A Magazine for the Alumni of Crescent School
Summer 2022
Riding the Crypto Waves Jesse Berger ’02 and fellow alumni address the opportunities, myths and risks of cryptocurrency. Page 18
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATION WONG
Page 26
Matthew Neill ’98 knows that being part of a community and building strong relationships is the road to recovery
A Recipe for Hope
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GORDON VON STEINER ’06
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Tom Smith ’06 is an innovator, having started numerous successful professional ventures and evolved in the process
Seeds of Opportunity
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 1
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Words from the Alumni Chair
Back Together and Back On Campus Despite a few fits and starts, we are back together and back on Crescent’s campus. Our Breaking the Ice event at the Granite Club, delayed a few months, went ahead on April 1. We had over 50 alumni across several decades in attendance. What a fitting theme for our first in-person event since February 2020. Since then, we’ve had numerous alumni back on campus. They can be found reading books in the Lower School, inspiring Upper School students hoping to pursue a career in medicine, helping to raise the Pride flag, or just dropping by to catch up with favourite former teachers. A real highlight is the return to in-person alumni reunions. After a two-year hiatus, Crescent hosted the graduating classes ending with 2 and 7 in June. It is truly great to be back. New on campus is the addition of three very deserving inductees to the Crescent Wall of Honour: Jason “Chilly Gonzales” Beck ’89, Jesse Wente ’92 and Michael Warner ’96. We have bestowed this distinction upon just nineteen worthy alum, and we proudly welcome the newest members to this esteemed group. You can read more about their accomplishments in this issue (see page 11). All three are innovators and influencers in their fields. Speaking of innovation, you won’t want to miss our feature article, “Riding the Crypto Waves.” Learn how five alumni are building careers—and nest eggs—in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. They provide some valuable insight into the risks and opportunities of this new finance frontier. I hope you enjoy this issue of Past & Present. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get back to me. Andrew Norris ’03 Chair, Crescent Alumni Executive
Past & Present is published twice a year by Crescent School’s External Relations Department to help all alumni stay connected with the Crescent community. Cover Photographer: Kate Dockeray
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Editor: Kristin Foster Editorial Committee: Jill Cannon, Kristin Foster, Leslie Pringle, Lynda Torneck Editorial Board: Spencer Belyea ’13, David Bruser ’95, Bert Fielding ’13, Philip Lloyd ’09, Myles Slocombe ’92
Design Agency: Aegis Design Inc. Senior Designer: Sabrina Xiang Writers: Rob Csernyik, Kristin Foster, Karen K. Ho, Pat Morden Photographers: Karenna Boychuk, Kate Dockeray, Gordon von Steiner ’06, Nation Wong Illustrators: Ally Reeves
Comments and suggestions about Past & Present are always welcome. Reach us at: Alumni Relations Office, Crescent School 2365 Bayview Avenue, Toronto ON M2L 1A2 e: alumni@crescentschool.org t: 416.449.2556 ext. 260
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Upfront / Experiences
A Return to Normal We welcomed back many aspects of school life sorely missed during the pandemic
Many cherished community events returned to Crescent this year, from the joy of eating lunch with classmates in the Dining Hall to the triumphant return of LUNA, our school-wide arts extravaganza.
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01 Lower School students enjoy lunch with their Crescent brothers in the Dining Hall 02 Grade 6 students perform with their ukuleles on the Innes Field steps during LUNA Nova 03 Crescent’s Varsity rugby team faces off against St. Andrew's College on Innes Field, emerging victorious with a 17—3 win 04 Grade 7 and 8 students from Crescent School and Havergal College come together for the Havercrest social event 05 The top three candidates take to the stage for the 2022–2023 Head Boy Q&A session, moderated by current Head Boy Shayan Rakhshan
05 Crescent School Alumni Magazine 3
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Past / 1993 Class of 1994 grads Paul Joliat, Paul Gorrie, and Eric Telfer pose behind the grill at the Hudson House BBQ.
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
A Pathway to Medical School
“There are lots of smart people who don’t get into medical school the first time.” Dr. Michael Warner ’96 shared this with the auditorium, which was packed with Crescent’s HOSA team members, before talking about how an aspiring physician could strategize their way into medical school. HOSA—Future Health Professionals is a global student-led organization that empowers aspiring healthcare professionals to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience. Crescent’s HOSA team invited Dr. Warner, medical director of critical care at Michael Garron Hospital, to share some of his experiences and advice on entering the medical field. Dr. Warner spent an hour in person with the group on April 19. He answered questions about everything from medical school prerequisites, to the importance of a good work ethic, to what it was like to run an Intensive Care Unit during the pandemic. “It’s good to work hard. It’s also important to be balanced,” he shared. “But if you work, it will pay off. It worked for me, because I got that [good] MCAT score.” Dr. Warner spoke of sacrificing summers to study in libraries, and how he networked with the then Physician-in-Chief at Mount Sinai hospital thanks to a connection through his mother. He said there are numerous ways in which a medical student can find their specialty, like anesthesiology, internal medicine or pathology. “The great thing about medicine is there’s something for every personality type.”
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 5
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
Guest Reader Program Returns to Crescent
Top: Ted Ferris ’20; bottom left: Michael Farkouh ’20; bottom right: Tega Ajise ’21
“I was very happy to finally be able to go into the Lower School and interact with the boys face to face,” says Lower School Prefect Steven Vasilakos. “It’s awesome to see the students’ eyes light up when they see an older Crescent brother reading to them.” Vasilakos is keen to instill a love of reading in his younger peers and was instrumental in bringing the Guest Reader Program back to Crescent for 2022. The popular program returned in April, with a twist: where staff and faculty would normally be guest readers, alumni were also invited to participate. It gave them an added reason to visit Crescent and connect with their school community. “A lot of our alumni are itching to be back on campus,” says Head of Libraries Trish Cislak. “And it’s an opportunity for our younger boys to get to know their older Crescent brothers.” The hybrid model allowed readers to Zoom in or attend on campus, and the timing couldn’t have been better. Pleasant temperatures meant that some sessions could take place on the lawn of the Formal Garden. On one occasion, students were so excited to have Headmaster Fellin read to them, they asked for his autograph. Even local celebrity Wylie Coyote dropped by to read! Guest readers chose books that were significant to them, like Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If,” the bestselling illustrated book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, and the Harry Potter series. Thank you to Gordon Drake ’99, Ted Ferris ’20, Tega Ajise ’21, Michael Farkouh ’20 and Matthew Wills ’20 for lending their time to this wonderful series.
Pacifiers Play LUNA Nova LUNA Nova, a school-wide celebration of curricular arts at Crescent, made a triumphant return on May 12. Student performances dominated the Grand Tent in the Formal Garden until dusk but as evening set in, faculty musicians took the stage as well as local alumni rock band The Pacifiers. “We’re on a short hiatus from playing live shows in order to work on a new album,” says lead guitarist Conor Lynch ’16. “We’ve heard great things about LUNA since we graduated and were honoured that the school would ask us to come back and perform.”
Lynch, along with singer Andy Binns ’16 and bassist Ben DeBresser ’17, formed their band with drummer Duncan Ross toward the end of high school. The indie band draws influence from other genres including dance music and shoegaze. DeBresser is the only band member who took music at Crescent beyond Grade 8, while Binns got serious about music after graduating. Lynch is grateful to have had formative experiences with music at Crescent. “I started learning guitar in Grade 3 under Mr. Mike Allen,” says Lynch. “He taught me so much.”
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
Alumnus Speaks Proudly During Crescent Pride Week
“What does pride mean to you?” Jeremy Gilchrist ’11 didn’t hesitate when Aggie Maksimowska, his former Mentor and a Crescent Guidance and University Counsellor, asked him this question during Crescent’s Pride assembly. “Pride, for me, has always been about visibility. It’s always been about making sure that people feel comfortable in who they are.” Pride Week at Crescent took place from May 2 to 9. The theme for the week, “I Am What I Am,” celebrated the spirit of individuality that Gilchrist identifies so closely with. He was on hand with key staff and students to raise the Pride flag and spoke at an Upper School assembly. He shared how a welcoming community can make a difference to a youth who hasn’t yet come out. “Pride can be so many different things. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you identify with the LGBTQ2S+ community—it could mean that you’re proud to support them.” After graduating from Crescent in 2011, Gilchrist earned his Bachelor of Environmental Studies Honours degree. Today, he is the Canadian Intelligent Automation Lead at Avanade, a digital innovator on the Microsoft ecosystem. Gilchrist sees progress as a group effort, with communities working together to support their LGBTQ2S+ members. Many closeted youths “don’t know how people are going to react. You don’t know if you’re going to be shunned. If you see someone being made fun of for being gay, call it out.” An early remark by Gilchrist summed up the Pride assembly perfectly: “The world is a mosaic. We need everyone to be a part of it.” Crescent School Alumni Magazine 7
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
CRESCENT THEN
A solid Prefect team is all about teamwork, an apt metaphor for the pose struck by these 1991/92 prefects. Top: Jesse Wolfson. Middle: Mark Graham and Frederick Beserve. Bottom: Head Boy Joel Hay, Sevag Yeghoyan and Patrick Nobbs.
On the Cutting Edge of Crypto If an asset is brand new, how can you learn about it? When it comes to cryptocurrency, there isn’t much in the way of courses, says Robbie Mitchnick ’09. But there’s “a whole universe of resources” for those who want to learn, from foundational primers to blogs and updates on the news. Mitchnick, who is Head of Digital Assets for BlackRock and co-author of A Fundamental Valuation Framework for Cryptoassets, headlined an Alumni Speaker Series event in May where he shared his expertise on cryptocurrency and blockchain. In addition to the basics, Mitchnick’s talk explored decentralized finance, applications of permission, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies. Learn more about alumni who are building careers and futures in cryptocurrency in the cover story, “Riding the Crypto Waves,” beginning on page 18.
2022 Career Spotlight Speaker Series The 2022 Career Spotlight series came to a close in March. It was an excellent opportunity for recent alumni and current Grade 11 and 12 students to hear from others about their education and career paths. The events, which were held virtually, helped new alumni and Upper School students explore fields of interest, and the small group format encourages open discussions between audience and speaker. This year’s Career Spotlight series featured six Crescent alumni with diverse and interesting career paths. These were: Steven Pulver ’03, who spoke about entrepreneurship; Gabriel Diamond ’05 and Ryan Nelson ’05, who spoke about real estate; Daniel Shane ’15 who spoke about the process of getting into medical school; Spencer Belyea ’13, who spoke about the advantages of a liberal arts degree; and Nicholas Roche ’05, who spoke about mechanical engineering and his work with Tesla. 8 Past & Present / Summer 2022
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
Alumni Speaker Series: Jesse Wente ’92 on Writing, Advocacy
“Turns out, it ain’t that easy to write a book!” Jesse Wente ’92 spoke about the challenges of writing his memoir, Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance, during a conversation with Dan Pringle ’05 for the Alumni Speaker Series in midDecember. “I started writing it in 2017 and immediately took a position at the Indigenous Screen Office. If anyone here is thinking about writing a book, I don’t recommend starting a national not-for-profit at the same time.” During his talk, he described how he didn’t fit into the majority-white communities where he grew up and went to school. “It seems obvious, but if you’re a First Nations kid who went to Crescent, that’s a unique experience that will impact how your community sees you and how you relate to them.” He also felt tension when visiting family on the reservation where they lived. “You’re going to the place where your family comes from, but you’re strangers there. And I also felt like a stranger living in East York. So I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere.”
CRESCENT NOW
Thirty years later, the 2021/22 Prefects strike the same pose. Top: Head Boy Shayan Rakhshan. Middle: Owen Moffat, Matthew Chen. Bottom: Steven Vasilakos, Tucker Wilson and Oscar Kwok.
Alumnus Gives Back on the Badminton Court When Leo Chiu ’94, P’27, ’29 saw his sons playing badminton at Crescent, it reignited his passion for the sport. He had played competitively during his years at Crescent and through university, obtaining a coaching certificate along the way. “Every time I came back and saw the championship banners in the gym, it reminded me of the pride I took in competing for Crescent.” It was his wife, Natalie, who seeded the idea of him helping his sons’ teams. Dr. Chiu, who is Division Head of Internal Medicine at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, assisted Head Coach Merrick David’s U14 badminton team in 2021. The team placed third in the 2022 CISAA tournament. Crescent School Alumni Magazine 9
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
Celebrating Exceptional Alumni Congratulations to this year’s recipients of Crescent’s Alumni Recognition Awards. The awards shine the spotlight on Men of Character for their exceptional achievements and service to the community.
“It is our privilege to recognize these outstanding Men of Character from our exceptional alumni. They have all achieved significant professional accomplishments, showing commitment and making contributions to their communities.” —Tom Dobson ’98, Chair of the Alumni Recognition Program
Alumni Excellence Award
Young Alumni Excellence Award
Alumni Community Leadership Award
Dr. Gabriel Leung ’90 received the Alumni Excellence Award, which honours Crescent alumni who distinguish themselves in their professional careers, personal endeavours and community service. He is one of Asia’s most respected higher education and health leaders. He is the fortieth Dean of Medicine and inaugural Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Formerly, he was Head of Community Medicine at HKU as well as Hong Kong's first Under Secretary for Food and Health and fifth Director of the Chief Executive's Office in government. Gabriel attended Western University and completed his family residency in Toronto. He earned a master’s from Harvard University and a research doctorate from HKU. He is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star for distinguished service in protecting and promoting population health.
Geoff Hewat ’10 received the Young Alumni Excellence Award, which honours Crescent alumni who have graduated in the past 15 years and who have already distinguished themselves in their careers, personal endeavours and community service. He is a passionate filmmaker who began practicing his craft immediately after graduating from Crescent. His first webisode series, Westward, quickly gained popularity among the freeskiing community and went on to win Whistler's acclaimed Cold Front contest. He used the prize money to purchase film equipment. After graduating from Capilano University with a degree in Motion Picture Arts, Geoff started his own film company, South Chair Media. He produces a wide range of projects from advertising to cinema. He has continued to grow an impressive portfolio of commercial clients while pursuing the creation of his own films. Geoff has shown great determination and commitment to filmmaking.
Jeff Barton ’91, Ryan Bell ’98, Griffin Bush ’06, Clark Davis ’02, and Charlie Mills ’99 received the Community Leadership Award, which honours Crescent alumni whose tireless commitment has enhanced the overall Crescent experience for students and other alumni. This year’s Community Leadership Award goes to five alumni who have devoted their professional careers to developing boys of promise. These Crescent faculty members continuously display outstanding dedication to our school community, going above and beyond, particularly during the pandemic. They kept their students meaningfully engaged whether teaching online or in person, always mindful of the boys’ safety and wellbeing. They demonstrated creativity in their approach to teaching and mentoring, maintaining a sense of humour even when that was difficult. Each of this year’s Community Leadership Award recipients is a shining example of a Crescent man of character.
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Upfront / Alumni on Campus
Honouring Men of Character The Wall of Honour is our highest recognition. It celebrates outstanding alumni who represent all that Crescent endeavours to foster in its students. Wall of Honour inductees exemplify the qualities of outstanding leadership, courage, innovation, community service and generosity.
Dr. Michael Warner ’96, P’30, ’32 is the Medical Director of Critical Care at the Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto. He showed extraordinary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Michael organized a donation drive to collect unopened, unexpired personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Donations poured in. Within weeks, the donation drive spread to 330 hospitals across ten countries, saving an untold number of lives. Michael has been a vocal patient advocate and a trusted voice on how to keep the public safe, unafraid of criticizing the government’s pandemic response. He advocated for a campaign targeting the hardest-hit neighbourhoods and workplaces when vaccines were rolled out to the public in the spring of 2021. It is a testament to his strength of character that he continued to provide tireless advocacy and support for Ontarians and excellent care to his patients and their loved ones.
Jesse Wente ’92 is an Anishinaabe writer, broadcaster, speaker and arts leader from Toronto. He is a member of the Serpent River First Nation. Jesse is being recognized for his advocacy and activism for Indigenous rights and First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. Jesse is the founding director of Canada’s new Indigenous Screen Office and was named chairperson of the Canada Council for the Arts in July of 2020. He is best known for more than two decades spent as a columnist for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning. His first book, Unreconciled: Family, Truth and Indigenous Resistance, is a national bestseller and was picked as one of the best books of 2021 by Chapters-Indigo, Apple Books and The Globe and Mail. Jesse is an active alumnus who, in addition to speaking to alumni and student audiences, has supported the Crescent student-led Indigenous Awareness and Action Team.
Jason ”Chilly Gonzales“ Beck ’89 is a Grammy Award-winning musician, producer and songwriter. Based in Germany, Jason performs under the name “Chilly Gonzales.” Jason’s extensive discography spans two decades and a multitude of genres. He is a musical polymath, known for his rap albums, classical piano compositions and collaborations with artists like Feist, Drake and Daft Punk. Jason has hosted a number of programs in which he analyzes different aspects of music, including a web series called Pop Music Masterclass, and documentaries on BBC Radio 1 and Apple Music 1. He has written newspaper and magazine opinion pieces in The Guardian, Vice, Billboard, and others, and recently published his first book, Enya: A Treatise on Unguilty Pleasures. Jason is the younger brother of prolific film composer Christophe Beck ’87 (Wall of Honour inductee) and the son of late former Crescent faculty, Angie Beck.
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 11
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Upfront / Crescent News
610E Wins VEX Robotics World Championships “Nine months of preparation and two days competing with champion teams from all over the world… We made it! We are the world champions!” Middle School robotics teacher Tony Qian shared these words of triumph following the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championships on May 9. Hester Li and Yuhong Chen, two Grade 7 members of Team 610E, won the Teamwork Challenge World Champion, Division Champion, and Think awards. “As I saw the scores, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest,” said Li. “Our opponents had just missed a total of more than six balls, whereas we had only missed two.” The accomplishment has extra meaning to the team: earlier in the year, they weren’t sure whether the event would take place at all after the in-person competition was cancelled. Team 610E had a strong season overall, shooting up to first place from ninth in February after a VEX IQ Robotics world remote tournament. They went on to take the gold medal at a late April VEX Skills Robotics Competition, solidifying their reputation as strong competitors. And the competition isn’t over—this most recent win prequalifies 610E for the 2022/23 VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas, Texas next April.
Giving Grads a Memorable Experience In May, Crescent’s 2022 grads enjoyed a special trip to Elite Camps Outdoor Leadership Centre near Wiarton, Ontario. “This time of year takes on a very different meaning,” says Assistant Head of Upper School Ari Hunter. “It gives them an opportunity to connect with their brothers as they come to the end of this part of their journey.” The trip was an initial step toward Crescent’s new experiential learning model, which emphasizes meaningful experiences, reflection and the application of the experience to life. The grads enjoyed planned activi-
LUNA Nova Delights The Grand Tent in the Formal Garden was standing room only as the Grade 4 and 5 Performance Choir kicked off LUNA Nova on May 12. Their moving performance of Fly Away Home elicited thunderous applause from the packed audience of proud families. LUNA was officially back in person, for the first time since 2019. LUNA is Crescent’s annual celebration of the curricular arts featuring performances and installations in music, drama, visual and media arts. At the opening ceremonies, Head of Arts Godric Latimer-Kim had instructions for the crowd of Crescent families: “Listen with your whole hearts. See with your whole hearts.”
ties, games and sports and closed the day around a campfire. Matthew Wolfe ’08, a member of the Alumni Executive, joined the group on their second day. At that night’s campfire, he spoke about the idea of “who knows your name.” He had spent six years working on Bay Street and said that, besides his direct bosses, nobody knew who he was. This was in stark contrast to the tight-knit school community that he had at Crescent. “That degree of caring that the school exhibits towards you, that depth, you almost take it for granted,” he said. “When I walk back on campus at Crescent, people are immediately saying hi to me, calling me by name, asking how my family is doing. It’s just a different level.”
The Manor Courtyard had been converted into a sculpture gallery, with a dozen Upper School installations to browse. Hallways were covered with colourful art. The Grade 3 xylophone and vocal performers played under the warm sun behind the Manor. An impressive concert band made up of Middle and Upper School students performed the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean with aplomb. The night closed with stellar musical performances from the Oscar Peterson Tribute Band, the Kyle Henderson Experience, alumni superstars The Pacifiers, and staff band Captain Rubric and the Success Criteria. LUNA Nova came to an end having burned bright like its namesake and bringing the Crescent community back together.
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Upfront / Crescent News
Happy Retirement! In June 2022, Crescent bid farewell to four long-standing and beloved staff members. Jointly, they represent over a century of teaching, mentoring and dedicated service to Crescent. They leave a lasting legacy on our school, and we will miss them all.
Michael Jansen / Upper School Science Teacher Joined Crescent in 1988 Legions of calculus, physics and chemistry students have benefitted from Michael Jansen’s subject mastery and academic rigour. He was Head of the Science Department from 2017 to 2021 and the founding director of Crescent’s Summer Academic Program. Mr. Jansen co-authored four chemistry textbooks and regularly contributed to educational journals. He received a Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence Certificate of Achievement in 2018 and the Beaumier Award for High School/CEGEP Chemistry Teachers in 2017.
David Grant P’14 / Dean of Studies Joined Crescent in 1992 His hands-on, technology-infused approach to learning has profoundly impacted decades of Crescent students. David Grant joined Crescent to teach physics. He went on to become Head of Physics, then Head of Technological Design and, in 2015, Dean of Studies. In 2016, he was awarded a Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence Certificate of Achievement. Mr. Grant was a founding board member of FIRST Robotics Canada and formed Team 610, Crescent’s robotics team, in 1999.
Kathy Porteous / Guidance and University Counsellor Joined Crescent in 2002 She fostered boys’ literacy in the English classroom, inspired their creativity and confidence through Dramatic Arts, and helped shape their futures as post-secondary students and into their professional adult years. Kathy Porteous joined Crescent in 2002 as an Upper School English teacher. Shortly after, she added drama to her teaching portfolio, directing numerous dramatic productions across all school divisions along the way. Since 2012, Ms. Porteous has provided invaluable counsel in her role as Guidance and University Counsellor.
Calay van Groll P’11 / Purchasing & Payables Coordinator Joined Crescent in 2005 Working in the Business Office, Calay van Groll ensured that purchases were completed for faculty and staff, allowing school programs to be delivered seamlessly. She also supported major capital projects with her strong business acumen. She contributed to student life by judging French competitions, leading an Outreach trip to India and assisting Upper School students in fundraising activities. Crescent School Alumni Magazine 13
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Upfront / Faculty Focus
Art features prominently in the post-Crescent pursuits of three former art faculty. Past & Present sat down with them recently to learn about the role art is playing in their lives today.
Jamie MacRae P’97
Upper School Faculty and Head of Visual and Media Art 1988–2015
What is your favourite medium? Photography with mixed media. I enhance my photographic images in Photoshop, add the mixed media in the studio and then it’s coated in resin. My images are iconic street scenes of Toronto. I presently have three galleries in the city that carry my work. Describe your average day. I spend three to four hours every day at the studio— some days it’s longer and some days it’s shorter—just to be able to immerse myself in my art and to engage with the other artists in the building we share. I go out every day, "show up," as I say, and do some work in the studio. I bring my camera with me as I never know when I will happen upon a scene that fits what I am looking for. Being retired has allowed me to focus on my art, something that was sporadic while teaching.
What inspires you to create art? My belief is, if I’ve created something, it’s because there’s somebody who desires it. If I show up, they’ll show up as well. My art changes as I grow, just as the city changes and grows. It’s rewarding to know that my work is being appreciated by so many people within this great city, country and in countries around the world.
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Upfront / Faculty Focus
Jane FleetwoodMorrow Art Teacher 1991–2012
What is your favourite medium? I’m a painter. I paint with acrylics and finish my paintings with a resin coating. I have been exhibiting and selling my paintings since I graduated from Queen’s with a BFA. For me, painting is an adventure; full of challenges, discoveries and rewards. Describe your average day. Since retiring from Crescent I have focused full time on
my art. I have participated in art fairs in Brussels, New York and Miami, to name just a few. During the pandemic, the Cube Art Fair went digital on the street—I took part in the Brussels and New York city campaigns. I was especially honoured to have my work displayed five storeys high in Times Square. What inspires you to create art? In my retirement speech I said, “I’m not retiring; I’m refocusing.” I grew up in an artistic home where art was an abundant part of everyday life, and it has returned to the forefront of my days. I now live in Collingwood. I have a dream studio with cathedral ceilings and views to Blue Mountain, with expansive skies. These sky views and the waters of Georgian Bay are a constant inspiration for my work.
Diliana Popova
I launched Spellbook, a creative copywriting agency. My work in marketing scratches my creative itch on most days, but I still take on art commissions when something exciting comes up.
Upper School Art Faculty 2010–2018
What is your favourite medium? My favourite medium is graphite, but I work primarily in oils. Describe your average day. Art is still part of my life, but it’s not my full-time job. At the beginning of 2022,
What inspires you to create art? I've been making art for so long now that inspiration is not something I wait for anymore. It usually doesn't come until you start working. For me, staying creative is daily work. I try not to rely on inspiration and just focus on doing something, anything. Could be a doodle, could be writing, could be taking weird photos with my phone.
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 15
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Present / May 2022 Incoming Head Boy Shay Kothari (centre) poses in House colours with Brady Stock (left) and Matt Yung (right). Crescent students, faculty and staff gathered on Innes Field during the first in-person, full-school assembly since 2019.
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Perspective from the Headmaster
Looking to the Future
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a m hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is finally over. For much of the past year, life at Crescent looked a lot like the school we know and love. Gone were the masks and cohorts, programming limitations, and visitor restrictions; back are the sounds of laughter, co-curricular activities, and groups of people on campus. This spring, we welcomed the return of rugby, drama productions, grad prom, in-person end-of-year celebrations and the alumni reunion—just a few of the many Crescent traditions that we desperately missed in the past two years. With every crisis, there is opportunity. The pandemic caused us to rethink how certain things have always been done and seek new or different ways that are better. Video conferencing technology helped us connect with more parents and alumni than our in-person events ever did. This means of engagement will undoubtedly find a place in our future communication efforts. This spring, we held three-day celebratory experiences at camps north of the city for the graduates of Grades 6, 8 and 12. This was partly to compensate for BEAR Week, which did not happen in September. We also found it to be a perfect way to honour their perseverance and celebrate this milestone of their Crescent journey. Perhaps this is the birth of a new Crescent tradition? We are thinking a lot about the future, both the things we are excited to see return and those we may choose to reinvent. In this issue, you’ll read about “Riding the Crypto Waves,” another perspective on what lies ahead. It’s a fascinating look at digital currency and the role some Crescent alumni play in this arena. Looking ahead is an inherent part of the Crescent story, and the future looks full of promise and possibility. Michael Fellin P’24 Headmaster
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 17
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Riding the Crypto W Written by Rob Csernyik Photography by Kate Dockeray
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A lot of investors wish they could see the future for cryptocurrencies. Less than a year ago, record-high valuations were being hit, yet recent headlines detail plunging prices. One large crypto bank with billions in deposits froze withdrawals, offering market conditions as the rationale. Investing in crypto is not for the faint of heart, even if there are signs of staying power. Big financial firms that previously ignored crypto are now taking it seriously. Conservative investors are embracing a variety of investment opportunities. Industries poised for growth like decentralized finance and the metaverse have deep links with cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology they operate on. This convergence is driving billions of dollars in investments and opening a new world of career opportunities. But entering the space can be like walking through a funhouse hall of mirrors—tough to make out what’s real and not. The good news is some Crescent alumni have taken the plunge into this industry and can offer their perspectives.
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“You have some of the smartest money in the world and some who are much less sophisticated. You have big institutions, you have small-dollar retail.” —Robbie Mitchnick ’09
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While interning at Ripple, a cryptocurrency blockchain payment system, Robbie Mitchnick ’09 got a first taste of the world behind the blockchain. Then a Stanford University MBA student, he watched Ripple’s XRP go from US$0.02 while he was interviewing to US$0.30 when he started to US$3 three months after leaving. While some of his peers were deeply passionate about dealmaking and other parts of high finance, Mitchnick was drawn to pursue a path in the new world of digital assets. “I felt doing that from within the existing financial system would actually provide the opportunity for greatest impact,” he says from his New York City home. “Rather than being outside the system trying to tear it down, which is what a lot of people wanted in the early days of crypto.” Today Mitchnick is Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, a role that didn’t exist before the cryptocurrency revolution. “When I was first exposed to [crypto], almost everybody I met was a technologist,” he says. “And almost nobody was fluent in the language of traditional finance.” He bridges both worlds every day at work. It involves everything from working with investment teams that are considering engagement in the space, to developing client solutions, to partnering with business units across BlackRock and creating strategies around this technology. Mitchnick thinks most people don’t realize there are all sorts of participants in the crypto space. “You have some of the smartest money in the world and some who are much less sophisticated,” he says. “You have big institutions, you have small-dollar retail.” There are charlatans and speculators. He notes that part of the recent downturn has been “projects that were flawed from the start—and a lot of people knew them to be flawed—unraveling.” Yet, he adds, there are also smart funds and investors in for the long haul. “There is a high probability that this technology and asset class will matter for a long time,” he says. “But it is not a 100% foregone conclusion.” He doesn’t think recent market upheaval changes this, as the fundamental technologies remain valuable and such volatility is expected from crypto “It's had a lot of explosive rallies and spectacular corrections in its history,” Mitchnick says soberly. “This is another.” →
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARENNA BOYCHUK
THE EXECUTIVE
Crescent Students Curious About Crypto “Students are past asking ‘What are cryptocurrencies?’ They’re now asking ‘What are the differences between cryptocurrencies?’” says Gavin Muranaka, Head of Business Studies. Conversations on cryptocurrency are happening in classes, over lunch and in clubs. Students are watching this new asset class rise, fall and crash in real time, and they arrive at school with a fresh set of questions with every development. The Grade 12 AP economics class explores the challenges of using cryptocurrency in place of money and “stablecoins,” cryptocurrency that is backed by a real currency. But, Muranaka says, “the really interesting thing is blockchain, which is an online accounting ledger to track transactions.” Blockchain technology is covered in computer science classes, says Upper School Robotics and Technology teacher Parth Patel. His two main areas of focus? Ethics and security. “I’ll ask my students, ‘If you have to trust a bank, how would you choose one bank over the others?’ It makes them consider how there are laws and regulations in place. With blockchain, because there’s no identity tied to it, it’s hard to regulate.” Decentralization may seem exciting to some, but it has steep downsides. Patel explains to his students that there is no way to tie a wallet to an individual user and, if lost, it remains untouched on the ledger forever. “This realization usually prompts students to ask how crypto could be regulated,” says Patel. “The answer to this question doesn’t exist yet. I want to foster inquiry and help direct their curiosity.”
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 21
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THE EVANGELIST Jesse Berger ’02 could be described as a Bitcoin evangelist. “When I buy Bitcoin, I’m not cashing out, right? I’m cashing in,” he says of the dominant cryptocurrency, which has gone from barely above zero per coin in 2009 to a high of US$68,000 in November 2021. (By June 2022, it dipped below US$20,000.) “Bitcoin is my preferred money. It’s the way that I measure my wealth.” While noting that short-term purchasing power is down, Berger notes the coin had previously experienced outsized gains. He takes a longterm view on its value. “I’m looking at this at a decade, at two decades, at five decades—for the rest of my life, basically.” Berger first heard of Bitcoin while working in banking at firms like RBC and Macquarie Private Wealth. But it was only five years ago that he started buying it. A deep part of his interest and passion is an alignment with some of the values Bitcoin aims to espouse, like decentralization and impartiality within finance.
“That’s the whole point of Bitcoin— there is no central entity making decisions,” he says. “It’s just a voluntary system running in the wild. Anybody can opt into it, and nobody can change the rules.” (Though he previously invested in altcoins —a blanket term for non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies—he is now all-in on Bitcoin.) Berger believes that Bitcoin can be a transformative element in society, as witnessed when El Salvador made the digital currency its legal tender in June 2021. However, many investors look past this potential, instead viewing Bitcoin strictly as an investment vehicle. Berger does some freelance consulting work related to Bitcoin, including helping high-net-worth individuals get into it. “I’m fortunate that I was very prudent financially well before I got into Bitcoin, and I’ve afforded myself the opportunity to do stuff like this,” he says. “I made my own little niche role that’s not totally defined.” Part of this role is a side hustle as a thought leader of sorts, self-publishing a book called Magic Internet Money and making podcast appearances to chat about Bitcoin. “There’s not a lot of money in books,” he adds, but it lets him “have a voice advocating for Bitcoin as a useful and credible technology.” He thinks one of the best ways for beginners to understand cryptocurrency is to “get your hands dirty.” Whether purchasing Bitcoin, sending a transaction to a wallet, or spending some, Berger believes “there’s a big lesson just going through that process.” In the present landscape, he adds that the only thing that’s changed about Bitcoin is how much people are willing to pay for it. “The qualities and attributes that make it a good form of money are completely and totally unchanged.” →
Jesse holds a ColdCard, a popular device used for signing Bitcoin transactions and securing private keys.
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“That’s the whole point of Bitcoin—there is no central entity making decisions. It’s just a voluntary system running in the wild. Anybody can opt into it, and nobody can change the rules.”—Jesse Berger ’02
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THE LAWYER Ever since his first computer classes at Crescent, Ian Palm ’85 has had a deep love for new technologies. What’s followed is a career in law where he’s always worked on tech’s cutting edge, including, in recent years, managing issues borne out of the rise of crypto and its related industries. At Gowling WLG, where Palm is a partner, he works with colleagues around the world on various crypto issues. While crypto has many boosters, that’s not Palm’s role. “There’s one stratospheric winner for eight or ten losers, so some people are going to lose some money,” he says soberly. This isn’t meant to be a downer. In his view, it’s the opposite. “It’s more about trying to make sure that people are protected.” That means putting guideposts around crypto projects that help participants understand what it is and isn’t, as well as the risks involved. “You’ve got innovative businesses trying to do something that hasn’t been done before,” he says. But on the other hand, there are situations where regulators step in or lawsuits are filed, which has created an emerging practice area. There’s also a growing amount of work on the deal side. Palm has worked on a range of different types of innovative capital raises involving cryptocurrency. “The amount of venture capital dollars and private equity dollars going into crypto opportunities is staggering,” he says. (One estimate pegs venture capital fundraising in crypto startups at US$32 billion in 2021.) Those wanting to get into crypto need to protect their investments. One way to do this, says Palm, is to look at the quality of a presentation—including the advisors or partners like financial institutions or law firms. “The red flags that jump out at me are: way too rosy projections, lack of substance or experience, no revenue, and people using very esoteric legal structures.” He adds that the latter can mistakenly lead people to believe they’re free from regulatory scrutiny.
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“There’s one stratospheric winner for eight or ten losers, so some people are going to lose some money. It’s more about trying to make sure that people are protected.” —Ian Palm ’85
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARENNA BOYCHUK
Dylan Zeitler ’20, left and Will Krstajic ’20, right, visited Crescent earlier this spring.
THE NEWBIES Dylan Zeitler ’20, who got into crypto investing last year, initially invested in several different coins. “I’d say that is a drawback, because crypto is so volatile that you really have to be on your game. Focusing on two or three different coins is much easier than focusing on the movement of many independent altcoins simultaneously.” Today, he focuses his investments (from personal savings and summer job earnings) on Bitcoin and an altcoin called Cardano. Instead of trying to time his investments to the wide swings of crypto prices, which far outpace stock swings and can take place after stock exchanges have closed, he prefers a dollar cost average method. This means more consistent investments without the temptation of trying to time the market—and focusing on the investment’s long-term price performance. The University of British Columbia engineering student is drawn to the applications of blockchain technology—electronic databases which securely record information like crypto transactions—which is at the heart of cryptocurrencies. Blockchain technology could be applied to a wide range of future uses—everything from sports tickets to vaccine passports—and revolutionize industries where security and validity are paramount. Over time, he says “it’s only going to get exponentially better as mass adoption kicks in and as more and more people familiarize themselves with the blockchain technology and utility.” Though cryptocurrency is a newer interest, his fascination traces back further. “The passion and the belief that I have in innovation and for new technology is a direct byproduct of some of the science teachers and the robotics mentors at Crescent.”
Other young alumni are getting in on a larger scale. After becoming interested in cryptocurrency in early 2019, Will Krstajic ’20 went to his father with an investment proposal. That initial investment grew about fivefold by April of 2022. He spends about ten hours a week on the portfolio which he and his brother, fellow Crescent alum Jack Evans-Krstajic ’16, christened Krstajic Brothers Trading. Krstajic says about 40% of their portfolio is in market movers—like Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana—and the rest in other altcoins. “There’s a lot of value and money to be made in trading the more volatile but larger upside smaller-cap coins.” Unlike traditional stocks where analyst reports shape an investor’s knowledge, he put together his own reading list from scratch. This included taking in big picture topics through open-source materials, as well as more information on projects and trends from discussions on forums like Discord and Reddit. His research has led him to view the crypto market like the early 2000s dot-com boom where there were paper gains and sky-high valuations. Though many crashed, some companies from that era are still market leaders today. Krstajic, who studies finance at Queen’s University, feels the technology can be difficult for some people in the crypto space to understand. “I identified that this is the industry in which I can have the most disproportionate valueadded, for my age,” he says. Recently, he was invited to interview with a Toronto financial firm looking to expand its altcoin investment footprint. While Krstajic has thoughts on how new investors might participate—some may prefer dominant coins or exchangetraded funds (ETFs), while those investing smaller amounts might be better suited to try an altcoin with a higher-percentage growth trajectory—risk tolerance is most important. “It’s understanding that your portfolio can shrink 30% before it grows 100% and being okay with that.” If you’re at peace with that, you might be ready to take your first steps into the cryptoverse and see what it will mean for you.
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 25
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A RECIPE FOR HOPE Matthew Neill ’98 knows that life can be hard. He also knows that being part of a community and building strong relationships is the road to recovery. Written by Pat Morden
Photography by Nation Wong
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M
atthew Neill ’98 found something at Crescent that he hadn’t truly experienced before: a warm and supportive community. “The students were kind, and the teachers were really great,” he says. “Crescent was my first authentic experience of community and building strong relationships outside of my family.” After graduating, he wouldn’t find that type of community again for many years. Today, Neill finds himself part of another supportive community as Director of Food Services for the non-profit organization Working for Change. His journey, however, was tumultuous. Neill faced years of addiction and mental health challenges, which he has worked hard to overcome. With his life together, he is now supporting fellow survivors. After Crescent, Neill attended Dalhousie University. It was there that his use of drugs and alcohol took a dangerous turn. “I was extremely afraid, depressed and anxious inside and feeling like I needed to hold it all together on the outside.” After completing his degree in English literature, he decided to travel the world. Fortunately, he had developed a skill that enabled him to work almost anywhere. Starting as a busser at a Toronto restaurant, he found himself working in the dish pit of a Halifax hotel one summer. Impressed by his strong work ethic, one of the chefs offered to show him how to use a knife. He was soon cooking on the line and discovered something he enjoyed and was good at. “I love food,” he says. “I love playing around with unfamiliar flavours, experimenting, learning new things.” He worked in restaurants in Italy, France, Spain, and the U.K. Ultimately, he became a Chef de Partie at Jamie’s Italian in Leeds, part of the massive Jamie Oliver empire. That’s when his focus began to change. Inspired by his sister, who had been involved in international development since high school, he started working as a volunteer with refugees and asylum-seekers. “I had always heard a lot about the outside world and the reality of the struggles that other people face,” says Neill. “I was aware of the great privilege that we have living in Canada.”
“I love playing around with unfamiliar flavours, experimenting, learning new things.” —Matthew Neill ’98
Again, his hard work and commitment, combined with compassion and empathy, caught the eye of his fellow workers. He began to take on paid positions in addition to his volunteer commitments. Although he found the work deeply satisfying, he was also working full-time in the kitchen while battling depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide and his ongoing addiction to drugs and alcohol. Of this time in his life, Neill says simply, “I’m amazed that I’m alive.” He returned to Canada in 2016 to begin a long journey of recovery. “It was very difficult for me to even see the possibility of life without drugs and alcohol.” He has now been completely sober for a year and a half. The key, he says, was admitting his vulnerability and sharing his struggle. “It wasn’t until I accepted the help and love of others, becoming part of a community, that I was finally able to move away from my addictions.” Neill spent six years as kitchen manager with Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank program, helping prepare frozen meals served in drop-in centres and shelters across the city. In March, he joined Working for Change, an umbrella organization that houses several social enterprises and advocates for social justice. Everyone who works in the organization identifies as a survivor who has faced mental health challenges, addiction, homelessness, gendered violence, or refugee issues. Each social enterprise operates like a business, but profits go back into the community in targeted ways. The focus of the food operation is primarily on providing stable and dignified employment for people who often face barriers to maintaining employment. Working for Change provides them with the support and accommodations they need while building skillsets for the future. “For us, the workplace is a place of community. Without it, many of us would be isolated.” Neill’s work goes beyond supporting individuals to advocating for a more just and equitable society. His prescription for a better future: access to affordable housing, dignified employment, a basic income, and healthy, affordable food. Despite his own challenges, Neill says that helping others has helped him heal. “Giving back reaps more reward than I could have gained by just pursuing my own desires. When I can help someone and then see them rebuild their life, the gratitude I feel is indescribable.”
“Giving back reaps more reward than I could have gained by just pursuing my own desires. When I can help someone and then see them rebuild their life, the gratitude I feel is indescribable.” —Matthew Neill ’98
01 - 04 Employees at Out of This World Cafe on Stokes Street in Toronto. The cafe has been a fixture at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health since 1994. Photography by Fareen Karim. 05 Customers place their orders at the Out of this World Grill College Street location in Toronto. 06 Matthew chats with a barista at the cafe.
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Written by Karen K. Ho Photography by Gordon von Steiner ’06
Seeds 30 Past & Present / Summer 2022
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of Opportunity
Crescent School Alumni Magazine 31
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very much believe that life is a jungle and you can manifest and create your own opportunity," says Tom Smith ’06. "You can ultimately create the experiences that you want if you go about it the right way.” You could say that Smith is an innovator, having started numerous successful professional ventures and evolved in the process. There were already clues to his future as a business leader during his years at Crescent, including starring in a play, being a prefect, winning the Osler trophy, and leading as captain of Wolfe House. But there’s one from his graduating year that foretold his future career as an entrepreneur, involving the London School of Economics (LSE). “No one at Crescent at that time had ever gone to LSE for their undergrad,” Smith recounts. “I contacted LSE and convinced them to send a rep out to Crescent. I organized a small assembly in [former] Highland Hall, where the rep pitched us on the London School of Economics. At the end of that meeting, the associate basically said, ‘Send me your application.’” After graduating from LSE with a bachelor’s degree in economics and game theory, Smith reached out to Apple soon after it released the first iPhone and became a junior analyst at the company’s first iPhone growth team. Smith spent years working at Apple across departments like strategic component procurement, research and development, and even the digital assistant Siri as the only non-engineer. “My first desk at Apple in Cupertino was 100 feet from Steve Jobs’ office,” he says. “And I got to interact with some people whose perspective completely changed my viewpoint on the world.”
“I very much believe that life is a jungle and you can manifest and create your own opportunity. You can ultimately create the experiences that you want if you go about it the right way.” —Tom Smith ’06
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In 2014, Smith used some of his Apple stock to start Offline Publishing, which he sold within one year. He then raised funds from prominent investors like Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob to establish the digital sticker startup Imoji. After 2.5 years, Smith sold Imoji to Giphy in 2016 for $12.5 million and became its co-head of product. Digital stickers are a world away from healthcare services, but Smith is an incrementalist who strongly believes in the value of experiences over time. The inspiration for Smith’s newest company, the male fertility service provider Dadi, came from a friend at Apple who was diagnosed with cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy. Smith learned the process would also eliminate his male friend’s fertility. Commercial sperm banking has been established since the 1970s. But when Smith started doing research to help his friend, he was disappointed by the industry. “There had been absolutely no development, both on the product experience side and the underlying service offering and
01 & 02 The creation of the Dadi Inc. kit involved industrial design, and mechanical and thermal engineering. 03 An experience at Apple Inc. motivated Tom Smith ’06 to innovate in the male fertility industry. 04 Tom Smith ’06 (right) was photographed in Brooklyn, NY by fellow alumnus and Dadi co-founder Gord von Steiner ’06 (left).
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“I think there‘s a huge opportunity to bring the experience that I have from Silicon Valley, London and New York to create some domestic champions. And hopefully turn that into an international champion.” —Tom Smith ’06
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business model,” he says. “If you want to get tested and stored as an individual, you’d have to go into a physical sperm bank, probably make multiple appointments and end up spending thousands of dollars to uncomfortably collect in that environment.” Smith identified an opportunity to innovate and by taking a first principles approach, Dadi completely revolutionized the existing industry through better services and increased public education about male infertility. He and his co-founders, Mackey Saturday and fellow Crescent alum Gordon von Steiner ’06, invented a kit that allowed users to collect their sperm at home instead of a traditional medical office. They lowered the cost of collection from an average of US$786 to $200 and offered storage services for US$100 per year. By making sperm collection and storage more accessible and affordable, Dadi blazed their own trail and created a new branch of fertility treatment. Dadi’s addressable market is more than just cancer patients. One in seven couples struggle to get pregnant, but infertility is often misunderstood as primarily an issue for women and people with uteri. The company has also partnered with Planned Parenthood to address the fertility needs of transgender folks who medically transition. The business model was impressive enough for the healthcare technology company Ro to acquire Dadi last year for over US$100 million. Smith will stay with the New Yorkbased company for several more years as Vice President of Product Innovation but plans to move back to Toronto and help build companies with the knowledge he’s gained from working abroad. “I think there’s a huge opportunity to bring the experience that I have from Silicon Valley, London and New York to create some domestic champions,” he says. “And hopefully turn that into an international champion.” Crescent School Alumni Magazine 33
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Expert Advice
Screen time recommendations for children By Dr. Timothy H. Tsang ’97, O.D., F.A.A.O.
The recommendations published in 2017 by the Canadian Association of Optometrists and Canadian Ophthalmological Society remain valid:
Good Screen Time Habits
Parents and children alike can benefit from these guidelines.
Ergonomics
20-20-20 rule
Dr. Timothy H. Tsang ’97, O.D., F.A.A.O. has a private practice in Vaughan. He serves as a Clinical Instructor teaching optometry interns from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Tsang is residency trained in Primary Care and Ocular Disease and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Illinois College of Optometry.
Breaks
Habits
2–5 years
No more than one hour per day. Programming should be age-appropriate, educational, high-quality, coviewed, and discussed with the child to provide context and help them apply what they are seeing to their threedimensional environment.
Eliminate background TV and don’t eat in front of a screen. Screens should be avoided for one hour before bedtime. Screens in the bedroom are not recommended.
Symptoms
If your child develops or complains of visual symptoms, get their eyes checked with their optometrist or eye care provider.
Lighting
5–18 years
Ideally no more than two hours per day of recreational screen time.
Outdoor activity over screen time should be encouraged. Start with a minimum two hours per day outdoors with UV protection (sunglasses, sunscreen).
Workstation and room lighting should be equal throughout the visual field to reduce glare and reflections from screens.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALLY REEVES
During the pandemic, children spent more time on computers and devices as classes shifted to virtual lessons. With the return to in-person learning, parents and educators should reevaluate their children’s and students’ screen time and consider implementing some of the following recommendations.
0–2 years
Ideally no screen time with the exception of live video-chatting with parental support due to its potential for social development, though this needs further investigation.
Every 20 minutes, take a minimum 20-second break and look at a target 20 feet in the distance. This habit helps avoid eye strain and promotes blinking, which relaxes the eyes and produces tears.
Chair height should be set so feet are flat on the floor. Desks should be set at elbow height or slightly lower. The center of a computer screen should be 15-20 degrees below eye level and placed at an arm’s length away.
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Expert Advice
What to consider when buying an electric vehicle By Nicholas Roche ’05
How much range should I look for in an EV? How much can I expect to pay?
Nicholas Roche ’05 is a Staff Mechanical Engineer at Tesla Motors, where he’s worked for nine years designing everything from HVAC systems to Falcon Wing doors.
With gas prices reaching record highs and climate change an urgent societal problem, there’s never been a better time to transition to an electric vehicle (EV). I’ve spent nearly a decade designing EVs at Tesla, and these are some of the most common questions new users have.
Today, most EVs offer more than 400 kilometres of range on a single charge, more than enough for daily commuting and weekend road trips. A Kia EV6 crossover costs around $40,000 after incentives. Longer-range models with a 500 km range start at around $50,000 and are more suitable if you take long trips or lack access to charging.
What about road trips?
How much will it cost to install a charger at my house and charge my car? Home charging is an amazing perk of EV ownership – it’s like waking up to a full tank of gas every day! I strongly recommend installing a NEMA 14-30 or 14-50 outlet, the same you’d use for a clothes dryer. It will let you fully recharge overnight and can be installed for about $1,000. A standard 120-volt outlet in your house can still add 50 km of charge overnight, enough for many users. Fully charging a car from empty costs around $7, with EV owners reporting annual savings of up to $2,000.
Newer EVs can add 300 km of battery charge at roadside fastcharging stations in as little as 15 minutes. Driving from Toronto to Mont Tremblant would only require a single 20-minute charging stop for $10. When shopping for EVs, look for ones capable of fast charging at 150 kilowatts or more. ABetterRoutePlanner.com allows you to plan road trip times using different vehicles, complete with charging locations and times.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALLY REEVES
What other benefits do EVs offer? EVs provide a superior driving experience. They are quieter and offer better acceleration while requiring less maintenance. A recent study found that if all cars and SUVs in the Greater Toronto Area switched to EV, the resulting reductions in emissions would eliminate over 300 respiratory illness deaths per year. Crescent School Alumni Magazine 35
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Social Life
Together Again It’s always a good time when Crescent brothers get together. For more photos and upcoming event listings, go to crescentalumni.org.
Breaking the Ice Breaking the Ice was an apt theme for the first in-person alumni event in over two years. On April 1, alumni from across decades gathered at the Granite Club for some curling, refreshments and conversation.
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Social Life
New York Alumni Event On May 19, our New York-based alumni joined host Mike Donelly ’88, Alumni Executive Chair Andrew Norris ’03, Headmaster Michael Fellin P’24 and special guest David Grant P’14 for an alumni event. Mr. Grant retired in June, 2022 after 30 years at Crescent.
United Kingdom Alumni Event Hosted by Stephen Wyprysky ’04, this event was attended by our U.K.-based alumni on May 26 to gather together and celebrate Mr. Grant’s retirement.
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Social Life
Alumni Reunion On June 11, over 275 alumni joined current and past faculty and staff for the first on-campus reunion since May 2019. Eight classes celebrated milestone reunions, and five additional classes joined them. Congratulations and welcome back to the alumni of 1982, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017.
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Social Life
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Life After Crescent
Milestones and Celebrations Have family or career news to share? Send your Life After Crescent updates to alumni@crescentschool.org.
1980s Peter Hall ’80 has retired from Export Development Canada (EDC) after 17 years. Most recently, he served as VicePresident and Chief Economist with the organization.
James Blake ’97 and his wife Alexandra Grand wecomed their daughter Penelope on September 30, 2021.
Brian Saunderson ’80 was successful in his bid for MPP as a PC candidate in Simcoe-Grey riding.
2000s Chris Homer ’01 and his company ThredUp were featured on CBS Sunday Morning on May 22, 2022.
William Colgan ’00 is a research climatologist who was featured on CNN’s The Wonder List in April 2022.
Andrew Norris ’03 his wife Jesse and big brother William welcomed Patrick Robert Norris born on June 13, 2022.
1990s Andrew Lindsay ’97 joined Microsoft as the Corporate Vice President, Industry, Data and Apps Business Development.
Bobby Koutsaris ’03 and his wife Kate Duncan welcomed their first child, a daughter named Ainsley, on April 16, 2022.
Lee Polydor ’93 and his wife Lilian welcomed their son Maximos on January 28, 2022.
Jonathan Norris ’07 and his wife Kelsey welcomed their daughter Kayla on April 30, 2022.
Alex Ng ’05 has been working with the Canada Ukraine Foundation, providing direct and immediate aid. Fraser Macdonald ’06 Vice President of Stosic & Associates, was on CP24 in February providing commentary on Candice Bergen being voted interim leader of the Conservative Party.
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Life After Crescent
2010s Evan Wall ’10 married Samantha Caravaggio on October 17, 2021 at Canoe Restaurant in Toronto, Ontario. His wedding party included Crescent alumni Matthew Abraham ’10 and Richard Amelard ’10.
Will Coburn ’17 was accepted to Queen’s University to study law in fall, 2022. Matthew Finch ’18 graduated from Duke University with his Bachelor Degree in Computer Science. He made the Dean’s List With Distinction. Drake Wong ’18 has completed his Bachelor of Commerce at McGill University and will be moving to Europe this fall to study International Sustainability Management at ESCP Business School’s Berlin and Paris campuses.
Joshua Hong ‘07 married his wife Sue in July 2020. Crescent alumni Andrew Markham, Japteg Singh, Blair Livingston, Joshua Graham, Martijn Williams, Alex Candy, Scott Belton, and Justin Chan from the class of ’07 were in attendance. Joshua and Sue welcomed their son Isaac Collin Hong on January 31, 2022.
Liam Lynch ’18 was accepted to Osgoode Law School at York University for fall, 2022.
Tally Ferraro ’13 and his brothers wrote and recorded “As Far as I’ve Come,” which was played during the CBC’s winter ’22 Olympic broadcast. Their aptly-named band is called Ferraro.
Nicholas Oprescu-Havriliuc ’18 completed his dissertation in law on the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in the modern workplace as it relates to employment law in the United Kingdom. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh in July, he will begin working at international corporate law firm Rooney Nimmo.
Mitchell Golosky ’13 graduated medical school and will begin as a resident physician in anesthesiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York this summer. Joey Lindsay ’15 has begun a new position as a Senior Analyst, Recognition and Performance Enablement at CIBC. Toye Ojo ’09 married Sarah Balliger on May 6, 2022 in their Yoruba ceremony and on May 7, 2022 in their Anglican ceremony. In attendance were his best man Remi Ojo ’08 and friend James Spencer ’09.
Alex Mason ’16 started working at Scotiabank as a software engineer.
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Life After Crescent
Former Faculty
In Memoriam
Angie Beck June 17, 1942— December 26, 2021
Mr. David Grant (left), Ms. Kathy Porteous (top right) and Mr. Michael Jansen (bottom right) retired in June. Colleagues, alumni and students visited each of their classrooms to honour them as they taught for the last time, sharing their admiration and respect, and shedding a few happy tears.
After a full and joyful life, Angie fought a brave battle with vascular dementia. She leaves behind her three children Jennifer, Chris ’87, and Jason ’89, and her five grandchildren Maxine, Markus, Jimmy, Sophie and Echo. Angie will also be greatly missed by her partner Keith Hoilett, her son-in-law Christer Sinderby, and ex-husband John Beck. Angie was a teacher, a chef and baker, a seamstress, a walker, and impressively climbed the CN tower at the age of 70. She will be remembered by many friends and colleagues from Crescent School, where she taught French immersion and Spanish. Hugh Coulson ’51 August 27, 1940— March 17, 2022
Retired Crescent teachers enjoyed lunch together with the newest member, Mr. Grant. From left to right: Rob Cranston, David Grant, Don Morrison, Rex Taylor, Stuart Cumner and Mark Suckling.
Hugh left this world peacefully, surrounded by his family, at his home in Campbellford, ON. He will be forever missed by his beloved wife of 45
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Life After Crescent
years, Anne; his children David, Carey, Peter, Daphne (deceased), Shoshannah, Douglas and Robin; his many grandchildren and siblings Jock (deceased), Gordon, Panny, Vickie and Jill. He started his working life as a stockbroker in Montreal, later moving to Toronto where he became a well-known and much-loved figure on Bay Street. He would go on to explore many professional fields throughout his lifetime. Hugh attended Crescent School’s Dentonia campus from 1945 to 1951.
Georgia, Renée and Henry. At Crescent School in Toronto, Jack became a leader, approaching any challenge with a calm air of confidence and pragmatism. All of these attributes indicate what a tremendous military career he was to have and the man of character he was becoming.
Patricia McDonnell April 23, 1930— December 31, 2021
Jack Hogarth ’13 March 18, 1995— April 29, 2022 Jack was an engaging and selfless young man with a broad appreciation for life and unbounding love for his family, friends and classmates. Though Jack’s future was cut short, his memory will forever be affectionately carried by his loving parents, John and Susan; sister, Lauren (Kyle); brother, Richard (Paige); grandmother, Martha; aunts and uncles Edward, Donald and Jane, and cousins, Marshall, Evan, Georgina,
Patricia passed away peacefully at St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton after a short battle with cancer. She was 91 years old. Predeceased by her husband Lloyd in 1994, Patricia is survived by her children, Kevin (Linda), Carolyne McDonnell-Daly (Ed Gamelin), son-in-law Danny Daly; her grandchildren, Madison (Jamie), Stephanie and Leah Daly, and Chelsea; and her great-grandchildren, Roman and Summer Daly. As a full-time working mother she was a trailblazer and deeply respected in her role as Crescent School's Bursar (current day CFO) from 1963 to 1982.
Alan Wigston ’78 May 30, 1958— July 29, 2021 Alan is survived by his devoted brother Guy (Jennifer) and was a loving and involved uncle to Alexis, Darcy and Parker. Dutiful son to the late Arnold and Barbara Wigston and dear brother to the late Mark Wigston. Alan will always be remembered as a friendly, generous and hard-working man who was always ready to help others. In his retirement, he could be found volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Wiggy always had time to wave, say hello and have a chat. Alan's sense of humour and fun will be greatly missed by all, but particularly on the snowmobile trails, at the lake, and by the staff at Wimpy's. David James 1955— June 2, 2022 Former Crescent music teacher and hockey coach David James passed away at the age of 66 after a brief fight with cancer. One of Canada’s most talented drummers, Dave always marched to the beat of his own drum. As an instructor, teacher, and lecturer on everything from theory, composition, and performance to improvisation, he touched the lives and influenced the careers of countless musicians.
Stay Connected Join the Crescent Alumni Network Site. Go to crescentalumni.org to find mentoring opportunities, internship positions, reunions and networking events, news from your former classmates and ways to get involved at Crescent. Find alumni news on our social media: CrescentSchoolAlumni @CrescentAlums @crescent_alumni Crescent School Alumni Group Have questions? Contact alumni@crescentschool.org
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Catching Up With...
Steve Davies: Serendipity leads to a 38-year Crescent career Steve Davies worked at Crescent from 1978 to 2016. He lives in Newmarket with his wife, Barb. He still coaches hockey. Jamie Lougheed: How did you land your first job at Crescent? Steve Davies: I went to St. Mary’s University in Halifax, where I studied world religions and played hockey. During the summers, I returned to Windsor, where I worked at Ford to help finance my education. After finishing my degree, I was back at Ford and looking for a teaching job. I met a young man there who was a graduate of Trinity College School and studying law in Toronto. He asked if I had applied to any private schools. I didn’t even know what they were! He said to get a book called The Canadian Establishment which had a list of independent schools at the back of the book. I saw Crescent School, applied and got an interview with Chris Gordon. He was looking for somebody to teach world religions and coach the hockey team. What are the chances of that? JL: You taught at Crescent for 38 years—a remarkable accomplishment. What are your fondest memories? SD: The thing that I loved most about Crescent was that it was a really caring place. We felt like we were part of a family. Chris Gordon hired teachers like they were prospects, like draft picks. Most of the teachers in the school were young, but he was hiring them on their potential. JL: Tell me about your teaching philosophy. SD: It’s about how you connect with people—how they get to know you, how you get to know them. We taught important topics, but the relationships are ultimately most important to the final outcome.
By Jamie Lougheed ’87, P’18
JL: What were among the most significant changes you saw over your tenure at Crescent? SD: We used to do our report cards in cursive writing. And if you made a mistake, every report had to be redone. We’ve come a long way from that. The school itself and the facilities have expanded to something you couldn’t have even imagined in 1978. The staff also grew larger, but the school continued hiring great, caring people. JL: What is your advice to young people today? SD: I would say, don’t find an excuse. Work as hard as you can to get the most out of life. Do it for yourself, your parents, and your grandparents. Give your best and share your talents. And the other piece of advice that I would give is to be kind. The world can be a cruel place. We need kindness in this world. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARENNA BOYCHUK
“The world can be a cruel place. We need kindness in this world.” —Steve Davies
JL: You have a passion for community service. The time we spent at the Hugh MacMillan Rehabilitation Centre (now Holland Bloorview) is one of my most powerful teenage memories. We used to go once a week and swim with the children. Why was that so important to you? SD: I went there one day to look at the possibility of doing something together. The woman I spoke to was very caring. She said it was not going to be easy and that my students would have to do things that they might not be accustomed to doing. I knew you boys could do it. I’m glad we did. I know it made a difference.
JL: Tell us how you came to be known simply as “Rog.” SD: As head coach of the hockey team, I asked (former teacher) Dave Dawson if he would mind coming out to videotape our games. We would watch the tape as a team during our lunch breaks and figure out what was working and what we needed to improve. At that time, Roger Neilson was the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs and was notorious for using game tape to instruct his players. Eric Friedman ’80 called me Rog, and the rest is history. I can think of many other names I could have been called in my day, so I’m happy that Rog stuck.
Jamie Lougheed ’87, P’18 is Executive Director, Advancement at Greenwood College, a former Crescent Alumni Executive Chair and a proud Crescent past parent.
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ALUMNI MENTORING PROGRAMS
Give advice. Get advice. Join the group. The Group Mentoring Program connects alumni who mentor one another. The group meets four times per year to discuss professional or personal issues, get feedback and advice, and gain insight. To sign up for the Alumni Group Mentoring Program, email alumni@crescentschool.org.
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Crescent offers other mentoring programs to facilitate alumni growth and development. To learn more about opportunities, visit alumni.crescentschool.org/mentoring
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RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Crescent School 2365 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario M2L 1A2
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