aimed at increasing the proportion of slowly digestible starch in wheat to boost nutrition, Stoddard also met a Finnish-born Australian woman, to whom he is still happily married 24 years later.

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“It was the 1970s, when the idea of protein malnutrition took equal rank in the student imagination with impending ecological catastrophe, and I learned that legumes offered a solution to both.”

After 15 years in Australia, Stoddard re-located again, this time to western England. The move would turn out to be brief. “My wife and I had four passports between us, and we were unhappily in a fifth country, so I said ‘yes, dear’ and we moved to her first country,” he says. “I was worried about the climate, but Helsinki in the 2000s is much warmer in winter than Ottawa had been in the 1970s. Thank goodness. And global warming.” Stoddard’s arrival in Helsinki came at the right time, both personally and professionally, and his work in legumes quickly took off as his research scope expanded. From his new base in a Nordic country, Stoddard began to look at location-specific agronomy issues, such as the fact that Northern European farmers rely heavily on imported protein for livestock feed, and practise narrow crop rotations that promote disease and pest problems. Zooming out to contemplate how factors such as climate, and agricultural traditions, affect crop growth and sustainability, marked a shift in Stoddard’s work. “I have developed into a broad, integrative scientist rather than a deep, specialized one,” he says. Along with teaching and advising students at the graduate level, Stoddard also regularly collaborates with scientists in other European countries on plant breeding,

F E AT U R E S

In the field, talking about faba beans. Photo credit: Linda Tammisto

Presenting at a national conference in Finland.

Explaining the scientific benefits of wheat crops. Photo credit: Erja Rappé

Faba plant in flower.

Faba pods on the stalk.

27 | Ashbury News

environmental impacts on crops, and quality for food and feed. He has also been part of an intercontinental coalition to sequence the faba bean genome. “This is a challenging task, because the genome is several times larger than that of humans, but the technology is now ripe,” he says. Stoddard explains that his aim with faba research is to provide tools to accelerate breeding of the crop, allowing scientists to combine resistances to stresses and diseases with high yield and quality. Faba beans succeed in cool, damp climates, like those of the British Isles and Nordic countries in the summer, or Mediterranean countries in winter. As a result of the growth potential, Stoddard says new faba-based foods are now available in the Finnish market, and will soon be sold or produced by licence in other countries. Part of Stoddard’s international work also includes Canada, where he considers the University of Saskatchewan a valuable research partner, and Pulse Canada a useful model for the kind of pulse work that can be adapted in Europe. (Pulses are the dried seeds of food legumes.) “The Canadian pulse industry is, in its size and vigour, an example that we hope to emulate, at least in part, on this side of the Atlantic,” Stoddard says. Beyond professional links to his home country, Stoddard has memories of Canada, including some of his time at Ashbury. “I liked George McGuire, and the way he taught maths and physics sent the facts straight into my brain, where they have stayed ever since,” Stoddard says. “Ken Niles taught the importance of significance in his history lessons: never mind the date, what did the event mean for history? This is also true in science. Some pure science is simply fact-collecting, and I am in applied science in order that my work has significance in feeding the world sustainably.” And what advice does Stoddard have for current Ashbury students interested in following him into a career in science? “You’re weird, kid. Accept it for now. As you go through university, more and more people around you are just as weird as you are, and weird becomes the new normal. “You want a BMW by age 25? Choose some other career,” he says. “Very few scientists get rich, but many have interesting lives in interesting places. “You want to save the world?” he continues. “Good, the world needs more people like you! But on the way to saving the world, be sure to listen critically and learn, since nobody has all the answers.”

ASHBURY ALUMNI

Home and Away

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shbury alumni ended our 125th anniversary year with a holiday party at the Canadian Tire Centre in December. Over 150 alumni, staff and friends of all ages gathered to watch the Ottawa Senators play, while sharing memories of Ashbury. Many took advantage of the provided transportation and rode school buses to the game, just like they were back in school! Alumni connected in Ottawa again in February at the Clocktower Brew Pub, after unseasonably warm weather

led to a cancellation of the scheduled Alumni Winter Classic. Included in the crowd were several young alumni who were home from university. In March, alumni gathered in Toronto at the Gallery Grill at the University of Toronto, over food and drinks with Norman Southward and the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advancement team. In May, Ashbury travelled to London, England to meet with alumni at the home of David Graham â&#x20AC;&#x2122;55.

ASHBURY ALUMNI

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ASHBURY ALUMNI

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ASHBURY ALUMNI

14 Holiday:

Alumni gathered at the Ottawa Senators game in December

Ian Gillespie ’05, Nicholas Scrivens ’10, Jacob Fitzgerald ’10, Mike King, retired Ashbury faculty

Duncan Lurie ’12, Yuliya Belik ’12, Stephanie Shenassa ’12, Benjamin Oppenheimer ’12, Quincy Batson ’12

Josh D’Addario ’07, Brian Storosko, Ashbury’s Deputy Head of School, Terry Doucet ’07, Mike King

Ottawa:

Jane Kennedy, Jeff Mierins ’82, Brian Morrison ’82, Stephen Assaly ’81

Toronto:

Alumni gathered in Toronto in March

Amanda Riva (Garbutt) ’06, Ben Resnick ’04, Rebeka Lauks ’05, Amanda Shore ’03

Chris Noel ’08, Caroline Ross ’08, Michael Howard ’08, Keegan Butler ’08, Olivia Taggart ’08

Charlotte Ashe ’09, Brendan McGovern ’09, Anita E ’09

Robbie Ashe ’11, Matt Grey ’04, Simon Clarke-Okah ’04

Obi Juwah ’95, Dr. Sal Spadafora ’84 and Ali Bilgen ’84

Alumni savoured spring in London, England in May during the annual reception at the home of David Graham ’55

Marc Lafleche ’02, Nanakarina Kwofie ’98, and Katherine Agapitos ’07

Norman Southward, Sir Michael Marshall ’50 and Carson Becke ’07, who gave a beautiful piano recital, at Swaffham Prior House

Michael Wang ’81

Stewart Woolles ’67

Visit ashbury.ca/alumni or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ashburians to find out about future alumni receptions!

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London:

ASHBURY ALUMNI

Chatter

Ashbury

David Graham ’55, Alan Gill ’62, Chris Nowakowski ’55 and Terry Devine ’57 gathered together in France in October to catch up.

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rad Hampson ’82, M.O.M. and UN Peacekeeper, was part of the Veterans Affairs Canadian Delegation to Vimy in April. “It was a sincere honour and privilege to represent Canada,” he says. Brad was joined by Tony Anderson ’65, M.B.E., C.D., Colonel PPCLI retired (pictured centre) and Gerald Wharton ’52, M.V.O., C.D., Honourary President ANAVETS (Army Navy Air Force Vets of Canada), pictured right. “We all learned on the trip we were Ashbury old boys and the stories flowed,” says Brad.

hristoph Duenwald ’84 with our Director of Admissions and Advancement, Bruce Mutch, in Washington this past fall.

hantal Jauvin ’84 is the co-author of a new book: The Boy with A Bamboo Heart. The story is set in Thailand, and tells the inspiring story of Dr. Amporn Wathanavongs, an orphan who was recruited as a boy solider, and later went on to found a charity.

ari-Leigh Meyers ’84 and Wendy Habets ’84, pictured with Ashbury

Ronald Seltzer ’66 was drawn to the artwork of Katherine Boxall ’11 at the Ashbury Creative Collective at Homecoming last fall. After viewing Katherine’s work, Ron contacted Katherine in San Francisco where she is doing her Master of Fine Arts at the San Francisco Art Institute. Ron is now funding one of Katherine’s largest paintings and introducing her to art galleries in Montreal.

Relations Ambassador Vicky Wilgress, visited the Junior School ahead of International Women’s Day to talk to students about their experiences as part of the first group of girls to study at the school. They commented on how many opportunities are now available to Ashbury girls, from sports teams, to trips, to clubs, courses and career choices.

ASHBURY ALUMNI

drian Harewood ’89 was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award in the Best Host or Interviewer in a News Program category. Adrian is a news anchor at CBC Ottawa on the supper hour broadcast.

onathan Winberg ’90 produced a short documentary, Dear Brooklynn, that had its Canadian premiere at the Toronto Short Film Festival. The film portrays a family coming together to overcome challenges in a moving and inspirational way.

ndrew Pepper ’92 works in Vancouver’s booming film and television industry. He’s currently operating the camera dolly and crane on The Flash second unit doing, “lots of stunts,” he says. Andrew enjoyed meeting up with other Ashbury

alumni for the 125th reception and hopes to connect again soon.

reg Powell ’99 was a candidate for the Green Party in this spring’s provincial election in B.C. for the riding of Richmond South Centre. Greg has a background in engineering from the University of Waterloo, and worked in the environmental nonprofit sector for several years before studying theology at the University of Toronto and then becoming a minister. Greg worked for several years at the Pembina Institute, where he led an initiative to engage Alberta citizens on climate justice and renewable energy.

the company Virurl, a native advertising company, that was rebranded into Revenue.com, where Francisco is CEO. Francisco began his career while still a student at McGill, when he started Titan Gaming, which now has 22 million members.

tuart Robinson ’02 and his wife, Jodi, welcomed a baby boy, James, in Melbourne, Australia on February 4, 2017.

rancisco Diaz-Mitoma ’02 was named to Forbes Magazine Top 30 Under 30. Francisco started

R E M E M B E R I N G T E R R Y F I N L AY ’ 5 6 The Most Reverend Archbishop Terence E. Finlay graduated from Ashbury College in 1956. He was one of Canada’s most influential and beloved church leaders. After 25 years’ service as an Anglican priest in various parishes in southwestern Ontario and Toronto, he was elected Bishop of Toronto in 1989 and then Metropolitan Archbishop in 2000. A Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College, University of Toronto, he remained an active and much respected advisor in church social affairs following his retirement in 2004. He died on March 20, 2017. Throughout Terry’s career, he was a courageous and gracious leader, bringing people together in hope, compassion and restorative justice. He was deeply committed to listening, to dialogue, and to support for the disaffected, the poor and the oppressed. He was passionately devoted to reconciling the church with Indigenous people and with the LGBTQ community.

Not long before he died, Ashbury was honoured to welcome him back. We were celebrating the school’s 125th anniversary and Terry agreed to officiate at a special Homecoming weekend chapel service on September 25, 2016. Resplendent in his vestments, he even wore his Bishop’s mitre, but with a twinkle in his eye. He spoke to us with deep wisdom, sprinkled with nostalgia and engaging humour, of the need for the church’s life and purpose to better adapt to the secular culture of young people today. Indeed, as suggested in his obituary in the Globe and Mail, Terry’s most important legacy as an Archbishop may have been his work to prepare the Anglican Church for the new millennium. —Stephen Woollcombe ’57

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Terry’s eight-year period as a student at Ashbury was an important formative chapter of his life. His classmates from those years remember him well as a natural leader and a good friend. One summer, he was one of very few young Canadians selected to attend the National Army Cadet Camp in Banff, Alberta, after which Cadet Major T. E. Finlay was promoted commanding officer of the Ashbury cadet corps. He was a prefect in his last year. He captained the senior basketball team and was on the senior football team. He was also a positive force in the school’s chapel life, and already in those years was affectionately nicknamed “Rev.” One memorable evening he organized an excursion of senior boys to Lansdowne Park to a Rev. Billy Graham open-air rally.

ASHBURY ALUMNI

ceremony in March. The award is nominated by fellow rugby players.

The fall issue of Ashbury News included a photo of Dharini Woollcombe ’93. Also included in that photo were her daughter Olive, and Zac Harding ’92, who was not identified. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused. Pictured above are Dharini, her daughter Olive and husband Chris Tolley. Dharini and her husband welcomed their son, Linden Penrose Woollcombe Tolley, born May 1, 2017. Linden is the great great grandson of George Penrose Woollcombe, founder of Ashbury College, the great grandson of G. A. Woollcombe ’20 and grandson of Stephen Woollcombe ’57.

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ilary Kilgour ’03 moved from Vancouver to Ottawa to lead the development of a brand new Innovation Network for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. With the aim of city building as nation building, the network will bring innovators together to build local solutions to national and global challenges. With celebrations for Canada’s 150th and a focus on making the shift to a more sustainable future, Hilary is excited to be in our capital region for a few years.

arah Kuper ’05 married Matthew Gale on March 10, 2017 in New Zealand. The couple is currently living in London, but returned home to New Zealand for their wedding. They were married in a beautiful rural venue called Old Forest School in the Bay of Plenty.

athieu Crupi ’06 studies and conducts research into RET (REarranged during Transfection_ proteins in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at Queen’s University. RET plays an important role in kidney and enteric nervous system development, but can contribute to many human cancers, including those of the thyroid, lung, breast and pancreas. Mathieu is also involved in fundraising efforts to support cancer research. He was co-president of this spring’s Queen’s Relay for Life event. He is also active in community outreach and education initiatives on the topic of cancer. He’s a co-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society’s RIOT— Research Information Outreach Team—a group of Queen’s graduate and post-doctoral students who share information on cancer prevention, treatment and research with the Kingston community. This spring, the team held its second annual Let’s Talk Cancer event, an educational symposium for local high school students to visit Queen’s to learn about cancer research.

ustin Steinburg ’06 spoke to Grade 11 Ashbury students in a Communications & Technology course about his career path into film production and creative design. Justin has worked at agencies around the world including, Ogilvy Paris, Ogilvy One Dubai, Saatchi & Saatchi NYC, and Johannes Leonardo in NYC. He is an artist, art director and owner

ulianne Zussman ’04, pictured with Ashbury teacher and rugby coach Jen Boyd, a member of Canada’s Women’s Rugby team, received Rugby Canada’s Gillian Florence Award at a

Jennifer Massie ’97 and her partner, Rob, welcomed their first child, Lucy Carole Purchase, on October 21, 2016 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce. Jennifer and Rob are thrilled and enjoying life as a new family of three.

ASHBURY ALUMNI

of an Ottawa-based advertising agency.

lexander Bleeker ’10 is currently doing his master’s at Imperial College London in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Management.

ndrew McIntyre ’11, Malcolm Mackenzie ’11, Brent McKean ’11, Robbie Ashe ’11, Eric Tawagi ’10, Adam Poleski ’10, Ryan Aimers ’11, Zach Legault ’10 and Elie Vered ’11 attended the Senior Boys basketball quarter finals at St. Michael College School in Toronto in January.

ichael Cullen ’14 will join NCAA III Amherst College this fall to continue his hockey career. Michael had been studying engineering at Queen’s University, and played for the Westport Rideaus, where he was named the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL)2 Goalie of the Year. Michael is coming off an outstanding year in the CCHL, where he led the league in minutes played. He was the top goalie in the CCHL and was named a CCHL second team all-star.

icholas De Lallo ’15 was named to the OUA All-Stars Rugby team in November. Nic currently attends Queen’s University.

itch Kurylowicz ’15 visited Ngulot Secondary School, which opened its doors earlier this year in rural Kenya. The school is the culmination of a remarkable six-year effort by Mitch and his charity, Project Jenga, to open a school for boys. There are now 33 students enrolled in the freshman class at Ngulot Secondary School, one of the few free high schools in the country. Read more about Mitch on page 38.

Adam Cohen ’03 married Natalie Whidden in Niagara-on-the-Lake in November 2015. They met at Carleton University as graduate students. They are living in Ottawa, and decided it was about time to send this in to the Ashbury News before their first child arrives!

Thank You to our Partners

erson Leong ’15 performed at Ottawa’s Dominion-Chalmers Church with a precious piece of history in his hands: a gleaming, warmtoned instrument crafted in Italy nearly 300 years ago. Kerson has been performing internationally since

OTTAWA LUXURY PROPERTIES

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Winston Bennett ’99 married his wife, Erin on September 19 just outside of Florence, Italy. It was an amazing day that included both of their families and closest friends. Ashbury alumni in attendance included Natalie Knox (Bennett) ’97, Jon Ages ’99, Stephane Armand ’99, Mike MacSween ’99 and Shano Mohan ’99.

ophie Lemieux ’15 recently won an innovation and sustainable marketing design contest for Hugo Boss. The prize included $20,000 and a paid internship at the Hugo Boss headquarters in Germany this summer. Sophie is in her second year studying strategic design and management at Parsons.

ASHBURY ALUMNI

winning the junior division of the Menuhin Competition in 2010. For the past year, thanks to a loan from the instrument collection of Quebec industrial firm Canimex, Inc., he’s been making music on a sumptuous-voiced Guarneri del Gesu, a violin crafted in Cremona about 1729 by Giuseppe Guarneri. Maya Atta-Mensah ’12, pictured with Ashbury faculty members Lisa Lewicki and Alyssa Novick, spoke to the World Affairs Club in November. Maya studied International Relations at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and now works for the Bank of Canada.

Robin Heffernan ’98 shares this memory of Ms. Duggan. “Ms. Tracy Duggan is one of the teachers I remember the most from Ashbury, and I am very grateful that our paths crossed. She was my Science teacher when I started at Asbury in 1993, and she made learning interesting. She challenged me to do my very best in the subject, and provided me with a foundation of knowledge, which enabled me to pursue higher coursers with confidence. Ms Duggan also supported the development of well-rounded students, and was one of the coaches for Girls’ Basketball. We lost most of our basketball games, but she didn’t give up on us. She encouraged our teamwork, and our commitment to practice so that we could be the best we could be. I congratulate Ms. Duggan on her retirement, and wish her all the best as she pursues new adventures.”

D O YO U H AV E A M E M O R Y O F A N ASHBURY TEACHER? SHARE THEM WITH

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U S A T A L U M N I @ A S H B U R Y. C A

Memoriam

Patrick G. Beavers ’55 Tom Bejkosalaj ’82 Archbishop Terence Finlay ’56 Stephen D. Hart ’60 Ian F. Wotherspoon ’61 H. Jay Ronalds ’72 Peter Josselyn, former staff Olive Thurston, former staff Noel C. Peyton, former staff Dr. Michael Eden-Walker, past parent Antoine Paquin, parent Col. A. H. Carington (Harky) Smith, past parent and Foundation Board member Judith Capello, past parent

ASHBURY ALUMNI

Mitch Kurylowicz’s ’15 dream of opening a school for boys in Kenya comes true Teenage U of T student raised $1 million to fund project

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rancis Naimodu is one of 33 students enrolled in the freshman class at Ngulot Secondary School, which opened its doors earlier this year. High schools in Kenya charge tuitions set by the government, but at Ngulot those fees are covered by scholarships, making it one of the few “free” high schools in the country. More than 380 students applied for a place in the all-boys school. The school—Ngulot means “strength” in Swahili—is the culmination of a remarkable six-year effort by Kurylowicz, 19, an Ashbury College graduate now studying political science at the University of Toronto. He was 12 when he travelled for a second time to southern Kenya with his family on a trip offered by ME to WE, a

social enterprise that supports WE Charity (formerly Free The Children), an organization founded by Craig and Marc Kielburger. In Narok County, Kurylowicz attended the opening of the Kisaruni All Girls Secondary School, the first boarding school in the region to cater exclusively to girls. The young Kurylowicz was astonished to learn there was no equivalent for boys. “I didn’t think it was fair that I had a chance to go to school back in Canada and my new friends—who I had just played soccer with—they didn’t have a chance to go to school. I wanted to change that.” Kurylowicz returned to Ottawa and set about raising money to build a school for boys in the same community. He labeled the effort Project Jenga. He raised $5,000 in two weeks at his elementary school, Steve MacLean P.S., but quickly realized he would need a lot more help to reach his goal. So he drew on his network of family, friends and classmates to launch an annual fundraising gala in Ottawa and held other events in Toronto and Calgary with the help of

“Why did I act? Because I felt responsible. I felt responsible to help my peers, the people I had bonded with. I wanted them to have the same opportunities that I had.”

the Kielburgers. In six years, Project Jenga has raised more than $1 million. “Why did I act? Because I felt responsible,” he said. “I felt responsible to help my peers, the people I had bonded with. I wanted them to have the same opportunities that I had.” The groundbreaking ceremony for the school took place in August 2014, by which time Kurylowicz was about to enter his final year of high school at Ashbury College. Now in his second year at U of T, Kurylowicz continues to raise money for the second stage of school construction, which is to include some new classrooms and a soccer pitch. He’s also raising money to finance future scholarships at the school. It costs $10,000 to finance a student’s four years of education. “We’d like to make it self-sustaining in 10 years,” said Kurylowicz, who was in Kenya to attend the school’s opening in January. He met then with the inaugural class of students, each of whom stood up to announce his ambitions. “It was really quite an emotional thing. They’d stand up and say, ‘I’m so and so, and I want to be a doctor. I want to be an engineer. I want to be a politician.’ It was so amazing knowing that Project Jenga has had a hand in supporting that.” Among the students who stood up was Francis Naimodu, a youth who was raised by his older brother, Peter, after the death of their parents. He worked as a goat herder to raise the money for his elementary school fees. He’s the first one in his family to attend high school. “I want to be an engineer, to learn to build many things,” he says in a video produced to mark the school’s opening. Kurylowicz travelled to Naimodu’s home. “He’s a fantastic student,” said Kurylowicz. “He’s a community fixer. He’s the person that people go to when they need some engineering help. “He’s already a leader in the school, and hopefully, he’ll one day be a leader in his country as well.” *This story originally appeared in the Ottawa Citizen

Mitch Kurylowicz poses with the first class of students.

Francis Naimodu, a Massai teenager and one of the freshmen at Ngulot Secondary School, dreams of becoming an engineer.

Ngulot Secondary School in rural Kenya offers education to boys.

All images courtesy of Mitch Kurylowicz.

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ASHBURY ALUMNI

remember

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n April, Ashbury unveiled a new plaque to honour all fallen Ashburians (both World Wars and Korea) in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The plaque hangs in the school’s Memorial Wing, which was officially opened on June 11, 1924 by Lord Byng of Vimy, Governor General of Canada and Commander of the Canadian Corps at Vimy Ridge, as a

memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War. Several Ashburians served at Vimy, including Lieutenant Reginald Sladen, Class of 1915 who died in battle at 19 years old on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1917. A plaque in his memory is found in the Ashbury Chapel.

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