LCC LION Magazine Spring 2023

Spring 2023

Environmental Action

lcc.ca/donate

BE TRENDY!

LCC bursaries pave the way for bright minds who couldn’t otherwise afford it. With a significant rise in the number of students and average amount of bursaries awarded, we’re proud to make a real difference.

Join us in continuing this trend — help us invest in the next generation of leaders today!

Headlines

Environmental Reboot Relance environnementale

In 2009, LCC made environmental initiatives a key priority in its strategic plan, appropriately named Our Sustainable Future. Over the life of that five-year plan, a host of environmental initiatives was launched for the first time and several elements were embedded into school operations. These included sustainable building practices, more responsible operations, and the enhancement of environmental offerings in the curriculum at different age levels.

More than a decade later, a focus on our natural environment has once again been identified as a priority in the new strategic plan. This is a product of greater awareness of a global dialogue at the United Nations and other environmental conferences, and the impact of climate change on weather patterns everywhere. We must also acknowledge the leadership of young Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has helped to propel the environment to the top of the global agenda, reminding individuals and institutions of the imperative to do better.

So, what are we doing to address the need to teach, train and better protect the natural world?

We began our sustainability journey with intentionality in 2009. Among the many initiatives, our Board adopted an environmental commitment and built a new LEED Gold Standard Assaly Arts Centre in 2014. However, despite working with a third-party environmental consulting firm, we struggled on many fronts. Consistency in operations became challenging, as did the collection of useful data and the setting of targets that would reflect meaningful change. In short, changing practices is hard. This was especially the case when the pandemic shifted our core priorities toward safety and health protocols. Unfortunately, stalling on ecological progress has been typical for most individuals and institutions.

En 2009, LCC a fait des initiatives environnementales une priorité clé de son plan stratégique qu’il a intitulé, à juste titre, Notre avenir durable. Au cours des cinq années couvertes par ce plan, nous avons lancé de nombreux projets écologiques et intégré plusieurs éléments « verts » aux activités de l’école : pratiques de construction durables, opérations plus responsables et enseignement bonifié au chapitre de l’environnement pour les élèves de tous âges.

Plus de dix ans plus tard, notre environnement naturel demeure une priorité pour notre nouveau plan stratégique, reflétant ainsi notre conscience accrue, d’une part, du dialogue qui se joue à ce chapitre à l’échelle mondiale — que ce soit aux Nations Unies ou à d’autres conférences sur l’environnement – et, d’autre part, des conséquences du changement climatique qui se font sentir partout sur la planète. Soulignons également le leadership de la jeune militante suédoise Greta Thunberg, qui a contribué à propulser l’environnement au sommet des priorités mondiales en rappelant à tous – citoyens comme institutions – que nous devons faire mieux. Dans un tel contexte, que faisons-nous pour répondre à l’impératif d’enseigner et de former nos jeunes tout en protégeant mieux la nature?

En 2009, c’est avec beaucoup de bonne volonté que nous avons entamé notre parcours vers la durabilité, et nous avons lancé de nombreuses initiatives en ce sens. À titre d’exemple, notre conseil d’administration a adopté une déclaration d’engagement pour l’environnement, et nous avons construit notre nouveau Centre des Arts Assaly conformément aux normes LEED Or en 2014. Toutefois, malgré l’aide d’une firme d’experts-conseils en environnement, nous avons rencontré des obstacles sur de nombreux fronts. Il ne fut pas facile d’harmoniser

Now we are making a renewed commitment to be more purposeful and forceful on the environmental front. This includes the recent creation of a new leadership position, with the appointment of veteran physics teacher Chris Olive as our coordinator of sustainability. We have also become part of the CAIS Climate Action Accelerator Program (CAAP), which is committed to better measuring consumption of energy, water and other resources, and we are developing bolder targets with public dashboards on those consumption patterns. A sustainability committee has been created and we are working with green consultants who can help guide and keep us on track. We have plans to implement a new urban garden on campus, and remain open to the many creative ideas that will come from our student Green Teams at various grade levels and the student body at large. In addition, we will review how to enhance our students’ eco-awareness through curricular initiatives at all levels.

I believe that we must strive to make real progress by gaining buy-in from our whole community and becoming more accountable. I know we can do better. Our campus, our students, and our natural world deserve nothing less.

les opérations, de recueillir des données utiles et de se fixer des objectifs garants de véritables changements. Bref, faire évoluer les pratiques s’est révélé une tâche ardue, en particulier durant la pandémie, alors que les protocoles de sécurité et de santé ont pris le pas sur nos priorités fondamentales. Durant cette période, les progrès écologiques ont malheureusement fait du surplace un peu partout au sein de la société et de nos institutions.

Maintenant, nous nous engageons de nouveau à faire preuve de plus de détermination et de rigueur sur le front environnemental. C’est pourquoi nous avons récemment créé un nouveau poste de direction que nous avons confié à M. Chris Olive, un enseignant de physique chevronné qui deviendra notre coordonnateur de la durabilité. Par ailleurs, nous participons au programme d’accélération de l’action climatique des Canadian Accredited Independent Schools, un programme qui nous aide à mieux mesurer notre consommation d’énergie, d’eau et d’autres ressources. De plus, nous nous fixons des cibles plus audacieuses et élaborons des tableaux de bord pour rendre publiques nos habitudes de consommation. Nous avons créé un comité de la durabilité et nous travaillons avec des consultants en environnement qui pourront nous aider à nous orienter et à maintenir le cap. Nous avons l’intention d’aménager un nouveau jardin urbain sur le campus et de rester ouverts aux nombreuses idées créatives de nos équipes vertes – composées d’élèves de différents niveaux scolaires – et de l’ensemble de notre population étudiante. Enfin, nous examinerons les initiatives pédagogiques que nous pourrions mettre en œuvre pour mieux sensibiliser nos jeunes de tous âges au respect de l’environnement.

À mon avis, notre action doit viser l’atteinte de réels progrès, et pour ce faire, nous devons obtenir l’adhésion de l’ensemble de notre communauté et devenir plus responsables. Je sais que nous pouvons faire mieux. Notre campus, nos élèves et notre environnement naturel ne méritent rien de moins.

Non Nobis Solum,

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON, Pre-U ’76 Head of School / Directeur général

GRADE 3 STUDENTS BUILD BIRD FEEDERS

Environmental Action

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE. As citizens of the world, we recognize that modelling green practices is our responsibility and central to ensuring the health of our planet and humanity. Leading by example, we further our commitment to minimizing the environmental footprint of our operations activities, and to making a positive difference.

We empower students by providing them with the information and skills they need to be leaders in the drive towards a sustainable global community.

In the pages that follow, we offer a small sampling of how we are living our commitment to the priorities of this pillar of our 2022–2027 strategic plan, Stride Forward Boldly: Green Education — Green Operations — Green Campus.

We are determined to effect change no matter the challenge. The process is ongoing and ever evolving.

Grade 10 students on the Carya Farm Experience Trip

A NEW “REGENERATION”

BY CHRIS OLIVE, SCIENCE TEACHER & COORDINATOR OF SUSTAINABILITY

LCC is a school with a long history of responding to changes in the world around us. Becoming coed, building facilities like the Centre for Discovery and, most recently, moving toward becoming a fully independent school in 2024 are just a few examples. These changes allow us to chart our own path to the future. It is the story of where this path will take us that I wish to address.

FOR A PROJECT ON BUOYANCY, GRADE 5 STUDENTS BUILD

As a long-time LCC faculty member, I recently took on the role of coordinator of sustainability. In the spirit of storytelling, I believe that “coordinator of regeneration” would be a better title. Sustainability is not a sufficiently ambitious goal for a school like LCC. The etymology of the word “sustain” is to maintain. We can do better. The natural world needs some care and repair. At the same time, data show that huge strides are being made in areas like infant survival, endangered species protection, Internet access, girls in school, and protected natural areas.

I am a teacher of physics, robotics, chemistry, biology and computer science. I believe in data. But data makes for poor storytelling. It is the human component that matters. When a student says they want to go into “business”, I tell them that is not a career destination. A business is what you create when you have a dream that you want to build. I want to help make the school a place that teaches students the power and subtlety of nature and the beauty of its creatures. I want to help them dream of worthy things.

CHRIS OLIVE has lived and worked in Montreal his entire life. He has degrees in computer science and education, both from McGill University, specializing in physics and biology. He grew up on the Macdonald Campus of McGill University. Mr. Olive has played competitive soccer for 44 years and missed the podium by one position in the World Masters Diving Championship in 2014. He and his wife are in the process of opening a non-profit Maker Space on the West Island of Montreal.

GRADE 3 STUDENTS BUILD BIRD FEEDERS

SHIPS USING RECYCLED MATERIALS

GREEN

MEET AMANDA CECCARELLI, LCC’S FACILITIES MANAGER

BY DANA KOBERNICK , COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

As a young child Amanda Ceccarelli was fascinated with the inner workings of just about everything. Helping her father with repair projects or home renovations was, in her words, magic. The real pièce de résistance, and what led her to the field of building engineering, was the heated garage and workshop that was constructed in the family’s driveway. Ms. Ceccarelli recalls running home after school every day to see the progress of the project and to join forces with her dad and grandfather.

So many years later, Ms. Ceccarelli knows that she chose her profession wisely. She was in no way daunted by entering a male-dominated field. In fact, she never thought about it until she showed up to her first class at university to find that she was one of the only women.

Her training and subsequent work experience are serving LCC well, particularly with the launch of its five-year strategic plan that features environmental action as one of the pillars. “I have a good understanding of what makes a complex place like LCC run,” she says. “I have worked in organizations that are advanced in terms of sustainability and am able to apply much of my knowledge and expertise.”

Under the leadership of LCC’s chief operating officer, Ms. Ceccarelli is the professional responsible for everything related to the school’s infrastructure and grounds, including lighting, heating, air conditioning, security systems, building access and housekeeping. Most recently, she and her team have overseen a series of projects, such as replacing the lighting in the Velan gyms with energy-saving LED fixtures, installing occupancy sensors so that lights are turned on only when someone is in the space, reducing the heat in the buildings after school hours, among many other activities. She and her team have also been actively involved in collecting data, such as greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use and waste, for a sustainability metrics dashboard. This will be useful in the evaluation of the school’s sustainability initiatives.

AMANDA CECCARELLI IN THE MECHANICAL ROOM BENEATH THE ASSALY ARTS CENTRE

AMANDA CECCARELLI WITH LCC’S FACILITIES TEAM

IN THE SHORT-TERM, MS. CECCARELLI HAS SET OUT A SERIES OF GOALS, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE: Installing electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lots Collaborating with the Green Team and coordinator of sustainability (see p. 22) to build an urban garden on the roof of the Webster Learning Activity Centre, with vegetable plants and flowers to act as pollinators Replacing windows to reduce heat loss

“Beyond these specific initiatives, it is critical to incorporate sustainable practices into all of our plans,” Ms. Ceccarelli says. “Our greatest challenge is changing the way that we do things and distancing ourselves from society’s throwaway culture. As a school community we are doing well in some areas, like the store’s second-hand sale, composting in the dining hall, and incorporating sustainability in our programming. Other areas, however, need more work. For example, we should be making efforts to reduce the number of cars on Royal Avenue, so I’m hoping there will be a demonstrated interest in an expanded bus service. And the number of items that are left unclaimed in the lost and found is significant and should be addressed.”

Ms. Ceccarelli believes that we all have to think about how we can be part of the solution and recognize that changes in our individual behaviours have measurable results. Looking to the future, she aims to have the facility performing optimally so that the school is not wasting resources. Then, even more time and energy can be dedicated to dreaming big and implementing practices and projects that have high impact.

P.Eng.

LEED AP (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional)

PMP (Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute)

Energy-saving LED fixtures

Electric vehicle charging stations

MS. CECCARELLI ’ S CREDENTIALS

GREEN EDUCATION

At LCC, we have always focused on environmental action and initiatives in our academics and cocurricular activities. But now, with our new Stride Forward Boldly strategic plan, we're taking it up a notch by making Green Education a top priority. We're planning many initiatives, including an integrated and experiential school-wide sustainability learning program for students, and we're further building connections with local environmental groups and experts to make it happen.

Here’s a sampling of what our students have been up to lately.

Environment Heads & The Green Team

For the 2022–2023 school year, Aditya Goel ’23 and Aishmitaa Rajeskannan ’23 have been an integral part of Grad Pride, the grade 11 leadership team consisting of a group of students who are selected to organize and lead student activities in a variety of areas. Taking on the environment portfolio, Aditya and Aishmitaa were tasked with overseeing how sustainability is managed by the student body, conceptualizing and launching environmentrelated initiatives, and proposing policy changes.

The two environment heads are at the helm of the Green Team, which ran successful clothing and battery drives, among other initiatives. Juan De Oliveira ’23, a member of the Green Team, has kept busy in LCC’s Centre for Discovery, designing and printing 3D plant pods that were made with compostable plastic and included water reservoirs for automatic watering.

In April, Earth Week consisted of a series of activities to raise awareness and take action. For example, guided

tours of LCC's geothermal system were offered, a Green Café was organized in support of Cool Earth, the Destiny Quebec Global Issues Conference featured an environment-related component, and the Junior School students undertook a yard clean-up.

“The LCC Green Team aims to make students’ daily activities more sustainable and environmentally friendly through various adaptations and initiatives,” says Aishmitaa. “It is critical that we conserve and better protect the planet. Everyone has a responsibility to help the environment.”

“It’s important for people to care because this is about our future,” adds Aditya. “The media tend to focus on the negative, but we also must acknowledge what we have already done. I believe the world is progressing to a better future.”

Next year, a new environment head will take up the cause with the support of the Green Team members.

“I BELIEVE THE WORLD IS PROGRESSING TO A BETTER FUTURE.”

GREEN TEAM

OCEANPLASTICS&MARINE ANIMALS

LCC staff member Lese Costa Pinto, who is a marine biologist, gives a lecture to Ms. Roper’s grade 3 students on ocean plastics and marine mammals

RSCHOOL YARD CLEAN

Students learn about the lifecycle of bees and their environmental impact

JUNIOR SCHOOL

Green Initiatives

Junior School students make our campus a cleaner and greener place

Members of the Green Team play a trivia game with grades 3 and 4 on environmental issues

Junior School students are taking charge when it comes to environmental sustainability. These young leaders actively participate in a range of activities, such as recycling, composting, beekeeping, and yard clean-ups. With a focus on creating a better future, they inspire us all to take action.

Snakes and Lizards and Turtles… Oh My!

THE SPONTANEOUS GASP HEARD AROUND THE ROOM WHEN REPTIZOO’S SABRINA BURAZER INTRODUCED VIOLET, A LEUCISTIC BALL PYTHON, WAS FOLLOWED BY EXPRESSIONS OF UNCERTAINTY AND DISCOMFORT BUT, ULTIMATELY, AWE AND JOY AS WELL.

Last January, our Junior School students welcomed visitors from the reptilian world in an activity that allowed them to reconsider the popular wisdom that these creatures are ones to fear. It introduced them to a variety of animals that they are not used to seeing in an urban environment or in a zoo. The visit provided the students with an opportunity to ask questions and learn about the impact of human activities on wildlife habitats. They discussed the loss of trees and wetland areas and imagined how this might compare to losing their own homes.

Sensitizing the students to the place that reptiles have in the natural environment will prepare them for further exploration of their invaluable roles in our ecosystem.

More to come next year.

“I loved Reptizoo and the feeling of the snake’s scales, the tortoise’s rough shell, and the gecko’s sticky feet,” says Aimée ’31.

“They were all very cute.”

A Showcase of Ingenuity & Creativity

IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME PERSONAL PROJECTS

“THE PERSONAL PROJECT ALLOWED ME TO HIGHLIGHT WHY THE ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY.”

IN THEIR FINAL YEAR OF THE IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME, LCC GRADE 10 STUDENTS EXPLORE AN AREA OF PERSONAL INTEREST, WORKING INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A SUPERVISOR. THEY HAVE THE FREEDOM TO SELECT THE TOPIC AND DETERMINE THE LEARNING GOAL AND END PRODUCT.

The students are required to journal about their process and write a report. An exhibit of their work is held at the end of the year. The personal project provides an opportunity to further develop and apply an array of skills around self-management, research, communication, critical and creative thinking, and collaboration.

This year, Jamie Greenberg ’24 focused on the theme of sustainability with her project on energy efficient homes.

“The personal project allowed me to highlight why the environment needs to be a priority,” she says. “When I first started brainstorming ideas, my intention was to build a basic model home. But, at the time, I was reading many articles about the clean water crisis in some Indigenous communities and I felt compelled to incorporate sustainability into my project.”

Jamie’s eco-friendly model home integrates the concepts of renewable energy using solar panels and a packaged sewage treatment plant that is fully portable and can be placed anywhere in the surroundings of the house. She recruited a professional architect to supply recycled materials for the model and offer guidance.

“I learned what it’s like to work in an architecture firm,” she says. “There are always new developments, which is what attracts me to this field and to design. An example of this is a new concept, where nanotechnologies are used to control the homes’ internal temperatures.”

Through the process, Jamie enhanced her communication skills by listening to the feedback of the architect and adapting her product as needed. Further focus on self-management skills meant that she stayed on task.

“The personal project has definitely compelled me to take further action in the future,” Jamie reflects, “whether I become an architect and design sustainable homes and/or through the small things I can do now, such as buying sustainable and local brands.”

AN ECO-FRIENDLY HOME BY JAMIE GREENBERG ’24

GRADE 8 DESIGN CHALLENGE:

CULTIVATING SUSTAINABLE MINDSETS

BY NANCY ESSEBAG-CHRISTIE , COMMUNICATIONS & DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

LCC’s annual grade 8 design challenge combines lessons in history with concepts of sustainability and the circular economy in a creative maker space.

This year Alec Mathewson ’95, design curriculum lead and Centre for Discovery coordinator, and Alexandra Mazzella ’04, Middle School English teacher, designed a project that would encourage students to communicate, collaborate and create outside of the conventional classroom setting.

WIRE AND CARDBOARD WERE USED TO CREATE A GAME THAT CAN BE DISASSEMBLED

In keeping with the school’s strategic plan pillar on environmental action, and its value of global engagement, the grade 8 design challenge focused on The Great Depression, an important time in history when products were scarce, and repurposing and reusing items were necessary.

“Oftentimes, we overlook or don’t understand what someone in a different time may have gone through; this project tried to get students thinking about how having extra was not a reality for those who lived through the 1930s,” explains Ms. Mazzella.

Students worked in small groups in the Centre for Discovery. They were given a profile of an individual and, in keeping with the scarcity that defined the era, were tasked with designing a prototype of an item of their choice for that person. They also had to adhere to the following:

1

Use one material which was assigned to them by a random generator coded by Mr. Mathewson. They could choose freely from the creative reuse station for other materials.

2

All that was designed was meant to be disassembled, encouraging creative ways to reuse and connect materials together.

3

Teams were allotted one piece of cardboard and one glue stick and were encouraged to use a small amount of glue since it is not recyclable. To gamify the challenge, student bins were weighed before and after to measure how much new material was used.

“Students had to consider sustainable alternatives in the design process that required them to reflect on their design choices. This approach is part of an initiative in LCC’s design program to expose students to the concept of circular design thinking and the circular economy,” explains Mr. Mathewson. “It’s about mindsets, not skills.”

One of the greatest takeaways of the challenge is the lesson of cultivating sustainable mindsets in our future generation of thinkers, tinkerers and change-makers. The more we think before we act and think outside of the box, the faster sustainable habits will become second nature in our daily lives. The challenge checked all the right boxes including student satisfaction. The students can’t wait for the next collaborative design thinking activity in the Centre for Discovery!

A JUMP ROPE FOR KIDS THAT CAN BE REUSED AS A FITNESS TOOL OR TO FACILITATE CARRYING HEAVY LOADS

A BAG FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR TO CARRY THEIR ITEMS

“

The grade 11 students are leaders in the school, and the more they initiate activities around sustainability and talk about them with others, the better we are as a school and as a community.”

— Mada Hoteit

WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN?

“

I learned about the reasons why there has been damage to the earth and the steps that need to be taken to make improvements.”

“Our attention to the environment and sustainability is so important because the impacts of climate change are the most massive and widespread of all issues facing humanity,”

— Kyra Sommerhalder ’23

— Matthew Stedman ’23

INDIVIDUAL ACTION FOR A GLOBAL PROBLEM

BY DANA KOBERNICK , COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Aunique LCC distinction, the Certificate of Sustainable Global Leadership (CSGL) recognizes students who have made environmental and global learning a significant priority throughout Senior School. They voluntarily indicate their wish to be considered for the certificate at the beginning of their grade 11 year and must fulfill a set of criteria to receive this recognition.

Though the club does not have a prescribed curriculum, as the content is tailored to the new group each year, the goal is always to get students thinking about the role they play as global citizens. This includes a component dedicated to environmental action, and students are required to participate in a sustainability project.

“Our attention to the environment and sustainability is so important because the impacts of climate change are the most massive and widespread of all issues facing humanity,” says Kyra Sommerhalder ’23. “We all have a moral responsibility to help out as much as we can and to serve the greater good.”

This past year, each student undertook a minimum of six hours of e-learning on the United Nations online platform. The One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership is a collaborative initiative involving more than 30 organizations that help countries pursue action through general climate literacy and the development of knowledge and skills. Following completion of the course hours, the students

led discussions on the topics they studied, which included climate change negotiations and health, green fiscal policy, gender equality and human rights in climate action and renewable energy, and gender and the environment.

“The UN courses allowed me to focus on important subjects,” says Matthew Stedman ’23. “I learned about the reasons why there has been damage to the earth and the steps that need to be taken to make improvements.”

The students also spend time discussing what they can do on a personal level and what we, as a school, can do locally, nationally and even globally. They are encouraged to be creative, use their imaginations and think big. On a smaller scale, they end the sessions with at least one actionable item, such as reducing personal shower time or use of air conditioning in the summer.

“The objective is for the students to be better informed,” says Mada Hoteit, grade 11 coordinator, math teacher, and one of two faculty advisors for the CSGL. “We want them to be aware that their actions, no matter how small, have an impact. The grade 11 students are leaders in the school, and the more they initiate activities around sustainability and talk about them with others, the better we are as a school and as a community.”

The CSGL has been applauded for this forward-thinking approach, and LCC has received several requests from colleagues at other schools who would like to learn from the model and create something similar for their students.

THRIVING CROPS IN THE DEAD OF WINTER?

During the winter and spring months they could be found in LCC’s Centre for Discovery building cold frames, transparent outdoor boxes that protect plants from the cold weather while allowing in sunlight. These frames were placed outside the Webster Learning Activity Centre and are heated with an aquarium heater as well as a heating mat placed under the soil. The heating system and watering system are both automated. The intention, at the time this article was written, was to plant a variety of vegetables, such as peas, carrots, onions, and tomatoes.

“We wanted to raise awareness about the waste in the food industry, and how the transportation associated with it creates a lot of emissions,” says Tengyi. “We are starting small with these two cold frames, but hope to work our way to creating a bigger impact.”

The team received help and guidance from the Centre for Discovery faculty, who showed them how to cut materials and offered meaningful advice on what to plant, the type of equipment to use, and other useful information on flowers and plants.

The motivation for embarking on this pilot project was quite simple. “We want to do our part in ensuring that the environment is healthy,” says Alex.

The next goal is to assess the feasibility of installing solar panels beside the cold frames.

The punishing Montreal winters make conditions for growing plants or raising vegetables outdoors nearly impossible. But despite the harsh climate, Alex Hu ’22, Pre-U ’23, Tengyi Xu ’22, Pre-U ’23, and the other Pre-U Green Team members set a goal of planting throughout the year.

“We want to do our part in ensuring that the environment is healthy.”

Tariq Khan ’ 9 8

Zihan Cai ’ 13 , Pre-U ’ 14

Tariq Khan ’98:

On the Record

BY MARK BOGHEN

If you knew Tariq Khan ’98 in his LCC days, you might not have predicted that he would go on to found HighBreedMusic, a cuttingedge music platform, recording studio and performance lounge that attracts some of the best musicians in the world. However, it would not have been a stretch to guess that he would build his life around music.

Having studied classical throughout his childhood — he started violin at the age of two — Tariq participated in every LCC band he could. The Jazz Cats Big Band, the Latin and bebop ensembles, he missed no opportunity to play, usually as a drummer. Every day was crammed with lessons and rehearsals. The school’s music teachers at the time were professional jazz performers, and they held classes in the church on NDG Avenue, often after playing gigs late into the night before. Tariq is still in contact with his first LCC drumming teacher, Quebec musician Eloi

Bertholet, and even mixed an album with teacher Roger Walls, who had played lead trumpet with the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands.

After graduating from LCC, and around the time he was continuing his studies at Vanier College, Tariq scraped together all the credit he could and bought enough equipment to start a small recording studio in his parents’ BaieD’Urfé basement. Meanwhile, he was playing in every kind of band that would have him: reggae, drum’n’bass, hip hop. He was deeply influenced by the Soulquarian movement, a rotating group of avant-garde Black musicians that included the likes of D’Angelo and Erykah Badu.

In his early 20s Tariq branched out into organizing “nights” at downtown Montreal spaces, in which groups of musicians of many different stripes would gather and play. It was in those years that he made the technical and creative breakthrough that would come to be associated with him. He had arranged for the Cuban singer Janet Valdes to make an album in Montreal. “She was an amazing live performer,” he recalls, “but couldn’t reproduce the same energy in the studio, which she wasn’t used to. My space at the time was upstairs from a Haitian community centre that occasionally hosted shows. I drilled holes in the floor and invented a system to run cables so I could record her while she performed for the crowd, but with the advantages of recording instruments separately for the purposes of mixing and production.” This innovation would prove to be his great leap forward.

Already a working producer, musician and event organizer, Tariq was drawn to New York City, with its matchless level of talent and professionalism. At first, the success that he’d found at home was hard to duplicate. “For the first couple years, I was overwhelmed by the scope of everything,” he admits. Then he had his next big “aha” moment. “No one was impressed that I was a producer or had my own studio. Every great musician in the city already had someone for all of that. Once I realized that instead of telling them what I could do, I’d get further by asking them what they needed, I started to build productive relationships and everything came together for me.”

“The school is cool because, while people there want to be successful, like anywhere, there is this parallel idea of making a meaningful contribution.”

, WRITER

Today, Brooklyn-based HighBreedMusic is a focal point of the New York scene, attracting top talent in a wide range of musical genres to perform together, record and even make concert videos, for which Tariq has just concluded a distribution deal with legendary producer Quincy Jones’s QwestTV platform. He’s worked with artists as diverse as Lauryn Hill, jazz great Ron Carter, and Stephen Colbert band leader Louis Cato. He’s even recorded an album with online sensation Sheena Melwani ’00, a singer he first met when she took the microphone for the LCC Jazz Cats!

Tariq remembers his high school days with fondness. “LCC gave me a great foundation and I made friends from so many backgrounds. The school is cool because, while people there want to be successful, like anywhere, there is this parallel idea of making a meaningful contribution.”

And his advice to today’s students who might want to follow in his footsteps? “Whatever your craft, there is no substitute for a really strong foundation. Once you have skills and knowledge, they’ll always serve you well. And work on your teamwork skills. Even the most talented person can’t get anywhere without gathering a supportive team and working together. Once you’ve got a great circle around you, you can really get the best out of yourself.”

Zihan Cai ’13, Pre-U ’14: Environmental advocacy, from forests to fresh water & COP 15

BY

Zihan Cai ’13, Pre-U ’14 grew up feeling fortunate to live in Montreal, surrounded by a lush ecosystem of forests and fresh water where she could hike and pick blueberries. At the same time, at only 10 years of age, she was conscious about the excess of plastic bags she saw building up in her home. She imagined that if the same thing were happening in landfills across the globe, there would eventually be no more space and no place for the bags to go.

These concerns were on Zihan’s mind while attending LCC and, later, when pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental science at the University of Toronto (U of T), where she had received a full entrance scholarship.

Studying global environmental perspectives with a diverse student body was an eye-opening

( Tariq Khan ’98 continued)

“We have to think here and now, and for the future.”

WENDY SINGER, WRITER

TARIQ KHAN ’98 AT HIS RECORDING STUDIO

experience for Zihan. “In Canada we have a lot of water and promote vegetarianism as a means of protecting the environment. But in countries like Kenya that have frequent droughts, having meat is a way to survive global change because the crops are unreliable,” she says.

Over the years, Zihan has taken on leadership roles managing environment-related projects. One of her first contracts was with Ocean Wise, a global environmental charity that addresses overfishing, ocean pollution and climate change, where she coached program participants on their marine conservation service projects. More recently, she worked with Environment and Climate Change Canada, registering Canadian delegates for COP 15, the United Nations biodiversity conference held in Montreal last December.

She also participated on the COP 15 ChinaQuebec Forum’s youth panel, where she spoke about marine conservation programs that youth can support, such as shoreline cleanups and sea forestation, which could include planting kelp or seaweed in the ocean in conjunction with trees on land.

Zihan can trace her beginnings in project management back to her days at LCC when she served as house head for French House. In this role, she discovered that leadership is all about collaboration and being approachable, supportive and encouraging. “Listening to others and valuing their input creates a stronger team environment, helps develop others’ leadership skills and encourages change,” she says. LCC provided Zihan with a solid foundation, particularly in mathematics, that served her well in her studies in environmental data on topics like insect diversity, and the Spadefoot Toad—a research project she led at U of T that was submitted to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. “Math was a piece of cake after the training I received at LCC with Mr. Hoteit,” she says.

She was also active in arts and athletics, from playing the flute in the band with Mr. Cheyne, painting with Ms. Loeb, and practicing cardio and strength training with Mr. Moody.

Zihan is now working at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, collaborating with industry professionals to bring workplace projects into the classroom. The leadership skills that she honed at LCC continue to be invaluable as she builds relationships with colleagues, professors, academic staff and managers. Continually concerned about the environment, Zihan includes at least one project per semester that addresses sustainability in business.

“We have to think here and now, and for the future,” she says, encouraging students to start small. “Look for tree-planting events, clean up the shoreline, report the data and contribute to a pool of citizen-science data. Lead those conversations. Bring sustainability as a mindset to any job you take on.”

In her spare time, Zihan practices Wushu, a form of Chinese martial arts which she began studying just seven years ago. Top ranked in the women over 18 category in Quebec, she aspires to make the national team and compete on the world stage. “I started Wushu late at the age of 19. Many start in childhood,” she says. “But now I know it is never too late to try something you are passionate about.”

ZIHAN CAI ’13, PRE-U ’14 WORKS WITH THE CITY OF TORONTO TREE PLANTING AND STEWARDSHIP VOLUNTEERS ON ONSITE RESTORATION

JOIN US!

CHECK ONLINE FOR EVENTS NEAR YOU. LCC.CA/ALUMNI

Branching Out ALUMNI

GATHERINGS FAR & WIDE

ASK AN ALUM SPEAKERS SERIES

The Ask an Alum Speakers Series allows our alumni to share their professional and personal journeys in online presentations and conversations. Coming from a broad range of careers, their varied experiences showcase the success and diversity of LCC graduates and serve as learning opportunities for the larger LCC community.

IN 2022–2023, WE WELCOMED THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS:

October 25, 2022

David Minicucci ’08, Pre-U ’09 (Photo 1) Owner of Montreal’s famous Cosmo’s diner, David spoke about entrepreneurship and being the first restaurant in Canada to enter the metaverse.

February 21, 2023

Jamie Winterstern ’02, Pre-U ’03 (Photo 2) Writer/Director Jamie Winterstern described creating a first feature film and making a career as an artist.

OTTAWA ALUMNI REUNION

November 29, 2022

The Ottawa Alumni Reunion, held at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre, did not disappoint. We welcomed over 40 alumni and their guests for an evening of mingling and dinner. Thank you to Marco Vocisano ’80 for helping with the logistics.

WHISKY NIGHT

November 17, 2022

Thanks to host Toby Lyle ’94, owner of The Burgundy Lion pub, Whisky Night was once again a fun evening with lots of laughs. Toby expertly guided the appreciative guests through a series of delicious tastings.

NON NOBIS SOLUM LUNCH

December 14, 2022

Montreal-area alumni from the Classes of 1950 through 1975 have a long-standing tradition of getting together every month at Brasserie Le Manoir on St. Jacques Street for the Non Nobis Solum lunch. Retired faculty and staff are also welcome. Interested in joining? Contact: alumni@lcc.ca.

WINE TASTING

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Our annual Wine Tasting event in Montreal was a spirited success. The food, wine and company were all outstanding and made for an excellent evening. Thanks go out to former LCC parents Leo Rabinovitch of Leanto Wines, and Pino Forgione of Beatrice Restaurant.

YOUNG ALUMNI MENTORING EVENT

January 25, 2023

TORONTO ALUMNI REUNION

February 8, 2023

Our Toronto alumni joined us for a rousing evening at the University of Toronto Faculty Club. Thank you to Allan Bonner ’71 who helped secure our venue.

Our second virtual mentoring event brought together a panel of young alumni to share their post-secondary choices and experiences and answer questions from students in Middle and Senior School.

Thank you to our panelists Allie Amiel ’21, Pre-U ’22, Sasha Belland ’21, Julian del Greco ’21, Pre-U ’22, Edouard Des ParoisPerrault ’21, Ella Jangl ’21, Pre-U ’22, Jackson Labell-Nevard ’18, Pre-U ’19, and Alex Laurin ’22 for an engaging and informative discussion.

Branching Out

CONTINUED...

VANCOUVER ALUMNI REUNION

April 4, 2023

It was great to see a record number of alumni at The Jericho Tennis Club. Thanks to Tim Hayman ’65 for helping coordinate the evening.

LIONFEST REUNION WEEKEND

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30, 2023

Save the date for the LIONfest Alumni Reunion Weekend. We are welcoming all classes (ending in 3 and 8) celebrating their milestone reunions this year.

CALGARY ALUMNI REUNION

April 5, 2023

It was lovely to host an in-person reunion in Calgary at The Calgary Petroleum Club for cocktails and dinner. Thanks to all for coming out!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR ALUMNI EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING: ALUMNI@LCC.CA

KEN HAGUE ’70

The ‘’Ken Hague and The Class of 1970 Bursary Fund’’ was created following the loss of a beloved classmate, Ken Hague ’70. Members of the Class of 1970 set a goal of $25K, which was quickly surpassed with 59 alumni donating $33,257 within a span of 48 hours. This term bursary will allow an outstanding student from an inner city school to attend LCC in September 2023.

40s

RON CORK ’49 is staying active with a variety of community activities in Prince Edward County, ON, including volunteering at the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.

50s

THOMAS BURPEE ’55 was elected president of the board of governors of Manoir Westmount in Montreal, a retirement home sponsored by the Rotary Club of Westmount.

60s

PAUL BETHEL ’60,

and PETER

FRASER LASCHINGER ’64 retired from operating the Prescott Cemetery as a volunteer for the last ten years. In its place, he has been appointed curator of the Prescott Museum, which he had a hand in setting up last year. He is also keeping busy as board chair of the St. Lawrence Academy and president of the Grenville County Historical Society.

70s

BRYON RICHARD

HALL ’70 retired from his post at the Federal University of Goiàs in Brazil in January 2019. He is still quite active on campus, teaching classes and working on various projects as a volunteer.

GRAHAM

JAMES SOWERS ’69 is winding down a long career as a university professor and global leader of management consulting practices. He is currently focusing his time on his six granddaughters, community gardening and golf.

THOMAS SHAWSTIFFEL ’74 is retiring after 41 years of practicing medicine in both Canada and the US as a liver specialist. Although he misses his patients, Thomas is looking forward to travelling and attending his 50-year LCC class reunion.

JOHN BAKTIS ’75 embarked on his dream journey in October 2022, a challenging trek through the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal.

PRE-U ’61

W. WEBSTER ’60 keep in touch regularly and recently met in Kelowna at the 2022 BC Sports Hall of Fame Annual Summit.

(Photo 1) PAUL, HIS WIFE HEATHER, AND PETER

WELLS ’61 represents the Tenaquip Foundation which has built the infrastructure for the Madagascar School Project, an initiative that provides education, hope and health to hundreds of children and their families.

(Photo 2)

80s

ANDREW SOFIN ’82 hosted his classmates for cocktails at his home prior to attending their 40th reunion at LCC. His daughter took a video of the group waiting outside for the Uber, which she then posted on social media. The video went viral and received close to five million views in less than a week!

JUSTIN SALOMON ’86 is celebrating his 10th work anniversary at First National Financial. Since joining First National in 2013 he has originated, underwritten and funded more than $4 billion in commercial mortgage transactions spanning all asset classes. He obtained his MBA from École des Ponts Business School in Paris.

and several classmates met for a drink at Place Jacques Cartier in October 2022.

JESHI HANSPAL

90s

JEREMY GELLIS ’92 joined the White Collar Defense & Investigations team at Cozen O’Connor LLP in May 2022. Prior to that, he was working at the British Columbia Securities Commission for 11 years, the last six as manager of the litigation branch in the enforcement division.

GEOFF WHITE ’93 has been living in Chelsea, QC, for over 12 years with his partner Anna Jany and children Cybil and Sullivan. Geoff works as a communications lawyer and leader, while teaching part-time at University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Common Law. Geoff has been working as an on-call firefighter for the Chelsea Fire Department for over 10 years.

(Photo 6)

HARRY GRIVAKIS ’98 and his wife Lea Girard Nadeau welcomed their first child, Celeste Belle, on May 26, 2022.

(Photo 3)

’84

(Photo 4) (L TO R) PHILLIP BENSAID ’84, STUART ZSOMBOR-MURRAY ’84, JESHI HANSPAL ’84, DAN WILLIAMS ’84 AND MIKE GUETTA

(Photo 5)

(Photo 7)

WILLIAM SAPP ’02 has opened a restaurant called éla! in Patmos, a remote Greek island.

MAXIMILIAN CUKIER ’03 and Charlotte Luel welcomed baby Samuel Moishe on February 10, 2023.

KRISTINA VELAN ’03, PRE-U ’04 and Julian Friedman welcomed baby Alina on October 18, 2022.

OLIVIER WIESEL ’04, PRE-U ’05 and ADRIENNE VAUPSHAS, PRE-U ’09 were married in Miami, FL, on November 26, 2022. On their wedding day, they also celebrated their 10-year anniversary of knowing each other, having met by chance in Barcelona while Adrienne was studying in Paris and Olivier was working in Tel Aviv. Olivier had traveled to Barcelona to meet Nicholas Hall ’04, Pre-U ’05 and his younger brother William Hall ’08, Pre-U ’09, and the three of them bumped into Adrienne. Adrienne works

as press secretary for Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Olivier works as VP Finance at Mistplay, a Montrealbased mobile adtech company.

(Photo 10)

NATASCIA LYPNY ’08, PRE-U ’09 was named one of the Top 25 Under 35 by Editor & Publisher Magazine Since 2018, she has worked as the features producer for CBC Saskatchewan in Regina, a role she built from the ground up. Projects she has led have been honoured with two dozen awards. Last year, she began hosting the evening TV news program.

BEN KEPES ’09 has recently joined the music faculty of Marianopolis College. As a conductor, he inaugurated his Orchestre Fidelio in March 2023.

(Photo 11) NATASCIA LYPNY ON THE CBC SASKATCHEWAN SET

(Photo 12)

(Photo 8)

(Photo 9)

LUCAS MORRISSEY ’09, a naval warfare officer in the Canadian Forces, recently finished his director-level training. He is currently posted to HMCS Regina as the underwater warfare officer for two years, helping to plan Regina’s program and deploying with them to the Indo-Pacific region.

STEVEN VICTOR ’09 and his wife Ariel welcomed their first child, Spencer Cole, on November 7, 2022.

MATTHEW LANDRYVESPOLI ’11 and Cassandra Airoldi were married on August 6, 2022, with several LCC alumni in attendance.

JESSE MIKELBERG ’11 is proud to announce that Montreal-based startup NorthStar Earth & Space recently closed $47 million towards their Series C round of fundraising and is currently preparing for rocket launch and satellite deployment. It was only one year ago that Jesse embarked on this fundraising journey with founder and CEO Stewart Bain.

DEZIRAY DESOUSA ’15 graduated from Boston University with a degree in occupational therapy and another in psychology, all while playing Division 1 hockey. Deziray currently works as a therapist and is in her second year of her doctorate in psychology research and intervention at the Université du Québec à Montréal. She is also playing professional hockey for the Montreal Force women’s hockey team in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).

Keep

track of what is happening with LCC alumni by visiting lcc.ca/alumni

(Photo 13)

(Photo 14) (L TO R)

AIDAN MELTZER ’12, CHARLES CASGRAIN ’12, MATTHEW LANDRY-VESPOLI ’11, CASSANDRA AIROLDI, ZACHARY GOODLEAF ’11, MATTHEW FAIGAN ’11

(Photo 15)

(Photo 16)

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of the following members of the LCC community:

ALUMNI

SIR NEIL SHAW ’46 on March 18, 2023, in Toronto, ON. He is survived by his sons David ’70 and Michael ’71.

DR. CHARLES SCRIVER ’47 on April 7, 2023, in Montreal, QC. Dr. Scriver was the first alumnus to receive LCC’s prestigious Non Nobis Solum Award, presented in 1971.

ROBIN FANCOTT ’50 on April 20, 2022, in St. Catharines, ON. Robin was predeceased by his brother Terrill ’56 and survived by his brother Jeremy ’53

DAVID MCCALL ’50 on December 14, 2022, at Lac Manitou, QC. He was predeceased by his father Alan (1920) and is survived by his son Andrew ’81 David served as a member of the LCC Board of Governors from 1969 to 1979 and was Chairman of the Board from 1977 to 1979.

REV. WILLIAM (BILL) GIBB ’52 on October 31, 2022, in Burlington, ON.

ROBERT DINSMORE ’55 on November 28, 2022.

JOHN BRIDGMAN, PRE-U ’58 on January 9, 2023, in Montreal, QC.

ROSS ARNOTT ’59 on March 17, 2023, in Montreal, QC.

PAUL GRATIAS ’63 on April 9, 2023, in Toronto, ON. Paul is survived by his twin brother Alan ’63

GAVIN STAIRS ’63 on September 16, 2021. Gavin is survived by his brother Jeremy ’61

DOUGLAS PÉRON ’64 on February 4, 2023, in Montreal, QC. He is survived by his brother Henry ’76

KEN HAGUE ’70 on January 11, 2023, in Montreal, QC. Ken is predeceased by his father Ken ’45 and is survived by his brothers John ’70 and David ’73

RICHARD BRADEEN ’73 on December 27, 2022. He is predeceased by his father Charles (Jim) ’48 and is survived by his brother Robert ’76

GORDON WILSON ’75 on May 19, 2022, in Ottawa, ON.

DEAN ANASTAS ’76 on January 9, 2023, in Toronto, ON.

MARK O’BRIEN ’90 on March 13, 2023, in Montreal, QC. Mark is survived by his father, Philip O’Brien, former Board member, and his brother Anthony ’91

REBECCA ROSS ’16 & SERGE GABRIEL

Rebecca connected with former parent Serge Gabriel (Maxime ’09), who helped guide her to becoming a licensed real estate agent at his company.

ÉLAN MARTIN-PRASHAD ’21 & EMILY LITVACK ’03, PRE-U ’04

Emily, co-founder and chief education officer of Genvironment, offered Élan an internship to help build her Sprouts pilot project, an online platform that solicits collaboration on environmental projects.

MIKAEL BARIL ’18 & MICHAEL FLINKER

Mikael secured a full-time position as analyst, junior developer, at Delmar International Inc., thanks to help from former LCC parent Michael Flinker (Eric ’19, Pre-U ’20).

LOWERCANADACONNECT.CA

MENTOR CONNECTIONS

THE LCC NETWORK IS POWERFUL. ALUMNI ARE MAKING CONNECTIONS AND BENEFITING FROM NETWORKING AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE IN THE WORLD. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES:

OLIVIER RIVARD ’22, PRE-U ’23, JACK SACHS ’22, PRE-U ’23 & MICHAEL FLINKER

Former LCC parent Michael Flinker (Eric ’19, Pre-U ’20) provided guidance on the inner workings of business to Olivier and Jack, who launched PPE Distribution, a company that distributes face masks and other medical products to local businesses and individuals.

JOSH FARBER ’20 & KRISTINA ASHQAR ’02 , PRE-U ’03

Josh enjoyed an internship at PSB Boisjoli, where Kristina is a partner, allowing him to gain valuable experience in the accounting field.