We embrace things we wouldn't have taught before. - See page 8 Volume XLIII, Issue 9
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February 2 - 8, 2016
Education on the fast track Stories profiling initiatives at the Durham District School Board See pages 6-11 Photograph by Andrew Brennan
Lords pushing towards playoffs
Drumming up awareness page 18
page 25
Photograph by Michael Fletcher
Voting wars page 3 Photograph by Andrew Brennan
Photograph by Remona Pillai
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February 2 - 8, 2016
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KCAB FRONT
Campus
OF The
DC journalism students look at Durham College and UOIT, and beyond, by the numbers and with their cameras
Hey, is that Don Lovisa or Justin Trudeau? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a name for himself on the international stage by posing for selfies. Durham College president Don Lovisa demonstrates he's no slouch in that category, either, as he snaps a selfie with scholarship winners at the Student and Donor Recognition Evening. The event took place Jan. 25 and gave students a chance to meet and thank their donors. For more on the event, see the story on page 3.
Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop
Top 5 highest grossing movies of 2015 By Cameron Popwell
Campus
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February 2 - 8, 2016
The Chronicle
3
Proxy wars at SA general meeting Wage changes approved for some executive members Andrew Brennan The Chronicle
One word defined the 2016 DCUOIT Student Association’s (SA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) - proxy. Jonathan Anderson, a thirdyear electrical engineering student at UOIT, refers to the AGM as a proxy war. “[It was] based on individual special interests that were able to stifle and remove any actual discussion on several issues,” Anderson says. “It was a borderline mob.” Anderson believes limiting the amount of proxy votes to five or less would be beneficial to the democratic process. He suggests an online feature be added to the SA website allowing absent students to participate and vote on AGM issues. The AGM was held at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25. Anderson believes this online feature would help combat students missing the event because of class or other studies. In regards to the issues discussed, Anderson says he felt the AGM represented the positions of the Student Association and contrary positions were silenced. The most widely debated issue on the agenda was the motion to classify two more SA jobs as full-time employment positions. The motion was decided in a close vote, with 194 students in favour, 161 opposed it. The positions of VP of downtown campus and VP of Whitby-Pickering campus will now join the president, VP of college affairs, VP of university affairs and the VP of equity as full-time employees. All of those positions will earn an annual
Photograph by Andrew Brennan
Former SA president, Ryan Lepage, voiced his opinion about inclusion of proxy voting in SA annual general meetings.
salary of $33,000 and be entitled to two weeks of vacation time. Wages for executive members will now account for approximately $198,000 of the SA budget, com-
pared to $132,588 in 2015. However, as former SA president Ryan LePage says, the voting process wasn’t so simple. He also says the amount of proxy
their donors. “You will get students thanking donors because they couldn’t afford to go to school and they made a difference in their lives,” says Elaine Catell, the student award officer at Durham College. “For the scholarship students, it’s more someone is recognizing their hard work, which means a lot to them.” More than 150 students came to the event at the Centre for Food, where students were given dessert, got to pick up their scholarship and bursary cheques and had the chance to speak with their donors. There were also photo opportunities for students to get pictures taken with their donors. Catell says students are really appreciative of the donations. “We get thank you letters from so many students telling us how this affected their lives and in some cases, it means they can come to school,” she says. The event has an impact on donors as well. One donor, Geoff Lloyd, the president of the Rotary Club of Oshawa, says meeting the
people the club is supporting is what the night is all about. “Over the years I have met some really wonderful young people,” he says. “Young people get very bad press and it’s great to see youngsters…working hard.” Catell says scholarships were given to the top two students of every two to three-year diploma program at the college. The top student was given $1,000 ,while the second student received $500. Other students had received bursaries up to $4,000 throughout the year. Catell says financial workshops are available for students to help them properly manage the money. Only students who were taking a full course load were eligible for the scholarships. “They have to be taking a full course load because that is the only way it is fair,” she says. “You have students taking five courses and students who study less.” She says it is difficult to be at the top of a program, but the students who have been chosen have
votes per student is a problem. Students were given the ability to obtain signatures from up to ten other students and represent them in voting. That means one student could
account for eleven votes with the usage of proxy. “As evidence by the first vote, where the whole room physically voted one way but the proxies voted another and the proxies won,” LePage says. LePage says fellow students even asked him what the point was in attending the AGM if the proxy voters would outnumber those in attendance. There are people who see a benefit in a proxy vote, including the vice-president of college affairs, Mike Guerard. “I think that’s a great way for students to get involved if they can’t make the AGM,” Guerard says. However, he believes SA executive and board members should not be able to use proxy votes. “We’re the ones putting forward a lot of the motions. I think it’s unfair to go out and get votes and say ‘I’m voting for this and I have ten votes.’ If you can’t make the merit of your argument, you shouldn’t be allowed to bring extra votes.” The AGM lasted almost four hours before too many students left and the ability to hold quorum was lost. Seven motions were left on the table, including the highly debated issue of a minimum GPA requirement for any student wishing to run for an SA position. The motion called for students running for SA positions to hold a minimum GPA of 2.7 There were approximately 20 students lined up to speak before Ezra Graham, the SA’s board director and chair of the School of Media, Art & Design, was forced to announce students could no longer vote on any further issues.
Durham College grants recognize students' hard work Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle
David Kiezebrink, a second-year hospitality student at Durham College, knows full well that good grades and hard work pays off. He was one of the almost 200 students who received scholarships this year, while another 300 received bursaries from donors, totaling more than $500,000, as part of the Student and Donor Recognition Evening. He, along with the other recipients, attended the reception on Jan. 25 to have the chance to meet and thank their donors. Kiezebrink is grateful for the donation. “I have a wife and a kid and I pay rent and I pay food, I pay gas and I pay insurance. I have a lot of bills, so it’s going to help,” he says. He received a $500 Durham Region Chairman Scholarship for his grades last year. The reception took place on the Whitby campus and included bursary recipients who received donations throughout the year, so they would also get a chance to meet
Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop
Durham College students pose after receiving the Durham Region Chairman scholarships for academic achievement. worked very hard. Lloyd says he hopes students will continue to be encouraged to pursue their careers, relationships and passions. “My advice is to never give up (on) whatever you decide, provid-
ed it is legal of course,” he laughs. “I wouldn’t suggest drug-peddling or anything like that.” The Student and Donor Recognition Evening is held every January.
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February 2- 8, 2016
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Editorial
PUBLISHER: Greg Murphy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Brian Legree AD MANAGER: Dawn Salter
CONTACT US NEWSROOM: brian.legree@durhamcollege.ca ADVERTISING: dawn.salter@durhamcollege.ca
Social media mistakes cause more loss than followers Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. Whether you have one or all of these accounts, the free memberships don’t mean freedom from social media consequences when posting something distasteful or poorly communicated. The instant accessibility that often comes with social media platforms makes it easy to forget that what’s posted on the Internet stays on the Internet and that quick post you made on your way home from work or school, might cost you more than followers. The culture of expressing our thoughts instantly, primarily over Twitter, has grown into a daily routine for many people. A 2013 Whiting and Williams study cites ‘expression of opinion’ as one of the top reasons people use social media sites, but how much censorship is necessary and what topics should be avoided to maintain a professional online presence? A blog on Hootsuite, a social media management system’s website says religion, politics and sex are topics to avoid when posting to social media. Damian Goddard, a former onair host for Sportsnet learned the severity of touching on these topics when he lost his job following a Twitter post stating his position against gay marriage. Although Goddard stands by his words and doesn’t regret his actions, the take away here is: don’t post anything you’re not willing to lose a job over. You need to be aware of the conditions of your contract before posting anything sensitive. Using keyboard shortcuts and abbreviations when shooting off a text or tweet has become common practice for many. Limited time and characters or lack of foresight are possible reasons why social media users may make the decision to drop the universal rules of grammar and punctuation for quicker communication. However, the cost of ditching ‘your’ for ‘ur’, or not taking note of which ‘its’ you’re using when posting to social media might be equal to that high pay cheque you’re
Cartoon by Alyssa Bugg
vying for. According to CareerBuilder. ca, of the Human Resource (HR) managers who use social media to screen candidates for positions, 70 per cent have rejected people because of “poor communication skills”. So there you have it, your parents and teachers were right: grammar, spelling and punctuation do matter.
EDITORS: Deen Albertini, Sachin Bahal, Andrew Brennan, Alyssa Bugg, Ryan Burden, Logan Caswell, Megan Chase, Bill Christou, Michael Clark, David Conti, Alexander Costa, Jordan Edmonds, Alyssa Erwin, Michael Fletcher, Jordyn Gitlin, Sean Heeger, Kyle Johnson, Shane O’Neill, Mariah Pardy, Sherise Peart-Kent, Reba Pennell, Remona Maria Pillai, Cameron Popwell, Taylor Prest, Cody Quinney, Amanda Ramlal, Tabitha Reddekop, Christopher Rego, Alexander Ross, Justin Stewart, Marina Tyszkiewicz, Sandhya Visvanathan, Taylor Waines.
School, work, life – it’s all very stressful at times and the urge to rant to anyone who will listen (or to an open venue such as Facebook and Twitter) is oh so enticing. But don’t do it. With 70 per cent of HR managers screening job candidates, being aware of what content you’re distributing on social media is something that could make or
break your potential career plans. When you have that bad day and feel the urge to rant about your boss, the jerk, reconsider writing a status update and replace it for a private message to a close friend. Professional exposure on your social media profiles can, for the most part, be avoided by changing the privacy settings on the accounts.
However, practicing these safety measures will ensure a zero per cent chance of losing respect, a job or an opportunity because of a social media slip-up. It comes down to accessibility and accountability. Just because these platforms are accessible, does not mean you won’t be held accountable. Alyssa Bugg
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The Chronicle is published by the Durham College School of Media, Art and Design, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7L7, 7212000 Ext. 3068, as a training vehicle for students enrolled in Journalism and Advertising courses and as a campus news medium. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the college administration or the board of governors. The Chronicle is a member of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association.
Publisher: Greg Murphy
Editor-In-Chief: Brian Legree
Advertising Production Manager: Kevan F. Drinkwalter
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February 2 - 8, 2016
Opinion
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5
A case for the commons
Why people are standing with Bill Cosby
The Computer Commons is one of the many study spaces for Durham College students on campus. It functions as a computer lab, as well as IT and printing services for staff and students. It doubles as the centrepiece of the South Wing, and arguably the focal point of whole college. What’s most remarkable about the Computer Commons is that it has survived so long in a time where most students have a computer in their backpack. When the space was announced by the government in 2002, it may have been an exciting idea. 200 computers for students to do homework or send some emails was a huge deal. However, as technology becomes more accessible to students, the usefulness of a stationary, bulky computer in a computer lab decreases. Yet, despite having the ability to pull the Internet out of their pockets, students still fill the 200 workspaces that the Computer Commons provide. The Commons has many features available to its guests, and those features are updated and expanded every three years. The open space is available for students along the main hall of the south wing in the Gordon Willey building of Durham College - the same hallway where students might be ambushed by bake sale volunteers or safe sex advertisers. The room was expanded to keep up with the growing student needs, as enrolment been increasing annually. The Computer Commons is an architecturally beautiful space with tall glass walls that provide the gorgeous view of a crowd of students fighting to squeeze onto the 915
Even though more than 50 women have come forward accusing Bill Cosby of drugging, raping and sexual assaulting them, 41 per cent of Americans feel ambivalent about whether or not Cosby was a rapist, according to a 2015 survey. A decade before the survey, in a 2005 deposition, Cosby admitted he had seven prescriptions for Quaaludes, a sedative and hypnotic medication, which he gave to women he had sex with. Yet public scepticism remains. This scepticism is detrimental to victims of rape, making it hard to expect a conviction, especially when the accused encompasses success, fame and a faucet of charisma. In 1984, Bill Cosby starred and produced a show that held the number one rating in America for five years: The Cosby Show. Cosby played the role of a loving husband and father of five. It was this role that earned him the recognition of the comedic, quintessential all-American family man. This image was even supported by Keshia Knight, who played his daughter on the show. In a 2015 US Weekly article, Knight said, “All I can speak to is the man that I know and I love. The fact that he’s been such an example, you can’t take away from the great that he has done.” Hannibal Buress, a famous male comedian called out Bill Cosby for his alleged sex crimes during a 2014 stand up routine. “I was on TV in the ’80s. I can talk down to you because I had a successful sitcom. Yeah, but you raped women, Bill Cosby.” The routine went viral and many of Cosby’s alleged victims began coming forward and people
started to listen. In the decades prior to Buress’s routine, six women had publicly come forward with sexual assault accusations against Cosby, and few people took them seriously. Comedian Allegations against Cosby date as far back as 1965 but the majority of the alleged victims didn’t come out until Buress’s routine. This is not surprising as we saw the same thing unfold with the case of Jian Ghomeshi, his alleged sexual harassment claims date back to 2003, but it wasn’t until the allegations became public in 2014 that more women started to come forward. According to Rape Abuse and National Incest (RAINN), out of every 100 rapes only 46 per cent are reported to the police. Of those reported, only 12 will result in an arrest, nine will be prosecuted, five will lead to a felony conviction and only three per cent will spend a single day in prison. RAINN also suggests rapists tend to be serial offenders and credits this to the fact that 97 per cent of rapists walk free. Cosby hasn’t served a day in jail since the start of the allegations. Due to the statute of limitation, a law that forbids prosecutors from charging someone with a crime committed more than a specified number of years ago, many of the victims have missed the window to file charges. And those who have come for-
ward within the timeframe lack physical evidence. Cosby has not only declined to answer questions surrounding the allegations but has implied that the sex acts were consensual. Cosby’s fans seem to believe him. For example, the “We Stand with Cosby” Facebook group dismisses the allegations but even after the release of the deposition in which Cosby admits to giving the woman drugs and having sex with them, but people posting to the facebook group are adamant that the allegations are still false. The perception we have of Cosby’s innocence stems from his image of America’s number one dad, a semblance that was carefully crafted and orchestrated by Cosby himself. “Cosby won my trust as a 17-yearold aspiring actress in 1985, brainwashed me into viewing him as a father figure, and then assaulted me multiple times,” says Barbra Bowman, one of the alleged victims. The public image of the benign all-American TV Dad Heathcliff Huxtable made Cosby an implausible sexual perpetrator even to the people closest to him: his own victims. Here in Canada, former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi is awaiting trial for seven counts of sexual assault. In a Toronto Life article, Ghomeshi has been described as “a charming, narcissist who desperately wanted to be adored”. The writer says he now has “a small circle of admirers who either believe his innocence or have forgiven his sins”. The two stories are eerily similar. It is the charisma and fame that keeps these men innocent in the eyes of the public.
and Justin Tucker celebrate touchdowns and field goals with those infamous dance moves. Don’t expect Drake’s momentum to slow down any time soon either. He’s set to coach Team Canada in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Toronto on February 12, and rumours are his highly anticipated album Views from the 6 won’t be too far behind. So, after all of that, who could have been bigger than Drake? Well, Sorry if you still haven’t realized this kid is a star, but it is of course Justin Bieber. He had a massive 2015, capped off by the release of his fourth studio album Purpose. He went head-tohead with pop powerhouses One Direction, and smashed them on the Billboard 200 in the first week of their same-week releases. Purpose debuted at number one with 649-thousand equivalent album units, while Made in the A.M. by One Direction could only muster 459-thousand units at the two spot. 2015 saw Bieber pull a complete 180 after multiple years defined by controversy and bad press. It’s
fair to say that he’s back in a big way, and isn’t slowing down. Bieber finally dethroned the queen of the Billboard charts on January 23, as a song not named Hello is number one for the first time in over two months. The only people Bieber needs to say sorry to is his competition. So you’re probably sitting there and wondering who could have had a bigger year than those two popular culture giants? Well, in 2015, everyone was living for The Weeknd. He had two number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with Can’t Feel My Face and The Hills. Those songs were first and second on the Billboard charts for the week of September 26. He then became the 12th artist or band in history to replace his own song as number one on the charts. His song Earned It for the movie Fifty Shades of Grey peaked at number three, and is nominated for an Oscar. He headline the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, performed at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and unofficially had
the best hair of 2015. The Weeknd has gone from releasing free mixtapes and featuring on Drake’s albums to running the charts, selling out stadiums and becoming a star in his own right. This doesn’t even begin to describe how Canada dominated the music scene in 2015. Shawn Mendes had a massive year with his multiple chart-topping hits and Alessia Cara showed us she’s Here to stay. During the final week of 2015, the Boxing Day edition of the Billboard Hot 100 saw Canadian artists occupying positions two through eight. The Canadian music scene took over last year, and their momentum is sure to carry into the future. They currently hold eight of the top 15 spots on the Billboard charts and show no signs of slowing down. The combination of youth and diversity in genres is sure to guarantee you hear about these artists for many years to come. And if you’ve made it this far and are still wondering why “wise” was in quotations at the top, it’s because the real name of Sam from Lord of the Rings was Samwise Gamgee.
Ryan Burden Taunton at the bus loop. Classrooms SW 201, 202 and 203 overlook the area. Despite its beauty, photography is not permitted within the Commons. The question remains: Is this beautiful space being used to the best of its ability? Should a computer lab in 2015 be condensed or moved? With so many students in laptop-based programs, including most Media and Design courses and computer technology programs, it may be hard to believe that anyone would use the 200 desktop computers. Durham College and UOIT houses about 20,000 students, and although many of those students may never touch a desktop computer within the Commons, it's easy to think that one per cent of the total student body has a use for the desktops. Despite the increasing number of laptop-dependent programs, every available seat is usually filled at any time of the day. Desktop computers are powerful machines that provide students with a free alternative to purchasing a laptop for school. Students within the Commons can be found designing ads, balancing ledgers, and writing essays. With so many students occupying this space daily, perhaps the question to ask isn’t whether one Computer Commons is necessary, but should we get another?
Marina Tyszkiewicz
Canadian music makers are marking their territory When it comes looking to the past, a “wise” man once said, “Let us be rid of it, once and for all. Come on, Mr. Frodo.” But then I remember Dave Chappelle once telling me that sometimes you have to race. What do either of those things really mean? Essentially, nothing other than this time we’re breaking the rules. Let’s travel back in time and take a look at the big winners of 2015. So what was the biggest win of 2015? Was it Holly Holm’s knockout of the previously unstoppable force known as Ronda Rousey? How about the Golden State Warriors dominating Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals? Or maybe you’re thinking it was the trouncing of the New York Mets by the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. All fine answers, but still wrong. The biggest win of 2015? That’s easy. It was Canadian music artists versus everyone else. Canada completely owned the music scene in 2015. If they were a sports team, they would be the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, if that Bulls team had three Michael Jordans.
Andrew Brennan Canada is home to not only three of the biggest music artists of last year, but arguably three of the biggest popular culture icons as well. Let’s start with the artist formerly known as Wheelchair Jimmy. Drake basically broke the internet on October 19 when he released the video for Hotline Bling. What Drake did in his Hotline Bling video would have probably ruined the career of almost any other hip-hop artist. The turtleneck sweater, the minimal look of the video, and of course the dancing. It was a parody waiting to be made. But somehow, as he always seems to do, Drake came out on top. The video now has around 400 million views, and the song held a spot in top five on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 weeks. You can hear it playing in essentially any club from Oshawa to Toronto, and see professional athletes like Mark Ingram
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February 2 - 8, 2016
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Photograph by Andrew Brennan
The electric car team from Pickering High School proudly surround the car they built.
Kick starting more than minds Pickering High School peels back its layers for positive change Andrew Brennan The Chronicle
O
n the surface, Pickering High School (PHS) probably looks a lot like your average school. You’ll see students being sent to the office for misbehaving in class, to pick up lateslips, or deal with other responsibilities they had previously neglected. But like an onion, PHS has layers. You might just see a special side of the school when you peel back those layers. The more you explore the school, you realize those initial images are not what define PHS. You see the leadership shown by some of the school’s brightest and most inspirational students. Pickering High School’s mission statement says it “encourages the growth of active, responsible and educated citizens who have the skills, concepts and attitudes necessary for long-life learning in a rapidly changing world.” Jean-Louis Poulin wants to accomplish that mission. He is one of four vice-principals at Pickering High School. While sitting in his office and speaking with him, it’s difficult to determine whether he is a bigger fan of the Montreal Canadiens or his school and its students. His eyes lit up as he spoke about the
This is part of a series about the Durham District School Board written by Durham College journalism students. leadership qualities he sees in the students of PHS. One of those students is Azalea Phangsoa. She balances life as a high school senior with being the head of the student government, editor-in-chief of the school’s Trojan Times newspaper, president of the school’s electric car team, and founder of the charity organization The Kick Off Initiative. The Kick Off Initiative provided soccer balls for classrooms in Jakarta, Indonesia last October, and is currently working to do the same for children in Panama. According to The Kick Off Initiative’s “About Us” page, Phangsoa wants to study engineering after high school. It was easy to see the enthusiasm for the electric car project after spending just a few
minutes around Phangsoa and the rest of the team. The four returning students from last year’s group gathered around their finished product and close to 20 new members helped roll it from the garage to prepare the vehicle to be photographed. One of those four returning students is Kiran Mohammed. He says the knowledge gained during the building of the electric car was invaluable. “You can’t learn that anywhere else, [not] off a textbook [or] off the internet. You have to do it and get out there,” says Mohammed. The students are committed to the project. They spent last spring’s teacher’s strike working on the electric car. Some students put in up to 12 hours a day, says both Mohammed and Phangsoa. The entire group were there working on this year’s model after school had ended, when many of the teachers had gone home for the day. The student government were also affected by the teacher’s strike. They weren’t able to hold voting in the spring as they usually do. Elections were instead held in September, leaving this government in what Heidi Stahler describes as its “infancy.” Heidi Stahler is one of the faculty members involved with the student government. She says it’s structured like the Canadian government. There is a prime minister and a cabinet of 14 ministers. Their positions are not simply paired with blank titles, but real responsibilities.
The student government showed great initiative and completely cleaned out what was formerly a storage area, and transformed it into their official meeting room. According to vice-principal Poulin, the minister of environment is working to clean up an outdoor area at the school and turn it into a positive space for students. He says the ministers of communications operate the student government social media accounts, and connect with any guest speakers who visit the school. The ministers of finance track the money used to put on events such as school dances. They work within a budget given to them at the beginning of the year and must manage all money spent, says Poulin. Pickering High School has found an innovative approach to the operation of its student government, as well the electoral process itself. The school wanted to move away from forced voting to promote informed decisions and a purposeful election, says Poulin. “Students in grade 11 and 12 created platforms and ran in the election based on those platforms. Many of the students who are currently in our student government also participated in some capacity last year, and we also have several students who are also taking the leadership course through the school,” says Heidi Stahler, a teacher involved with the student government. The voting numbers were “low”, says Poulin. Of the 2000 PHS stu-
dents, Poulin says approximately 25 to 30 per cent voted. Comparatively, the last Student Association election at DC-UOIT drew around seven per cent of students to polling stations. This year’s group has focused on increasing school spirit and growing the school community, says Stahler. Some of their bigger projects include a pep rally and a Celebration of Cultures. “We have a great group of kids who are highly motivated to make positive changes in the school during their time in leadership,” says Stahler. Pickering High School is like an onion with its different layers and levels of student engagement and leadership. Just like the school, its students also have different layers to their personalities. It’s easy to see how someone like Azalea Phangsoa could become interested in both the student government and the electric car project. PHS allows its students to explore all aspects of their personalities. The student government engages students and creates a dialogue between peers. Students are able to take charge and create something of their own, from cleaning out an old storage room to planning school events. These programs allow students to discover who they are and who they want to be. They provide them with an opportunity to take on real leadership positions, make a difference in their high school, and learn more about themselves.
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February 2 - 8, 2016
7
Photograph by Reba Pennell
Principal William Levine (left) and guidance counsellor Nicole Watt along with the rest of the staff at Eastdale Collegiate are committed to helping students with mental health concerns.
Getting help for mental health Reba Pennell The Chronicle
M
ental health is based on a person’s psychological and emotional well-being. When that is compromised, a person may feel emotions such as anger, depression and, as a result, may start acting out. Approximately 10 to 20 per cent of youth are affected by mental illness but out of that percentage, only one in five youth who need mental health services get the help that they need, according to The Canadian Mental Health Association. One consequence of a student’s compromised mental health could be suicide: the second leading cause of death among Canadian youth, aged 10 to 19. On May 28, 2014, Eastdale was hit with a gruelling scene, when the school was closed because a former student crashed her car into the side of the school, killing herself. Local papers said it appeared to be a suicide. The incident took place on school property and as a result, had students talking. Eastdale Collegiate staff is committed to making sure that all students get the help they need, whether they are in a crisis situation or not. This is because when students are feeling anxious or depressed, maybe about a test, they may not know who to talk to but the school does have guidance counsellors and social service workers on hand throughout the school year. If the student is in a crisis situation then they are referred to the Lakeridge Health Emergency Centre. If not in crisis, a student may be referred to Catholic Family Services, located in downtown Oshawa. The student does not have to be Catholic to access the services, according to Nicole Watt, a guidance counsellor, teacher and coach at Eastdale. The services offer a broad
This is part of a series about the Durham District School Board written by Durham College journalism students. range of counseling and have a walk-in every Thursday. The school also looks at the last time the student has seen a family doctor. This is to make sure there are no underlying physical issues, or substance abuse issues. If substances are an issue then the student may get referred to Pinewood Services, which is a rehab center. Nicole Watt not only coaches students on their mental well-being as a guidance counsellor but she also coaches students in field hockey. Watt notes that anxiety and depression are crucial mental health issues to look for around this time and near the end of January, with exams and the end of the semester. “Anxiety and depression are kind of at the forefront of the issues here. We have anxiety pretty much all year around but it definitely peaks towards the end of the semester.” Watt said there may be underlying issues with a student but anxiety and depression are at the core of it. She describes it as an iceberg. “We have students that exhibit a broad range of behaviours and it looks like something else. It’s like an iceberg, underneath it’s a big thing related to anxiety. “ As the principal at Eastdale, William Levine knows being committed to the students and making sure they have a solid sense of self is important. Levine ensures the
students at his school are in a safe environment and are both mentally and physically healthy. One thing that Levine tries to make clear to the students is he wants to be involved in school events. He wants students to know he is approachable because then students will know if they need somebody to talk to, they also have the option to talk to the principal. “As much as I get trapped at my desk, I try to be visible in the building. I’m out there and students see me around the building. It makes me that much more approachable,” said Levine. He also has what he calls an open door policy. During grade assemblies at the beginning of the school year, where Levine and other vice principals talk to the students, Levine makes sure students know about the policy that he has. “I have an open door policy. What it means for a student is that they don’t get hassled to get to me,” said Levine. “So there is nobody controlling access to the principal. All the student has to say is ‘I’d like to see the principal,’ and the secretary knows, the rest of the staff knows.” Levine said that his open door policy allows students to be able to talk to the principal about any issues that he/she may be having. Levine explained the open door policy by saying if he was talking to the Prime Minister of Canada and a student came to see him, he would excuse himself from the Prime Minister because his students come first. On top of his open door policy and being seen around the school, Levine also makes sure that he is seen at different events held at the school. He also likes to do regular classroom visits. This is so he is involved in the school and the students know he cares about what is going on.. “I try to make the point of linking myself to different events that
go around in the school and again, so that way I am there. I might go in and do a guest visit in the classroom,” said Levine. “There could be a presentation going on in the school, so I’m there. It might be that I’m at the front of the room, and I’m introducing that presentation. So it gives them a sense that they know that I care about what’s going on.”
Anxiety and depression are kind of at the forefront of the issues here. If they get the sense he cares, then it will be easier for students to talk to him about issues they are having. In any high school, there are many mental health issues surrounding the school and the students. Mental health issues, like depression and anxiety, can lead to other issues. Can lead to self-harm and suicide. Like Levine and the numerous other staff at Eastdale, Nicole Watt, field hockey coach, guidance counsellor and physical education teacher, is committed everyday to ensuring the students at Eastdale stay healthy. While there have been many strides in helping the issue of mental health, Watt said that in the future, she hopes to see more resources and support in the community. Sometimes when students are sent to Oshawa’s community resources
they have to wait a long time before they can see anyone. When a student’s mental health has been compromised going to community resources, like Lakeridge, would be beneficial for the students. However, students having a healthy home environment with parents staying involved in their children’s lives, would benefit student’s wellbeing greatly. If parents become more involved than they are with their kids then students may be able to relieve their anxiety. Canada’s Comprehensive School Health framework suggest that when a student is emotionally and physically healthy they are much more likely to achieve their academic success. A school setting is also able to help students’ well-being in a positive manner. This is because students interact with their peers at school the most and if the setting at school is negative, then a student’s well-being could become compromised. A negative setting includes lots of bullying, or hazing. Watt also hopes that students are able to build resiliency and emotional intelligence. This is because once students understand what their feelings are and that it is okay to feel negative things, like sadness, disappointment or frustration, then the students are able to recover from the issues that they may have. “We can repair many things but with regard to the mind and our soul we are way behind on that kind of stuff,” said Watt. The crash on May 28, 2015, at was a tragic reminder that a student’s mental health may be compromised. Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts or anything else that is affecting your well-being just know that you are not alone. There are people who can and will help you.
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The art of turning the classroom into a stage Alternative classes help students succeed Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle
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wen Ferguson, a student at Henry Street High School in Whitby, auditioned for a one-act play back in Grade 9. He had started taking drama classes that year. Now in Grade 12, Ferguson continues to audition and participate in drama productions. He says his favourite role so far has been Mercutio, the witty sceptic and foil for Romeo is Shakespeare’s 1597 tragedy Romeo and Juliet. “I took the role and made it my own,” says Ferguson, who goes on to say that taking drama classes has helped him be more creative when he works on projects for other classes. If he has to present something or give a speech, he says he uses a dramatic take on it and makes it more amusing than it normally would be. Being enrolled in an arts class gives students like Ferguson the opportunity to have more freedom in classrooms that they may not have in other book heavy classes. Scholars and philosophers have argued for years that arts are central to our humanity. The arts involve us in a quest to understand and convey the human spirit. This requires empathy, which means looking at the world through another’s eyes and as such, many have argued that studying arts and humanities help students become better citizens. Lisa Phillips, writer for The Washington Post says theatre skills help build confidence. When students are given the opportunity to choose from a wide range of different art programs, it trains them to step out of their comfort zones, make mistakes and learn from them. One interesting thing about Henry Street High School (HSHS) is the number of artistic classes available to all 77 students. There is a creative option for everyone whether it be visual arts, performing arts, music or dance. All of these different styles of art classes are chosen by students based on preference. With so many options avail-
Photograph by Amanda Ramlal
Owen Ferguson (left) and head of arts at Henry Street High School,Gillian Maxwell.
This is part of a series about the Durham District School Board written by Durham College journalism students. able at HSHS they currently have 360 enrolled in any art program the school offers. Gillian Maxwell is head of arts and library at HSHS. As both an art teacher and school librarian, with 14 years of teaching experience, she says there is a freedom in art that doesn’t exist in other classes. “Art is a creative force that gives students an opportunity to express themselves in ways that other subjects don’t,” says Maxwell. When students are allowed to make their own choices it helps them spread their creativity. HSHS has a diverse set of art classes available to students. In the visual arts there is sculpting, urban arts, core foundational art and portfolio classes to help students who plan on pursuing art in order to build a great portfolio for their futures. Having a strong portfolio will only benefit you. It’s all about promoting and making a brand for yourself. In their music program, the school offers the standard music class, guitar, and vocal classes. There is also a core dance program that runs every other year and also
standard drama classes. Maxwell says they hope to add a technical drama class in the future for the performing art students. An article written by Daniel Schwarz in the Huffington Post says that being exposed to great music, opera or ballet helps widen people’s horizons and understand how people behave. In high school it’s standard practice that every student must take one art class to graduate. It’s common that these classes are taken in Grades 9 and10. But Maxwell says at HSHS there are at least 100 students in grades eleven and twelve still taking art classes. This shows they still have a passion for the arts. Whitby Station Gallery is a community gallery that was formed in 1967. Their vision for the community is to flourish in Durham Region and recognize the change. “I think Whitby’s changing a lot, I think it’s reflected in the art that we’re showing,” Maxwell says. HSHS and the Station Gallery have close ties, she says. They offer workshops and coop placements for students. Art programs give students a place to be creative says Maxwell. “It shows another side of their brain and for many students, it’s a real release from the pressures of the rest of school.” Drama class is a place where Maxwell sees students that may have behavioural issues in some classes but when drama class starts, the students are focused on what they’re doing. She says classrooms in the art program are a lot more loose than classes like math and science, students can communicate freely. Maxwell says she can see a
Photograph supplied by Owen Ferguson
Henry Street High School student Owen Ferguson starring in a school play after years of classes and auditioning. difference in the student’s moods with them being allowed to express themselves more when taking a class that allows you to be creative. HSHS has a lot of extracurricular activities, says Maxwell. These include the drama club, a play in the fall and a major production in spring. This year, the drama class is performing Mid Summer Night Stream. The visual arts class has an art club every day during lunch period and music classes have a junior, senior and jazz band. The high school also does coffee house and art nights, where students can show off everything they’ve done in classes. Drama kids perform and students show their art. HSHS also offers arts and culture Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM). SHSM is a specialized program that allows students to focus on a specific skill. It also helps students with early credits into colleges. At HSHS, there are currently 15 students on track to graduate with a Specialist High Skills Major.
“Creativity is much broader now, we embrace things we wouldn’t have taught before,” says Maxwell. At HSHS their urban arts class does spray painting and skateboard deck designing. Fifteen years ago art was really about “the standard” with drawing and painting classes. But we’re very specific, says Maxwell. “A lot of things that wouldn’t have been considered part of an educational curriculum back then are much more open now.” Students like Owen Ferguson are a great example, proving students show confidence from the arts. Ferguson says he stands out because he does things other students wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. “I’m more outgoing than others and more comfortable doing things other people may not be,” says Ferguson. He goes on to say he has figured out this is what he wants to do for the rest of his life. After he graduates from high school, Ferguson wants to go to a college in Ontario for film and voice acting.
Student safety increases learning potential Abhi Ahluwalia (left) and Emmanuel Nich help spread positive school culture to all students at Ajax High School. Research shows when students feel safe and included they learn faster. You can watch Durham College journalism student Justin Stewart’s report at chronicle.durhamcollege.ca
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Photograph by Alex Ross
Nicole Maracle, a Mohawk First Nations, performed a smudge for the students of Sarah Cormier's class at Port Perry High School. Jake Charles, a Georgian Island Ojibwa, received the smudge from Maracle.
Port Perry's Aboriginal relation Alex Ross
The Chronicle
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he last residential school may have closed in 1996, but the effects it had on Aboriginal people and their culture is still in today’s society. Students and faculty at Port Perry High School have been implementing a new Aboriginal-focused study. In the past, the dark history of Canada has been hidden, but the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) promised that the poor treatment of Aboriginals would be shared and made right. According to StatsCan, there are about 1.1 million people, as of 2006, in Canada that identify as Aboriginal, which makes the TRC important to all Canadian citizens. The Canadian government has recently changed to a Liberal majority with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. During the election campaign the Liberals promised that all 94 of the recommendations on the TRC would be enacted. While Stephen Harper and the Conservatives were in parliament the TRC was established, but not all of the acts were being enforced. “The residential schools worked, they made us ashamed of who we
are,” said Michelle Evans, a student success and re-engagement worker with the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Department of the Durham District School Board. Despite the previous governments attempt at keeping the past events hidden from the public eye, the changes made have opened up people’s view and attracted their attention to the other side of our history. Sarah Cormier, a teacher at PPHS has begun to bring this past into the lives of people at the school, and more importantly, the students of the community. “Aboriginal education is alive and well,” said Cormier. Some of the students that Cormier teaches at the high school took part in a project for Aboriginal truth seeking called Project of Heart. Project of Hearts’ purpose is to look at the history of Indian Residential Schools and to commemorate the lives of the Aboriginal children who died. The project is aimed to bring attention to the atrocities that happened to the Aboriginal people and get Canadian citizens to come to action to change the present and future views on Aboriginal people. “These kids, change is within their reach,” said Cormier. The
This is part of a series about the Durham District School Board written by Durham College journalism students.
students she teaches are the key to changing the views of the future because they are the future. The students who are getting involved with these programs are the most important part of the Aboriginal education. The course that Cormier runs is an art course called Expressing Aboriginal Culture. The class is an open elective for students in Grade 9 and 10, but the deciding factor of whether the class runs or not depends on Grade 8 interest. The students in the class said that the Grade 8 students should definitely be interested. “I like that we don’t read a book, but we still learn,” said Sam Edwards, one of
Cormier’s students. “We’re learning it as much as we would if we were taking notes and doing tests. It’s hands-on,” added Keith Middleton, another of Cormier’s students. These may not be the best reasons for the continuation of the program but it grabs the interest of students and it seems they come out of class with the same knowledge and respect for the culture. “We’re really connected to the culture, and we respect it,” said Brianna Taylor, a student of Cormier. The kids are so interested in the material covered in class that they are even looking into taking next year’s course if enough students sign up. “I have seen the posters upstairs and I will take it,” said Middleton. The class is taught with traditional values and forms. Cormier teaches the students about the Seven Grandfather Teachings, which shows the value of respect, truth, love and honesty. One of the less obvious grandfather teachings is bravery. “It [the bear] has courage in its’ heart,” said Taylor. The students used these teachings, along with a quiz, to test for their spirit animal and they had to do a traditional style painting of their animal. “My name is hummingbird and
as a big guy, I didn’t like that name, but as I did more research, I found out they’re really cool,” said Jake Charles, a worker for the Aboriginal education section of the Oshawa Community Health Centre. Jake is a weekly guest at the school; he comes to speak with the Aboriginal Students Association Committee (ASAC). Expressing Aboriginal Culture grants students one art credit upon completion. The type of class is focused on the culture of Aboriginal people and not boring dates and names of people. The less history-oriented class may be more appealing to younger students, since they must take a mandatory history course. Canadian history has been glossed over and hidden from the general public’s eye. It is important for today’s children to learn about what happened in the past, especially with Aboriginal people’s history. The new government will hopefully shed more light onto the events of the past and with the current teachings at PPHS, the students of today will be more educated citizens of the future. The future should be open and free of segregation and prejudice based on race.
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Photograph by Alyssa Bugg
The DDSB Continuing Education Centre on Centre Street South in Oshawa.
Finding success with continuing education
Alyssa Bugg The Chronicle
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imon Lewis graduated with his high school diploma from one of Durham District School Board’s continuing education programs (Durham Continuing Education) in 2015, at the age of 24. His journey began in 2013 when Lewis made the trip from Trinidad to join his father in Canada. He was filled with ambitions. “I wanted to start over fresh, get my high school diploma, go to college and study electrical engineering,” said Lewis. Like Lewis, millions of people have used adult learning services across Canada. Both secondary and post-secondary schools commonly offer programs, courses and workshops catered to adults after they have left formal education or come to Canada from another country. These programs are often referred to as continuing education. According to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, 55 out of 72 Ontario school boards offer continuing education programs at more than 300 different school sites. Durham Continuing Education and other continuing education programs offer adults. The chance to go back to school and upgrade their skills, to stay current on technology and industry trends, as well as the chance for immigrants to improve their reading and language skills so they are able to be successful. Continuing education offers
This is part of a series about the Durham District School Board written by Durham College journalism students. a chance at success. When Lewis came to Durham Continuing Education, he met with their guidance department who helped him discover where his passions lay and the paths he could explore. “First they asked me what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. One of the guidance [counsellors] sat down with me and asked what I really liked to do most. And I said I like to do things with my hands,” says Lewis. Durham Continuing Education works with each student to find out what their specific goal path may be. Every 26 seconds, someone makes the decision to leave their public school in the U.S., according to Minnesota-based Carleton College. In 2009-2012, nearly 900 million students left Ontario high schools, according to Employment and Social Development Canada. For those who make this decision, it doesn’t mean they’re out of options, according to Joanne Docherty, vice-principal of Durham Continuing Education. “If they are over the age of 21, they are eligible as an adult student
to do credit courses toward their high school diploma, to complete their high school diploma,” says Docherty. “They come in, some only need a couple more credits to graduate, others need far more than that. So, each adult learner will meet with a guidance counsellor, they will be assessed in terms of how many credits they need to earn their high school diploma. You need 30 credits to graduate.” Durham Continuing Education offers students a chance to earn high school credits in a flexible environment. Through the Adult Credit Day School, mature students are able to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through a variety of options to suit everyone’s lifestyle, including night school, summer school and online. “We will have some students who have been out of school 20 years and they have records from the old school systems, where you only needed 27 credits to graduate. So, we have a mature student evaluation process and we also have a prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) process,” says Docherty. Many older students face barriers in their day-to-day life, which often lead to missed classes and diminished self-confidence. Financial obstacles, work schedule conflicts, transportation costs and child care are among the highest reported hurdles, according to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. A 2009 report by the Canadian Council on Learning says
the most common reason for takingpost-secondary classes for people aged 25 to 54 was to find or change jobs. Backtoschool.com, a website catered to giving advice to mature students looking to head back to school, says that older adults want options that quickly transition them to new opportunities, but also want prior learning assessments and accelerated program formats. Durham Continuing Education’s PLAR process allows students to earn credits based on knowledge and skills acquired outside a traditional classroom, for both secondary and mature students. They also offer several pathway programs to prepare students for employment in nine weeks in the areas of Building & Maintenance, Hospitality, Office Assistant and Personal Support Worker (PSW). The National Post, through an internal government document, cites that one in six immigrants speak only a non-official language and of those, 60 per cent were unable to carry a conversation in English or French. Since many are unable to adequately communicate, it cuts their job prospects significantly. When Lewis came to Canada, he says he spoke very broken English, but after taking an English speaking course at Durham Continuing Education, his English is much clearer. Over the past decade, Canada has permitted about 250,000 immigrants and refugees per year, according to the Ottawa Citizen. Durham Continuing Education offers three programs which allow immigrants a chance at a life and
career in Canada by providing them with courses specific to their needs. English as a Second Language (ESL) and Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), provides basic English training to those new to Canada. Durham Continuing Education also offers Enhanced Language Training (ELT). “ELT is for professionals coming from foreign nations, who held a profession in their home nation but come here and just need to learn the language specific to that trade. So, if you’re a medical practitioner in Bangladesh or something, you could come here and we would help students learn the language of the profession here,” says Paul Brown, principal of Durham Continuing Education. The demand for continuing education has increased over the past 15 years. According to Ryerson University’s Continuing Education statistics, in 2000-2001 just over 45,500 people registered for their continuing education courses and 20142015 saw an increase of 23,000 with nearly 68,000 registrations. Lewis, after graduating, realized that his dreams of becoming an electrical engineer required a bit more work. He’s currently taking a chemistry course through Durham Continuing Education and will pursue a physics course next term. Durham Continuing Education and many similar programs across Canada provide people like Lewis and others the opportunity to dream and achieve.
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Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop
Nick Wagner, a supply teacher for the Durham District School Board, is pleased with being able to impact many students' lives.
Doors open for supply teachers Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle
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aramedics, police officers and superman aren’t the only people on call for their jobs - supply teachers are ready for all educational emergencies. “Usually I’m up, I’ll be ready, waiting for a call,” says Nick Wagner, a 28-year-old, supply teacher for the Durham District School Board (DDSB). His uniform? A dress shirt, no cape included. The call could come the night before or even up to the afternoon the day of, but Wagner says he will be ready for when it does come. He has been working for DDSB for almost a year, specializing in teaching history and geography to high school students. But Wagner may be able to achieve his dream of becoming a full-time teacher faster than past teachers. The past problems Supply teachers used to be stuck in the supply system for five to six years, says Frank McIntyre, a research consultant for the Ontario College of Teachers. This is because of the rate of teacher retirement compared with new teacher graduates. It left many newer teachers struggling to fulfill their dreams and stuck in a sometimes difficult supply role longer than expected. But recent changes to the teacher education system will help current supply teachers and future graduates find jobs faster.
the X number of years to get employment.” He predicts the amount of teachers retiring and the amount of new teachers graduating will be steady through the next 15 years. He says this is because of changes in the teacher education system. In the past, teachers had to take one This is part of a series about the year of teacher college in order to Durham District School Board work for a school board. But in 2015 written by Durham College the program was lengthened to two journalism students. years and the student intake for program was cut in half. These changes were intended to enhance teacher education. It would teach them how to use technology in the classroom The statistics and make them more equipped for McIntyre says the rapid retire- diverse types of students. But McInment of the baby boomer teachers tyre says the change couldn’t have in 1998 through 2002 meant there were more than enough jobs for new graduates. But then retirement levels dropped back to normal. At the same time, the number of graduates rose from around 5,000 to 12,000 each year, according to a Transition to Teaching study in 2014. This led to a competitive job market. It also led to a growing list of supply teachers and graduates who couldn’t find a full-time position. Each year, this surplus of teachers continued to expand.
around the same number of new to full time employment.” Because teachers should graduate each year of the changes, supply teachers will through the new program. spend only one or two years on the supply list, compared to the five or Upcoming teachers six of the past The new program benefits Rebecca King, a first-year from the Moving forward UOIT Faculty of Education. It is Even though becoming a full-time her dream to become a second teacher in Ontario has been rough grade teacher at a French immer- for the past 13 years, new and future sion school. Her dream may come teachers say they have hope they true faster than for past grads be- can achieve their dreams. A longer cause she will have less people to teacher education curriculum with compete with when she graduates half the class size of previous years in 2016. She hopes the new teach- will keep the number of graduates er program will give her more job from over-exceeding the amount of opportunities. McIntyre says she’ll retired teachers. Supply teaching spend less time on the supply list and will still be part of the process but it will be easier for her to find long- it will be a step along the path for future grads instead of a long hike through the twists and turns of the school system.
Future hope “Two years ago it was a very dismal situation. It was hard to find employment,” says McIntyre, a research consultant who worked on the 2014 Transition to Teaching study. “We are in the process of turning a corner in the employment market and it’s going to be easier in
er-term teaching jobs and full-time positions. The new program doesn’t just benefit future graduates, says McIntyre. Current teachers stuck on the supply list will have more opportunities to get a full-time job. “People who are supply teaching now will find less competition next year and more of them will move on
People who are supply teaching now will find less competition next year and more of them will move on to full-time employment.
come at a better time. “There was the opportunity to do it at this point because there was an over supply of teachers, which meant it was possible to do it without empty classrooms.” These changes will bring the number of future graduates closer to the number of teachers retiring. About 5,000 teachers retire each year and
The bright side But Wagner chooses to see the bright side of being a supply teacher now. “Instead of being in one classroom, I am potentially in 75 classrooms,” he explains. “That’s the ideal, to have an impact on as many students as I can.” New challenges But this teacher program change doesn’t mean becoming a teacher is easier. The new challenge will be getting into a teacher college, rather than finding a job afterwards. But it’s a challenge that will make sure graduates get the best job opportunities and students get the best quality teachers available. After all, not everyone can be superman.
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Horwath talks about how to help jobless youth Megan Chase The Chronicle
Premier Kathleen Wynne (left) and Elizabeth Roy (right) take a photo with a supporter at office opening day for the Liberal candidate in the Whitby-Oshawa by-election.
Photograph by Michael Clark
NDP leader Andrea Horwath (left) gives a speech while surrounded by supporters at Whitby-Oshawa candidate Niki Lundquist's campaign office located on Dundas Street.
Photograph by Michael Clark
Photograph by Tavis Nembhard
Whitby-Oshawa Conservative candidate Lorne Coe (left) and Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown (right) pose for a photo with a supporter (centre).
The by-election race is on in Whitby-Oshawa Michael Clark The Chronicle
The three major party candidates are out, door knocking and hand shaking in Whitby-Oshawa riding to win over the people. A provincial by-election is looming Feb. 11 in the riding. The seat has been vacant for months now since Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott lost her bid for party leadership, losing to Patrick Brown of Simcoe North. Following the defeat, Elliott resigned from politics. The empty riding has become a battlefield for the Liberals and the Conservatives, with the NDP trailing behind for now. Mainstreet Research polling has Liberal and
Conservative support both in the 40 per cent mark with NDP at eight to nine per-cent. All the candidates opened their offices on the same day and in each case their party leader came to support and help out. Elizabeth Roy, the Liberal candidate, had an office-opening day, which was loud and full of youthful voters. The event seemed positive given the grim approval polls for the Liberal government, and for Premier Kathleen Wynne, who also joined Roy at her event. Roy has been a Whitby regional councillor since 2014, a Whitby town councillor since 2006 and has worked 30-years as a medical radiation therapist. At the rally Premier Wynne told the crowd, “We have to tell Eliza-
beth’s story, because if voters know what she stands for and how our economic pan is pulling Ontario forward, I know they’ll grant Elizabeth the opportunity to represent them.” For Conservative candidate Lorne Coe, it was a bit quieter; things were calm as he cut the ribbon for his office surround by his supporters. Coe has been involved in local politics for more than 12 years, eight as town councillor and four as a regional councillor. Before that he spent his career in the private sector and numerous ministries within the provincial government. The dark horse in the race is the NDP’s Niki Lundquist, a human rights lawyer. While she sees why the two former regional councillors
lead in the polls, she thinks people will recognize what they need at Queen’s Park is more ordinary people, just like her. “I live here. I raise my family here, I work, I commute, I am a regular person, you know, and I think that we need more of them," Lundquist says. "We need people who are more regular people who have decided (to) use whatever voice they have to get involved in politics so that people can really get behind somebody who’s not about themselves, who’s not about being a career politician, but who really wants to see something better. Something better than what this province has.” On Feb. 11, voters will choose to keep their riding blue or see if it’s time for change.
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath, Whitby-Oshawa NDP candidate Niki Lundquist and Jennifer French, MPP for Oshawa were at Durham College’s Centre for Food on Whitby campus recently to advocate for youth employment and highlight the importance of young people acquiring skills needed to find jobs closer to home. They were given a tour of Jan. 21 and spoke with both students and faculty about their experience and time there. Horwath believes the centre is a great example of how young people can train for a job, especially with Oshawa having one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Canada of 2015. According to the Ontario Labour Market Statistics for April 2015, Oshawa’s youth unemployment rate was at 7.9 per cent. Horwath came to Durham to support the candidacy of Lundquist, a labour and human rights lawyer whose experience is extensive in fighting exploitative practices in Canada and internationally. The NDP will be focusing on problems such as youth unemployment, auto insurance and the sell-off of Hydro One. “I know the Premier keeps talking about how it was a hard decision – it wasn’t a hard decision. It was the wrong decision. And the people of Ontario are letting her know that every chance they get,” said Horwath. Auto insurance rates have been an ongoing issue in Ontario for more than a decade and Horwath plans to fight on behalf of the people and represent their interests. “Families have a tough time making ends meet,” said Horwath. “There are some practical things we can do to give folks a break and one of them is to tame the wild animal that is the auto insurance industry here in this province.” A by-election has been scheduled for Feb. 11, to replace former Progressive Conservative MPP, Christine Elliott. Other local candidates are Elizabeth Roy for the Liberals, Lorne Coe for the Conservative party and Stacey Leadbetter for the Green party. The Whitby-Oshawa riding includes the entire town of Whitby and the section of Oshawa which lays north and west of a line drawn from the western city limit. The line travels east along King Street West, north along the Oshawa Creek, east across Rossland Road West, north along Simcoe Street North and lastly, east along Winchester Road East to Oshawa’s eastern limit.
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Spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS Putting a special focus on high-risk Aboriginal women Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle
The needs of aboriginal women will be part of the focus at the AIDS Committee of Durham Region Conference next month. A special section of the conference called In Her Skin, will address the many issues aboriginal women face, such as the high risk of HIV/AIDS infection. The conference will be held February 17–18 at Trent University in Oshawa and is open to the general public. “I’m very excited because this is really important information,” Devorah Garland, coordinator of In Her Skin and women’s services at the AIDS Committee of Durham Region.
Providing automotive excellence
Marina Tyszkiewicz The Chronicle
Imagine walking outside in Oshawa, on a warm summer’s day and within seconds stepping into a fullfledged winter storm. This is the experience UOIT’s Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) offers at its testing chamber, tucked inside the corner of the university’s campus. The 16,300-sqaure metres facility is considered ‘one of it’s kind’. It costed nearly 100 million to design, and was created as a partnership with General Motors of Canada, Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE), the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada. The chamber offers testing to several automotive vehicles, and has catered to some big names including Porsche. ACE has also used its chambers to test, buses and bicycles according to UOIT’s website. Chamber conditions can mimic any type of weather including dessert heat, snowstorms, blizzards, and hurricanes, with winds going as fast as 240 kilometres per hour. For a rate that ranges anywhere from $325 to $1,600 an hour, ACE will rent its facility to companies looking to test their products. ACE has been featured on the Discovery channel, National Geographic and has set the scene for television commercials including Hyundai. Ben Deboers is a first year Automotive Engineering student at UOIT. He says that he was able to experience the stimulating chamber first hand. “They put us in there and created a rainstorm,” says Deboers. He says he was impressed with how real the experience felt.
She started In Her Skin five years ago to help services, such as shelters, to better understand the needs of women living with HIV/AIDS. In Her Skin holds a conference each year to address the needs of different women in the community. Last year’s In Her Skin conference brought awareness about the needs of African and Caribbean women. Garland says she has wanted to focus on the needs of aboriginal women for years, but was unable to until this year. “There’s been growing support for aboriginals in our community, so it’s the perfect time to focus on aboriginal women,” she says. Currently, aboriginals are fourtimes more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS compared to non-aboriginals, she says.
These statistics, along with the high rates of sexual violence, are part of the many disadvantages for aboriginal women, she says. Some of these disadvantages, which include racial discrimination and poverty rates, will also be addressed during the conference. A half-day of the conference will be dedicated to the In Her Skin presentations. This year, In Her Skin is part of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region Conference, which is held every two years.Garland says the two conferences join together when both are holding events the same year. Other minorities also get awareness during other parts of the conference, including trans-gendered and two-spirited men. The Rainbow Resource Centre defines a two-spirited person as someone who shares a male and female spirit. This idea originated from aboriginal culture, but has only recently been gaining support again, says the centre’s website.
It is not a gay disease globally, it is a heterosexual disease. Garland says the conference is important because the risk of HIV/ AIDS infection is rising for certain groups, including heterosexuals. She says HIV/AIDS used to be considered a gay disease because when it was first recognized in the 80’s, it was mostly affecting the gay community of San Francisco. “It is not a gay disease globally, it
is a heterosexual disease,” she says. She says now the disease amongst heterosexuals is almost on par with gay men, which puts the women she tries to help at risk. She says the main aim of the In Her Skin portion of the conference is for shelters, hospitals and other services that try to help affected women understand the difficulties some women face. She believes the conference will help hospitals, food banks and other organizations better understand the women they serve. Although the In Her Skin conference is mainly targeted toward services that help women, Garland doesn’t think that should stop students from coming. The two-day conference starts off with a continental breakfast each morning. It costs between $50-$65 to attend, but admission is free if you are a student or have HIV/AIDS. The deadline for registration is Monday, February 8. You can pre-register at www.durhamhivconference.ca.
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Aboriginal Awareness day at DC and UOIT Remona Pillai The Chronicle
Throat singing, dramatized story telling, dream catchers, dancing and singing to the drums and teaching young children to talk in their native language. A day set aside to learn a little of Canada’s history. This is what the Aboriginal Awareness day held on Jan. 22 at the Durham College-UOIT gym was all about. Helping young minds learn of the culture of aboriginals and teaching them about the rituals, songs and blending them with the
beliefs of their elders. Young children from the public schools of Oshawa were introduced to the dancers, dressing style, jewelry, art and stories of the First Nations. The event was not only targeting children, but also all aboriginal students, parents and members of the community of Durham College. Durham president Don Lovisa says having an awareness day is needed to educate the staff and students of campus about the culture and heritage of the aboriginal community. “We must understand our history
as a country,” he says. Mississauga First Nation Chief Kelly LaRocca attended the awareness day and she spoke about how important it is for young aboriginal students to be immersed with the culture of the First Nations. “An awareness day raises the profile of First Nations within the local college community,” she says. A symbolic tree put up by the aboriginal students of Durham College, was decorated with colourful leaves that had words of wisdom and memories and thoughts of the people gathered for the awareness
day. The student volunteers asked people to write about what they felt with regards to truth and reconciliation in the aboriginal community. Interactive story tellers and dancers graced the event and showed the audience authentic dance moves, throat singing and told stories of animals and life lessons. Different stalls were set up to show the students and families the Photograph by Remona Pillai artwork and different practises of the First Nations. Nancy Hamer-Strahl Jewelry made with beads, animal drums along on Aboriginal fur and feathers were also sold at Awareness day. the event.
DCM REPS OF THE WEEK - Issue 9 Consistently and persistently working to gain ads has been a new challenge and adventure for us.
Entering into our final semester we are proud to be awarded as the Sales Reps of the Week for this issue. We are excited to see what will come of this semester and post graduation.
Consistently and persistently working to gain ads has been a new challenge and adventure for us.
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Photograph by Taylor Waines
(From left) Benjamin Howes, Jordan Macklai and Zooey Bharucha join in on a meditation break session led by Dr. Wendy Stanyon at the RBC lounge in UB at UOIT.
Meditation: A way to better cope with stress Taylor Waines The Chronicle
To many, meditation is a scary word, one often associated with being spiritual, or with the Buddha, or sometimes religion. Outreach worker at Durham College, Heather Bickle, believes that meditation is centring and grounding yourself. Another word for meditation is mindfulness. Mindfulness creates a feeling of calmness and relaxation, which reduces stress. When faced with constant stresses of school, work, and home life we fall into what Bickle describes as ant mode. “Sometimes we get ant mode where we just kind of wake up, we come to school, we do the same things every single day and
we almost start wasting our days,” says Bickle. The American College Health Association did a study in 2013 and found that of the students surveyed almost 90 per cent say they feel overwhelmed by all they have to do. Because of this, many struggle to find ‘me time’. Bickle says meditation is a time to put everything else on the back burner and just focus. Instead of thinking about all the things we need to do and the problems that we’re facing, Bickle suggests taking two minutes to focus on our breath. Simply breathing has many benefits. Meditation is one of many ways to add mindfulness into your daily life. By spending less time worrying and more time relaxing, the workload
will begin to feel lighter. So what are the benefits of meditation? Reduces stress and promotes well-being In a 2014 study called Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being, Dr. Madhav Goyal, MD. et al, found meditation produced the same effects anti-depressants would on a patient with anxiety and/or depression. “These small effects are comparable with what would be expected from the use of an antidepressant in a primary care population but without the associated toxicities,” Dr. Goyal says in the study. Helps to quit addictions In 2011, the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University
School of Medicine conducted a study called Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: results from a randomized controlled trial. When compared against an online program called Freedom From Smoking (FFS), four per cent more of the smokers completed the program using Meditation Training (MT) than FFS. Of the two groups, those who followed the MT were twice as likely to abstain from smoking by the end of treatment. Increases immunity Harvard researchers found that disease fighting genes are active during relaxation, showing the relationship between our mind, our mood, and behaviour. “After two months, their bodies began to change: the genes that help fight
inflammation, kill diseased cells and protect the body from cancer all began to switch on,” Jake Toby, a hypnotherapist at London's BodyMind Medicine Centre, said in an article which appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald. Increases fertility A study conducted at Trakya University (Turkey), showed that stress reduces mobility of sperm and their count. Along with this study, one done at the University of Western (Australia) saw that women are more fertile when they are relaxed. If you are interested in meditation, UOIT offers mindfulness breaks Monday to Friday, up until March 25 in the RBC lounge in UB from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
relations firm Brown and Cohen Communications & Public Affairs, explaining in the words of CEO Keiko Nakamura exactly what had happened. The first post from January 17 told site visitors that the organization was facing a cash flow crisis and had to shut down its 16 stores, 10 donation centres, and two offices. Oshawa’s donation centre located at Harmony and Taunton was one of 10 affected by the closures. Durham Region hasn’t had a retail store since an Ajax location shut down in mid-2013 which, according to vice-president of business services David Chu, closed due to the location “performing poorly for five or six years.” The exact number of employees displaced in each location due to shutdowns is unclear according to Tim Lai, the Brown and Cohen associate in charge of Goodwill, who said “I’ve been asked many questions by journalists and I can’t
answer a lot of them due to a lack of communication from Goodwill’s end.” At a press conference on Monday, January 18 Nakamura told the public they were exploring all possible ways to re-open in Ontario. However, it doesn’t look too bright for the future of Goodwill as the registered tax filings showed the company had more than $1-million more in expenses than it did in earnings for 2014. So what happens to all those things you were meaning to take away for donations but never got around to? In a January 22 post on the Goodwill website, Nakamura asked people to stop dropping off donated materials outside closed locations and thanked the Canadian Diabetes Association for collecting the donated items while also listing alternative organizations that are giving back to those who are in need as Goodwill has for decades. These alternatives include:
-The Salvation Army -Society of St. Vincent de Paul -Habitat for Humanity The Furniture Bank, another donation centre aimed at changing the lives of those less fortunate, also suggests it will accept donations, or recommends people donate to the Canadian Diabetes Association or Value Village. Some organizations like the Canadian Diabetes Association will even let you know when they’re in your area so they can come and pick up any donations you might have without you having to hustle to your local donation centre. “I’ve usually always left my donations on the front porch for the Canadian Diabetes Association… but some things like these electronics and furniture I would have taken to Goodwill near where I work,” said Jeffrey Thomas, while he donated some things to a Value Village in Oshawa. For those who work at Value Village they have indeed seen an
increase in the amount of donations coming into their centres. One supervisor at a Value Village in Markham could not specify exactly how much more donations have come in since the Goodwill donation centre in Oshawa closed, only saying “we have seen an increase in donation, but I don’t think it has to do with Goodwill.” Employees who have been fired don’t have to look far for jobs, according to media reports. Mark Wafer, the franchise owner of six Tim Hortons restaurants across Scarborough has extended job offers to recently unemployed Goodwill workers. Like Goodwill, Wafer prides himself on hiring people with disabilities at his restaurants which comes out to almost 20 per cent of his workforce. For those of you who do not live near any of these donation centres, look for donation bins in some local grocery store parking lots, or your local homeless shelter.
What will happen now that Goodwill is gone? 16 closures in Ontario for the popular donation centre Sean Heeger The Chronicle
When Goodwill employees showed up for work on Jan. 17, none of them expected to be locked out and laidoff. But this was the harsh reality more than 430 employees of Goodwill, an international non-government organization that aims to help people with disabilities, had to deal with that chilly Sunday morning. The Goodwill website had also taken down content and replaced it with messages posted by public
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Entertainment The beauty of makeup
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Making up your face is an art that people have been doing for many years
Jordyn Gitlin The Chronicle
Painting on canvas takes time and practice. Many famous paintings took years to create. Painting a face is similar. Putting on makeup is something a lot of people do. Whether it is part of your religion, for a special event, for an acting job, or your everyday routine. Makeup is an art that people do as their profession. It takes time and practice for makeup to be absolutely perfect. It can be plain and simple for an everyday look, or it can be wild and crazy, like special effects for a TV show or film. Throughout history, discussions of makeup have focused mainly on women. “Women have always been put under a greater social pressure to look a certain way in juxtaposition to their male counterparts. Women have always tightened their corsets, pinched their cheeks pink and piled their hair high on their heads when men did not,” says Caleigh Windolf, who teaches a Gender and Sexuality course at Durham College. “There’s a certain aspect of feel good femininity that we now associate wearing makeup with, and it tends to leave out men who, too, would perhaps like to pluck their brows, smooth out their skin, and cover a blemish without feeling socially ostracized,” she adds. Makeup is an art some people wear in every day life. However, it has changed over the years.
complexion and put rouge on their cheeks to brighten up their face. In the Greco-Roman society, women wore white lead and chalk on their faces. Persian women wore henna dyes that would stain their hair and faces, which they believed would summon the majesty of the earth. In the Italian Renaissance, lead paint was used to lighten the face, however this was damaging to the wearer as it was made from Aqua Tofana, which is a strong poison and was the face powder of the day. In Elizabethan England, cosmetics were seen as a health threat. Nonetheless, women wore egg whites on their face to add a glaze and shine. Flash-forward to the 1900s when makeup was not as popular; women hardly wore it at all and everyone prized the natural look. However, applying actual paint to the face became popular among the rich. In 1910, there was a rise of makeup in the U.S. and Europe because of the influence of theatre arts and ballet. This continued into 1920s when the movie industry had the most influence on makeup. This is when special effects makeup came into Photograph by Jordyn Gitlin being. In addition, after WW1 there was a boom in cosmetic surgery, Joseph Hinds (right) putting makeup on Eason Nuttall for his character which put a lot of money in plastic Jessie the Clown for Halloween Haunt at Canada's Wonderland. surgeon’s pockets. Now, in the 21st century, beauty products are widely available among retail stores and cosmetic shops. A permanent pigment is pene“I love to sculpt, cast, basically great.” Joudrey’s boyfriend, Nolan trated into your eyelids and on your anything to do with fabrication of Chapman-Puritch, who is in the eyebrows using a tattoo gun. the pieces,” he says. same program, also commented Joseph Hinds, a makeup artist, However, Hinds usually creates on the topic of makeup. who has worked on television shows the beauty look when he is on set “A lot of them [girls] seem to want such as The Strain, Shadowhunters, working. to wear it, but in my own opinion, and Hannibal, includes his input “I appreciate doing it [beauty don’t need to…but at the same time on tattooed makeup saying “with makeup] as well, I really like mak- it gives them a sort of confidence eyeliner and lip liner tattooing, I ing people feel comfortable in their boost, or self esteem boost.” think you have to be 150 percent skin and giving them a character In a way, this is what got women committed to that look.” to perform in that’s not necessarily to wear makeup in the first place: “As long as you’re doing perma- a creature character, but more of to make themselves feel and look nent makeup in a way that just is a human character that they can beautiful. enhancing what you have but not identify with and bring to life on “I think that if you ask most There are many different types following a trend,” Hinds says, “I camera,” he says. women in the 21st century, they’ll of makeup today. think (it) is completely fine.” This started in the 1920s when tell you that they wear it for themThis range includes special effects Special FX makeup is where the film industry took over the selves. Sure, it may have started as makeup, everyday cosmetics and prosthetic sculpting, molding and makeup scene. a way to attract a suitable mate, but makeup tattoos. casting are used to create highly Everyday cosmetics are most the way people wear makeup now Cosmetic tattoos can include hen- advanced cosmetics. commonly used on people in their seems to be more about playing and na, which is a flowing plant when This is used for television shows day-to-day life to lighten up their artistry and feeling good on the inturned into paste and placed on the and films, as well as theme parks look. This includes eye shadows, side,” Caleigh Windolf, a Gender skin in an intricate pattern stains where FX is needed. The effect eyeliners, blushers, lipstick, mas- and Sexuality professor at Durham the skin and leaves a semi-perma- creates the illusion, for example, cara, etc. Cosmetics are used to College, says. nent mark. of someone having a gash on their enhance the appearance of someWhether it be in television and This is still popular today as well face, filled with blood and ripped one’s face. film or worn in everyday life. Everyas tattooed on eyeliner and eye- skin, when in reality it is just latex, “It’s like an extra confidence one has their own way of expressing brows. paint and fake blood. boost,” Emily Joudrey, a second- themselves and makeup is just one Getting eyeliner, lip liner and Hinds’ profession includes special year Broadcast for Contemporary of them. It is an art that has been eyebrows tattooed is just like get- effects makeup, alongside beauty Media student says. “I love taking going on for years on end and conting a tattoo. makeup. the extra time to make myself feel tinues to live on.
I really like making people feel comfortable in their own skin. The history of makeup spans 6,000 years and has been different in every country. The earliest record of makeup is between 3100 and 2907 BC. Women in Egypt used to decorate their eyes by applying dark green under their eyelids as well as blackening their lashes and upper lid with kohl. Jews adopted this use from the Egyptians. The Romans started to use cosmetics by the middle of 1st century AD when they used the same kohl technique the Egyptians used. They also used chalk for whitening their
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Passing on the gloves Former MMA fighter instils his wisdom to the next generation Jordan Edmonds The Chronicle
It’s never easy for professional athletes to end their career early, but for an Oshawa man it has perhaps turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 41-year-old Justin Bruckmann or ‘Loaf’ as his friends nicknamed him, had an established four-year career in professional mixed martial arts, but his career ended early due to niggling injuries that progressively got worse. He is now the proud owner of Bruckmann Martial Arts in Oshawa, which he created in 2004 immediately after his retirement from the sport he loved. Growing up, Bruckmann didn’t play many sports and didn’t even start training MMA until he was 22. In fact, it was by chance that he started the sport.
dedicating all of his time to judo. “I quit my job the next day and I have never done anything else since, 20 years of MMA,” he said. Two years later at the age of 24, Bruckmann had his first professional fight, which ended in a victory. Bruckmann had nine more fights as a professional before he retired, finishing with a 7-3 record, including two TKO victories and three submission victories. “I was a bit ahead of my time back then which was perhaps why I was successful,” he said. One of his three losses was against none other than George St. Pierre, perhaps one of the best fighters of all time. “That guy is one in a million, I could have fought him 100 more times and I would still have lost every time,” Bruckmann said. Bruckmann fought in the 155-pound category, but in the early 2000s he left North America
Photograph by Jordan Edmonds
Justin Bruckmann, owner and coach at Bruckmann Martial Arts, is pleased to impart his skills in the octagon to a new group of UFC hopefuls.
If I stayed healthy, I could have made the UFC, but now I get to run my own gym and it's the next best thing. “I was working in a factory, and one day I woke up hungover and missed my ride to work,” Bruckmann said. “I was wandering around town and went into the gym with a judo club and was allowed on the mat to try it out.” Bruckmann wasted no time into
to fight in Japan due to their not being a weight class for his category. Prior to his retirement, Bruckmann was ranked the ninth best fighter in the world for his weight class. “If I stayed healthy, I could have made the UFC, but now I get to run
my own gym and it’s the next best thing,” he said. However, Bruckmann said that being in the cage for 15 minutes and hearing the bell ring is a feeling he simply loved. “I’ve done some amazing things that many people will never be able to say they did,” he said. Bruckmann now strives to be a respected role model in the community. His gym has built up a great reputation and Bruckmann has about 200 students, who mostly train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the youngest be-
Games in your backyard
Tuesday, Feb. 2 DC Men’s Volleyball vs Fleming 8 p.m. DC Women’s Volleyball vs Fleming 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 6 DC Men’s Basketball vs Canadore 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7 DC Men’s Volleyball vs Canadore
7 p.m. DC Women’s Volleyball vs Canadore 1 p.m. Oshawa Generals vs Sault Ste. Marie 2:05 p.m.
ing six-years-old. He feels there has always been a stigma towards the MMA, but Bruckmann thinks the stigma has lessened over time due to people becoming more educated about the sport. “You either love it or hate it but the sport has grown massively,” Bruckmann said. He feels that there is still perhaps a negative feeling to the fighters themselves. “They think we are cavemen, but these people come from top universities and are educated people,” he
said. “You’ll find that I’m not a caveman, I’m an intelligent person and I built this gym from nothing.” Bruckmann now also trains four professional fighters. Kyron Phillips comes from Minnesota; another fighter is Durham College grad Derek Falk, UFC veteran Antonio Carvalho and two time women’s boxing titleholder, Lindsay Garbatt. His goal now is to reach around 300 students and keep doing positive work for the community. He is aiming to do more public speaking and also has an eye on politics.
Athletes of the week For the week ending Jan. 24, the DC Lords athletes of the week are men's and women's volleyball players Matt McGirr and Stephanie Larose. McGirr, a mechanical engineering student, had a season high eight serving aces and five kills. Larose, a legal office administration major, has continued to step up her game as she came away with seven kills and a block. Both games were wins against the Trent Excalibur.
For the week ending Jan. 24, the UOIT Ridgebacks athletes of the week are men's and women's hockey players Cameron Yuill and Mikaeli Cavell. Yuill, a communications student, scored the winner against Nipissing in what was his 100th conference game. Cavell, a kinesiology student, scored two goals in consecutive games for the second time this season against Waterloo and Laurier respectively.
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Photograph by Michael Fletcher
Braydon Rodgers (14) puts his body on the line to save a point for the Lords.
Durham men's volleyball team going for the playoff kill Michael Fletcher The Chronicle
As a third straight dominant season for the Durham Lords men’s volleyball team nears its end, they are poised for what they hope will be a strong showing in the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) playoffs. The Lords are looking to improve their playoff performance from last year, where they entered the OCAA playoffs undefeated but lost their first two games resulting in an early exit from the OCAA tournament. “I think we were under prepared last season going into the playoffs. We may not have shown up to practices to put in full effort and get better,” says Lords team captain and third year player Erik Janssen of Hampton, Ont. “As a team we may not have taken care of ourselves physically, we needed to work harder in our practices and training and maybe some of us weren’t eating properly either,” says Janssen. The Lords kicked off their 201516 OCAA season with nine rookies on their roster after having none last season, and quickly tallied six straight wins. Through their first 14 OCAA games they had a record of 12 wins and two losses. Those two losses came against two top teams
in the eastern conference, the Trent Excalibur and the Seneca Sting. Lords’ head coach George Matsusaki, who is in his third season, says there is a lot more parody in the Eastern Conference this season. “Last year we didn’t see a lot of tough competition throughout the regular season compared to this year when we faced Trent and they beat us in three straight sets,” says Matsusaki. Going into the playoffs this time around some of the Lords’ returning players will know what to expect and will be ready to face much tougher competition on a provincial level, says Matsusaki. Matsusaki says while the Lords are a young team, this season they will be well prepared for the playoffs this time around and hope for a better result compared to last season’s finish. The Lords have four regular season games remaining including a three game home stand starting Tuesday, February 2nd against the Fleming Knights at 8 p.m., Sunday, February 7th against the Canadore Panthers at 3 p.m., and Thursday, February 11th against the Seneca Sting at 8 p.m. The Lords final game before the start of playoffs is Rory Langley (13) with a set during the win against the Trent Excalibur. Wednesday, February 17th against the Georgian Grizzlies at 8 p.m. in Barrie, Ont.
Photograph by Michael Fletcher
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Lords, Ridgebacks in action It has been a busy week for DC-UOIT sports. While the results for each game were mixed with the men's basketball and women's volleyball teams winning, the women's basketball and hockey teams weren't so lucky. Here we have some of the top moments for the week. Clockwise from top: Rashaun Bennett (34) loses the ball after getting around a defending player; Shanelle Doucette (22) tries not to fall on a Laurier player's stick; Stephanie Larose (6) is ready as the opposing team serves; Lindsay Panchan (20) heads toward the basket after getting around a Centennial player.
Photos by Logan Caswell
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