The READ magazine (Winter 2020)

IN THIS ISSUE … OVER-THE-TOP SOCIAL MEDIA STARS … PLASTIC SURGERY ANNE WITH AN E’S CREATOR … KIDS’ BOOKS WITH BITE … A WREN’S WARTIME STORY THE MAGAZINE FOR THE BRANKSOME HALL COMMUNITY WINTER 2019–20

ON THE FRONTLINES Emily KREHM’05 has worked with refugees in some of the world’s toughest conflict zones page 18

Save The Date REUNION 2020 Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 Your friends.

Your class.

Your school.

Vision To be the pre-eminent educational community of globally minded learners and leaders.

Mission Each day, we challenge and inspire girls to love learning and to shape a better world.

Values Sense of Community, Inclusiveness, Creativity, Making a Difference W IN T ER 2 019 –2 0

Contents ON THE COVER: Emily KREHM’05 was photographed in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, in October 2019.

PHOTO CREDIT: Elizaveta KOZLOVA’15, photographer and Instagram influencer, New York City.

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34

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The READ Committee Editor Tanya Pimenoff Editorial Advisor Berton Woodward Cris Coraggio Karen L. Jurjevich Liisa Stephenson Karrie Weinstock

FEATURES

18 On the Frontlines

34 Provocative Topics

Emily KREHM’05 has worked with refugees in some of the world’s toughest conflict zones

Writer Lisa LUCAS’78 and artist Laurie STEIN’78 collaborate on books for young kids that cover subjects from climate change to refugees

22 Street Style Social media stars Sam and Cailli BECKERMAN’99 bring a double dose of fashion—and fun—to their online world

26 The Female Approach As a plastic surgeon, Mary-Helen MAHONEY’98 helps breast cancer patients and other women feel better about themselves

30 Moving Pictures

38 A Gift from the Heart Jackie FITZGIBBON Moss’80 was a corporate bigwig before her cardiac arrest. Now she’s designing fun and functional hospital gowns— and loving it

42 This Wren Still Soars Having escaped a turbulent Middle East, Brenda CRUIKSHANK Reid’43 became a wartime telegrapher while still a teen

Miranda de PENCIER’87 produces film and TV that matters

Contributors Andrea Aster, Beckerman Blog, Sally Cook, Directors Guild of Canada, Abdullah Hammam, Blake Hannahson, Patricia Hluchy, William Horne, Jeff Kirk, Elizaveta KOZLOVA’15, Liz LAMBERT’96, Anjali MAZUMDER’95, Natalia PAYNE’99, George Pimentel, Janet Sailian, Lisa Sakulensky, David Spowart, Caley Taylor, Nora Underwood, Amy VERNER’98, Anne VRANIC’06 Alumnae, Employees and Friends of Branksome Hall

Design and Production Michael Cherkas + Associates

Branksome Hall 10 Elm Avenue Toronto, ON M4W 1N4 Tel: 416-920-9741 www.branksome.on.ca Email: tpimenoff@branksome.on.ca

IN EVERY ISSUE

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Principal’s Message Editorial School Scoop A gift from the Netherlands; Meet crossing guard Albert Carreon; Installation moves back to campus; Using ‘noodle’ to change the world

45 Alum Life Food, Fun and Games;

50 52 68 76

A love story and an ad; Praise for a short film; Where we’ve been Reunion 2019 Class Notes* Passages A Day in the Life Backstage in New York with Natalia PAYNE’99

*View The READ online at branksome.on.ca/alumnae. For privacy purposes, Class Notes is not available in digital format.

Winter 2019–20 Volume 59, Number 1 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement No.40010445

FROM THE PRIN CIPA L

We Should All Be Teachers The value of education extends far beyond formal schooling

By Karen L. Jurjevich

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ducation, in its deepest sense, has a noble mission: we strive to impart knowledge, stimulate creativity, engage in critical thinking and, ultimately, to serve a greater purpose. An educated community embraces multiple perspectives; it inspires critical dialogue and healthy civil discourse. Education is our best hope for a peaceful, civil society as it opens one’s heart to understanding the beauty of diversity, in every sense of the word.

Our mission at Branksome Hall is to challenge and inspire young people to love learning and to shape a better world. The privilege of being an educator must be taken seriously, as our mission suggests. Our responsibilities extend far beyond the classroom and impact the lives of students long after they have graduated. We know that educators impact families and the greater community. When our students strive to make a difference—one small, meaningful step at a time—we support them, knowing that this is a fundamental part of our profession’s calling.

I have more than 40 years of experience as an educator, and over two decades as Principal of Branksome Hall. Without question, I believe we are in an era that demands more from educators than ever before. Indeed, I cannot think of a more exhilarating, satisfying and challenging time for my profession. It is not only what we are teaching; it is how we are teaching. It is not just about the classroom experience; it is about the whole child’s experience. The craft of teaching is a collective and rigorous endeavour; yet it requires personalization and care.

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“Without question, I believe we are in an era that demands more from educators than ever before. Indeed, I cannot think of a more exhilarating, satisfying and challenging time for my profession.”

That the value of teaching extends beyond formal schooling was reinforced for me recently at an intimate gathering of community leaders, entrepreneurs and business executives. We had been invited to a luncheon to hear from Arthur C. Brooks, lecturer, author and Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.

According to Brooks, research on the study of the social phenomenon that highly successful professionals have greater

disappointment in their later years suggests that the happiness of most adults declines through their thirties and forties, then bottoms out in their early fi fties. Notably, the research shows that those on the lower branches of happiness are the ones who are most successful—those who have achieved the most. They may be those identified as unusually gifted, or those tagged with the “winner’s curse.” Citing research data in recent happiness studies, Brooks reported on the strong evidence suggesting that,

FRO M T HE ED I TO R

The Variety of Life Everyone has a tale just waiting to be told

By Tanya Pimenoff

“The biggest mistake professionally successful people make is attempting to sustain peak accomplishment indefinitely.” (A. Brooks, “Your Professional Decline is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think,” The Atlantic, July 2019.)

As our luncheon took on a lively dialogue, Brooks suggested that we “get on a new success curve,” one that is focused on having a higher purpose, where “service means success.” We should be encouraged to “Move towards teaching. The greatest CEOs are teachers.” They are curious about others’ ideas and thrive on what social psychologists call crystallized intelligence, synthesizing ideas and expressing them in new, enriching and interesting ways. As we age, Brooks notes, the aim is to tap into our accumulated wisdom and seek opportunities to share our knowledge with younger generations.

As I absorb these words, they strike a familiar chord. This is our work, as teachers. This is what happens every day at Branksome Hall!

As you peruse this edition of The READ, you will see many examples of crystallized intelligence. Our students, alums and employees are synthesizing, analyzing and creating. Their new ideas and initiatives are changing the way we think and solve problems. Indeed, just a quick glance around campus shows creativity abounding in our classrooms and beyond thanks to the power of education.

I could not be more proud of the important contribution being made every day at Branksome Hall. As you read about the difference our alums are making in our communities and in the world, I suspect you will feel the same way. R

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s our life experience and adventures accumulate, one thing’s certain: each of us has a story worth telling, and an audience worth telling it to.

As I write this, it is the last week that morning radio buffs within listening range of CBC Toronto’s Metro Morning will be waking up to the familiar and welcoming voice of host Matt Galloway.

As a loyal listener over the years, I have become hooked on well-read, rational Matt, with his calm and dispassionate interviewing technique that so clearly guides his guests to tell their story or explain their point of view. I could listen for hours. Every topic imaginable has been aired over the years. I’ve even caught several of our own alumnae succinctly voicing their opinion on a topic or cause that motivates them to action. I really perk up when that happens and couldn’t be prouder of them. I hope we hear more from our achievers, nationally, with Matt’s new role on CBC’s The Current.

Perhaps some of us think ours is not a story worth telling, but really, every age and every stage of one’s life can be a tale just waiting to be told. The variety is unlimited. This is where my role as editor comes into play—to research and reach out, and then to provide our audience with a rich assortment of features and other timely content to engross and entertain throughout these 76 pages.

When you peruse The READ, you will see how our talented contributors (see masthead) work their magic. This issue features seven main profi les. On our cover is Emily KREHM’05, a refugee protection worker who has experienced more drama in her last decade than most of us will see in a lifetime. In “Moving Pictures,” fi lm and TV producer/director Miranda de PENCIER’87 is seated right back in the venue where she spent much of her student days—The Allison Roach Performing Arts Centre. And a glimpse into the colourful, quirky styles and upbeat lives of the BECKERMAN’99 twins will surely brighten your day.

School Scoop reflects on various newsworthy happenings in and around campus.

In one story, we showcase Asmat Azizi Arab, a teenage Afghan refugee whose address at the end-of-year Green Carpet celebration brought cheers from our Grades 7 to 11 students. In “Queen of Sherbourne,” we glimpse into the past with the revival of Branksome’s second home, now turned into an upscale restaurant.

In another feature, we look future forward to the launch of ‘noodle,’ a business innovation program that has captured the imagination of student entrepreneurs.

And our alums, in particular, will enjoy catching up on stories and photos throughout the back half of the magazine.

If variety truly is the spice of life, then you have arrived at the perfect place to feast on a smorgasbord of stories to inspire and impress. There is no doubt that many more are just waiting to be told. Is one of them yours? R

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SchoolScoop NEWS FROM THE BRANKSOME HALL COMMUNITY WINTER 2019 –20

The Green Carpet Message A tale of asylum, perseverance and hope an Afghan refugee, spoke of his harrowing and inspiring journey at the Green Carpet Celebration on June 13. Clearly embodying a key Branksome value—making a difference—Asmat delivered a message of optimism and resilience. The annual event welcomed Grades 7 to 11 students, along with families and teachers, to commemorate achievement in leadership, commitment, character, athletics and the arts.

Asmat, who fled threats of terrorism and exile, was welcomed in Canada with the support of Branksome guidance and university counsellor Cory Miller (pictured with him), who became his guardian and sponsor, and helped him enroll first in Ridley College, then Huron University College with a full scholarship.

By age 14, Asmat knew his purpose—to shape a better world, especially for impoverished children. Although he was accepted to the Army and Navy Academy in California with a student visa in Grade 10, his family received death threats from the Taliban as a result. “[They] believed I was being trained as a spy,” he said.

Eventually he sought asylum in Canada, as a result of the Trump administration’s travel ban on Muslim countries. Through family friends he met Miller.

“When I came here I promised myself that no matter what, I will help transform Afghanistan to be a stable country,” he said. During a standing ovation, Asmat left one final thought: “You have the capacity to do more than you think you can. You just need to let your thoughts freely wander to find your true passion and place. That’s when you become unstoppable and you can truly begin to make a better world.”

ASMATULLAH (ASMAT) AZIZI ARAB,

A Legacy of Inclusion The Class of 2019 sets a fundraising record THE CLASS OF 2019 has put their sense of community and inclusiveness into action and, in honour of their graduation, created their own Class of 2019 Endowed Bursary Fund. With almost 100 per cent participation, the class set a new record and raised an incredible $74,904 in support of student financial aid. Parents also joined in, led by co-chairs Barry Pickford and Barbara Henderson, André Perey and Megan Towers, and Andrea and Justin LaFayette.

The first disbursement will be awarded in the 2020–21 school year, with preference given to a student from a marginalized community and/or one who has overcome extraordinary socio-economic barriers.

Our Values in Action A hands-on thank you to supporters held on October 3, recognized Branksome’s many supporters who have made leadership gifts to the school, as well as past board and 10 Elm Society members.

With an evening theme based on Branksome’s values, guests were provided with a taste of everyday classroom experiences. In one area, showcasing our value of Inclusiveness, guests donned virtual reality headsets that allowed them to travel to a Syrian refugee camp. In the new iHub, visitors listened to three student groups pitch entrepreneurial ideas—Making a Difference—and, in the third area, Creativity was on display through a showcase of student art and film.

Branksome is guided by our school values and we would not be able to take bold leaps in our programming if it weren’t for the generosity of our donors.

THE CIRCLE RECEPTION,

Catching up are Mary Pat JONES Armstrong’63, Shirley Domelle and Devon DOMELLE Parsons’95.

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Web of Excellence

OUR BOLD NEW SITE EARNS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

With perfectly lit black-and-white portraits and profiles of our diverse student community, Branksome Hall’s fresh website invites attention.

External validation of the revamp came June 12, 2019, with a Silver Circle of Excellence Award for digital communications from the Washington, D.C.-based Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Notably, Branksome beat 2,800 entries from top universities and schools globally. Said one judge: “This is the [site] I shared to illustrate the ‘wow’ factor.”

The World of the Deaf Wendy BRUCE’84 gives students some insights

Session attendees had many questions for Wendy BRUCE’84, second from left.

Also in attendance, was Christie BAILLIE De Souza’82, left, Wendy’s friend from their Branksome boarding days.

ON MAY 30, a dozen Senior School students attended an interactive presentation given by Wendy BRUCE’84. Wendy, who has been deaf since birth, provided insight, through an interpreter, into the often misunderstood world of the Deaf. Students were keen to learn basic words in sign language and interpret meanings through hand motions and facial expressions. Wendy, who is involved with the Deaf community in her hometown of Vancouver, was in Toronto to attend her 35th reunion on June 1.

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More than 150 competitors and coaches representing 11 countries gather at the Opening Ceremony on April 11.

A Perfect ‘Worlds’

It was an historic week of high-stakes debate as Branksome hosted the elite competition

With competition in Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Interpretive Reading, Persuasive and After-Dinner Speaking, the 31st World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships was, basically, the Olympics of talking.

Held for the first time in Canada, “The Worlds” kept our campus abuzz with activity during the week-long tournament, held from April 11 to 17—truly, a proud and defining moment for Branksome Hall.

Branksome Hall’s head debate coach, Owen Williams, congratulates overall World champion Anna Croxon from Country Day School in King City, Ont.

Co-heads of Branksome’s Debating Society, Riva Jangra, left, and Eve Cavanagh, then in Grades 11 and 12 respectively.

Toronto and Canadian Poet Laureate George Elliott Clarke chats with Karrie Weinstock prior to the Opening Ceremony, at which Dr. Clarke was the keynote speaker.

The Hon. Chrystia Freeland delivers her address at the closing ceremony on April 16.

“ Canada is the perfect

“ These competitors have

“ If we can just

place for this championship—a coming together of different countries and cultures to discuss important topics facing our world.”

learned the skills of research, analysis, critical thinking and writing. They can think on their feet and they understand the power of language to persuade.”

keep the world together until you all take over, everything’s going to be just fine.”

Karen L. Jurjevich, Principal

Karrie Weinstock, Deputy Principal

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The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, now Deputy Prime Minister

SchoolScoop

Some Very Special Tulips Branksome plants a symbolic gift from the Netherlands government

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n October 28, Branksome held a special ceremony to plant the Liberation75 Tulips gifted to us by the Government of the Netherlands. The tulips given to our school (as well as to more than 1,000 others across Canada) commemorate Canada’s role in liberating the Netherlands during the Second World War. At the end of the war, the Dutch royal family famously presented Canada with a gift of 100,000 tulips in gratitude for the 1944 liberation. In 2019, the tradition was carried on for the 75th anniversary and will be used as a teaching opportunity.

While all Branksome students observed Holocaust Education Week in November, Grades 6 and 9 students, in particular, are learning about the importance of remembrance in historical contexts. All of them attended the tulip ceremony to learn more

about this part of Canada’s involvement in the war. “In Grade 6, our year-long unit of inquiry focuses on social justice. Using this lens, we study a variety of present contexts including racism, slavery and, most relevant to today’s event, the Holocaust,” said Grade 6 speaker Laura at the planting ceremony.

Grade 6 student Isa, a proud Dutch citizen who is in her second year at Branksome, addressed the crowd in both Dutch and English—a special way to symbolize the bridge between our two cultures and countries.

Also in attendance was Jorn Leeksma, Deputy Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Alongside the students, he planted some of the Liberation75 tulips in the Senior and Middle School Quad—a central and visible location where the entire school community can enjoy the flowers when they bloom each year.

Principal Karen Jurjevich looks on as a Grade 6 student presents Jorn Leeksma with a gift from the school. Mr. Leeksma then provides a helping hand during the ceremonial tulip planting.

The READ Winter 2019 –20

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SchoolScoop

Community Crossing Albert Carreon guards Branksome students at the busy five corners

By Kaleigh Wisman

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CALEY TAYLOR

ith a quick blow of his whistle, Albert stops vehicles so Emma, a student at Branksome, can safely cross the street amid the busy midafternoon traffic. She doesn’t need to tell him which way she’s going—Albert already knows her route. He wishes her a good afternoon and she smiles, “Thanks, Albert!”

For six years, Albert Carreon has been the crossing guard at the busy five-corner intersection near Branksome where Elm Avenue intersects with Sherbourne Street and Maple Avenue.

By day, Albert helps students, faculty, staff, parents, residents, dog-walkers— the list goes on—safely navigate this intersection. “Just seeing Albert in action makes my day happier,” says parent Karen Blott. “He’s just the coolest crossing guard.”

But the important work he does each day is only part of what he contributes to the Branksome community.

For him, this is a family affair. His father, Bernie, was the crossing guard at the same intersection for nearly 20 years

and when he retired, Albert picked up right where his dad left off.

Why continue this family legacy?

“Sense of community. Sense of family.

People calling your name every day,” he says. “I have a rapport with families.

When they see me off-campus they see me not as a crossing guard, but as a person, a regular person.”

Perhaps he’s seen by some as just a regular person, but Albert is also an extraordinary dancer. When he isn’t safely ushering students and families across the street, he is busy ballroom dancing or teaching line dancing.

Initially, he started out teaching seniors, but now he works with all ages and performs on various occasions throughout the community.

Undoubtedly, Albert, like his father before, is keeping our community safe.

Branksome can be grateful to have him, along with his cheery smile and helping hand, as part of the school family.

K ALEIGH WISMAN is a communications officer at Branksome Hall.

Our Athletics and Wellness Centre is an exciting new venue for cocktail receptions, sit-down dinners, product launches, conferences, weddings and parties.

Come and check out the beautiful spaces for your next event. www.branksomevenues.ca 416-920-6265, ext. 181.

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Deputy Principal Karrie Weinstock addresses the audience at Installation, held in the Athletics and Wellness Centre gymnasium on September 17.

A New Space for a Beloved Tradition The Installation ceremony to celebrate student leadership has come back to campus

The following is an excerpt from Deputy Principal Karrie Weinstock’s opening address to students and guests on September 17, 2019.

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ere we are, at Installation, which will feel different to Installations of the past— location, timing and atmosphere.

It’s an important and exciting shift. Moving away from the familiar, however, may feel uncomfortable because it asks us to shift our perspective. For some, these changes may feel sudden; yet, they have taken us five years of thought, consultation and conversation.

The decision to hold the ceremony on campus was made following the recommendation of the Installation Working Group,

comprised of students, employees, parents and alums. In their report, the Working Group cited our school values—Sense of Community, Inclusiveness, Creativity and Making a Difference—as a core rationale for moving Installation back to campus.

Twenty-five years ago, the ceremony was named Installation of the Prefects because it was a ceremony primarily in their honour. Over the years, we added the celebration of all leadership positions and today you will see that we have broadened our definition still further to include personal stories of leadership.

Some may remember that Installation was originally held in the Branksome gymnasium,

starting back in 1928, and it wasn’t until the early 1950s that it was moved to the Rosedale United Church. Now, nearly 100 years after the first Installation was held, our campus feels like

the right place for this special ceremony to be held.

We are all part of this extraordinary community that is Branksome Hall and I have never been prouder.

Sharing Her Story One of many traditions that were carried on this year was to welcome an inspiring alum to speak at the ceremony. We were honoured to have Miranda de PENCIER’87, an award-winning Canadian producer and director, join us to share her experiences in the film and television industry and her reflections on being a student at Branksome. A natural storyteller, Miranda engaged the audience with her humour, honesty and passion. Read her story on p. 30.

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SchoolScoop

Fostering the Sense that ‘I Can’ Making a difference in girls’ lives through the latest research

PREFECT MOTTO

DURING THE PAST year, the Chandaria Research Centre at Branksome focused on the cornerstones of well-being, mathematical confidence and life after graduation.

As we look at the findings of our studies, students of all ages remind us that one purpose of education is to foster positive mindsets— those that embody compassion towards oneself and the belief that “I can” persevere.

For example, our Junior School math study followed student and teacher experiences over a three-year period. As course content became more complex, students’ sense of their mathematical abilities eroded. Faculty stepped in at pivotal times to help students see themselves as capable learners and view mistakes as opportunities.

In our study with Stanford University’s Dr. Denise Pope, we explored student well-being in Grades 7 to 12. We learned that the Middle

School is an opportunity to help tweens manage their workload and practise self-care.

Our graduate study is also showing that many first-year stories are marked by a quest for greater “balance” in their social and emotional lives. Therefore, it behooves us to rethink how “we or I can” assist students to achieve balance and feel prepared to navigate life.

The mandate of the IB and the active global citizen is to create champions of empathy and change, and students are calling on scholars and curriculum designers to foster these qualities intentionally on the individual level. Teach me that “I can” care, be compassionate, be confident and achieve balance.

I look forward to keeping you posted as we support students and employees on their own inquiry projects and forge new partnerships in research.

MIRA GAMBHIR, DIRECTOR

Insights for the BHPA November 12, 2019 Stanford University professor and student wellbeing expert Dr. Denise Pope addressed the parent community at the Branksome Hall Parents’ Association (BHPA) annual luncheon. As our inaugural Chandaria Research Centre (CRC) Visiting Scholar, Dr. Pope provided insight into the ways and means to “help our whole community flourish and thrive.”

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This take on Branksome’s “Be Remarkable” tagline encourages students to think about the phrase’s meaning on a personal level, and to embrace and strive for their own unique definition of “remarkable.” #BranksomeHall

Welcome, Jennifer Williams

JENNIFER WILLIAMS joins the Advancement and Community Engagement (ACE) team as director of campaign and development.

Having worked in fundraising for more than 15 years, Jennifer’s most recent position was with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto, where she had served as Director of Advancement since 2015. She holds a BA from Western University, the Canadian Fundraising Executive (CFRE) Certification, and a Certificate in Fundraising Management from the School of Philanthropy at the University of Indiana, where she is currently completing an additional certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership.

Remarkable day camps in the heart of Toronto

For summer fun for boys and girls, check out Branksome Hall Day Camps.

Campers will enjoy exploring our 13-acre campus and beautiful new Athletics and Wellness Centre— featuring two saltwater pools, a gym, dance and yoga studios.

$GYHQWXUH 'DQFH *LUO] =RQH -XQLRU (QJLQHHUV 0XOWL 6SRUW 0XVLFDO 7KHDWUH 0LQHFUDIW

3KRWRJUDSK\ 6RFFHU 6ZLPPLQJ 5RERWLFV 7HQQLV :RQGHU &DPS

Register: www.branksomecamps.ca The READ Winter 2019 –20

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SchoolScoop

CALEY TAYLOR

Joelle, standing, and Carolyn, in Joelle’s office in the Senior School.

Faculty Profile

Climate of Care Social workers Carolyn Mak and Joelle Therriault are a safe and supportive harbour for students who need some empathy

By Andrea Aster

I

f you’re fortunate enough to have the undivided attention of both Carolyn Mak and Joelle Therriault—Branksome Hall’s Junior and Senior School social work team—it’s incredibly easy to forget all your cares. Such is the force of their empathetic listening style, warmth and expert ability to be completely present.

You’d be wrong to assume, however, that the bulk of this dynamic duo’s work happens behind closed doors with parents who’d like to connect more authentically with their moody teen, or a Junior School student who wonders why her “best friend” has drifted away.

“We’re not the two experts disseminating information to everyone

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about how to be well and saying, ‘This is what you need to do,’” says Therriault. “Our goal is to build capacity school-wide, to be just two of many who can step into the role of empowering our students to recognize their own strengths.”

Indeed, Mak and Therriault prefer to see themselves as partners with parents, educators, guidance counsellors, administrators and students themselves. For example, Therriault might be found working with a Grade 12 English teacher to empower her with support strategies for jittery students working on oral presentations.

And Mak stresses the importance of storytelling in her work at the Junior School. “When students feel safe enough to share a story about a friendship rift, they can get to an ‘aha’ moment about how to cope. It’s such a huge privilege to be able to access and honour the students’ trust.”

Mak arrived at Branksome four years ago, earning her PhD from the Smith College School for Social Work a year later. A former director at Kids Help Phone, she’s also found time to teach in the social work programs at Ryerson University and the University of Toronto.

“It’s wonderful Therriault concurs about the to hear young satisfaction she gets from working people say, in a school and, hence, having an ‘Oh, you’re intimate and accurate understandso helpful ing of students’ experiences on a because you daily basis. The Montreal native was get what it Branksome’s first social worker, and means to be a is now in her ninth year in that role. student in this “It’s wonderful to hear young community.’ ” people say, ‘Oh, you’re so helpful because you get what it means to be a student in this community,’ ” says Therriault. And like Mak, she feels privileged to be entrusted with the role of supporting students’ mental health. “It’s a big step to ask for help,” she says. “By the time they do so, they’ve already tried on their own to cope.”

Versed in “narrative therapy,” Therriault is quick to say, “the problem is the problem; the person is not the problem,” which is an excellent tool to create distance from one’s troubles and, thus, be in a position to examine the problem more effectively.

Both Mak and Therriault are conscious of attending to their own self-care, in order to serve as well-being leaders within the school.

Therriault finds time to meditate and walk to and from work every day.

And Mak, in her own life, models exactly the sort of caring, trusting relationships she’s charged with developing throughout Branksome’s whole-school culture.

Says Mak: “I have a great network of people I trust. I still call my mom on my way home from work every day.” R ANDREA ASTER is an independent school communications consultant and the former editor of Upper Canada College’s Old Times magazine.

Building Inner Strength Branksome has accelerated its focus on ‘social-emotional learning’ to help girls deal with anxiety and conflict

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onsider a student who’s late and feeling overwhelmed, signing in at reception. What if she were kindly prompted to take a moment to collect herself and breathe, before rushing to class? Perhaps, behind schedule next time, she’d remind herself to take that moment of self-care before marching on.

While an overall commitment to well-being was set in Branksome Hall’s strategic plan in 2013, the school has now accelerated its focus on what the experts call “social-emotional learning” (SEL) for the 2019-20 academic year. And, in response to a widespread flurry of research confirming that epidemic rates of anxiety among high-achieving girls are on the rise generally, Branksome is at the vanguard of innovative response strategies.

“As the research shows, the ability to cultivate resilience, self-reliance

A MODEL FOR WELL-BEING (based on the work of Dr. Patrick Carney)

and relational skills like collaboration are huge predictors of success,” says Deputy Principal Karrie Weinstock, who co-facilitates the schoolwide approach to SEL along with lead social worker Joelle Therriault (see facing page).

With SEL an ever-evolving priority, it’s clear that a good education is about social and emotional learning in addition to rigorous academics.

Key initiatives aim to empower students to learn, self-regulate and grow from difficult situations themselves without intervention.

For example, at the Junior School playground, peers act as “social detectives” navigating and preventing conflicts themselves, with Grade 5s overseeing morning recess for Grades 1 to 3.

New this year at the Junior School, the timetable shows each day bookmarked with a Class Circle. This time provides an opportunity to discuss and navigate playground conflicts and friendship disagreements in a supported way. “It equips students with a vocabulary for articulating their needs and setting a foundation for a lifetime of self-advocacy,” says Junior School Head Amanda Kennedy.

“Our commitment to well-being has always been a strength but Class Circle makes these practices explicit,” she says. “These are skills we can teach, such as how to say ‘no’ nicely, how to escape the tyranny girls feel to always be nice and kind. We’re teaching literacy around SEL, and it’s like any other language; you need to develop fluency around how to articulate your feelings.”

As well, a peer support group, established last year for Grades 6 to 8, meets with Grades 10 and 11 students to discuss friendship pitfalls.

(Such initiatives are informed by a unique 10-year study on bullying coconducted with the Chandaria Research Centre and York University, suggesting that, nationally, bullying peaks in Middle School.)

Also new this year, Middle and Senior School students will benefit from new monthly advising sessions with 10 to 15 students, in which they develop a framework of inner character strengths they can draw upon to tackle dilemmas as they arise.

It’s a work in progress, as students continue to develop their fluency with a strength-based approach to social and emotional development.

And it’s definitely a whole-school effort to continually evolve a culture to support that growth.

As Weinstock says, “It’s our collective job to get our students ready for the world.” R ANDREA ASTER

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SchoolScoop Student Profile

Twins for Trees Kaitlin and Lauren Grierson are branching out internationally to take climate action

By Kaleigh Wisman

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aitlin and Lauren Grierson are twin sisters who are offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, one tree at a time.

The girls, now in Grade 10, moved to Toronto from Vancouver in 2014 and, little did they know, the change of scenery would spark a life-changing idea. “We noticed a big difference in the amount of nature and trees,” says Lauren. “We wanted to plant more trees in Toronto to take responsibility for our carbon footprint.”

They started going to local tree-planting events with friends and family and realized that planting trees was a simple act with a powerful impact. This led them to create TreesCO2, an initiative to “inspire the world to plant trees through action and education.”

Soon after TreesCO2 was founded, Kaitlin and Lauren partnered with WE Charity’s Social Entrepreneurship Program to launch TreesCO2 Ice Cream—a social enterprise where the proceeds from private sales of their homemade organic ice cream go to organizations dedicated to reforestation and conservation.

CALEY TAYLOR

Kaitlin, left, and Lauren, pose beside the old birch tree behind 10 Elm Avenue.

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The girls also wanted to find a way to get other students involved and take action. So they developed the Student Ambassador Program (SAP). “We take students on tree-planting field trips, where they can enhance their leadership skills and learn about climate action and what they can do in their community,” explains Kaitlin.

In spring 2019, they ran a tree planting field trip for Grade 7s at Branksome with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. The event was funded by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust with a grant to TreesCO2. Branksome set a TreesCO2 event planting record of 200 trees and shrubs. This encouraged Kaitlin and Lauren to consider a national tree planting SAP initiative which they are now developing through Branksome’s ‘noodle’ (see facing page).

Indeed, the success of their grassroots initiatives motivated them to think on an even larger scale. “We see trees as being a big part of the solution to climate change,” says Kaitlin, “and we wanted to increase our impact even more.”

To do this, the Griersons, along with their family, submitted their Global Forest Project proposal to the UN Nature-Based Solutions workstream. The proposal encourages companies, countries, governments and individuals to contribute according to their strengths. Their proposal was accepted and they attended the UN Climate Summit Weekend Meetings and the UN Youth Climate Summit in New York this past September.

At the UN, Kaitlin and Lauren issued their call to action to plant 1,000 trees for each of the world’s 1.2 billion youth aged 15 to 24, thereby reaching a UN-supported goal of 1 trillion trees. They felt that everyone wanted to hear what they had to say because of their age, not in spite of it. Afterwards, Gabon’s Minister of Forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change, British-born biologist Lee White, said their call to action had led him to consider raising his tree-planting ambitions from 2 million trees to 1 billion trees.

When the Griersons started TreesCO2, they hardly imagined themselves speaking at the UN within a few years. “We didn’t expect all of the support,” Kaitlin says. “We just wanted to offset our carbon footprint as a family, but as we kept going, more people really wanted to help.”

Learn more at TreesCO2.com and @Trees_CO2 on Instagram and Twitter. R

Using their ‘noodle’ A landmark business innovation program helps Branksome students bring entrepreneurial ideas to life

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t’s impossible to just sit at your desk and dream up a solution to climate change. But it’s definitely possible to build a passionate team of peers, then develop a prototype for a car-pooling app that targets traffic flow in high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOVs).

This very specific proposal for alleviating traffic congestion is named HOVr—like a clean-air alternative to Uber and other road-clogging ride-share programs. And it’s just one of 10 student-generated ideas, selected from 30 entries, for the inaugural cohort of Branksome Hall’s “business accelerator” program.

The program’s witty name—noodle.

“So many societal problems are really, really big, but we’re looking for realistic applications or products within a small team’s realm of influence,” says Donn Pasiliao, associate director, noodle, and Branksome’s technology experience designer and coordinator.

Noodle is the first-ever accelerator at a Canadian high school and, as such, represents an innovative alignment with a key Branksome value— Making a Difference. More broadly, the ultimate goal of this 38-week entrepreneurial education program is to balance out the significant gender gap across the current science, technology, engineering and entrepreneurial landscape.

Usually found only at universities and in the corporate world, such full-service support programs can bring forward investors, mentors and seed funding to turn inspired ideas into real-world breakthroughs.

Despite its weighty mandate, noodle is also going to be a whole lot of fun. The teams, which range in size from one to eight students, will convene bi-monthly in the newly renovated iHub, located in the Middle School. They’ll also meet with real-life experts in their fields and learn the nuts and bolts of forming a business plan and incorporating a company.

Proposals that made the cut include tackling solutions to realworld problems such as the negative consequences of fast fashion, creating sustainable facial products from food waste, tree planting to off set carbon dioxide emissions, more sustainable feminine hygiene products and countering financial illiteracy with games and simulations.

“We’re not looking for the next Instagram,” says technology and innovation director Michael Ianni-Palarchio. “We’re looking for ventures that make a good social impact and are making profits with a purpose.”

He was particularly impressed by proposals clearly outside a student’s range of experience. For example, one proposal focused on fundraising for the distribution of clean water to First Nations communities, another on infant respiratory illness in Nunavut.

Like all good competitions, there is a prize. The program culminates in

an annual Dragon’s Den-style pitch competition in April 2020, with a panel of expert judges and three prizes of $10,000, $1,000 and $400, made possible thanks to Mary LESSLIE Hallward’74 and her husband Graham.

Noodle is also being supported in its inaugural year by special gifts from Optimize Wealth Management, as well as parents Jason Steel and Sarah Proll.

Ultimately, however, it’s about the process. “The key skills we’re emphasizing are the ability to collaborate, communicate and solve problems as teams,” says Ianni-Palarchio. “It’s part of our mission and values, to help students create products and societal solutions to shape a better world.” R ANDREA ASTER

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QUEEN of SHERBOURNE A storied Victorian mansion, former home to Branksome Hall, honours its grande dame past with an elegant restaurant relaunch

By Andrea Aster

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ormer principal Edith M. Read might raise an eyebrow if she dropped in one evening at 592 Sherbourne Street, home to Branksome Hall from 1910 to 1912.

Taking full account of a colourful crew of residents over its 136 years, a painstaking seven-year restoration of this historic Victorian mansion launched as Maison Selby last April. The opulent and quirky 1920s-inspired French bistro—complete with a hidden basement speakeasy—is a crown jewel in the Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants (O&B) empire.

“We conceived it as the home of a crazy rich aunt who loves to throw parties,” says designer Ian Rydberg of Solid Design Creative.

Still, if Miss Read would perhaps disapprove of such a proprietress’s influence on her girls, she’d be charmed by the establishment’s regard for its history.

Archival photos of Branksome students grace the stairwell and illuminate the mansion’s past. When the provincial government bought the school’s original rented home at 102 Bloor Street East in 1909, it relocated swiftly to Sherbourne and served 135 students. Several teachers also lived on site, including Miss Read herself and 20 boarders.

While Maison Selby preserves the original, residential-room configuration, the space also feels cozy because the seating in three dining rooms has actual movable furniture, not built-in banquettes,

Said the anonymous editor of The Branksome Slogan in the Christmas 1910 issue: “An aggressive, independent-looking building this. Square and upright, strong and determined, it seemed to say, ‘I stand for the modern spirit of womanhood.’”

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One of three dining rooms in Maison Selby.

Branksome students, c. 1910–12

says Rydberg. Fixtures produced by local artisans, from whimsical lighting to solid hinges, add to the air of quality and permanence.

Incredibly, during restoration, heritage specialist ERA Architects carefully moved the entire building about 100 feet from its original location to make way for an apartment tower behind it.

While Maison Selby does serve Gooderham & Worts rye in a toast to its original owner, the property may have more spirits than those found behind the bar. It was built by star architect David Roberts, Jr. in 1883 for Charles Gooderham, part of the famed distillery fortune. (Roberts also built the Flatiron Building.) After

Tennis, c. 1910–12

Branksome decamped for its permanent home on Elm Avenue in 1912, the property became the Selby Hotel, hosting Ernest Hemingway when he worked at the Toronto Star in the 1920s. A gay dance club, Boots, enjoyed the space in the 1980s and ’90s.

Maison Selby’s arrival heralds a new chapter of revitalization for a street that was, originally, one of Toronto’s most fashionable. “Every so often we get to operate in a special building,” says O&B co-founder Peter Oliver. “In an age of rapid change we welcome the reassurance of history. Old buildings give us a sense of stability and continuity.”

And a piece of Branksome history lives on. R

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ON THE FRONTLINES

EMILY KREHM’05 HAS WORKED WITH REFUGEES IN SOME OF THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST CONFLICT ZONES

By Berton Woodward / Photography by Elizaveta Kozlova

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MAGINE THIS AS YOUR RESUME: Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. The confl ict in Syria. Ebola in West Africa. The Rohingyas of Myanmar. Strife in Afghanistan.

War in Yemen.

This, quite literally, describes the work environment of Emily Krehm over the last decade. She has been based in Beirut, the Syria-Turkey border, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh and Kenya. Throughout, it has been her job to make life safer for the people whose lives have been torn apart by some of the worst crises of recent times.

She recalls working from Jordan with Syrian staff who were able to go into the beleaguered, rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, site of a devastating chemical attack in 2013. “It was absolutely terrible, heartbreaking,” says Emily.

“The way of life had been completely destroyed. You had people living underground for months. Many had female heads of households because the men were dead or missing or fighting.

“We were getting these terrible WhatsApp videos of our people hanging out laughing, and then you would see this massive explosion, and everyone would jump, and then they would go back to laughing. It was just the most surreal time,” she says.

“If you think about the stress that families have on a day-to-day basis—trying to keep small children alive and care for them and have relationships—and then you are stuck in a basement for a month with no food and barely any water, of course the social fabric is going to change.”

And trying to repair the social fabric—or at least add back a few threads—is what Emily does in her job with the New York City-based International Rescue Committee (IRC), a leading refugee aid organization founded in 1933 at the urging of Albert Einstein. Her current title is Technical Advisor, Protection & Rule of Law—Violence, Prevention and Response Unit. But the advisor part—which means she oversees operations in her field in some 10 countries—is recent. For most of the (continued on page 20)

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(continued from page 18) decade, she was supervising on-the-ground teams as a protection manager. So what does “protection and rule of law” mean when you’re in the middle of a war zone?

“In the humanitarian sphere,” she explains, “there are different sectors, such as health, education, shelter, livelihood. Mine is called protection, which is defined as support for human rights. It’s sort of like social work, but in a confl ict setting. And my specialization within protection is the rule of law. The other specializations are gender-based violence and child protection.”

arly in her career, working with Palestinian refugees in Beirut under the aegis of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), that meant trying to help people in the urban camps of the Lebanese capital regularize their status, since many had fled war-torn Syria. Or it meant contacting local agencies to provide better health care amid squalid conditions.

But the dilemmas became more stark as she began working on the Turkish-Syrian border, managing local teams inside Syria. “You have parents who will marry off their daughter, not because they don’t believe in education, but because there are no schools and because it’s safer

“I AM NEVER AT RISK. PEOPLE ARE AT RISK WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT PASSPORT TO FLEE A WAR ZONE.”

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Emily’s work with the International Rescue Committee has taken her to some of world’s major crisis zones.

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to have their daughter married,” she says. “Or you have parents sending their children out to work, because the only way for them to make enough money is to have every single possible family member working.”

How do you counter such real-word problems? Emily notes that aid organizations distinguish between “prevention” and “response”.

“So for prevention, you would obviously work on raising awareness—for example, the health issues that arise when girls give birth before they’re physically ready, the importance of waiting until they’re 18; all of that is prevention.”

On the response side, there are programs like Cash for Work and livelihood programs to help people improve their financial resources.

Other agencies in the field often cooperate in helping, she says. “But is it perfect? No.” Emily also wants to make it clear that she is not putting her life on the line, dedicated as she is. Hasn’t she been in situations where she felt unsafe? “Honestly, no. I am never at risk.

People are at risk when they don’t have the right passport to flee a war zone.” She notes that along with her Canadian passport, she has the backup resources of her organization and the international community.

In fact, she says, it was her teams working on the ground in Syria, where she could not go, who faced the toughest trials. “They are the true

fter Branksome, she studied international development at the University of Guelph—“I really loved it”—did a semester of study in India, and began a series of internships, first with Oxfam in Halifax, then Human Rights Watch in Toronto. Amazingly, the latter group sent her to Beirut, still on her internship, where she researched gender issues in Iraq and Yemen.

Then she went on to the London School of Economics and Political Science for her master’s, and afterward found herself working in a fish and chips shop. Some contacts in Beirut helped her get yet another placement—“I had a ridiculous amount of internships”—with UNRWA, doing protection work, and her career path was laid. “Really it’s a story of happenstance,” she says. “In Beirut, I loved my job. I had such amazing access at such a junior stage.”

She also met her husband there, and he has travelled along with her through her postings.

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settle in for a while: “I haven’t lived She was already working on in North America for nine years.” the Syrian crisis in Beirut when Emily’s grandfather, As you might expect, she beshe got the opportunity to move William Krehm, who lieves the West, including Canada, to the IRC, hoping for a more died at 105 in 2019, needs to do more for refugees. She global approach. She worked on was a translator and journalist during the recalls the outpouring of positive the Turkish-Syrian border for Spanish Civil War. support among Canadians for the some of the time, but had to move Syrian refugees admitted after to Jordan in 2017 amid changes in the international situation. With Jordan’s Justin Trudeau was elected in 2015. “I was so border with Syria closed, “it was a challenge,” proud of Canada during that time,” she says.

But she notes that there is still a vast and dishe says.

Early on, the IRC also sent her to Sierra verse community of refugees worthy of further Leone for a year after an epidemic of the dead- help. As the year ended, she was increasingly ly Ebola virus broke out in 2014. She again worried about potentially disastrous fighting worked on protection issues but her own health in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, where was not in danger, she says—it was medical her teams also worked. The IRC was providstaff who had to wear the hazmat-style suits ing health care, cash support and safe spaces with patients. And after she completed her for children to play, learn and somehow cope Jordan posting in 2018, she did a stint in with life in a war zone.

“Regardless of the conflict or disaster or epiBangladesh researching access to justice in the demic, people are just people,” she says. “Their Rohingya crisis.

For much of 2019, she was based in Nairobi, needs are the same. They want to be happy, Kenya, now promoted to technical advisor and they want a sense of normality. And their rehandling a palette of countries that somehow silience, how tough they can be in the face of did not include Kenya. The full list is a ripped- disaster, is really amazing.” As events unfold, from-the-headlines mix: Afghanistan, Yemen, Emily will be out there, making sure they have Pakistan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, the best protection possible. R Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia and Zimbabwe.

But she now travels to them from her new base BERTON WOODWARD is a Toronto-based at headquarters in New York, where she’s glad to writer, editor and communications consultant.

In northwest Syria, destroyed buildings in Saraqib city, located in Idlib Governorate.

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heroes who should be celebrated.” One member of her team lost seven family members in a bombing. “My teams have been in terrible situations, but I have always been fine,” she says.

She has been fascinated with international issues since her time at Branksome, where she did Grades 7 to 12. She remembers throwing herself into the Model UN, which led to a trip to The Hague and observer status with Amnesty International as well as a visit to the International Criminal Court. She has some internationalism in the family: her grandfather, William Krehm, who died at 105 in 2019, was noted as the last living Canadian who volunteered in the Spanish Civil War on the progressive side. But Emily also credits her liberal-minded parents, mother Shelley, an artist, and father Adam, who, with her uncle Jonathan, took over their one-time Marxist father’s thriving real estate business, O’Shanter Development. Both brothers, she says, have been active in supporting Syrian refugee resettlement in Canada.

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SOCIAL MEDIA STARS SAM AND CAILLI BECKERMAN’99 BRING A DOUBLE DOSE OF FASHION—AND FUN—TO THEIR ONLINE WORLD

Street STYLE

By Amy Verner

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Cailli and Sam (cuddling Dolly Parton) in one of Toronto’s iconic graffiti lanes.

JEFF KIRK

hen Sam and Cailli Beckerman attended Branksome, blogs had yet to be born, cellphones were not even a fraction as smart as they are now, Instagram wouldn’t launch for at least another decade, followers weren’t a measure of fame, and selfies really only existed as artistic portraits.

Still, the twin sisters envisioned a future for themselves in the mid-90s that proved pretty true to where they have ended up today. For while innovations in technology and evolutions in how we connect with each other have progressed in ways few could have predicted, Sam and Cailli have always used fashion to express themselves to the fullest.

Over the years, they have shifted from creating a clothing line to creating “content,” the catch-all term for storytelling that exists primarily on websites, blogs and social (continued on page 24)

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(continued from page 23) media platforms. Their Instagram feed @beckermantwins, which has upwards of 160,000 followers, consists of photos and videos that are alternately fabulous, kooky, cute, colourful, aspirational—and oftentimes all of the above.

And make no mistake, for all the dancing and dressing up and dog posts, this is a full-time job. “When people say to us that it doesn’t look like we are working, we say, ‘If we’re making it look easy, that means we are doing a good job.’”

Identical twins, they will often identify themselves in their posts, but the more you pay attention, the more you can detect the differences. Sam is a little taller, her face ever-so-slightly wider, and if you look closely, Cailli has more ear piercings. Aside from their workout videos, they are practically inseparable (and really only spend time apart when in relationships).

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hey have an ever-shifting list of covetable and commercial brands for which they produce posts that fall somewhere between endorsement and entertainment. Dior, Apple, Agent Provocateur, H&M and Coca-Cola are currently in rotation. Their partnership with IKEA means that they recently added pieces from Virgil Abloh’s limited edition collaboration to their Leslieville home—and posted about them. And you can find them unboxing and showing off the new AirPods Pro, detailing all the relevant specs with a double-dose of pep.

Indeed, their seemingly natural state of ebullience is without compare. When The New A delightful mix of colourful and quirky fashions appear almost daily on the Beckerman’s Instagram feed @beckermantwins.

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KAREN ROBINOVITZ, THEIR FORMER TALENT AGENT, TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES, “THEY ARE TWO OF THE MOST AUTHENTICALLY JOYFUL HUMAN BEINGS I’VE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE. I DESCRIBE THEM AS HUMAN GLITTER.”

York Times profi led them in 2016, the opening paragraph noted that “they radiate optimism to an almost absurd degree.” Further on, the writer observed, “What sets the Beckermans apart from other fashion bloggers, and what brands and designers love about them, is their overthe-top personal style.” Karen Robinovitz, their former talent agent, told The Times, “they are two of the most authentically joyful human beings I’ve ever experienced in my life. I describe them as human glitter.”

If you’re wondering whether they have always been this way, I have never known them to be otherwise. Before my fi rst day of class in 1995, when they accompanied me through orientation, I remember how they made everything seem like so much fun. As students, they dreamed of being designers. They took fashion studies class with Ms. Farkas—not once, but three times. They would rummage through the uniform shop’s second-hand selection for the “vintage” pieces. On days when we could wear our civvies, they were the most creatively attired, donning karate pants and western boots when the rest of us wore jeans and Doc Martens.

They made scrapbooks full of inspirations and they idolized Fashion Television’s Jeanne Beker.

For the two years that Sam and I sat next to each other in Ms. Watson’s English class, her notetaking would frequently consist of sketches. They planned to call their brand Bird & Bunny. After attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City (Sam studied accessories design, Cailli studied knitwear, and younger sister Chloe’01 studied textile

design), they went ahead and launched the more sophisticated-sounding Beckerman, a line of extroverted knitwear and colourful layering pieces that I covered for Fashion magazine when I was starting out as a freelance writer. At one point, it was selling in nearly 200 stores including Nordstrom and Saks. Then, in 2008, the economy went into free fall and their independent business began confronting forces beyond their control. “We knew we could depend on ourselves and our company, but the other side of it was tricky,” Sam explains. “We just felt we had to try something new.”

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heir return to Toronto in 2009 coincided with the decision to focus on a blog, with an over-the-top approach to featuring fashion for every day. Their father took the photos—and continues to do so—and their mother, Chloe and the impeccably groomed family dogs (who have their own hashtag) were their supporting cast. And beyond their blog was the emerging phenomenon of “street style,” with Toronto photographer Tommy Ton among the most significant contributors. When Sam and Cailli would attend the runway shows during New York Fashion Week, they would frequently show up in his photos. The arrival of Instagram the following year offered what would prove to be an even better platform for reaching potential fans and big-name brands alike.

Among their followers is Rihanna, who reposted the video of their Pomeranian, Marni, outfitted in a yellow coat inspired by her Met Gala dress from 2015. “I remember I said to Sam, ‘If Instagram ended today, I’d be good with that.’ It was pretty cool,” Cailli says.

In 2017, they were named the Blog of the Year by the Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFA), an honour that validated their vision all along. “It was a really special moment for us because of all our hard work, all the years of people asking what are we doing with our lives,” says Sam. “It was really amazing to have CAFA appreciate the work we do and see us as inspirational bloggers.”

When asked how they see the next five years playing out, they become uncharacteristically guarded, going only so far as to suggest that they are not opposed to the idea of developing new branded items—known in fashion-speak as “merch”—and they are considering a podcast or an app that would take their storytelling to the next level.

And as one decade gives way to another, issues regarding consumption, inclusivity, diversity and the environment are shaping the relationship people have with fashion. While the frivolity is what makes them so delightful to follow, Sam and Cailli are aware of their messaging. Vegetarians for most of their lives, the sisters say they will only promote products “that we are 100 per cent behind,” and have raised awareness for Alzheimer’s and Sick Kids through various projects. “We have always worn vintage and promote sustainability,” they say. It should come as no surprise that their outlook for the future is optimistic. Their glass isn’t half full, says Sam, “it’s really full, it’s overflowing—and we love it.” R A MY VERNER’98 is a freelance writer covering lifestyle and culture from Paris and Toronto.

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FEMALE Approach AS A PLASTIC SURGEON, MARY-HELEN MAHONEY’98 HELPS BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND OTHER WOMEN FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES

By Patricia Hluchy / Photography by Jeff Kirk

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r. Mary-Helen “Missy” Mahoney sees herself as much more than a skilled plastic surgeon. In both her practice at North York General Hospital in Toronto and her private cosmetic surgery practice, she savours her ability to help her patients, most of them women, feel better about their bodies and, ultimately, themselves.

One day in the late summer, two patients insisted on hugging her a few days after their breast cancer surgery. Much of her work at North York General involves reconstructing the breasts of cancer patients at the same time as they have all or part of the diseased organs removed by another physician. “They went to sleep so scared, and they were so thrilled that they woke up and didn’t have deformed breasts,” she recalls. “They said, ‘I’m just so appreciative, I really need to hug you.’” (continued on page 28)

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(continued from page 27)

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t North York General, she has built a program that includes breast reconstruction as part of the breast cancer program, offering women with the disease, or those who have mastectomies because of a high genetic risk of developing it, the opportunity to rebuild their breasts at the time of their cancer surgery. And the mother of three feels that her gender gives her a unique approach. For most of the operations she participates in, she tries to walk the patient to the operating room and hold her hand while she’s going under. “I think that’s part of the female perspective of being a surgeon,” she says. “That puts them in a good place going to sleep for surgery and it can really affect their outcome and their whole experience.”

“Missy,” as she has been called since she was a baby girl and through her 10 years at Branksome, spends 60 per cent of her work time at North York General—her practice there also includes breast-reduction surgery.

The remaining 40 per cent is devoted to her private cosmetic surgery practice, in which she provides breast and body-contouring surgery and non-surgical facial treatments. There, too, she feels her gender can be a boon to her mainly female clientele (according to 2018 Canadian Medical Association data, about one-quarter of plastic surgeons in this country are women).

“As a female plastic surgeon, you offer a different perspective than your male colleagues do,” she observes. “I’m not saying it’s a better perspective, it’s just different.” Many of the women Missy treats cosmetically are also breast patients who want more volume or a lift for breasts that have been affected by age and breast-feeding. Similarly, some seek tightening of tummies in the wake of pregnancy or weight loss. “It all comes down to body image, selfesteem and quality of life,” she says. “I’m not saving their lives but I’m making them better in a different way, and I enjoy that a lot.”

Missy knew early on she wanted to be a physician and, after studying Life Sciences at Queen’s University, attended medical school at Western

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“MARY-HELEN IS AN UNCOMPROMISING, COMMITTED PERFECTIONIST. MOREOVER, SHE IS ALSO A LOYAL AND CONSTANT ALLY TO HER PATIENTS, SUPPORTING THEM WITH WARMTH AND COMPASSION AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH COMPLEX SURGICAL PROCEDURES.”

(she did her plastic surgery residency at the University of Toronto). At first she wanted to follow a different path from that of her plastic surgeon father, Dr. James Mahoney. Always an avid athlete, she was initially drawn to sports medicine and orthopedic surgery. Then, while at Western, she found herself in a plastic surgery operating room. “In one day, we dealt with hand trauma and fixed bones and nerves and all this delicate stuff, and after that someone had had their breast removed and we rebuilt a breast. And I thought, to be able to do all of that as just one surgeon, and see the results right away—that’s amazing.”

Dr. Bernd Neu, the now-retired former chief of plastic surgery at North York, says he made the right choice in hiring Missy about eight years ago. “As to be expected from a plastic surgeon, MaryHelen is an uncompromising, committed perfectionist. Moreover, she is also a loyal and constant ally to her patients, supporting them with warmth and compassion as they progress through complex surgical procedures.”

Neu points out that Missy was instrumental in establishing an association between North York General Hospital and the University of Toronto Plastic Surgery Program. “She helped create the residency training module at the hospital, and largely through her efforts, it is now one of the most respected and sought-after rotations for U of T plastic surgery residents.”

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ike all working parents, Missy struggles to balance career and family, and in her case it can be a particularly complicated challenge. She has an eightyear-old son and two daughters, 6 and 3, and her husband, Dr. Steve MacLellan, is also a surgeon, at Humber River Hospital. Both are on call one night a week and one weekend per month. Missy says she puts her children first, spending an hour every Sunday planning the week to ensure there’s

Vacationing in Prince Edward Island last summer are, from left, Leila, Missy, Luke, Steven and Abigail.

always a parent at home (the couple has a nonlive-in nanny).

Because surgery tends to happen early in the day, taking the kids to school is usually not an option. But Missy gets up at 5 most days in order to squeeze in some exercise—fit and muscular, she’s devoted to yoga but also runs and does weights—before her kids get up, and then has breakfast with them most mornings. She also chooses to see fewer patients in the afternoons so she can be home in good time to have supper with her children most nights. She skips or misses some work meetings and tries to take afternoons off a few times a month. “That’s when I can pick up the kids and take them to the library to stock up on books for the next two weeks. Or I can get stuff for the birthday loot bags, or birthday party presents—all that mom stuff.”

She feels fortunate to have a husband who is supportive of her busy career, and they work together to juggle the demands of the family.

“I’m primarily the one who will come home early or take the kids to appointments. And that’s just because his job is bit more demanding than mine.” Meanwhile, she balks at the guilt that stalks many working mothers. “I don’t think we should feel guilt—we should

take pride in everything we are doing because we do work hard on so many levels, professionally and in taking care of the family unit, and I think we should give ourselves more credit.” She believes it’s important for her girls to see that “you can work at whatever you want to do in life and you can be a mom,” and for her son to one day respect a partner who aspires to have a career as well as a family.

Missy believes Branksome helped lay the foundation for the rich life she has today. She notes that her sister-inlaw recently pointed out how her face lights up when she’s asked about her time at the school. “I truly think it was a privilege to go to Branksome, and that’s why I really want to send my girls there. Looking back, I feel fortunate to have had those opportunities.” As an athlete, Missy did track, soccer and volleyball at the school, and was the Junior Sports Captain one year. She was also involved in the choir and theatrics.

Nanci Smith, who was a teacher and then an administrator at Branksome for 40 years, was dean of students and residence when Missy was voted Head Girl for her final year. “Missy was exceptional as Head Girl,” she recalls. “She understood the importance of her role as a student leader. She was confident but modest, resourceful, creative and innovative as she worked to define positive and inclusive student life activities. Most important, Missy was generous and kind.”

Missy says the experience she and others have at Branksome “translates into empowering young women so that you can go on to build your career and also be a mom and attend to your relationship—you can be successful in what you want to be successful in and you don’t have to second-guess your abilities or your gender or anything.” R PATRICIA HLUCHY is a Toronto freelance writer and editor who has worked for Maclean’s, the Toronto Star and other publications.

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MIRANDA DE PENCIER’87 PRODUCES FILM AND TV THAT MATTERS

MOVINGPICTURES

By Berton Woodward

n the gym at Branksome’s Athletics and Wellness Centre, the speech was often punctuated by gales of laughter from the assembled girls, not to mention their parents. At the end, there was a standing ovation from the students, which you don’t see at every Installation. But then, this speaker likes to talk straight, with an authenticity that mirrors the highquality movie and TV productions she has led. Miranda de Pencier is the real deal.

After delighting the girls with a few tales of naughtiness at Branksome—“I’m not the person who is going to stand up here and tell you how to Keep Well the Road”—Miranda talked a bit about her life in Hollywood, including how she had produced fi lms starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo and other leading lights, as well as Beginners, for which Christopher Plummer won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and thanked her from the stage. Her TV production of Anne with an E, expanding on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic novel Anne of Green Gables, was running on CBC and Netfl ix.

Then she talked about the project that she feels “changed my life.”

For 10 years, she worked to bring to the screen a film she ultimately directed, The Grizzlies, based on the true story of a group of Inuit students in Nunavut who learned lacrosse from their newly arrived teacher from the south—and how he, they and their communities were transformed as a result. The experience also transformed Miranda, especially her own perspective on Canada’s North, over the decade before the film was released in 2018. “You never know where the les(continued on page 32)

Miranda, in the Allison Roach Performing Arts Centre at Branksome Hall.

LISA SAKULENSKY

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a budding career. “I thought I wanted to be a Broadway musical actress, and I just fell in love with the movies when I was young,” she says.

“I was moved by the idea of emotionally moving people.” She went on to study theatre performance and philosophy at Concordia University and acting at New York University.

She sang in clubs, did a season on CBC’s Street Legal, had a spot in the original Toronto cast of Les Misérables at 19, and acted in movies and on stage.

While directing a scene from The Grizzlies in Nunavut, Miranda consults with production designer Zazu Meyers and director of photography Jim Denault.

(continued from page 31) sons are going to come from, who your teachers will be along the way or where you’ll find support,” she told her Installation audience.

As the girls flocked around her afterwards, it was easy to imagine Miranda at centre stage at Branksome years ago. And literally, she was.

Arriving in Grade 7, she sang solos in choir and took drama. Then came the oft-told moment that would jump-start her career. One night during Grade 10, Miranda was playing the part of Anne in a school production of the musical version of Anne of Green Gables. In the audience, deliberately, was Diane Polley, then a prominent Toronto casting director (and the late mother of today’s actress/director Sarah Polley), who was looking for young actresses for the upcoming filmed version of the novel. Polley asked Miranda to come to an audition, and she was cast as Anne’s “mean girl” classmate, Josie Pye, in Kevin Sullivan’s 1985 hit TV movie. Miranda would later reprise the role in two sequels.

B But as she confided to her Installation audience, her teenage years were also a time when she suffered from depression, though she did not really reach out for help. “I was raised in the grand WASP tradition,” she says later over the phone from Los Angeles. “Don’t show your emotion. And don’t tell anyone else your problems.” She loved cross-country running, and at Branksome she immersed herself in sport, school and performing, which helped. “I definitely came close to harming myself at times.

I think I soldiered through but I really suffered.” In the Eighties, she notes, the feminist movement had rightly shown girls they could attain their dreams, but that brought its own anxieties. “I felt a tremendous pressure to succeed. This idea of hard work and success was constant.” She says she still feels occasional depression, but not to the extent needed to seek regular treatment.

As for hard work, by graduation, with Anne of Green Gables under her belt, she already had

“IN ORDER TO MAKE SOMETHING, I HAVE TO LOVE IT. I HAVE TO FEEL IN MY GUT THAT IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD, THAT IT’S HOPEFULLY FILLING A HOLE AND SAYING SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN SAID BEFORE.”

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ut by the time she was 27, she says, “I was starting to not love performing anymore.” In theatre, “it began to feel like an assembly line—you’re sort of pumping it out every night. I would get bored.”

Meanwhile, she adds, “the people that looked like they were having the most fun were the directors and the producers because they’re the ones with all the creative control.” She decided to try producing a play, Frida K, about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, launching it in Toronto in 1995 and taking it off-Broadway as well as to Mexico City.

Liking production, she began learning the ropes of movie-making with companies in Los Angeles and New York, as well as at the Canadian Film Centre in Toronto. Then, in 2000, she made a significant jump when Robert Redford’s production company hired her to run development. How was it meeting Redford for the first time? “I went to shake his hand and I completely blanked,” she recalls. “I just fumbled my way through hello. It was horribly embarrassing, and I thought he would fire me. But I think he was used to people being shy, and I quickly got over that.”

Two years later, she started her own fi rm, Northwood Productions, based in Toronto.

She worked with thoughtful Hollywood producers like Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney, and her productions tackled compelling topics such as loose nukes, addiction and Asperger’s Syndrome. “I like stories that have depth,” she says. “If I just wanted to make money, I would have gone to Bay Street. In

After 10 years in the making, The Grizzlies premiered at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival.

acting workshops and spend a lot more time in the Arctic, my eyes got opened.” As personnel changed, she also decided to direct her first feature-length film.

ost of The Grizzlies’ Inuit actors were untrained at the time. The real-life high-school students they played were often beset by cruel conditions, including drug addiction, suicide and domestic abuse. Miranda says that before she arrived she was feeling a bit of her old depression. “I got up there and all of these young people that I started to meet were dealing with things that were far tougher than what I was dealing with. I learned a lot about resilience and community from being in the North.”

She is proud that her team raised money to tour the film around the North, where there are few theatres. “It was really important to me and my Inuit producing partners for young Indigenous kids to see the movie, because it is about them and they get to see real examples of themselves as heroes.”

As The Grizzlies was being completed, Miranda began dreaming up the Anne With an E series—“I wanted to make a feminist version of

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GEORGE PIMENTEL, CSA

order to make something, I have to love it. I have to feel in my gut that it’s important for the world, that it’s hopefully fi lling a hole and saying something that hasn’t been said before.”

After Beginners (2010), about an older man who reveals to his son he is gay and dying, she produced Thanks for Sharing (2012), with Paltrow and Ruffalo, a comedy about sex addiction. Then, in 2013, she made her directorial debut with a 17-minute short based in Nunavut, Throat Song (2013), which won a Canadian Screen Award— Canada’s equivalent of an Oscar.

It was no accident that she was able to film Throat Song. Already, she was spending time in Nunavut on prep for the full-length feature that would become The Grizzlies. A story on the ESPN sports network had alerted her to an inspiring saga of young Inuit athletes, and she thought she had a sports film in the making.

But as it evolved, she began to realize there was much more to it.

“I got to know the real kids and I started to feel that there was a more interesting story,” she says. “In the beginning, all any of us who were working on it knew was the sports angle and the perspective of the fish-out-of-water white guy from the south, but as I started to work with Indigenous co-producers, and we started to do

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s book”—and pitched one of the Grizzlies writers, Moira WalleyBeckett, to take on writing duties. “I saw that television was getting more epic and more interesting internationally,” Miranda says. “I thought, what could we produce in Canada that the world would want to see? What are our brands? I also asked myself, who are the icons out there for young women? Then I was driving in my car and I suddenly thought, Anne of Green Gables.” CBC was delighted with the pilot script for Anne with an E— “they green-lit us on the spot.” In the final season in 2019, Walley-Beckett and Miranda introduced an Indigenous character.

What’s next for Miranda? She is cagey about what’s in the pot, but she talks easily about conference calls with “HBO and London”, and is also keen to see more work by Indigenous filmmakers on southern screens. She admits she has no other life. “I work 17-hour days, seven days a week,” she chuckles. “But I love it.”

At Installation, she told her young audience to stay true to to their values for a deeper, richer life. Then came some final, tangier words from Miranda with an A: “Trust your gut, be kind to yourself and maybe wander off that road every once in a while—with a thick skin and an open heart.” The students stood up immediately. R

(left) Backstage at the 2018 Directors’ Guild of Canada Awards, where Miranda won Best Direction in a Feature Film for The Grizzlies. (right) Miranda, with Amybeth McNulty (who plays “Anne”) and fellow executive producer Moira Walley-Beckett, at the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards where Anne With an E won Best Drama Series for the second year in a row.

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WRITER LISA LUCAS’78 AND ARTIST LAURIE STEIN’78 COLLABORATE ON BOOKS FOR YOUNG KIDS THAT COVER SUBJECTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE TO REFUGEES

PROVOCATIVE TOPICS

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en years ago, when writer Lisa LUCAS’78 and artist Laurie STEIN’78 reconnected at their 30th reunion at Branksome, the two women never dreamed they would go on to create more than 20 children’s books together. Over the last decade, they have talked to each other almost daily about manuscripts, their favourite books and new ideas. In fact, if Lisa and Laurie don’t communicate for more than a few days, there’s an “Are you OK?” call.

With a shared belief that any subject can be truthfully told—as long as the execution is right—their work has evolved significantly over the last 10 years. They began their artistic journey by crafting a series of books in which the protagonists

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were quirky, resilient and obstinate, and have recently moved on to more serious and often contentious subjects.

Spectacularly Beautiful (Pow! Publishers, 2018), aimed at three-to-seven-year-olds, focuses on refugee children, inspired

by Lisa’s teaching in inner-city schools. Not only did the book garner a coveted starred review in Kirkus Reviews (a magazine that gives industry professionals a fi rst look at the most notable books being published) but The New York Times was also glowing: “Stein’s illustrations—black and white photographs of the classroom, school and nearby areas, populated with cartoon images done with the simplest of lines and fi lled with flat colours…effectively bring out Lucas’s poignant parable.” (continued on page 36)

JEFF KIRK

By Sally Cook

Lisa, left, and Laurie talk to each other almost daily, and do much of their creative planning right at Lisa’s kitchen table. Here, the talented duo share a laugh while Charlie, the Miniature Poodle, comfortably snoozes.

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When the Earth Shook, available in March 2020 for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

mid-thigh while Lisa ripped the hem out of hers until it hung below her knees. Laurie, amused

by Lisa’s boldness, asked her classmates, “Who is that girl?”

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rom then on their friendship flourished, yet Lisa and Laurie’s kilt lengths did not. Lisa recalls, in the mid-70s, when Principal Allison Roach announced, “The school uniform is to be worn appropriately. For those of you wearing your skirts too high or too long, ensure

A hurricane in pastels and recycled paper for When the Earth Shook.

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they are regulation length by the end of the week.” Lisa admits that although Principal Roach was a no-nonsense kind of person, her good sense of humour would often emerge when least expected.

Two other Branksome teachers greatly influenced the girls’ paths. English teacher Nora McRae often bought Lisa books. Two autobiographies were standouts. “Mrs. McRae gave me the charming My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell and Bitter Lemons

by Lawrence Durell, Gerald’s brother.” Mrs. McRae was taken with Lisa’s essays and short stories yet was often critical of her short sentences, encouraging her students to write in a more complex and sophisticated style. Laurie read Lisa’s work with great interest, appreciating the power of Lisa’s “less is more” approach.

Laurie’s Grade 8 homeroom teacher, Dorothy Brough, expressed her belief in the power of creativity—and Laurie was listening. “After two-hour-long exams, Miss Brough would ask me if I’d like to draw. I would start with an outline of large Flintstone-like characters on a JEFF KIRK

(continued from page 34) A forthcoming book about climate change, When The Earth Shook, for ages 5 to 9 (Tilbury House Publishers), and L’anniversaire de Simon (Chouette Publishing), a book for ages 3 to 7 written in French about dysfunctional families, will hit the shelves soon.

“We need to have expansive, deep conversations with kids in a safe environment,” explains Lisa about their decision to confront world topics for children. “Often we sugar-coat real issues and present subjects to kids in a way that is too far from reality, in order to protect them. I get that, but some would consider it patronizing. I do.”

Laurie, too, enjoys the challenges of their books’ new direction. “I like creating characters that children can see themselves in, making a believable world that is playful and imagined.”

Books were not, however, what brought Lisa and Laurie together at Branksome in Grade 10. Instead, their friendship formed over the length of a skirt. The basic school uniform consisted of a blouse, tie and wool kilt. Some girls, including Laurie, rolled their kilts up to

Lisa and Laurie have created more than 20 children’s books together.

large sheet of paper. She helped me cut out the characters and then the students would colour them in. Suddenly everyone wanted to take exams,” Laurie laughs.

“When other students tried to copy my work, Miss Brough quietly told me, ‘People don’t copy your work unless you’re good.

Consider it a compliment. They’re learning from you.’”

Upon graduating from Branksome, the two young women went separate ways. For the next twenty years Lisa and her family traversed between Toronto and Montreal because of her husband, Jay’s corporate banking positions. She did her undergraduate degree at York University and the University of Toronto, where she studied English, psychology and philosophy, then received her BEd at Western University in 1984.

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year later the couple moved to Montreal. Lisa had always wanted to become fluent in French so she went on to get a master’s degree in comparative education at l’Université de Montréal, graduating in 1988. Lisa and Jay then moved back to Toronto where their fi rst child, Zoe, was born in 1990.

Lisa’s experience at Branksome was so positive that she sent Zoe to Branksome primary school and began part-time teaching at her alma mater, providing language and math support to students. She continued teaching as they welcomed their second daughter, Virginia, into the family in 1993.

A couple of years later the family once again moved back to Montreal. Lisa, focusing on literacy and health, began writing for Reader’s Digest, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Jewish General Hospital and McGill University, among others. Returning to Toronto in 2003, she taught in inner-city schools, focusing mostly on literacy and French.

In 2017, she left the Toronto school board and came back, as she says, “for the last time,” to Branksome, where she currently tutors students in writing. “The students I work with are

“OFTEN WE SUGAR COAT REAL ISSUES AND PRESENT SUBJECTS TO KIDS IN A WAY THAT IS TOO FAR FROM REALITY, IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM. I GET THAT, BUT SOME WOULD CONSIDER IT PATRONIZING.”

curious and have diverse interests, making it rewarding to be a teacher there again,” says Lisa.

Laurie’s family life, educational and career pursuits have been equally satisfying. After receiving her degree in economics from Western in 1981, Laurie’s plan was to apply to business school for graduate work. However, her mother, realizing her daughter’s artistic talent, urged her to pursue her passion for art and apply to the Ontario College of Art (now OCAD University). Laurie was accepted early and while at OCA studied classical animation at Sheridan College in the summers, receiving her degree the same year (1985) as her art degree from OCA. She and her husband Bob, an advertising executive, have two sons, Teddy and Elliott, and a daughter, Kelsey, who also attended Branksome (2005-2011.)

For many years, Laurie illustrated school readers for various publishers. Her threedimensional sculptures are displayed on walls and ceilings throughout Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and her acrylic paintings hang in homes around the world. All the while she has been teaching art in Toronto schools and for the Art for Cancer Foundation. During the fall of 2018 and 2019 Laurie has enjoyed being a guest artist at Branksome.

Throughout their busy lives, Lisa and Laurie kept in touch occasionally and decided to attend their reunion in 2008. That night, Lisa mentioned that she had a 50th birthday coming up.

“Laurie surprised me by arriving at my front door with a cake, a bottle of wine and her painting of tulips,” remembers Lisa. “I was touched and asked her what I could possibly do for her in return.” Laurie immediately responded, “How about if you write books that I illustrate? Nora McRae might not approve, but I think your short sentences would be perfect for children’s books.”

And they were. R SALLY COOK is a former Associated Press journalist and the author of nine books for children and adults.

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A Gift from the Heart JACKIE FITZGIBBON MOSS’80 WAS A CORPORATE BIGWIG BEFORE HER CARDIAC ARREST. NOW SHE’S DESIGNING FUN AND FUNCTIONAL HOSPITAL GOWNS—AND LOVING IT

By Nora Underwood / Photography by Caley Taylor

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he laughs when she tells the story, but the fact that Jacqueline (Jackie) Moss was the fi rst person at Branksome Hall ever to be elected prefect after her fi rst year at the school speaks volumes about who she was—and is to this day. Born and raised in Port Hope, Ont., Moss was encouraged by her camp counsellor, Shirley BROWN’76, to try the school. Jackie resisted

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at fi rst, not wanting to board, but eventually relented.

“My parents thought I would thrive in an all-girls environment,” she says.

And she did. She threw herself into everything she could—she was one of the leads in the school play, she was on the swim team—which is not always easy for a new girl entering in the higher grades. The clincher, she thinks, was that her French was “so bad” coming into Branksome in Grade 12 that she was moved into a Grade 9/10 typing class, where she got to know the younger girls. “I always (continued on page 40)

Jackie poses in her home office where, in the background, a hospital gown displays the words “A scar is a tattoo with a better story.”

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(continued from page 38) joke that I got to be prefect because of my failed attempt at French,” she says. “People got to learn who I was very quickly.”

Jackie had a great attitude—“Go big or go back to Port Hope!”—and a mentor in Shirley.

“She was big, big, big in my life,” recalls Jackie.

“Every week or two, she would visit me— ‘What are you doing? You should be a prefect, do this, do that.’ She was always encouraging me to get involved.”

ning HR at CIBC. Over the Christmas break she was preparing to drive through upstate New York with her son. According to her son— Jackie doesn’t have any memory of what happened, or the days before or afterwards—she went back to the house to retrieve wiper fluid.

As she was walking, she called out, “Call 911— there’s something wrong with me.” Within a minute she was on the ground, having suffered a cardiac arrest.

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aving a strong role model and mentor, one who had been successful herself during her time at Branksome, spurred her on, and her involvement in activities gave her a sense of confidence and community. “I got to know people and a network that I never would’ve gotten to know otherwise,” says Jackie. “I received a very high level of education; I was successful there, and it felt good.”

Since her time at Branksome, Jackie hasn’t stopped going big. After earning her undergraduate degree in politics and economics from

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Queen’s University, she worked for a year, then went to law school at Western University. At that point, she moved to London, England, with the intention of doing a master’s degree.

Instead she spent the next three years working at an investment bank.

Then she came back to Toronto, where she worked and eventually became a partner at the law firm Blake Cassels & Graydon, all while raising two young boys. From there she moved to CIBC, where she was general counsel for the bank in Canada, then head of human resources globally, head of strategy and corporate development and a member of the bank’s operating committee.

In the midst of it all, Jackie experienced what doctors called a “random act of violence” that changed the course of her life.

Jackie was not yet 50, she was in good shape, she had two teenaged kids, and she was run-

or the next two weeks, Jackie was in a coma. There was nothing wrong with her heart, but she had lost a lot of oxygen to the brain. Once she was conscious again, she spent the following nine months off work, focused on rehabilitating her brain.

“By the time I came to and was okay, I was so confused I thought I’d had a baby,” she recalls.

“It was very, very scary for people who were watching all this play out. I knew I needed to get my brain stronger—I couldn’t tell time, for one thing—but I kind of inherently knew I was going to be okay.”

“YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN YOUR IDEA AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T NOBODY ELSE WILL. YOU NEED TO EXPLOIT YOUR STRENGTHS BUT REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR WEAKNESSES ALSO.” Still, the experience was life-changing— literally. “I’d been 18 years at CIBC and I’d loved every minute of it, but I wanted to do something else,” says Jackie. At CIBC, she’d scored strongly in the entrepreneurial and innovation category of psychometric tests; in the hospital, recovering from a heart attack, she got the seeds of an idea for a business.

“It was such an odd thing to have happened to me,” she says. “Hundreds of people were reaching out and trying to do things to show that they were thinking of me. And I got so many flowers, I kept sending them home with the nurses.” The clincher was when the CEO of CIBC came to visit. Because she had to wear a heart monitor, she couldn’t get into her own pajamas. “I was wearing that awful blue gown—it was so humiliating.”

Almost at that moment, the idea for Giftgowns was born—hospital gowns with cute pictures and/or funny commentary that would cheer people up but would also accommodate all the necessary monitors. But it was another two years before she would leave CIBC and start the business.

Three years and lots of bumps in the road later, Jackie runs Giftgowns (giftgowns.com) out of an office at The DMZ, a top business inime employ cubator in Toronto, with two full-time employre are gowns ees and a handful of interns. There er sonalized for all ages and genders, with personalized messages and in limited editions aass fundraisr nity gowns ers for particular diseases. Maternity s. make up about 80 per cent of sales. rned a great Along the way, Jackie has learned You’re going deal about running a business. “You’re art a start-up to leave a big corporate job and start ngs for $50?” company where you sell these things our idea and she says. “You need to believe in your believe in yourself, because if you don’t nobody ur strengths else will. You need to exploit your esses also.” but really understand your weaknesses

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eing flexible about your thinking is essential for an entrepreneur, she says.

“When people were saying, ‘You’ve got to send things to influencers and bloggers,’ I said that’s ridiculous,” Jackie admits. “But I got used to taking advice from lots of really junior people, because the world’s just a different place.

I had it in my mind how marketing worked, and it was very traditional. I needed to change my mindset. You have to be current and versatile in your thinking.”

Even someone as experienced as Jackie suffered the fate of most, if not all, young entrepreneurs: what they thought would work sometimes didn’t. Learning from missteps, changing it up, moving on and trying a new approach are part and parcel of a new business. But Jackie has enjoyed every bit of it—and has plans for expanding her product line in the near future.

The icing on the cake came a little over a year ago. At CIBC, she had twice won the

WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award in the professional category. In late 2018, Jackie was “super excited” to win her third—because this time it was in the entrepreneurial category.

“It would be a lie for me to say I quit my job to start this business,” Jackie adds. “This was just the one that, when I talked to people about it and did a little research, I realized made me happy. Plus there was a nice philanthropic side to it. And I’ve loved it.”

She has not completely left the corporate world: in addition to running and growing Giftgowns, she sits on a number of boards and enjoys her work as a director. Says Jackie, happily: “It’s the best of both worlds!” R NORA UNDERWOOD is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has written for many magazines and newspapers, including Maclean’s and The Globe and Mail.

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THIS WREN STILL

SOARS HAVING ESCAPED A TURBULENT MIDDLE EAST, BRENDA CRUIKSHANK REID’43 BECAME A WARTIME TELEGRAPHER WHILE STILL A TEEN

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hen today’s Branksome students burst through the doors after graduation, they proudly carry the International Baccalaureate diploma and envision a world of possibilities ahead. They don’t face the immediate dangers of defending their country. Yet in June 1943, new grad Brenda Cruikshank, age 17, stepped into just such a wartime reality.

Brenda had enlisted as a Wren in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service even before her high school graduation. In October that year, she was called up, and by January 1944 she was training to be a wireless telegraphy operator. Soon she was undertaking top-secret courses at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Groton, Connecticut, training on new LORAN technology (long-range navigation).

By the end of September, Brenda was one of 24 Wrens who operated the Canadian station near Canso, Nova Scotia. “Wrens sent out the signal that enabled the ships to know exactly where they were. Our job was to keep the equipment running continuously,” recalls Brenda, who was soon appointed Leading Wren.

Now 95, Brenda—who still lives on Douglas Crescent in Toronto, where she raised her fam-

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ily, recalls the remote location and vital duties she faced during the Second World War. “It was a great experience and I loved it—out there on the muskeg jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, in the middle of nowhere. Wild cranberries grew on the muskeg, and I gathered them for cranberry jelly. I saved my sugar ration to make it, and sent some home by train to my family.”

Brenda recalls one exciting time when the Air Force radar station nearby lost the use of its equipment due to a storm. “They couldn’t communicate with headquarters and asked for a Wren with wireless telegraphy experience to send messages on their behalf,” Brenda says. “I came through for them thanks to my training.”

Brenda was no stranger to adventure. She grew up in Beirut, Lebanon (then under French rule), where her Canadian father, Dr. William Douglas Cruikshank, was a surgeon at the American University of Beirut. From 1937 to 1940, Brenda boarded at Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset, England, returning home to Beirut during the summer months.

In summer 1940, when Brenda was 15, she recalls leaving for a party just as French officers were arriving at her house. France had fallen to the Germans, and the officers warned that any (continued on page 44)

CALEY TAYLOR

By Janet Sailian

Outside her home on a beautiful fall afternoon, Brenda, her daughter Pam REID’68 and step great-granddaughter, Teya Taylor, are photographed

by Teya’s mom Caley Taylor. Brenda proudly wears her blazer, which sports the Wren insignia and naval crown pin.

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(continued from page 42) British men would be interned. Her father and another British doctor fled and were smuggled into Palestine. Returning from the party, Brenda found her father gone and her mother packing.

They had just 48 hours to evacuate.

Brenda, her younger sisters Erica and Anne, and their mother travelled to Damascus, Syria, then on to Baghdad, Iraq. “In the middle of the desert, in the middle of the night, the bus stopped,” says Brenda. “Mother was terrified.

Then a couple of cars drove up and men who were fleeing Lebanon joined us on the bus.”

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eunited with Dr. Cruikshank, the family spent a couple of months in steamy Baghdad, then boarded a Dutch cargo ship in the Persian Gulf, seeking return to Canada. The Mediterranean Sea was too dangerous due to German patrols, so they took the much longer Pacific Ocean route. The cargo ship carried supplies (including dynamite) from port to port and, after three months, finally arrived in Portland, Oregon. The family hopped a train to Hamilton, Ontario—Dr. Cruikshank ’s hometown.

And so, Brenda became one of many English war guests who boarded at Branksome during the war years. “It was fun,” she laughs. “We all got along famously.”

After three years at Branksome, Brenda graduated into Wren service. Support for the war effort was a given, and like countless other young people of the era, Brenda did not hesitate to jump into unknown duties and dangers.

Trained to fire a .303 rifle and smash all communications equipment if invaded, Brenda remained unharmed. “Except for my hearing. I

Brenda, George, and their friend Audrey Peach, a Wren from London, Ont. The photo was taken before their marriage in spring 1945, during a short leave in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

went partially deaf from firing rifles with no ear protection.”

She adds, “During my three years in the service I never experienced any form of harassment, though I did learn a few new swear words! It’s distressing to hear what women in the armed forces deal with now. My generation seems to have been a kinder one.”

Near the end of her duty, Brenda met young radar operator and Toronto native George Reid at a party in the Canso radar station. “We went home on leave and got married in June 1945.”

Post-war, George joined his family lumber business in Toronto while Brenda tended to daughter Pam and son Doug. “All my great adventures happened before age 25,” she reflects.

Brenda found an enduring community at Rosedale Presbyterian Church, where she plays bridge and attends discussion groups. A wall plaque in the church lists her among the congregants who served in the military.

Today, the Brenda legacy continues.

“Mother and I share the same five-year reunions,” says Pam REID’68. “At the last one, she attended her 75th and I went to my 50th.

We always have a wonderful time and are super impressed with the new facilities.”

A marine geologist at the University of Miami, Pam did doctoral research in the Yukon, which “200 million years ago was a marine environment,” she notes, and has researched stromatolites in the Bahamas, western Australia

“DURING MY THREE YEARS IN THE SERVICE I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY FORM OF HARASSMENT, THOUGH I DID LEARN A FEW NEW SWEAR WORDS! IT’S DISTRESSING TO HEAR WHAT WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES DEAL WITH NOW. MY GENERATION SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A KINDER ONE.”

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and the Atacama Desert of Chile. This past fall, Pam taught a course on climate change, which she says is “a very real concern for our planet.”

At Branksome for Grades 8 to 13, Pam still maintains close ties to her cohort. “The group of girls I went to Branksome with were an outstanding class! We get together at least once per year, though I haven’t lived in Toronto since graduating.”

Pam visits Brenda every couple of months.

“With work that takes me around the world it’s important to have anchor points,” Pam says. “So Mother on Douglas Crescent and Branksome Hall are roots that keep me grounded.”

Those Reid roots now extend to two additional generations. Branksome parent Caley Taylor is Brenda’s step-granddaughter. “She’s the only grandma I’ve ever known since age 10,” says Caley, a professional photographer and mother of Grade 10 student Teya and son Lochlann. “Brenda is so full of the joy of life, and is engaged with her great-grandchildren.”

Brenda attends Teya’s musical and athletic performances, and speaks admiringly of her as a Branksome rower and IB student.

Still active and vibrant, Brenda exemplifies the soaring, can-do spirit of her generation.

Soon, she will be honoured as one of the three congregants of longest standing at Rosedale Presbyterian Church, which makes her very proud.

Brenda’s is a mighty legacy indeed. R JANET SAILIAN is a freelance communications consultant, writer and editor.

AlumLife

NEWS AND EVENTS FROM THE BRANKSOME HALL ALUMNAE COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER 3, 2019

Food, Fun and Games…oh boy!

From awesome to awesomer at Family Fun Day

Alum Family Fun Day is a much-loved event that just keeps getting better and better. Now in its fourth year, the event attracts over 350 participants and provides a special opportunity to bring multiple generations together. Thank you to all volunteers and many sponsors, with special kudos to the Alumnae Association who, each year, makes this day possible.

(left) In line at the photo booth a are Dilnoor PANJWANI’01, h husband Akber Samji and their d daughters Reya, left, and Maya.

(above) The class of 2003 moms, with their kids, are Katie McCABE Cheesbrough, Melanie LANGILL Joyce, Amy SISAM, Grace LEUNG Laird and Jennifer ROWAN Peacock.

(below) Enjoying a quiet family moment are Laura CHIU Togunov’00, husband Alexey and daughter Katy.

(right) Student volunteers prepare for a busy three-hour shift. From left are Laeticia Niu, Elaine Lee, Siena Ianni-Palarchio, Mia Tripp and Georgia McLellan.

(right) Nicholas Mulroney enjoys a karate class demonstration with daughters Victoria, left, and Serena.

(far right) Alums from back-toback years catch up as their kids check out various activities nearby.

From left: Missy MAHONEY’98 (see p. 26), Indira STEWART’98, Ruth DORFMAN’99, Louise KENNEDY’98, Darci MacPHEE Barrett’99, Michelle MILLER Guillot’99 and Camille CLYNE’99.

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AlumLife

Where We’ve Been…

“The Branksome network extends far! Even if we haven’t seen each other since graduation, the bond is always there, anywhere in the world.”

– Gillian CHRISTIE’08

1

2

NEW YORK CITY MAY 10, 2019

The unique and stunning venue of the Veterans Room in the Park Avenue Armory set the stage for a delightful evening reception for alumnae and friends. Rebecca ROBERTSON’68, president and executive producer, was our gracious host and, during the remarks, delighted guests by providing a short history on this treasured New York landmark.

3

1. Prity RUNGTA’95, Nancy MacDOUGALL’92 and Allie ORTVED Sweeney’95.

2. Deputy principal Karrie Weinstock congratulates Alisse HANNAFORD’09 who had recently graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan.

3. 2014 classmates are Megan BLACK, Liza HERSH, Celia McCONNELL, Maya LOWENSTEIN and Kate CALDERONE.

4

5 4. Rebecca ROBERTSON’68 with Natalia PAYNE’99 (see p. 76) and Principal Karen Jurjevich.

5. Branksome’s former teacher and director of athletics, Nanci Smith, catches up with Class of 1997 classmates and colleagues Adrienne WILLIS and Alison SCHWARTZ.

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NETWORKING EVENTS KINGSTON, ONTARIO The Grizzly Grill

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

NOVEMBER 7, 2019

Authors Nina Purewal and Kate Petriw captivated guests at a thought-provoking workshop filled with tips and tricks to help achieve peace of mind no matter how wild life gets. It was all about banishing guilt and worry and just letting that sh*t go.

And later, guests mingled and many purchased an authorsigned book.

LET THAT SH*T GO

(above) Math teacher Edith Louie, far right, with classmates from 2017. From left: Megan McCONNELL, Camille COLEMAN, Kloe TAMBAKIS, Natasha GOLDMAN, Meaghan OZIKIZLER, Eloise McINTOSH and Jane COOK.

(right) Edith Louie catches up with 2019 classmates, from left, Willa PICKFORD, Anna THOBURN and Grace VALENTINE.

From left, Jennifer GAUTHIER McEachern’99, Nina Purewal, Kate Petriw and Alanna TEDESCO McLaughlin’03.

JUNE 25, 2019

TRIVIA NIGHT

LONDON, ONTARIO Barney’s NOVEMBER 13, 2019 Emma HRISTOV’18 and Priyanka DOGRA’16.

The Quail Pub on Yonge Street was the perfect venue for an engaging, challenging and competitive evening. With a trivia host leading the event, more than 30 alums and friends tested their multi-topic knowledge—all the while enjoying good fun and camaraderie.

There is no shortage of conversation when alums from a variety of class years get together!

One of several teams are, from left, Adrien Faucher, Ryan McMorrow, Mackenzie KNOWLES’11, Adrienne ARCHIBALD’11 and Maxine ZENTIL’11.

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AlumLife

A Husband’s Tribute How my wife’s approach to life was summed up in a Branksome ad

Branksome Hall recently received this heartfelt note from William Horne (now of London, Ont.) about his late wife Danlora Jane MacKELLAR Horne’59. The advertisement to which he refers is on the back cover of this issue.

I

recently saw the very striking ad advancing the Branksome cause in the October 10, 2019 issue of The Economist, one of my favourite reads.

This immediately struck me, as my late wife Dannie attended Branksome in Grades 6, 7 and 8, boarding in Harrogate House (now Buccleuch), from 1951–54.

We met in 1958 in high school in Windsor, Ont., and thus began a very long and wonderful relationship. We were married in 1965, following completion of her studies at London Teacher’s College and my undergrad and grad studies at University of Windsor.

She was always so proud of her Branksome years, and their influence on her, but never tried to impress anyone with her attendance. I was a manager with Bell Canada, and we moved from Windsor to Toronto, back to Windsor, and finally to Ottawa. Along the way, she was a junior high

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school teacher, specializing in English and Creative Arts.

Eventually, in Ottawa, following the birth of our two amazing daughters, she became the Creative Arts Service director at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre, where she completely overhauled the existing

(top) Danlora, left, in the 1954 SLOGAN with classmates on the Junior School basketball team; (above) Danlora and Bill dancing at their wedding in 1965.

and decrepit program, and turned it into a model for similar facilities in Canada.

Indeed, she was never satisfied with the status quo, and turned the moribund Creative Arts program into a million dollar plus operation, far beyond what the previous model had been. No one of consequence could visit the Perley without being taken to CAS for a visit. She was so passionate about her work and the phenomenal results she facilitated that she stayed on as a contract worker for some years after retiring.

Tragically, in May 2015 she suffered a completely unforeseen massive stroke, and died within some 35 hours. Devastating, of course, but she would not have had anything that could be considered a life had she survived. We were just a couple months short of our 50th wedding anniversary.

I was so struck by the message in your Economist ad, “Proof the entrepreneurial spirit grows best in fearlessness”, which seems to me to represent Dannie’s approach to life. I just wanted to pass along her story, and I have made a modest donation to the school to celebrate her life. Thanks for giving her the Branksome Hall experience. R

ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION MISSION STATEMENT To unite, engage and grow Branksome Hall’s alumnae community of globally minded learners and leaders.

ALUMNAE EXECUTIVE 2019–20

On the set of 10 Years Time on April 28 are film director Jesse Hunt with 2009 classmates Sidney LEEDER, Isabelle SICILIANO, Alex MORTON and Samantha HARRIS.

Hubie YU’08 Treasurer

look at their university and career experiences since graduation.

Thank you to Sidney, the production crew and members of the Class of 2009 for donating their time and talents to this outstanding 6:38-minute film.

View the film at branksome.on.ca/10yearstime.

Meet the New Executive Members These women will help lead the Alumnae Association this year Patricia SU’13 An MA candidate in International Economics and Finance at Ryerson University, and law clerk for a real estate attorney in Markham.

Hubie YU’08 Judicial law clerk, articling at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto.

Siena Ianni-Palarchio Advancement Student Rep Senior School Siena is captain of the Branksome robotics team, and was the head delegate for the Secondary School United Nations Symposium held this past November in Montreal. Siena is interested in engineering and has further explored her passion through SHAD Canada and the Global Ideas Institute at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

JJ DAVIS’03 2016–17 Chair, Networking 2017–18 Vice-President, Networking 2018–19 Member at Large

Cindy EDWARDS MacMillan’91 Communications Nicole THORNBURROW’10 Secretary Members at Large Barbara DUNLOP Mohammad’70 Mackenzie KNOWLES’11 Tori LECHNER-SUNG’12 Alexandra MORTON’09 Chair, Young Alums Dana POSTROZNY Mitchell’99 Sarita SAMAROO’99 Chair, Nominating Catlin SEIBEL-KAMEL’10 Patricia SU’13 Alanna TEDESCO McLaughlin’03 Chair, Awards Ex-Officio Cris Coraggio Karen Jurjevich Andrea McAnally Tanya Pimenoff Siena Ianni-Palarchio, Laeticia Niu Advancement Student Reps

Laeticia Niu Advancement Student Rep Junior School Laeticia has been a volunteer with Best Buddies since Grade 9, and is also head of the Club de Français.

She has participated in Model United Nations conferences across Canada and has been involved with the organizing committee for the World Affairs Conference. She is interested in pursuing arts and science in university next year.

Much Appreciated These volunteers have recently retired from the Alum Executive Kendall ANDERSON’94 2018–19 Member at Large 2019 Reunion Rep

Officers Karen CORDES Woods’99 President Melanie ARGIROS’08 Vice-President, Engagement

10 Years Time …in 6:38 Minutes At the May 27 breakfast for graduating year students and their families, guests were captivated by a short film titled 10 Years Time—the brainchild of actor/writer/producer Sidney LEEDER’09.

Filmed at Branksome, it featured snippets of familiar spots on campus, and interviews of several members of the Class of 2009—all offering a candid

Allison ROACH’51 Honorary President

Jennifer GAUTHIER McEachern’99 2016–17 Take pART Silent Auction Coordinator 2017–19 Vice-President, Engagement

Tenley GIBSON’94 2012–17 President 2017–18 Past President and Treasurer 2018–19 Past President Adelaide YOUNG’11 2017–18 Member at Large 2018–19 Treasurer

Stay Connected, Get Involved The Branksome Hall Alumnae Program It’s all about Community, Networking, Volunteerism, Friendship, Traditions and Giving Back branksome.on.ca/alumnae Please contact: Tanya Pimenoff, Associate Director of Alumnae Relations tpimenoff@branksome.on.ca 416-920-6265, ext. 285

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1944

1959

1974

1979

REUNION 2019

The reunion dinner, held on June 1, welcomed more than 280 alums, staff and former staff back to Branksome for a weekend of reminiscing and reconnecting.

2009

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Teachers

1994

1989 1984 1964

1969

2004

1999

1989

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Passages Retirements Edited excerpts are taken from speeches at the employee year-end celebration last June Rocky Lima Facilities and Maintenance (1993–2019)

Marion Pais Executive Assistant to the Deputy Principal (2003–19)

Leslie Wood Physics and Science Teacher (2001–19)

Today we honour Rocky for his 26 years at Branksome Hall. As the last of the facilities and maintenance men living on campus, Rocky has been the constant “go to” person for Chevon [Director of Boarding] and me on weekends, evenings, and at all bizarre hours of the day. As Chevon says, “Rocky, you know every staircase, every water pipe, every wire, and every lightbulb.

You have fixed, patched and painted every surface of this school with care.”

Together with Judith, you raised two outstanding children. Daughter Denise, who has finished her post-secondary education and is now working in food nutrition management, and Andreas, who has just graduated from Ryerson in urban planning. Your retirement brings yet another change in the evolution of our campus and the growth of the school. It reminds us that we are all getting a little older yet our contributions continue to build this school and prepare it for the next decade. You have done that and so much more.

As your singing partner to Feliz Navidad at one of our staff Christmas luncheons, I learned that you actually sing like José Feliciano when doing lip synch. Thank you for being a dear friend and a valued employee. We shall miss you and wish you and your family the very best in the years ahead.

Marion and I have worked together for 16 years, and since the day we met, I realized how much we shared in our backgrounds.

We both grew up in hot southern climates—Marion in southern India and I in southern Africa. We both had similar post-colonial British educations, where we deeply appreciate the correct placement of a comma, seen as essential rather than optional.

Marion has been an outstanding resource for so many faculty and staff. She keeps every confidence and is utterly discreet. The word “principled” best describes her care for the environment and, in her quiet way, Marion has tirelessly fought this crusade. Marion has many talents. She is a brilliant cook who grows her own chili peppers. My favourite birthday gift from her is a home cooked meal—the subtle flavours of her daal with her own blend of hand-crushed spices and mustard seeds is one of life’s great pleasures.

Looking ahead, the long commutes will be in the past. Now, Marion will have time to spend with her husband, Ivan, and their three lovely, accomplished daughters. She will now have more time for her church community, her volunteer work, her love of all things musical and, most of all, travelling.

Marion, you have made enduring friendships at Branksome. We all will miss you and wish you well. It is now time for the relaxation and happiness you so richly deserve.

Leslie started her work life as an engineer at Pratt and Whitney, a company known for its aircraft engines. In a workplace that was male-dominated in the 1970s, she was one of the handful of female engineers and experienced an array of gender inequalities.

Leslie left engineering and began her teaching career at Branksome in 2001. She found her passion and inspired many of our girls to develop their interest in science, physics and engineering. She would start encouraging girls to challenge themselves in the middle school, and would patiently work with them to be resilient and work through challenges. Leslie would often be on campus on the weekends planning and marking, taking time to be thorough, never rushing through anything.

Leslie was always direct with her feedback and I knew I could rely on her for some straight talk. Les, I will miss your subtle humour, but I know you are just a phone call away. We all wish you and your family health and happiness.

KAREN L. JURJEVICH, PRINCIPAL

KARRIE WEINSTOCK, DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

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DEEPA RAJ, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER, SCIENCE

Marriages 1966

Births 2003

2006

Chelsea WONG to Daniel Zuger, on August 5, 2017, in Vail, Colo.

1994

2007 Carleigh MARTIN to Joshua Collins, on July 8, 2016, in Jordan, Ont. 2008 Tricia LEES to Christopher Wilding, on July 22, 2017, in Llantilio Crossenny, Wales.

Michaela JOHNSON to Chris Dellaripa, on October 27, 2018, in Waterford, Conn.

Emma BEQAJ to Brennan Moore, on May 25, 2019, in Toronto.

Karoline COPPING, a son, Rockefeller Hudson, on September 30, 2019 in London, U.K.

1998 Laura SCHREINER to Aabir Dey, on October 5, 2019, in Guelph, Ont.

1999 Heather ADAMSON Wicken, a daughter, Alice Elizabeth Hope, on January 17, 2019, in Toronto.

Krystina SULATYCKI to Devin Eley, on May 12, 2015, in North Battleford, Sask.

2004 Katie SISAM to Fabiano Crema, on July 27, 2018, in Toronto.

Katarina BITOVE to Quinton Meyer, on March 1, 2019, in Toronto.

Melanie ARGIROS to Audun Breder, on November 17, 2018, in Toronto.

1999

Meg BUSH to Alex Jansen, on June 16, 2018, in Toronto.

Anna FISCHER-HARRISON to Felipe Cunha Faccioli, on September 23, 2018, in Toronto.

Lauren HANSON XUEREB to Ryan Austin, on May 12, 2018, in Toronto.

2001 Caitlin GOSSAGE to Ahmad Mozaffari, on May 21, 2016, in Toronto.

Tori CARL to John Gullane, on September 28, 2019, in Toronto.

Katie SWITZER to Paul Moleiro, on January 20, 2018, in Toronto.

2009

Susanne COLES to Ian Pinnington, on June 1, 2019, in Toronto.

Hanna NOWERS to Patrick Hillan, on August 11, 2018, at Virginia Park Lodge, northwest of Dublin, Ireland.

Anna FISCHER-HARRISON, a son, Rafael, on March 4, 2018, in Toronto.

Darcy MacPHEE Barrett, a son, Fitzgerald Douglas Matthew, on June 21, 2019, in Toronto.

Sarah PSUTKA, a son, Harrison (Harry) Bader, on September 12, 2019, in Seattle, Wash.

2000 Erin FLOM, a daughter, Beatrice, on November 16, 2018, in Toronto.

Petra SZIRMAK to Adam Szypula, on April 27, 2019, in Toronto.

Laura GIBSON, a son, Angus, on June 20, 2018, in Toronto. A nephew for Sarah McCAGUE Gibson’00.

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Passages

REMARKABLE

Arlington, Va. A grandson for Sarah GOODERHAM Nadherny’72; a greatnephew for Margaret GOODERHAM’80; a first cousin once removed for Georgina GOODERHAM’11.

FROM DAY ONE Just like baby Charlotte, your new arrival will look adorable in this spiffy “onesie.” Let us know when your baby arrives, and we’ll send you this cozy outfit (sized to 12 months). alumnae@ branksome.on.ca

Sarah KENNEDY, a daughter, Ines Mae, on September 9, 2018, in New York City.

Ashley MULVIHILL McDonald, a daughter, Evelyn May, on May 21, 2019, in Toronto. A niece for Jennifer MULVIHILL Lancefield’97.

Alex PENNAL, a daughter, Brooke, on July 14, 2019, in Toronto.

Melanie LANGILL Joyce, a daughter, Kate Charlotte, on March 20, 2019, in Toronto.

A niece for LANGILL sisters Kate’05, Stacey’08 and Jennifer’10.

Dana LORD, a daughter, Adia Lorraine, on August 26, 2019, in Santa Monica, Calif.

A niece for Tori LORD’06.

Jackie NIXON Gowdy, a daughter, Audrey Inès, on January 28, 2019, in Toronto.

A niece for Trish NIXON’06.

2001 Jackie BAKER, a daughter, Madeleine, on April 29, 2019, in New York City.

2004

Caitlin GOSSAGE, a son, Charles, on December 11, 2018, in Toronto.

2002 Ashley SUTHERLAND Beatty, a son, Noah James, on June 12, 2018, in Toronto.

Katie McCABE Cheesbrough, a daughter, Emily, on October 8, 2019, in Toronto. A granddaughter for Carol McCLELLAND McCabe’68; a niece for Lesley McCABE Dyer’98 and Robin McCABE Cassaday’00; a great-niece for Suzanne McCLELLAND Drinkwater’67.

Chelsea WONG Zuger, a daughter, Zoe, on December 1, 2018, in Denver, Colo.

2007 Meg BUSH Jansen, a daughter, Laine Kathryn, on April 16, 2019, in Toronto.

2003 Andrea AMELL Rees, a daughter, Harper Mae, on July 24, 2019, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A granddaughter for Sandra BOLTÉ’73; a great-niece for Carolyn AMELL’69 and Rosemary AMELL Mikitka’75.

Sarah MELOCHE Dougans, a daughter, Isla Elizabeth, on January 5, 2019, in Chicago, Ill.

Meghan PAYNE, a son, Owen Lawrence, on August 10, 2018, in Toronto.

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Carleigh MARTIN Collins, a son, Theodore James, on January 7, 2019, in Lafayette, La. 2008

2005

Jane NADHERNY Gill, a son, Jack MacIntosh, on December 4, 2018, in

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2006

Jennifer ROWAN Peacock, a son, Hugh, on July 28, 2019, in Toronto.

Caitlin WALSH McGraw, a daughter, Cleo, on September 26, 2019, in Toronto. A niece for Meghan WALSH’05.

Emer SCHLOSSER, a son, Brayden Anatol Herbert, on September 29, 2019, in Croydon, U.K.

Caleigh VICKAR Silvera, a daughter, Rae Bari Myers, on December 18, 2018, in Deal, N.J.

Katie SWITZER, a daughter, Madeleine, on May 27, 2018, in Toronto.

Deaths In some notices and In Memoriams, excerpts have been edited from published obituaries.

1933 Margaret GRIFFIS Moffat, on December 23, 2018, in Huntsville, Ont. Mother of Susan MOFFAT Brenciaglia’61.

After losing her parents as a child, Margaret was adopted by close friends of her parents. In her early teens Margaret and her “Auntie” travelled the world by ship. In Italy, they had an audience with the Pope, and in England, they had tea at Buckingham Palace.

Margaret attended McGill University before marrying her husband Norman. The war kept them apart for four years while Margaret raised her two children. She was a long-time member of the Garden Club of Toronto as well as the Lambton Golf Club. She volunteered at the Huntsville Heritage Place and was a strong supporter of the Muskoka Conservancy.

1938 Francean CAMPBELL Rich, on March 31, 2019, in Hamilton, Ont. See In Memoriam.

Pamela PEARSE Biggs, on December 2, 2018, in Toronto.

Pam enjoyed her tremendous network of friends and time spent with family and friends. An elegant, gracious woman with a delightful sense of humour, she was also a master bridge player, an artist and a lover of crosswords and cryptic puzzles.

1939 Athol HUGHES, on November 19, 2019, in London, U.K. See In Memoriam.

1940 Jane SIMPSON Spears, on February 24, 2019, in Dundas, Ont. Jane had a glorious 96 years where she combined teaching, sporting activities and volunteer endeavours. But the most joyous and rewarding aspect of her life was that of raising her family along with her husband, John. She leaves her five sons, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

1941 Nancy “Nan” DIBBLEE McLean, on November 18, 2019, in Newmarket, Ont. Sister of Lynn DIBBLEE Pengelley’51.

Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend.

Nan was an excellent bridge player, playing in the American Contract Bridge League, teaching bridge and running games in her community.

She also was quite competent with computers, often setting them up and solving related problems for friends and neighbours.

Christine PEARSE Karn, on August 8, 2019, in Huntsville, Ont. Chris earned a BSc from McDonald College at McGill, and a BA in library science from Concordia University.

Her husband Gordon was a pediatric leader of his time. Above all, Chris was the ultimate wife and mother to their three children. A committed volunteer, a brilliant bridge player, skier, lifelong learner, avid reader, excellent cook and skilled seamstress, she leaves her children and 16 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Margann STOWE Fitzpatrick, on July 26, 2013, in Kingston, Ont. Margann attended The Ontario College of Art. In 1946, she married Michael Fitzpatrick and they settled in Sydenham, Ont., a short distance from Michael’s faculty position at Queen’s University. Margann started a successful interior design firm and her work is still evident in some of the finer homes of Kingston today. An animal lover and humanitarian, Margann was supportive to many people and a benefactor to many charities.

1942 Gwen DEMONT Hawke, on August 3, 2019, in Toronto.

Mother of Martha HAWKE Shinkle ‘69 and Kelly HAWKE Baxter ‘82.

See In Memoriam.

paper things, flowers and being organized. She often attended her Branksome reunions and was a committed lifelong donor to the school, having also included Branksome in her will.

Helen LANG Allan, on January 18, 2019, in Toronto.

During the war, Helen volunteered as an ambulance driver. She attended the University of Toronto, graduated with an MA in economics, and worked for the Canadian Tax Foundation before retiring to become a wife and mother. Helen embraced community involvement and volunteer work, and was a lifelong golfer and accomplished curler.

1946 Margaret KYLE Austin, on July 17, 2019, in Toronto.

Aunt of Sara AUSTIN’93.

Marg earned a BA in sociology from Victoria College, University of Toronto, and then worked for the Bell Telephone Company in customer service. In 1951, Marg married Mac Austin and soon began managing their busy family life, which centred on their three sons. Marg worked for many years for the Volunteer Centre of Toronto, which recognized her contributions with an award. She enjoyed many sports and loved travelling. Marg was a dedicated and long-time member of Eglinton-St George’s United Church.

Sarah SYMONS Scythes, on February 27, 2018, in Toronto.

1943 Marion COSFORD Holley on September 18, 2019, in Toronto.

After graduating from Trinity College, University of Toronto, in 1947, Marion’s business career spanned many years, mostly in the pharmaceutical and mining industries. She enjoyed travelling in North America and abroad before and during her 36-year marriage to John (d. 2011). Marion had a passion for photography,

Elizabeth McCARTHY, on March 29, 2019, in Vancouver. Sister-in-law of Patricia STEWART McCarthy’44.

Patricia WEST Cameron, on February 2, 2019, in Dundas, Ont.

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Passages

1947 Joan CANDEE Avery’47, on December 7, 2018, in Toronto. Mother of Jane AVERY’80.

In 1956, several years after attending the University of Toronto, Joan married Donald Avery and they raised three children together. A real estate agent and broker for 35 years, Joan was also a talented gardener and accomplished bridge player. Many happy years were spent at the Nekabong Hunting and Fishing Club in Quebec.

1948 Julia (Judy) ECHLIN Wilson, on January 25, 2019, in Huntsville, Ont. Sister of Tony ECHLIN Buckle’47.

Mary HIGGINBOTTOM Roberts’48, on August 21, 2019, in Peterborough, Ont. Judith SHOEBOTTOM Down, on October 2, 2018, in Woodstock, Ont. 1949 Jean GILLANDERS Richards, date unavailable.

Diane JOHNSON, on March 26, 2019, in Toronto.

In 1955, Diane was one of three female graduates from the University of Toronto medical school, where she met and married Dr. James Goodwin. While raising a family of three children, Diane worked at the U of T Women’s Health Care Clinic and then trained as a psychotherapist at the Toronto Institute of Human Relations, maintaining a private practice until her mid

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70s. She was actively involved in Bloor Street United Church, as well as the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Diane spent as much time as she could at her Muskoka cottage, where she was an integral part of the community around Muldrew Lake.

Barbara HEISE Morley, on July 8, 2018, in Alton, Ont. A fun, engaged and loving mother and grandmother.

Barbara spent a lifetime caring for others—as a nurse, mother, daughter and wife.

Carol PENDRITH Long, on January 5, 2019, in Toronto.

Carol received a BMus from the University of Toronto.

She was well known in the Toronto music community as a gifted piano player and worked as a professional musician in Montreal, Toronto and the U.S. Family and music were always the most important things in Carol’s life, as well as being at her Haliburton cottage.

Jean TRESTRAIL McKenzie, on November 10, 2018, in Townsville, Australia.

Patricia WILLIAMS Duncan, on July 8, 2018, in Collingwood, Ont.

1951 Marilyn DERRINGTON Ure, formerly of London, Ont. Date unavailable.

Cate FINDLAY Fraser, on April 16, 2019, in Vancouver.

Mother of Sheena FRASER Kluftinger’80; sister of Jean FINDLAY Gauthier’58; cousin of Jennifer FINDLAY Richardson’53.

Cate lived her life with curiosity and conviction. After graduating as a nurse from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Cate headed west to fulfill her life-long dream of skiing in the mountains, eventually marrying and starting her family in Vancouver, before returning to Ottawa to support her husband John’s 30-year career in politics. Her love of the mountains, her family, and her cherished friends brought her home to Whistler where she lived out her retirement skiing, painting, and contributing to the community.

Elaine GOODMAN Kurtzman, on April 28, 2017, in Ottawa.

Betty McNIVEN Kennedy, on June 1, 2019 in Victoria,.

Sister of Dorothy McNIVEN Long’49.

Betty was a graduate of the Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing in Victoria. She played and taught piano,

and became an exceptional painter and artist later in life, even while suffering from Parkinson’s. Her bright nature and goofy wit touched everyone she met.

1952 Ellen THOMSON Spears, on November 9, 2019, in Toronto.

Ellen graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1958, then worked for two years at the Defence Research Board in Kingston.

She gave generously of her time to her church, the CNIB, the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Victor Home/ Massey Centre, The Toronto Children’s Chorus, and the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild of which she was a founding member. For those in need, she provided a welcoming home and the respect she thought all people deserved.

Ellen loved spending time with family and friends at Leith, Ont. This love of the blue waters of Georgian Bay has been passed on to her four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

1953 Heather MOFFAT Atkinson, on August 19, 2019.

1954 Margaret BENNETT Hitchcock, on November 4, 2014, in Perth, Ont.

Joan JOYNER Ziebell, on April 27, 2017, in Pembroke Ont. Adele MacBEATH Ellis, in Perth, Scotland.

Date unavailable.

Phyllis O’DOWD Hodge, on October 1, 2018, in Ottawa.

Shaen PATTERSON Rolston, on April 6, 2017.

Mother of Shannon ROLSTON Burns’76.

Mary Jane POPHAM, on February 25, 2015 in Carlsbad, N.M. Mary Jane devoted her working life to nursing in Encino, Calif. She retired to New Mexico in 1994, where she lived until her death.

Anne SHIER Caskey, date unavailable.

Ruth SPRINGHAM Dixon, on August 25, 2016 in Thunder Bay, Ont. Ruth was an avid baker, and was known for her shortbread and butter tarts. She enjoyed many summers at “The Retreat” at Deception Lake, camping throughout Canada and the U.S. and seeing the world on cruises with family and friends. She was also an active member of Lakeview Presbyterian Church.

1955 Jane BRIGGS Van Buskirk, on November 30, 2019, in Huntsville, Ont. Jane MAGEE Lash, on January 28, 2019, in Blue Mountains, Ont.

Katherine McLEAN Staples, on November 23, 2018, in Kingston, Ont. One of Kathy’s passions was the Old Hay Bay Church, serving as a Trustee and Custodian for 27 years. She had a keen interest in the local history and genealogy of Adolphustown and surrounding area.

1956 Gail AXLER Berman, on December 29, 2018, in Toronto.

1959 Maria KOENIG Tonks, on January 26, 2018, in Stouffville, Ont. Sister of Isolde KOENIG’59 and Grete KOENIG’64.

Danlora MacKELLAR Horne, on May 20, 2015, in Ottawa. See A Husband’s Tribute on page 48.

husband Peter to western Canada, where Pamela spent a busy career with her children and Peter’s medical practice. While living in Williams Lake, B.C., she sat on the board of the Cariboo Friendship Society, the board of Share (B.C.), and was the last constituency president for the Progressive Conservative party. Pamela was the COO and CFO for Peter’s medical practice, and was a Girl Guide and Pathfinder leader.

For the last 11 years, she resided in the Chilcotin at Eagle Lake, which is nestled on the edge of the Coast Mountains.

Toni TROW Myers, on February 18, 2019, in Toronto.

See In Memoriam.

1962 Patricia DUNLOP Wilson, on September 3, 2019, in Calgary, Alta.

1963

Danlora and William Horne, circa 2008.

Ruth THOMSON, on January 12, 2019, in Owen Sound, Ont. Sister of Edith THOMSON Short’53.

See In Memoriam.

1961 Pamela ROLLASON Culbert, on November 8, 2019, in Eagle Lake, B.C. Pamela received her RN from the Hospital for Sick Children in 1964, and two years later moved with her

Katie BUSH, on January 28, 2019, in Montreal.

1965 Margo NOFFKE Clare, on June 5, 2019, in Markham, Ont. 1969 Gail HARTSHORN, on February 24, 2019, in Toronto.

1973 Barbara McGIVERN, on March 10, 2019, in Toronto.

An accomplished artist, Barbara travelled the world, and created paintings inspired by the places she visited and people she met. In 1992, Barbara went to Europe where she saw the Barnes Collection at Musée D’Orsay, Paris.

She produced a series of paintings based on the Impressionists’ work, with her own interpretation, which was later shown at Musée Hotel Baudy in Giverny. Her works are in collections throughout Canada and the world: in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton as well as Dubai, Zurich, Berlin, London, Paris and Madrid.

1974 Mary BEATTIE, on November 4, 2019, in Markham, Ont. Sister of Elizabeth BEATTIE Greenshields’71, Barbara BEATTIE Aiello’75 and Leslie BEATTIE’77.

After attending Branksome, Mary graduated from Brock High School in Cannington, Ont., and went on to have a successful career in the insurance business. She retired in 2014 after 28 years with Thomas I. Hull Insurance Ltd., having risen to the position of vice president. Mary enjoyed nothing better than being at the cottage with family and friends.

1977 Marie LANGE Zinken, on November 18, 2019, in Grand Bend, Ont. See In Memoriam.

1980 Kim GARSIDE Hector, on March 4, 2019, in Uxbridge, Ont. Daughter-in-law of Charlotte CAMPBELL Hector’51; Sister-in-law of Cathy HECTOR Crawford’76 and Andrea HECTOR Matthews’80.

Kim attended Branksome from Kindergarten to Grade 12, then went to Switzerland to complete Grade 13. She will always be remembered fondly for her incredible bravery and strength, her natural ability to make everyone feel at home and, of course, her amazing cooking.

1982 Lisa CARROLL Draper, on February 7, 2019, in Peterborough, Ont. See In Memoriam.

1983 Holly CHERCOVER on October 31, 2019, in Toronto.

An artistic and loving soul, Holly had a special talent for bringing people together, both in her successful career as an IT Recruiter and, especially, in her personal life. Holly was most happy when in nature’s embrace, preferably near water—from the rocky shores of Lake Rosseau to the sandy beaches of Barbados, she was in her element.

1994 Mai TASAKA, on October 5, 2019, in Tokyo.

Sister of Rei TASAKA’97.

Mai passed away unexpectedly at the age of 44. She lived her life with compassion and generosity, and touched the lives of many people around her.

Sandbox Alumni Ian Waldie, on April 9, 2019, in Toronto. Brother of Heather WALDIE McLean’60 and Holly WALDIE Reiger’62.

The Hon. Michael Wilson, on February 10, 2019, in Toronto. Husband of Margaret SMELLIE Wilson’56; brother of Wendy WILSON Lawson’52 and Trish WILSON Younger’59; uncle of Marg LAWSON’80 and Martha YOUNGER Millar’82; brother-in-law of Donnie SMELLIE Lovell’55.

Former Staff Margo NOFFKE Clare’65, Junior School Teacher from 1977 to 2001, on June 5, 2019, in Markham, Ont. Mary Simpson, art teacher from 1977 to 1989, on June 16, 2019.

Mary influenced a generation of girls with her knowledge and passion for art. After retirement, she and her husband Donny toured the world, visiting every continent except the Antarctic. She will forever be remembered by her children and friends for her quick wit, ready smile and gracious hospitality.

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Passages

In Memoriam Francean CAMPBELL Rich’38 June 24, 1920 – March 31, 2019

Francean achieved a BMus from the University of Toronto, an ATCM from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and an MA in music from Mills College in Oakland, Calif. She worked as a music critic for The Vancouver Province, and travelled worldwide by sea, filing articles and reviews with the Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette and various other Canadian newspapers. After a year in France, Francean married psychiatrist Dr. John Rich (d. 1980) and, with him, broadened her many interests to include long-distance sailing, breeding Irish Wolfhounds and building a country home. After John’s death, Francean returned to school to study television writing, production and broadcasting.

She continued her career as a journalist and published many articles through the Niagara Anglican Diocese. Eventually, she settled in Hamilton, Ont., discovering a diverse community of friends and neighbours.

Athol HUGHES’39 February 1, 1921 – November 19, 2019

Athol was a highly respected psychoanalyst in later life, but some of her most exciting times came during the Second World War when she began working for Canadian naval intelligence only three years after leaving Branksome. Having studied German as well as psychology at the University of Toronto, she joined the Women’s Royal Canadian

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Naval Service, the counterpart to Britain’s Wrens, in 1942 and plotted the locations of German U-boats in the North Atlantic by getting a fi x on their signals when they surfaced.

Athol and her colleagues in Ottawa informed convoys about the presence of the enemy submarines so the Allied ships could evade them. “These convoys were carrying troops and cargo such as wheat to the U.K. The U.K. was highly dependent on the convoys and the foodstuffs that kept the country going,” Athol told The READ in 2014, noting grimly, “In the first years of the war, many of these ships were sunk.”

The work was highly secret, with some of the intercepted transmissions including the now-famous coded Enigma messages decrypted by specialists in Bletchley Park, England. In 1944, Athol was promoted to sub-lieutenant.

After the war, she returned to U of T for her master’s in psychology and worked as a clinical psychologist in Montreal until 1959.

Persuaded to deepen her study of psychoanalysis in London, she relocated there and received her PhD from University College London in 1966. She decided to remain in the British capital, and only stopped seeing patients in 2002 when macular degeneration impaired her vision. Even so, she continued supervising students and giving lectures until 2007. She died in London at 98.

Gwen DEMONT Hawke’42 April 4, 1925 – August 3, 2019

Gwen passed away peacefully in her sleep after a lovely evening dining and singing along to golden oldies with her friends at the Dunfield Retirement Residence.

Gwen enjoyed a large community of friends, loved to sing and dance, travel, play golf, tennis and bridge, and zip around town in sporty cars, always dressed to the nines. She was an inspiring model for how to live a full and happy life.

Gwen was a long-time member of Rosedale Golf Club, Canadian Women’s Senor Golf Association, the Badminton & Racquet Club, and the Monday Club.

Gwen loved Branksome. She volunteered as a reunion rep for the Class of 1942 as recently as 2017, and she was very proud to be a life-long donor.

She will be remembered as a devoted and loving mother, a mischievous and fun-loving Nana, a gracious woman with a great sense of style, and a thoughtful friend with a big heart.

Ruth THOMSON’59 July 24, 1940 – January 12, 2019

Known as “Ruthie” to her Branksome chums, Ruth was a woman of strength and courage—a longtime missionary who left a society life in Toronto to work with the Kayapó Ruth, on the cover of people in Brazil. the 2017–18 issue of Always fascinThe READ. ated by the Amazon, Ruth knew that was where she wanted to be.

She studied theology at Toronto Bible College and linguistics at two American universities.

Her mission was to learn Kayapó, create an alphabet and provide a written language and a translation of the Bible for people in the Kayapó villages.

By the mid-60s, Ruth was entrenched in her work—there was translation work to do, language classes to teach, Kayapó wounds to

bandage and booster shots to give. “It lived up to my expectations, and sometimes life doesn’t do that,” she told The READ in 2017.

Every summer, Ruth returned to her family cottage on Georgian Bay, and to her farm in Varney, Ont. When fall arrived, it was time to get packing again. “I’ll keep going back to the Amazon as long as God gives me the strength and the health to do it,” she said.

A little over a year later, Ruth died at Grey Bruce Health Services in Owen Sound, Ont. She was 78.

Toni TROW Myers’61, OC September 29, 1943 – February 18, 2019

An award-winning and pioneering IMAX filmmaker, Toni’s work has influenced millions of people around the world, inspiring us all to care more about the planet. With a huge talent and an adventurous flair, her prolific career started in the 1960s in London, U.K., where she worked on ground-breaking music films. She returned to Canada to work on the world’s first IMAX film.

Toni invested the same creativity and warmth that infused her art into all her relationships. She had an extra special gift for friendship and was deeply loved by her family, extended family, neighbours, co-workers, colleagues from the IMAX theatre network, and lifelong friends from around the world.

Last fall, Toni met her devastating diagnosis of late-stage cancer with courage, grace and humour. She always treasured the gift of life and savoured every moment, believing she had been a superbly lucky person to have enjoyed such a beautiful time on Earth.

Toni’s apartment was filled with music, books, art and orchids. She had a love of words and word play, a scalpel-sharp sense of humour and a keen insight into politics and current

events. She had empathy for young people trying to decide what to do with their lives.

She was powerful yet humble, everyone’s favourite, and a generous-spirited leader, role model and mentor to so many.

As she put it, “it’s all about the laughter and all about the love.”

Marie LANGE Zinken’77 July 16, 1969 – November 18, 2019

Marie served proudly as Residence Prefect in her graduating year, and then went on to receive a BFA from the University of Guelph. She had a passion for designing and sewing liturgical vestments and large-scale banners for churches and institutions, including a “Tree of Life” banner for Mount Zion Church in Waterloo, Ont. She also ran her own home sewing business.

Marie was an exceptionally talented woman with a zest for life and sometimes a bit of mischief. Branksome was where Marie and I became friends; to me she was and always will be my best friend for over 45 years.

My father used to say if we could count our true friends on one hand we were blessed.

I was blessed to have Marie, her husband Brian and her daughter Christine share their lives with me. Thank you, Marie, for sharing your life’s triumphs and sorrows, and know that you have “kept well the road.”

DEBRA COLMAN PARRY’78

Resident Prefect, 1978

Lisa CARROLL Draper’82 September 3, 1964 – February 7, 2019

Lisa passed away after a short and courageous battle with cancer. She leaves her husband David, mother Barbara Carroll, sisters Jennifer Lowden and Suzi Whitehurst, sister-in-law Deborah DRAPER McDougall’74, and their families. Lisa was predeceased by her father John Carroll and her mother-in-law Elizabeth SCARLETT Draper’44.

Lisa attended Branksome from Grades 8 to 12, where she had many friends and loved to sing, dance, act and host sleepovers.

She had an impish grin, and classmates will remember her “I’ll keep singing, you keep laughing” attitude. Her mother remembers teacher Marie Hay having a profoundly positive impact on Lisa, who recalled her time at Branksome fondly.

Lisa attended Queen’s University, again excelling in dramatic arts. She then established herself in a marketing career. When working at LaserQuest, she became popular with her nieces and nephews, who spent many birthday parties there. A child at heart herself, she was always the fi rst to take them to the newest Disney movie.

In 1996, Lisa met David, then moved to Ajax with him, and was married in 2004.

Lisa left the corporate world to help David with his home renovation business and volunteer at a retirement home nearby. She sang for the residents and was the most requested act on the program.

After many years of hard work, their dream to rebuild the family cottage on Sturgeon Lake became a reality in 2017. Lisa flourished in this community, enjoying Carroll family vacations, sitting by the lake, kayaking, boating, reading, visiting with friends, and anything shiny. She is dearly missed.

JENNIFER LOWDEN

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DAVID SPOWART

A DAY IN T HE L IFE

The Play’s the Thing I Love Performing in theatre in New York has long been my dream

By Natalia PAYNE’99

morning in New York City. While my East Village neighbours head out for brunch, I am getting ready to go to work. As an actor, currently appearing in the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview at Brooklyn’s Theatre for a New Audience, my eight-show work week runs from Tuesday through Sunday. By the end of the day, I will have played a matinee and evening performance before hundreds of theatre-goers.

The New York Times called Fairview “a stunning representation of the violent schizophrenia of American racism” and “a series of perspective-altering surprises.” Despite the play’s difficult subject matter and experimental style, it has been met with rave reviews, multiple awards, two sold-out extensions and a transfer to a larger theatre.

IT’S A SUNNY SUNDAY

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Originating a role in a new play is an adventure. The script can change dramatically from first rehearsal through previews, as the director and playwright explore what works in front of an audience. This process requires stamina, adaptability, and an aptitude for quickly relearning lines. It is always a relief when opening night arrives, and the staging and script are finally “locked.”

Since most of my time between theatre jobs is spent on auditions or quick TV shoots (including appearances on the Canadian shows Workin’ Moms and Cardinal), I have come to cherish the structure and ritual that acting in a play provides. My subway ride to work, with its views of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, has become a highlight of my routine.

When I arrive at the theatre an hour before curtain, I sign in on the call board backstage, make a cup of tea, and chat with the crew. Actors will often warm up onstage before the house is opened. I use this time to review choreography, warm up my voice, and rehearse some lines in my character’s French dialect.

At the half-hour call, I join the camaraderie of the dressing rooms. Especially on twoshow days, there is an atmosphere of blissful exhaustion as my castmates and I chat about our mornings, put on our makeup and costumes, and prepare for the marathon ahead.

Once I make my entrance, the unstoppable momentum of the show takes over. Though I have played this role for months and the lines are familiar, the challenge is to recreate the sensation of saying them for the first time.

A live audience helps—their unpredictable reactions and energy are a vital part of the performer’s experience.

The matinee finishes to enthusiastic applause, but the day is only half over. Some actors stay at the theatre to rest between shows, but I need fresh air and sunlight!

I might take a walk to nearby Fort Greene Park, or lose myself in the bookstore down the street before heading back to the theatre.

The evening performance flies by and, suddenly, the week is over. On my way out, I stop in the lobby to chat with some theatregoers who linger to get their playbills signed.

I pop into the bar next door for a quick drink with my castmates before we disperse for a much-needed day off.

As a theatre-obsessed student at Branksome Hall, I fantasized about one day living in New York and originating roles in new plays. On my subway ride home, the New York skyline twinkles through the train’s windows as I cross the East River back into Manhattan. R Natalia studied theatre at Yale University and graduated in 2003. She has appeared in numerous plays, films, and television shows and divides her time professionally between New York and Toronto.

UpcomingEvents Visit branksome.on.ca/alumnae for details and registration.

MONTREAL RECEPTION Thursday, January 30, 2020 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Rosewood Pub & Restaurant 60 Rue Saint-Jacques, Vieux Montréal Register at branksome.on.ca/ montreal-reception

CANADIAN LEADERS AT SEA LONDON, U.K. RECEPTION Thursday, April 2, 2020 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

The Royal Automobile Club 89 Pall Mall, London Watch for further details.

OTTAWA RECEPTION Thursday, April 23, 2020 Watch for further details.

REUNION 2020 WEEKEND (see inside front cover) Decades Luncheon Friday, May 29, 2020 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

10 Elm Avenue Primarily for alumnae from the 40s to the 70s, and 10 Elm Society members School Tour, Reception and Dinner Saturday, May 30, 2020 From 4:30 p.m.

The Athletics and Wellness Centre, 6 Elm Avenue Primarily for reunion classes from the years ending in 0 and 5.

Award presentations will take place during the dinner.

Watch your mail and email for further details.

PRINCIPAL JURJEVICH TAKES TO THE HIGH SEAS We are proud to announce that, along with other Canadian women leaders, Principal Karen Jurjevich has been invited to set sail aboard an HMCS frigate from Halifax to New York City from March 9 to 11, 2020. While onboard the ship, the women will engage in all aspects of life in the Royal Canadian Navy. The trip coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8.

Watch our social media channels as we follow Karen’s adventure.

2020

Allison Roach Alum Award

Call for Young Alum Nominations Achievement Award

Watch for our e-newsletter.

It will provide you with important news and events.

Easy nominating process!

Visit the website at branksome.on.ca/nominations Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2020 Award recipients will be honoured at the Reunion Dinner on Saturday, May 30, 2020.

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