OUR MISSION TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN OUR MULGRAVE COMMUNITY OF PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF.
04 06 12 18 20 22
Q&A WITH CJ AND KELCY
ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME & WINTER SOCIAL
2006 REUNION
SUMMER KICKOFF EVENT
10 YEARS OF IB - WRITTEN BY FAZILA LAKHANI
ALUMNI SPOTTED
MULGRAVE MEETS ONTARIO
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AT MULGRAVE 28. MELANIE MOLLER 32. BEN THOMPSON 36. SAM TSURUDA 40. MATTHEW DURRANS
44. SARAH KOPAK 48. MATTHEW CULLENS 52. STEFANI LEWIS 56. GRANT AYERS
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT SERIES
24 25 26 27
com·mu·ni·ty [com - mu • ni ty] noun a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
A
few years ago, I travelled from Europe to Africa
group, there must be a common belief system in place with
to South East Asia on a six-month hiatus from
shared values. Mulgrave’s values are clear:
the luxuries of my comfortable western lifestyle.
• Individual values are based on personal integrity and
Along my journey, I became fascinated by the
acting with respect towards others.
cultures and communities in the many countries I visited.
• Our sense of community and friendship is founded on
Each community had its own vibe, its own appeal, and its own
humility, empathy, commitment and inclusion.
set of rules. What interested me was that regardless of the
• Life-long learning is built upon curiosity, creativity, and
cultural differences or values that the community was based
innovative thinking.
upon, the common thread that continually existed among the
• A global perspective and environmental and social
strongest communities was a sense of belonging, respect,
responsibility are central to becoming true world citizens.
understanding, and a motivation to better the collective
• All members of our community strive for balance and
by striving for social good. From the small, quaint towns in
understand that striving for one’s personal best should be
Italy, to the slums in Kenya, to the remote mountain villages
enjoyable.
in Laos, I was struck that even in the most poverty-stricken
It’s a ‘place’ you can always return to. Cycles of growth
communities there was an incredible network of support
and regression are a natural process within a community.
systems in place to care for one another. I began to formulate
Individuals often feel the need to exercise their independence
questions about the characteristics of a community. What
outside of the community and ‘spread their wings’. This is an
makes it successful? What strengthens it? What are the
important part of the process because with each individual
essential building blocks for harmonious bonds to form? To
journey, passions are found, skills are sharpened, and stories
indulge my curiosity, I looked to answer my questions by
are made to be shared. The Mulgrave community is always
drawing parallels between the communities I visited around the
one that can be returned to, no matter how long you’ve been
world and our own Mulgrave community. And so I concluded:
gone, and we will continue to have open doors and open arms
It’s about the people. Above all, a community is all about the
for our members.
people that belong to it. It is not a location, a building, or a
That treasured feeling of community comes from shared values,
space - it is an intangible bond that exists without walls or
experiences and a shared history. Our roots are deep on the
boundaries and can be active all over the world. You don’t
North Shore of Vancouver and our branches reach to all corners
need to be inside Mulgrave’s walls to feel the strength of the
of the world. We are humbled to be part of such a vibrant
community - it is something you can still feel part of, even if
community, and we hope you continue to feel supported and
you’re not physically present.
connected over the years.
The values must be clear. In order for the people to identify and connect with a group and form relationships within that
MICHELLE NOBLE ALUMNI RELATIONS, MULGRAVE SCHOOL 3
CHRISTINA (CJ) CATLIFF BEST TEAM TRIP? That’s hard. I went on a lot of great sports trips with basketball, volleyball, and even badminton, but I think the best one of all was our trip to Hawaii for basketball. I was fortunate to go twice - once in Grade 9 and again in Grade 11. I loved everything from the games to the beaches, the food, the hotel rooms, the massages, EVERYTHING! We even had the chance to swim with dolphins. I’ll never forget it; the whole trip was absolutely amazing. Well, maybe everything but the heat stroke...
WORST THING ABOUT HAVING A SIBLING IN THE SCHOOL?
Q
&
BEST CAFETERIA TREAT? Those glazed chicken-ball things were pretty great, but above all, the cheese quesadillas were the best - especially with tons of sour cream! The caf ladies knew just how I liked it. Love those gals. I miss them.
I was always referred to as ‘Kevin Catliff’s little sister’. I didn’t really have a name of my own until the 9th grade. But other than that, it was pretty positive to be honest. Except for the moment he got his driver’s license. After that, he insisted on driving us to school himself. Back then, there were only a few grad parking spots, so usually we would have park down on Cypress Road and hike up the hill in the freezing cold slush, all because he was convinced that driving himself was way cooler than getting dropped off by our parents. Well, he wasn’t the one wearing a kilt and flats in the middle of January!
FUNNIEST LEDUC MEMORY?
4
I’ve know Leduc for almost eight years now, and there have been so many funny memories. I’ve watched him salsa and hula-dance at various formals. I’ve seen him rip the roof light off the Mulgrave bus, and destroy a clipboard in anger during our first basketball game in Grade 7. But the funniest moment of all was not really that funny in the moment; looking back it cracks me up. He probably won’t remember, but late after school when I was in Grade 7, I was painting a big poster with red paint in the hallway beside the gym for a Zones tournament. At the same time, he was stacking a pile of new rugby tour bags on the other side of the hallway. I hardly knew him at the time, and I was still pretty scared of him. Anyway, when he finished stacking the bags, he left the hallway and after a few seconds one of the bags fell off the stack. Slowly the whole stack of about 20 bags began to fall right onto me and my freshly painted, red poster. I called after him, and he came out yelling and screaming at me - saying it was my fault! It totally wasn’t. Then for the next two hours the two of us scrubbed each one of the bags clean before Mr. Jones found out. He still blames me, but we both know it was his fault. I mean, I never got an apology for my ruined poster!
Q
FAVOURITE DP TEACHER?
&
It has to be a tie between Mr. Ovenell-Carter and Ms. Morgan. Mr. O-C made a great impact on me as a student and as a creative learner. I am thankful for all of his wisdom. Ms. Morgan, on the other hand, helped me keep my head on straight. I always felt calm when cuddled up in her classroom with an abundance of stuffed animals. Thank you for dragging me through english HL; it has done me well.
KELCY TIMMONS WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT MULGRAVE? Without a doubt, my team. The family that was created between the multiple grades of girls is something that I will miss forever.
MULGRAVE HOUSE TEAM? I was on Luther King and was house captain my Senior year. I will always have pride for it!
BEST THING ABOUT HAVING A SIBLING IN THE SCHOOL? With an impeccably smart sister comes impeccable notes!
WHY DO YOU ENJOY ATTENDING ALUMNI EVENTS? It’s nice to return home, especially from across the country. I am very invested in Mulgrave and have established relationships with my old teachers, coaches and classmates, which I hope will last for many years. It’s also interesting to hear everyone’s stories of what they have been up to. 5
ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME
O
ur alumni accomplish some pretty amazing
After the games drew to a close, Kian Abghari (Class
things in a year (check out page 25!), and
of 2008) won the Mulgrave swag and Cactus Club gift
that’s why the Alumni Basketball Game &
card raffle, Marcus Hann (Class of 2014) was busy doing
Winter Social is one of our most beloved events. This
what he does best behind the camera putting together
evening gives us all a chance to reconnect, share stories,
a highlight reel of the evening, and everyone else was
and spread holiday cheer with our unique and talented
happily sipping Shae de Jaray’s (Class of 2006) tasty
community. The Winter Social was held on December
Deep Cove Brewing beer while catching up with fellow
16, 2015 at Mulgrave School, and we cheered on our
alumni and alumni families.
alumni basketball players during their on-court battle against Mulgrave students. Both the Senior Girls and Boys teams stole the win over our alumni teams with tight scores of 33-30 and 35-33, respectively. We’re going to have to step up our game next year!
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We are always inspired by our community’s passion, warmth, and their dedication to Mulgrave School. We are already looking forward to next year!
2015
7
9
CLASS OF 2016
10
W E LCO M E TO M U LG R AV E’S A LU M N I ASS O C I AT I O N
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2006 REUNION O
ver the summer, we had the privilege of reuniting with our 2006 alumni at their 10-year
reunion. Held in the cozy quarters of a downtown restaurant, over 20 graduates (from a 29-student class) reconnected with one another over stories of Mulgrave’s beginnings.
From propulsion engineers, to craft brewers, to lawyers, to nurses, to indigenous community engagement researchers, to plumbers, to real estate agents and more, this was an exceptional class that has gone on to shine and make a difference in their respective communities. We were
Perhaps no alumni will understand the
extremely touched by their fond memories
foundation of Mulgrave as well as these
of Mulgrave and proud to see that they are
original students, as they played a
happy, well-rounded individuals who have
significant role in defining the vision and
not lost their edge, ambition, or their flair.
values that Mulgrave was built upon. (Even for issues as trivial as wearing nail 12
2006’ers for their uprising!)
polish at school - you can thank these
Congratulations on all your happiness and success, Class of 2006!
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CLASS OF 2006 WHERE THEY ARE NOW. ALANNA VITTERY With a BA in Psychology from UBC under her belt, Alanna decided to pursue nursing at BCIT and is now a Registered Nurse in Vancouver.
Did you know? Alanna lived in Spain for six months as an au pair!
MEREDITH (CARR) PREUSS After studying Art & Culture at Emily Carr and Fine Arts at SFU, Meredith is now the Programme Director for Capture Photography Festival.
ARVAND SAFFARI Holding a degree in Psychology, Philosophy, Behavioural Science, and HR from McGill, Arvand now does Human Capital Consulting at Aon Hewitt.
GRAHAM BURNS Since graduating from Mulgrave, Graham pursued a career in trades studying at BCIT, and he now works for Keith’s Plumbing.
ALEX CURAUDEAU Alex earned his Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan and now is a Propulsion Engineer for Boeing.
Did you know? Alex flew from South Carolina to join the 10-year reunion!
SHAE DE JARAY Always an entrepreneur, Shae studied engineering at Queen’s University and then Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University before opening up his own company, Deep Cove Brewing and Distilling.
PARHAM ESFAHANI After graduating from Mulgrave, Parham studied Political Studies and International Relations at Queen’s University and now works in Residential Construction.
GEOFF HOUGHTON Now living in Calgary, Geoff works at John Hopkinson & Associates Ltd as a Sales Associate.
ALAINA DENHARTOG After graduating from Mulgrave, Alaina studied Forensic Investigation Crime and Intelligence Analysis at BCIT and is now working in the film industry.
CHRIS ROBERTSON Earning a degree from UBC and completing his CFA programme, Chris is now an associate at Cardin Partners.
SAM TSURUDA After earning a Psychology Degree from UVic and a Master’s in Public Health from UBC, Sam followed her passion and is now working with Indigenous communities for a company called, Reciprocal Consulting.
ANDREW ROBERTSON Since graduating from Mulgrave and studying Civil Engineering at Queen’s University, Andrew is now an Engineer with JRS Engineering.
ALI MAHMOUDI Ali holds a degree in Business from SFU and is now living and working in West Vancouver in real estate investment and development.
ALUMNI HEAD GIRLS
16
2012
2013
Claudia Linaksita
Florence Belanger-Jones
2015
2016
Angela Joannou
Anniqa Karmali
17
18
Summer Kickoff. Our Alumni Summer Kickoff event was held in June 2016, with attendees ranging from our oldest alumni (the Class of 2004) to our newest alumni (the Class of 2016). The sun made an appearance just in time as an intense rugby match started between our alumni boys and the Mulgrave’s Sr. Boys team. It was a close game, but the Mulgrave boys’ ‘spryness’ was no match for our alumni, who took the win 10-9. Off the pitch, our alumni mingled under the warmth of the summer sun, took snaps in the summer photo booth, and enjoyed a BBQ and Black Kettle Beer poured by 2011 alum, Joey Thompson.
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1
FAZILA ON IB AFTER MULGRAVE The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was
i n t r o d u c e d a t Mu l g r ave i n 2 0 0 6 , with the Class of 2008 being the f i r s t
c o h o r t t o g r a d u a t e w i t h a n I B D i p l o m a . Fa z i l a s h a r e s h e r i n s i g h t a n d
experience with us about the IB and how it has impacted her since graduation.
Being the first
the support and guidance of our teachers,
graduating class
we completed the Extended Essay over the
to go through
two years and definitely learned much about
the IB Diploma
writing and time management along the way.
Programme
Thankfully, when the time came in university
at Mulgrave
to write those 1000- or 2000-word essays in
School was a
my Political Science and Psychology classes, I
challenging yet
was well equipped with the skills and mindset
exciting and unique learning opportunity, both for the students and our teachers. The IB Diploma itself is designed to provide students with the opportunity to become independent thinkers and to study a wide range of subjects in more or less depth, depending on their passions and strengths. Having the option to choose between Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) courses allowed each of us to study at our own pace, something that is often absent from regular high school courses. Furthermore, subjects such as Theory of Knowledge provided us with a space for discussion and debate on topics and issues that related classroom materials to the wider world in which we live. The ability to participate in such thought-provoking conversations also engaged us outside the classroom, teaching us the ability to think critically and analytically, skills that are essential to success, even beyond university.
necessary to take on these projects with more optimism than fear. The IB Diploma Programme
provided me with an array of skills that really helped me prepare for the demands and expectations
of my post-secondary studies at
McGill University. The caliber of coursework and
the methodology of learning in the IB Programme are very similar to the learning experience in
university, and this is certainly a great advantage. Skills such as essay writing, independent
learning, and time management are crucial to the success of any university student, and I
found this transition and the workload much easier having already experienced these demands in the DP. Most importantly, I had the confidence and the knowledge needed
Undoubtedly, the most daunting task in the IB Diploma
to succeed in university, and as demanding
Programme was the 4000-word Extended Essay. As a
as the IB Diploma Programme was, I am
high school student, such a large and independent project
grateful to have had that experience.
can be overwhelming. This essay also required extensive independent research and incredible time management skills, which many of us were still learning. However, with 20
FAZILA LAKHANI HEAD GIRL, 2008
Y
1
Years of IBDP
21
01. Curren Page & Hank Liu with Mulgrave students, Aurora Cummings & Michael Calder 02. Victoria O’Brien, Kevin Fabian, CJ Catliff, Mitchell Thompson & Matthew Durrans at the Athletics Awards 03. Carl Steffens & Karl-Lukas Steiniger 04. Connor Stanton, Yahya Sahiholnasab & MJ Mayo 05. Toby Roper with Ms. Mitchell & Mr. Ronald-Jones at
01.
Harvard
02.
06. Adam Chandani, Flo Belanger-Jones & Mark Bakhet with Mr. Ole Sealey in Dubai 07. Louise Coleman, Tapiwa Alistair & Chris Pettigrew in London 08. Hunter Rigatti & Greg Read with UBC’s President, Professor Ono 09. Luke Allard & MJ Mayo with Mr. Ronald-Jones & Ms. Mitchell in New York
03.
10. Sophia Gupta with Mulgrave teachers at McGill
04.
11. Julia Rinaldi with her mom 12. Chris Chan, Jeff Li & John Hu 13. Jerico Lumanlan 14. Mamie Beddis & Alex Bleim with Ms. Mitchell & Mr. Jones in London 15. Jake Larson & Crystal Cheng 16. Priyanka & Dee Dhaliwal 17. Lucas Lu, Jolee Tung & Andrew Lee with Jolee’s sister/ Mulgrave student, Vanessa, in London 18. Mrs. Hamer reading to a Mulgrave Kindie class
05. 06.
07.
08. 09.
13.
12.
11.
10.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
ALUMNI SPOTTED
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MULGRAVE MEETS ONTARIO
On November 25th, Mulgrave teacher, Ms. Chee and Alumni Relations Coordinator, Michelle Noble, travelled to Eastern Canada to visit our Ontario alum. The first visit was with 2012 grad, Nicole
Moller, who is studing acting at Ryerson and is juggling a full schedule of classes and production rehearsals. It was so nice to catch up with her and hear all about her Toronto lifestyle. After lunch, Weiyun Li and Kelli Qi offered a wonderful tour of the University of Toronto campus. A true Mulgravian and fantastic tour guide, Kelli showed up sporting her Mulgrave swag. On Friday night, a group of Mulgrave alum ranging from the Class of 2005 to the Class of 2016 came out for a pub night held at the Duke of York. While most of the alum who came out are currently attending U of T or Ryerson, Liz Hendren from the Class of 2005 was the only U of T graduate - she is now a doctor living in Toronto with her husband. It was great to connect with everyone! On Saturday night, a second pub night was held in London for students attending Western University. Ms. Mitchell happened to be visiting her nephew, John, (also a past Mulgrave student) so they were able to stop by to join the gang before heading out to a hockey game. It was a wonderful trip and a great opportunity to connect with our Ontario Mulgrave family.
Ms. Chee at the U of T campus. At U of T with Weiyun Li & Kelli Qi ‘16 (who is still rocking her Mulgrave kilt and backpack).
Western alumni at a pub night in London. Rachel Johnston, Dax Inman, Michael Arnould, John Mitchell, Ms. Mitchell, Zoe Leonard, Yannis Willi, Emme Lee, Bishr Alimohamed, Samiya Hassan, Michelle Noble, Ms. Chee.
Ms. Chee, Nicole Moller ‘12, & Michelle Noble out for lunch in Toronto.
Alumni ranging from the Class of 2005-2016 gathering at a pub night in Toronto. Liz Hendren, Weiyun Li, Kelli Qi, Zhenni Chen, Roy Gao, Spencer Giles, John Li, Kenny Lu, Bryson Bourchier, Kelcy Timmons, Magnolia Xu, Michelle Noble, Ms. Chee.
Zoe Leonard ‘16, Samiya Hassan ‘14, Emme Lee ‘16.
MELISSA GODIN We are extremely proud of 2013 alumni, Melissa Godin, for being selected as a 2017 Rhodes Scholar, a prestigious annual scholarship to the University of Oxford worth over $100,000. The award is given to 95 students around the world each year who show not only academic success, but the ability to better society. Melissa played a big role in the global fight against modern day slavery and human trafficking during our 2012 Spirit Week, Not For Sale campaign. It’s inspiring to see her carry this initiative on. Congratulations, Melissa!
Alumni Achievements 2016
ANDERS MECH
MEGAN STEFFENS
Anders Mech ‘09 graduated as Acting Sub Lieutenant from Maritime Officer - Surface Phase II in Victoria in late August. He was awarded the Hal Lawrence Memorial Shield, which is awarded to the student who demonstrated leadership and teamwork. Well done, Anders!
Big congratulations are in order for our 2014 grad, Megan Steffens, who received the All-Canadian award at the University of Victoria. This award is given to swimmers who competed during the season while maintaining an 80% grade average or higher.
HANNAH RAHIM Congratulations to Hannah Rahim ‘16 who was hosted on CBC radio to talk about being the recipient of the prestigious
LIAM MITCHELL
From his valedictorian speech to improv, Liam Mitchell ‘15 has shown he is in his element on stage. He and his improv team, Blind Mirth, won Best Improv Show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Congrats, Liam!
DAVID CHEN David Chen ‘13 and his University of Pennsylvania’s Electric Racing
Schulich Leader Scholarship
team placed 1st among schools in the United States and 2nd overall in
for the 2016-17 year.
this year’s Formula SAE Electric Vehicle competition. This electric car competition spans design, construction and performance in a race. Jeremy Cox (‘10), was nominated for a Leo award! He was
JEREMY COX
nominated for Best
SHAE DE JARAY
Cinematographer
Congratulations, Shae de Jaray ‘06 and the
for a Short Drama
Deep Cove Brewers + Distillers team, on being
for his film: Never
a North Shore News Readers Choice finalist.
Steady, Never Still. Way to go, Jeremy!
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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AT MULGRAVE BY SENIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, CRAIG DAVIS
Our first aboriginal student at Mulgrave graduated in 2006 with a much different experience than students do today with regards to Indigenous studies. Ten years later, Mulgrave implemented a number of initiatives to embrace and understand Indigenous perspectives, principles, and culture. SEE P.36 FOR A SPOTLIGHT ON MULGRAVE’S FIRST ABORIGINAL GRADUATE, SAM TSURUDA.
Following Mulgrave’s Senior School opening ceremony collaboration with
some of the following features of Indigenous culture: • Culture ultimately supports the well-being of the family, community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors. • Culture and decision-making involves generational roles and
the Squamish Nation in June 2015, an impetus emerged to
responsibilities, and the evaluation of the consequences of
work towards a more intentional education agenda that would
actions over at least seven generations from the moment of
embrace Indigenous perspectives, First People’s principles
change.
of Learning, and a more authentic engagement with both the
• Culture and learning is embedded in memory, history and
Squamish Nation and Salish Coast Indigenous communities.
story and this learning involves patience and time.
What materialised from discussions with students, parents,
• Learning is reflexive, experiential, and always connected to
and teachers was that for many people, their understanding
the particular place in which it emerged and in relation to the
and engagement with First Nations culture and politics
people themselves.
was minimal, superficial, or solely centred on a date-based historical review of the old BC Social Studies curriculum.
To this end, Mulgrave’s Centre for Innovation team has engaged the voluntary services of Professor Lorraine Weir
There were pockets of more substantial engagements that
who is acting in an advisory role following her own substantial
occurred through wonderful community opportunities, such
experience working in the field of Indigenous epistemology
as with Chief Ted Walkus at the Oweekeno Village during the
and oral culture. In addition, during the Lunchtime Lecture
Grade 10 Rivers Inlet trip or the guest speakers who presented
series there has been an intentional drive towards engaging
to our Junior School classrooms. However, these experiences
members of the Squamish Nation such as Norman Guerrero,
were perhaps occasional and opportunistic rather than
Anjeanette Dawson, and Brad Baker who have all visited the
strategically driven by the school.
school to talk to both students and teachers. We have also
Running alongside this awareness has been the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge as a category for study in the IB Diploma Theory of Knowledge course in Grades 11 and 12,
hosted Indigenous Perspectives workshops for wider teacher communities and will be hosting a multi-performance theatre pieces about the impact of Residential Schools in February.
which was implemented in 2014. In addition, there has been
There is still a tremendous amount of work to do, and the
an excellent review of the BC curriculum that encourages
journey has only just begun. However, what is important to register
schools to effectively engage with the values and other
is Mulgrave’s long-term commitment to this vital core agenda as
ways of knowing during student explorations of Indigenous
part of a wider BC educational shift towards a more authentic
Perspectives. This requires more systematically engaging with
intercultural engagement with Salish Coast First Nations.
local Indigenous groups to share their art, stories, experiences, and current lives to ensure a more holistic appreciation of 26
CRAIG DAVIS
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT SERIES
2016
O
ur Alumni Spotlight Series showcases Mulgrave alumni in their pursuit of excellence in education and life beyond Mulgrave. These features provide insight into the wide variety of disciplines and passions in which our alumni have found success. With a focus on the diversity of the post-secondary experience, our Alumni Spotlight Series is reflective of the Mulgrave
experience and allows us to explore and celebrate each grad’s unique passions and abilities. From chefs, to para-alpine skiers, to doctors, to nuclear physicists, we are excited to Spotlight some truly exceptional alumni who are excelling in their respective fields. In addition to seven Alumni Spotlights, included in this section is a special feature with one of our founding alumni parents who has been an endless supporter of Mulgrave over the years: Grant Ayers. We hope you enjoy!
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MELANIE MOLLER M
elanie Moller graduated from Mulgrave in 2010 with aspirations of becoming a journalist. After going to
school and gaining experience by interviewing local restaurant owners and chefs, she quickly learned that her passion fell on the other side of the interview process - with the creative process and flavours of cooking. She decided to pursue that hunger, go back to school, and secure a position with a four-diamond restaurant upon graduation. In this Alumni Spotlight, Melanie turns up the heat and shares her story of becoming a chef.
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Mulgrave School Class of 2010 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | April 2016
What inspired you to pursue a career as a chef? I have always enjoyed food and cooking, and baking in particular. I loved eating abroad when travelling with my family, and I find the role of food in culture and family life fascinating. I used to love bringing cupcakes and other goodies to Mulgrave to share with my classmates and teachers, and if you’ve ever seen me eat a really good dessert, the bliss is palpable (just ask my parents). When I began studying Journalism at Carleton after leaving Mulgrave, I found that I most enjoyed working on stories involving the food industry. I would be interviewing chefs, food critics, restaurateurs etc. thinking, ‘I’d rather be doing this!’ I finished my degree (all the while working in a local chocolate shop) and immediately switched career paths. What a great segue into the world of cooking! How has journalism enriched your knowledge and understanding of food? I asked lots of fanboy/career advice questions when interviewing local chefs and restaurateurs while in journalism, so getting a head start in understanding the industry before entering it was huge. I also spent some time reviewing restaurants and was lucky enough to meet one of Ottawa’s
ABOVE: Melanie with Lynn Crawford, Canadian chef and Food Network personality, before doing a demo at school. speed, concentration, and stamina on the court. Unhealthy staff meals, meals at odd hours or not eating for 12 hours at a time - it takes a toll! I’m excited to be finishing culinary school as I’ll have more time to devote to my nutrition (thankfully), because it’s so important for living a happy, healthy life.
leading food critics. Getting perspective on the way the media
What are three ingredients that can always be found in your
and, in turn, the public evaluate food and restaurants has
kitchen?
helped me focus on the details in my cooking and maintenance of my workplace. Keeping on top of food trends is also useful, and the habit of checking the news (or, in this case, food magazines/blogs/stories etc.) to stay in the loop has been great for building my culinary knowledge base.
Since we’re on the subject of healthy, I always have a ‘healthy’ supply of cheese in my drawer for snacking… But really, three ingredients I couldn’t live without when I cook at home: 1. Soy sauce (or tamari) - Such incredible depth of flavour and way more interesting than adding salt. Have you ever
As a strong athlete, (a provincial and national volleyball
added soy sauce to mushrooms? It makes them taste more
champion!) how have you found that food and diet can affect
like mushrooms!
your athletic ability?
2. Chocolate – I’m making quite a lot of mousse cakes and
It’s funny because the more I’ve gotten into cooking, the worse I have fed myself (one of the hazards of working long hours without breaks). I’ve continued to play volleyball after high school, but just in the last year or so since starting at my most recent job, I’ve felt less able to reach my potential in terms of
truffles right now. Plus, I’m a chocoholic so I have probably 15lbs of different kinds of chocolate in my cupboard for experimenting. 3. Eggs - I can’t live without eggs, the most magical ingredient of all. It has so many functions and purposes in 29
the kitchen, from adding volume to emulsifying sauces to binding, breading, browning… And a straight-up runny egg on toast with lots of butter and salt? Heaven. Have you found that travelling has enhanced your knowledge and love for food? Definitely! For one, discovering new ingredients and dishes is very exciting. I’ll never forget trying the yummy ‘squeaky’ queso in the mountains just outside of San José in Costa Rica, or labneh, a delicious type of yoghurt in Israel, and warthog in South Africa. Food is so very cool in that it plays to all your senses and there’s nothing better than bringing friends and family together over a conversation dish. Also, when you’ve seen certain ingredients used in context with a particular culture or lifestyle, it helps you to connect with them on a
One positive thing I’ve noticed is that, on a small scale,
deeper, more empathetic level.
professional and home cooks are starting to care more about
Take achiote, for instance: I learned about it for the first time
where their food comes from and are sourcing locally for a
during a volunteering trip in Ecuador, where it has traditionally
range of environmental, economical, and culinary reasons.
been used for medicine or for dying fabrics. It also happens to
I get the sense that this country’s professional cooks make
be delicious infused into oils or sauces to create a gorgeous
sourcing locally a priority, even though from a restaurant’s
red colour, but whenever I use it, I remember its original
standpoint it’s hard to fill a menu with seasonal, local
purpose and find I have a better respect for it as an ingredient.
ingredients in the dead of winter. A good balance during those times is important, and consideration of that as a diner
Besides introducing exotic flavours into your dishes, what
when choosing menu items will help hold professionals
have you learned from your travels that you can apply in the
accountable in this regard. (You shouldn’t be ordering
kitchen?
asparagus in November or zucchini flowers in February!) I love
I’ve learned to be open-minded and to welcome surprises. You never know when a vegan or someone with an allergy to citrus will walk through the door, or when there are no more bowls to use in the kitchen, or when the ovens are all set too high for your cake. Being able to go with the flow and be resourceful, just like when travelling, is crucial, or you just won’t get your work done. In your opinion, which country has the best food in the world? As far as a national cuisine, I’m torn between Italian, French, Japanese, Israeli. Well… and British. My family is English, so a good cheese and onion pie or a Yorkshire pudding will never go amiss on my plate. As far as where in the world you can get the best food, you can’t beat England! London is home to the best restaurants of every kind of cuisine.
the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise programme, which eases this process of sustainable eating for diners (Ocean Wise status is often printed on the menu) and helps businesses make ocean-friendly sourcing decisions. I think we still rely too heavily on imported foods, and there are still steps to be taken in consideration of soil erosion, water wastage, and land conservation when we look at the farming systems from which we get our food. What can people do to be more sustainable in their homes when cooking? It’s really important to consider where you get your food from and how that food is grown and harvested. If we create less of a demand for out-of-season ingredients that have to be transported from far away, then we contribute less to carbon emissions and unsustainable farming practices. Also,
How is the local, sustainable food movement evolving in
consuming less meat helps reduce our ecological footprint. I’m
Canada?
not saying you need to be a vegetarian (I did that for six years, and I have since crossed back into the realm of moderate
ABOVE: Melanie at Le Cordon Bleu creating desserts.
ABOVE: Melanie at her graduation from Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, Culinary Arts Institute.
omnivorism), but just a reduction in meat consumption is
to travel and learn about world cuisine. I think my next dream job
enough to at least help. If you do eat meat, be smart about
would be in Copenhagen at a restaurant called Geist, which is a
where your protein comes from - go to your butcher and ask
modern Nordic restaurant, or a Michelin Star restaurant in Tokyo
for Canadian beef, or look for sustainable, Canadian seafood.
– the way the Japanese look at food and the attention to detail
What’s the most interesting class you’ve taken in school? Every day at culinary school was awesome. It was an intensive
and freshness of ingredients is admirable and fascinating to me. Favourite dish?
programme, so we covered so many techniques every day
That’s like asking a parent to choose between children! I like
in demo and practical. I’ve really enjoyed the classes where
everything! This winter I’ve loved soups of all kinds: shiyo
we work with chocolate – chocolate showpiece, tempered
ramen, seafood laksa, Nana’s chicken soup, roasted pumpkin
chocolate garnishes, chocolate truffles and bonbons. In
soup, parsnip soup with white chocolate and chili, but I’m also
preparation for my final pastry exam, I had to design and then
a huge fan of good-quality thin crust pizza - always will be.
realise a mousse cake, and having that succeed structurally and be delicious was very rewarding. Another one of the coolest classes was in Intermediate Cuisine, where a partner
Do you feel Mulgrave helped to prepare you for this career path?
and I butchered an entire lamb. It took a couple of hours
I’ll never forget ‘Renaissance Wednesday’ cooking class with
because we wanted to respect the animal and do the butchery
Mme. Lebrun in Middle School. Cooking in French – how
justice, but it made eventually cooking the different cuts very
poignant that a decade later I’d be doing just that! More
satisfying.
significantly though, Mulgrave taught me to love learning.
What would your dream job be when you’re finished schooling at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa?
Thirsting for knowledge is a central crux of the restaurant industry; there is always something new, different, and maybe better to learn about food preparation, ingredient selection,
Well, I’m very lucky to have already been hired into my dream
and good practice. I also feel like I learned how to work hard at
job here in Ottawa. I took some time off from school to do
Mulgrave. The IB programme is a beast - a useful one, but no
a few trips, but while I was in town, I applied for a stage
one can argue that it’s not a substantial amount of work. Every
(internship) opportunity at a four-diamond restaurant, Beckta.
day at my job is a slog, and I’m glad I’m used to persevering
After a couple of weeks, they offered me a position as a Pastry
through busy and tough times. As we like to say in the kitchen
and Garde Manger (cold appetizers) Chef de Partie, which I
at work, “Push on!”
accepted. I’m thoroughly enjoying working in a fine dining restaurant and am learning so much. The next step, however, is
Melanie Moller, 2016 31
Mulgrave School Class of 2005
S
Interviewed by Michelle Noble | September 2016
ince the day Ben took his first step, his life has revolved around adventure - from fast flowing rivers to
steep ski slopes to rugged mountain terrain. At the age of eight, Ben noticed he didn’t have control over the muscles in his legs and had to learn to adapt to his body’s boundaries, which he soon discovered could be pushed and stretched further than he ever imagined. Never one to be held back from adventure, Ben adjusted to his disability, revised his activities, and continued pushing the envelope for thrill-seeking experiences. We hope you enjoy this Spotlight on the ever-inspiring 2005 Mulgrave graduate, Ben Thompson.
How has skiing been a part of your family’s life? At what age
What was the most challenging part of giving up the sport you
did you first step into a pair of skis?
loved?
I was born into a ski family. My dad and his brother patrolled
I had to give up stand up skiing because my disability (called
all over the Rockies and coastal mountains when they were
Charcot Marie Tooth) limited how I could ski. It affects my
growing up - they even learned to backflip on 218cm skinny
peripheral motor nerves, mostly affecting the feet, so I walk
skis. My mom and her siblings are all awesome skiers as well.
but do not have the strength in my lower legs to control skis. If
Uncle Jack used to do back-to-back seasons heli-ski guiding
I were to put skis on now, I would be lucky to make it down the
in BC and New Zealand before settling into a job with the
bunny hill. In a sit-ski, I can ski how I want and it allows me to
Canadian Avalanche Foundation in BC. Grandparents, uncles
ski with family and friends. The biggest challenge for me was
and aunts, cousins and friends – everyone skied in the winter.
awareness; I just didn’t know sit-skiing existed or that it was
With skiing in my blood, I started early and was on skis at the
an option for me. At the time, adaptive skiing was not common
age of three, doing my best to stay upright. By the age of eight,
world-wide and was just starting to become more well-known.
I realised that I would not be able to progress with stand up
I am very lucky to have my younger brother (who has the same
skiing; I just didn’t have the muscles needed to control my skis
disability) as he played a significant role in how I coped with
beyond the way a six-year-old would ski a blue run. I pursued
my disability.
other things like swimming and biking. Can you explain why you were unable to control your skis?
32
How did you first get into sit-skiing? I started sit-skiing in 2006. A parent of another Mulgrave
BEN THOMPSON
student (Shae de Jaray, 2006 graduate) saw a sit-skier in
art history course in my first year as an elective and enjoyed
Whistler and told my brother and me about it. From there,
it, so again, I followed my interests.
we took our first lesson, and we were instantly hooked. After a few lessons, my brother and I were pushing each other to go on harder runs and hit higher speeds. After a few years
Did UVic provide you with an opportunity to delve into your passions/ hobbies? How did you get involved?
of learning the basics, we entered our first race and were
Vancouver Island is a great destination for whitewater
noticed by the BC Para-Alpine Ski Team.
kayaking, offering everything from beginner rivers to some
That’s impressive! So what was your sit-ski career highlight?
of the most difficult in the world. When I first arrived at Uvic I had heard about a white water kayaking club but did not
My career highlight was in 2014, just before the Sochi
know much beyond that. I ended up meeting some amazing
Paralympics when I received my first NorAm podium, a 3rd
life-long friends because of this club. In my second year of
place in Super Combined, which is a discipline that combines
university I became involved with the club executive and
1 Super-G run and 1 Slalom run. I was also named the first
ended up running the club for a few years. The club grew
alternate for the Sochi Paralympics, meaning I would be the
from 85 to over 400 people while I was there. I really believe
first person to replace any injured Canadians competing in
my experience with running this club provided more practical
Sochi.
knowledge than my university degree. (The club had about
After graduating from Mulgrave, you originally headed to UVic thinking you would study physics. What made you change paths? I did not have a defined career path that I wanted to pursue when I graduated from Mulgrave. I followed my interests and passions from high school, but they changed drastically in my
the same number of people as the entire Middle and Senior School at Mulgrave at the time.) I do not mean to diminish the value of my degree, but the experience provided a different and complementary skill set to my degree. How did you turn your love for white water rafting into employment?
first year of university. During my that year, I met so many
During my first summer in university, I worked at a
interesting people who had unique life experiences, and they
whitewater kayak school in North Vancouver, again following
made me re-think what I wanted to pursue. I had taken one
my passion. After a few summers of working just for the kayak
shop, I expanded and started offering multi-day whitewater
After retiring from ski racing, I started my own small 3D
raft trips in the Yukon. Eventually, I travelled to Norway to
printing company. I started out printing architectural models
work as a whitewater raft guide. I was really just following
but quickly expanded into rapid prototyping. Some of my
what I enjoy doing and was ready to jump on any opportunity
favourite projects have been printing a prosthetic hand for a
that was presented.
friend, prototyping wrist watches, prototyping bike parts for a
What is the wildest adventure you’ve had? I could never pick my wildest adventure, there are just too many to pick from, but they would all be related to rivers.
company from France, and working on my own prototypes for sit-skis. What’s next for you?
The Grand Canyon, the Firth River, and my entire summer in
I’m going back to school for a career change. Since I started
Norway would be among some of wildest.
the 3D printing company a few years ago, I have decided to
What is your involvement with Live it! Love it! Foundation?
expand my skill set to allow me to take advantage of even more opportunities. I am taking a CNC (Computer Numerical
A very good family friend of mine broke his neck
Control) Technician programme at BCIT. Before I start school,
snowboarding in Revelstoke in 2010. Since then, he started
my girlfriend and I are travelling to South East Asia for eight
the Live it! Love it! Foundation, which is a foundation that
weeks.
provides adventure camps for people with disabilities to return to the outdoors. For the last few years, I have had the absolute pleasure of coaching the big mountain sit-ski camp alongside my brother. I enjoy coaching and sharing the knowledge and skills I acquired during my
Having an accident or learning you have a physical disability can be devastating for people – especially for those who are active by nature. Do you have any advice for someone who is going through this?
years of competitive ski racing, but in a much more relaxed
Be ready to adapt and realise there are way more
environment.
opportunities out there for anyone with a disability than you
Tell us more about your 3D printing business and some of the most interesting projects you have worked on.
think there are. Ben Thompson, 2016 35
SAM TSURUDA Mulgrave School Class of 2006 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | December 2016
W
ith a heart as big as her ambition, Sam Tsuruda graduated in 2006 as Mulgrave’s first Aboriginal student.
Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UVic and a Master in Public Health from UBC with a focus on Aboriginal health research, Sam knew she wanted a career that would benefit others; thus she followed a path that brought her back to her roots. She is now working with Indigenous communities where she is fighting for social justice, working to reduce educational disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and striving for wellness and equity within these communities. Her passion for giving back is admirable, and you can feel her zeal for social justice through her words. We are very honoured to share this Alumni Spotlight with you featuring 2006 Mulgrave alum, Sam Tsuruda. 36
When you graduated from Mulgrave and went to the
we do is centered around issues that are close to our hearts,
University of Victoria, did you know what you wanted to do
and since our work is mainly with Indigenous programs and
with your career? How did your path end up leading you to
organizations, most of what we do relates to our families and
where you are now?
communities. The majority of our clients are also connected
When I graduated from Mulgrave, I only knew that I wanted my career to benefit others - that was the extent of it. I ended up doing my BA in Psychology at UVic, and graduated from that program in December of 2010. The path from then to my career can only be explained by pure intention and a series
to the fight for social justice, wellness or equity for Indigenous peoples, and I am grateful to care so deeply about their work. It helps that our team functions like a family around a kitchen table, where we can grapple with the ‘big stuff’ and also laugh along the way.
of fortuitous events. I came into contact with Dr. Kim van der
What is your favourite part of doing research with Indigenous
Woerd, who is an incredible mentor, researcher and friend.
communities?
Kim’s mission is to reduce the educational disparities that persist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, so the model of her company is based on mentoring Indigenous undergrad students who want to pursue graduate school. When I told her about my passion for working with Indigenous communities, and my goal for going to grad school to eventually give back to my own community, she graciously took me under her wing. I’ve gotten to work with her and the team at Reciprocal Consulting ever since.
There’s nothing quite like being in community. It is such an honour to witness the work that people do on the ground and to celebrate their strengths, all while building relationships and friendships. Our communities are still in a state of healing from our colonial history and intergenerational trauma that is at the root of so many Indigenous health issues and inequities. In many cases, we are arguably still in the wounded phase. However, there is also not enough attention paid to the positives of this healing journey, and that is an equally
How would you describe what you do and your approach to
important side of the story. Shining a light on others’ efforts
program evaluation?
and success in these communities is definitely one of my
Well in one sentence, I strive to be a listener, story-teller and messenger. That’s maybe not Google’s definition of program evaluation, but it works for me. The research our team does is relational and collaborative; it’s an exchange of values and worldviews, of experiences and knowledge systems. All of what
ABOVE: Sam with her Reciprocal Consulting team.
favourite aspects of our work. What guides you in the work that you do? To my core, I believe that the purpose of existing is to connect with people and the land. When I go to visit my community,
37
ABOVE: Sam and her YWCA youth mentorship group.
the Spuzzum First Nation in the south of the Fraser Canyon, I always spend time at my great-grandma’s fishing hole. It’s been in her family for hundreds of years, and when I sit
I think every young person deserves to feel like that. What has been a highlight of your career so far?
there, I feel that she is with me. Although I never got to meet
When I began my career, we were working within a
her, my great-grandma is the reason I do the work that I do,
conservative government, whose priorities devastated and
and she continues to guide me in my life. When I travel to
dramatically impacted services and programming among
different territories, it has become part of my practice to ask
Indigenous organizations and communities. Since then, the
the Creator for a safe journey, and to ensure we do our work
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its
in a way that is for the greater good. When I sit down to do an
Summary Report and Calls to Action. This work has marked
interview, I pray that I can create a safe space for people to feel
a significant step for Aboriginal peoples’ fight toward justice
comfortable to share; that I treat that interaction with utmost
and truth telling, and demonstrates that everyone has a
respect and hold others’ words sacred. These connections to
responsibility to contribute to reconciliation. Our consulting
the living world, the spirit world, and the land all support and
team tries to weave the Calls to Action into our evaluation and
guide me more than I can probably describe.
research, and approach our projects through a reconciliation
Who was a role model for you at Mulgrave? How did they teach you to think differently or help shape your perspective?
lens. With this information in a liberal political context, we are starting to see conversations and relationships evolve. Although this isn’t a specific ‘highlight’, witnessing various
Lee Hardy and Antony Wilson are two teachers that stand out.
levels of government and complex bureaucratic systems be
Mr. Hardy loved to push us to think outside the box, and it
open to Indigenous world views and strengths-based research
was in his class where I discovered my love for debating. (By
is deeply rewarding. It’s really about time!
debating, I mean gathering data as evidence - the arguing part was not my jam). So it’s not shocking to see where I’ve ended up.
Why is it important to contribute to reconciliation, and how do you see your role in that?
Mr. Wilson had this unconditional support for me. I had this
My hope is that people understand that reconciliation is
belief that if I came up with a good idea or goal, he would
something that impacts the entire population to varying
help me find a way to make it happen, which was a pretty
degrees, and that we all can contribute to this movement. I
empowering feeling. These are two teachers who are fantastic
think that most people could read the Calls to Action or look
at their jobs, in part because they make young people feel
on Reconciliation Canada’s website and be able to identify a
heard and that they have value. Beyond that, they encourage
role they can play. I know that we are challenging our own
students to use their gifts for a cause greater than themselves.
team and the field of program evaluation to be culturally
work on is an intrinsic part of reconciliation. To explain that a bit more, it is a way to acknowledge the ancestors who came before us, who continue to guide us, and to honour the earth that continues to provide for us. Acknowledging traditional territory is also a way to examine our own privilege as settlers; it is humbling to reflect on and honour the generations of First Peoples who sustained themselves by protecting the waters and taking care of the land that we are fortunate enough to call home. Mulgrave is situated on an absolutely stunning part of the traditional territory of the Squamish First Nation, and that is fantastic that they came to do a blessing of the totem pole. I would love to hear students’ reflections about that ceremony and their thoughts on this question! As Deputy Head Girl at Mulgrave you were very involved in giving back to the community and volunteering your time. How has philanthropy continued to be an important aspect of your life? Reciprocity is a key value to me, and since I’ve received such ABOVE: Sam’s great-grandmother’s fishing hole.
incredible mentorship in my life, I’ve wanted to keep the circle going. About five years ago I began volunteering at the YWCA
responsive, advocates and allies.
Indigenous Youth Mentorship program. This group is called
One of our Elders, Albert Marshall from the Eskasoni First
Circle of Sisters, and it’s just that - a circle of Indigenous
Nation in Nova Scotia, said to us, “It is human nature to talk
women and strong role models who get to learn life skills and
about what is dear to our hearts, and the central ingredient to
cultural teachings together. I can’t count the number of life-
life is love.” And I think that’s the crux of relationship building
changing discussions we’ve had about the impact of racism and
and connecting authentically with one another - it’s a way for
discrimination on our health, the impact of colonization on our
us to develop mutual understanding and empathy. In my eyes,
bodies and our families, and what it means to identify as an
these are the building blocks of reconciliation.
Indigenous woman. This group is far beyond a philanthropic
My role in reconciliation is one I’ve been critically questioning:
venture though; they are my family.
How are Indigenous peoples called to act, and what is our role
I believe there is no better investment than our children
in this movement? I don’t quite have the answer, but one small
and our young people. To that end, I also chair the Board
way that I can contribute is through storytelling and listening
of the McCreary Centre Society, which is a not-for-profit
– reciprocally engaging in reconciliation conversations with
youth health research organization. McCreary values youth
an open heart and mind, and creating safe spaces for dialogue.
engagement and empowerment, and they took a chance on
I’m also passionate about contributing to the evaluation of the
hiring me to lead an Aboriginal youth research project back
Calls to Action one day, but that’s a whole other story.
in 2011. This was a pivotal step in my research career, and I continue to try to give back to McCreary in any way that I can.
At the opening ceremony of the new Senior School, some of the Squamish First Nations members came to do a ‘blessing’ of our school’s iconic totem pole. Why do you think it’s important to honour the roots of our local communities?
Favourite Mulgrave memory? There are some hilarious ones that come to mind, but I think the cake goes to watching the school’s production of Alice in
With full disclosure, I want to say that these are my views that
Wonderland. Brendan Archibald’s performance as the White
represent the teachings I’ve received so far. In one sentence,
Rabbit was impeccable.
honouring the roots of the territories that we live, visit and Sam Tsuruda, 2016
MATTHEW DURRANS A
long-standing Mulgravian, Matthew Durrans left Mulgrave in Grade 9 to move to Germany
and pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. Faced with the challenges of moving to a new country, a language he didn’t speak, the rigors of the IB, and performing at a high level of soccer, Matthew persevered against all odds and has grown tremendously from his ambition and experience. As many of Matthew’s fellow 2016 classmates are also taking a similar leap of faith upon graduation this year, he shares some advice and wisdom that he has gained along the way on his journey. We hope you enjoy this Alumni Spotlight on our youngest graduate to be featured.
40
Mulgrave School Class of 2016 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | June 2016 Matthew, it’s been a pleasure having you back in Vancouver
language barrier. Prior to moving to Germany, I had no
for a couple of weeks! At what age did you first start playing
lessons in German so I could not understand what anybody
soccer?
was saying on the soccer team, whether that was on the
I began playing soccer at the age of three with the West Van Soccer Club. I have only positive and happy memories playing the sport that I instantly fell in love with at such a young age.
field, in a game, or in the changing room. This was extremely difficult and at times demeaning, as I had no idea what the other players were saying about me or what the coaches wanted me to do. Of course, most of the players could
What team are you playing for in Munich? What was the
speak some English and would try to help me out; however,
process to be invited to play on this team?
in Germany, they refrain from speaking English too often as they want German to be the primary language. This is
The team I am currently playing for in Munich is TSV 1860
simply their culture; if you live in Germany, you must speak
München, which is a professional team playing in the 2nd
German. The first few months up until the winter break in
Bundesliga Division in Germany. I play for their Under-19
2013 was undoubtedly the hardest time for me as I was trying
team in the youth academy, where we play against teams
to adapt to the language and culture in Germany. Another
around the country in the U-19 Junior Bundesliga. The process
major challenge was leaving my friends, school, and home,
to be invited to play on this top-level team was a difficult
and giving up the privilege of attending such a great school
one. I contacted a soccer agent based in Germany, and after
like Mulgrave. Because I was at Mulgrave for almost 10 years,
preliminary conversations about where I had previously
I made some incredible relationships with other students and
played, he gave me the chance to fly to Germany in March of
teachers that I have kept to this day.
2013 (when I was in Grade 9) for a 10-day trial with a team in Munich called SC Fürstenfeldbruck. The tryouts proved to be
Having no background in German, how did you learn to speak
successful for me as the club told me that I had performed
the language fluently in such a short period of time?
well enough to be given a spot on the team for the following season. After much discussion when I returned to Vancouver to finish my Grade 9 school year, I decided to take this chance and move to Germany. When I went back to Germany in August to begin my year, the soccer agent who had previously helped me gave me another opportunity to tryout with a larger and more famous club in Munich called TSV 1860 München. The team allowed me to have four training sessions with them in late August to see if I had the potential to play with them for the 2013-14 season, and after performing extremely well, I was given the chance to join the U-16 team at TSV 1860 München. What were some of the biggest challenges you had to overcome when moving across the world to a new country? At the age of only 14, there were many challenges that I had to overcome when moving across the world to a different continent to follow my dreams. Initially for me, it was the
It was extremely difficult! The simple answer to how I did it is that I just had to immerse myself in the German language and culture and break as many barriers as I could in a short period of time. I tried to speak to my friends as much as I could in German, ask them for help with grammar questions that I had, and then apply it whenever I could (like at a store). This was not easy but it was necessary, as to be successful in soccer I had to learn how to speak the language in order to communicate on and off the pitch, build closer relationships with people, as well as understand team tactics that would be applied in game situations. What you went through, making the decision to leave home and follow your passion, is what the rest of your peers are now going through as they graduate from Mulgrave. Do you have any advice for them, given your experience? My main piece of advice for them would simply be just to do 41
it. Do not make a decision about your future based on trying to
the field, the training is taken very seriously, and there is a
keep ahold of things in the past; do what you feel is right and
system for warm-up, training, and cool-down, and there’s even
let go. Don’t be afraid of leaving behind your friends, family or
structure in the details, like who takes the equipment out for
your home because they will always be there for you to come
the training sessions. The training sessions are run extremely
home to. Looking back on my decision to go to Germany in
professionally and because of these little details, I find North
2013, it would have been the easiest decision of my life if I
America is not at the same level as in Europe.
were presented with it today. This experience has taught me so many things, not just on the field playing soccer but off the field developing my personality from a teenager into a young adult. It has positively affected me and will continue to for the rest of my life. How does the caliber of soccer compare from North America to Europe?
How did you find balancing the demands of the IB while playing a sport at such a high level? Do you have any advice for a student interesting in competing at a high level while taking the IB? I found balancing the demands of the IB while playing a sport at a high level to be, at many times, difficult yet rewarding. The advice for a student interested in competing at a high
The caliber is extremely different. The differences come in
level while taking the IB is that you have to have three
the coaching, the attitude of the players, the professionalism
characteristics:
and the general culture of soccer. The most basic difference in
1. Motivation – You have to be motivated on a daily basis, and
Europe is that soccer is not considered a sport – it’s a lifestyle.
you have to give 100% in school and in sport.
This difference in the overall culture of soccer is transparent
2. Organisation – You have to be organised, especially in
in my daily life, as everything on the news in terms of sport is
school, as the IB is extremely demanding. You have to make
about soccer. Whenever somebody asks you, “Are you going
sure you are on task for assessments and are not leaving them
to watch the game?”, they are only talking about one sport.
to the last minute.
As a soccer player, this environment really motivates me to
3. Willingness to sacrifice (especially during Grades 11 and 12)
become the best I can be as I see how much soccer means
– You have to be willing to sacrifice many things if you want to
to people in Europe. Another difference is the coaching. The
be successful doing the IB as well as competing at a high level
coaching in Germany is phenomenal and each coach takes
in a particular sport. You may have to sacrifice things like not
his/her job very seriously. This also applies to people like the
being able to go to a party on Friday night because you have a
physiotherapists, managers and the assistants to the head
game Saturday morning, coming home at 9:00pm after leaving
coach, as everyone puts 100% of their concentration and effort
for school at 8:30am to finish off your homework, and then
into their work to make the team as successful as they can be. The youth coaches in Germany that I have worked with are dedicated to making good players into great players in the hopes that they will become professionals in the near future, and for me, this is a big difference. In Germany, the goal for these academy coaches is not necessarily to have an amazing season and be number one in the league (at a U17 level for example). The bigger goal is to produce professional soccer players who will play in the top leagues around the world. The final difference, but arguably the most important, is in the professionalism in Europe compared to North America. The way the team is run and the effort given to the job from the kit man to the head coach is all done to high standards. On ABOVE: Matthew with his mom and dad.
going to bed without seeing friends or just relaxing/playing
they have sacrificed in their lives for me to get to this stage
video games or watching a movie. However, with all of this
in my life. They possess many important characteristics that
being said, if you possess these qualities and are 100% sure
make them fantastic people to be around. I can only hope that
that this is what you want, at the end of all of it, it is extremely
one day I can be as great as they are. I owe everything that I
rewarding. Therefore, for me personally, I would not have done
achieve to them because without them, none of what I have
anything differently and am extremely pleased that I have
done, or what I will do, could have happened. Another key
achieved what I have so far in both school and soccer.
figure who is also a role model to me would be my brother,
Having been a Mulgravian since Grade 1, are there any skills that Mulgrave taught you that helped to prepare you for such an ambitious endeavor?
Nicholas. He has always been there for me, inspiring me on a daily basis in so many ways, as well as consistently critiquing me to make me who I am today, not only as a soccer player but as a person. I owe a lot of what I have achieved to him, too,
I think the two main skills that Mulgrave taught me which
because he has pushed me so that I can reach my full potential
helped to prepare me are to be organised and to be a risk-
in my soccer career. He is an incredible individual with an
taker. Without being organised, I would not be able to balance
amazing amount of spirit that seems to touch everybody
the demanding IB with my high-level soccer, and therefore,
that he meets, and I am proud of what he has achieved, too,
my dream to become a professional soccer player would not
academically and athletically.
happen. Without being a risk-taker, I probably would not have taken that chance all the way back in 2013 to come to a different continent to play soccer. I am very grateful that an
You’re lucky to have such a loving and supportive family! Favorite soccer team?
amazing school like Mulgrave has taught me these skills, as
My favorite soccer team is Manchester United. This has been
they have allowed me to reach my full potential and have given
mine and my other three siblings’ team since day one as a
me a chance to make my dreams come true.
result of our dad who was born near Manchester and has been
Have you had any role models throughout this whole process?
supporting them since he was a boy. It would be an incredible day if I could step onto the pitch one day wearing a Manchester
My role models throughout this entire process have got to be
United shirt with ‘Durrans’ on the back and play in front of
my parents. My mom and dad are simply the greatest parents
75,000 fans under the lights of Old Trafford, the Theatre of
any kid could ask for, and I am so very privileged for what
Dreams. Matthew Durrans, 2016
SARAH KOPAK Mulgrave School Class of 2007 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | June 2016
S
arah Kopak (or Szarkowicz, as we remember her), has been busy over the past nine years studying to
become a doctor at the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland. A 2007 graduate, Sarah explains the pros and cons of studying abroad, the hoops she has had to jump through to transfer her accreditation back to Canada, and some of the craziest experiences she has endured during her journey to becoming a doctor.
44
45
It is wonderful to catch up with you, Sarah! Thank you for
very lengthy process. Not only do I have to take a few exams,
taking the time. What motivated you to move back to Poland
I also have to complete another internship. Currently, I’m
after graduation?
studying for my Medical Council of Canada Qualifying exam
Graduating from Mulgrave, I was so pumped up, I felt like I was invincible. I wanted to do something bold and outstanding
(the first of three) and looking into volunteering at a hospice and Lions Gate Hospital.
with my future. My options were quite obvious - either
What would your dream job be once you’ve officially become a
I follow my passion for music or I push myself out of my
doctor in Canada?
comfort zone and do something extraordinary. Following the second option, I was accepted to SFU for Health Sciences as my pre-med. Everything was too perfect, I knew there had to be a curveball coming. During the last week of summer, I received an acceptance letter to the Medical University of Warsaw. Opportunity struck and I took it. (There was also a summer fling in Poland that tipped the scales ever so slightly.) When did you first know you wanted to become a doctor? That’s a tough question. I have admired my family doctor, Dr. Bertha Brisco, since I was a little girl. She was definitely the one who sparked my interest in medicine. As I grew older, I was finding that Biology was one of my favourite subjects in school, especially when the topics were about the human body or animals and involved dissecting. I was always one of the ‘brave ones’ in my family and could handle blood and dress gruesome wounds. All those factors added up into the idea of giving medicine a shot. Has it been a smooth transition from Poland to Canada, or have there been some hoops you’ve had to jump through?
After my internship in Poland where I got to experience all the wards in the hospital, I have to say that I have grown a passion for Neonatology. Whenever I give this answer, it’s always followed by, “What’s neonatology?” When an infant is born, it is referred to as a neonate for the first 28 days of life. During this time, the doctor is called a neonatologist; after 28 days of life, a pediatrician is the primary doctor. During my Pediatrics and Neonatology rotation during my internship, I felt excited to go to work in the morning, and that is when I realised where my focus should be. Doctors without Borders has always been a dream of mine, as well. I will never forget when I was in Grade 11 at Mulgrave and they came to the school to give a presentation about being a volunteer. I remember I went home that day and told my mom, “Mama, I’m going to Africa to help the sick.” Mom looked at me and said, “My child, become a doctor first, then you’ll be a bigger help.” I guess right now I’m at a bit of a crossroad in my career because I still have so many paths I can take and options to choose from. A crossroad can be an exciting place to be – there’s so much
Definitely a lot of hoops! So many hoops in fact, that they sort
possibility! Did you learn any skills at Mulgrave that have
of scare me to get started. Getting your international medical
helped get you to where you are today?
credentials transferred to be able to practice in Canada is a
Not to brag, but my study skills and notes are impeccable to perfection. I was always the one in my year that others would photocopy notes from. It was not only my colour coding and note-taking skills that Mrs. Laursoo taught me in Gr. 10 and 11 biology, but also my outside-of-the-box thinking that helped me make mnemonics, doodles, or songs to help remember important symptoms and treatments of diseases. The work ethic that was instilled in me at Mulgrave has stayed with me to this day. What is the biggest difference between Polish and Canadian culture?
ABOVE: Sarah leaning on a brain model while studying in first-year anatomy class.
The openness of people here in Canada. Even though I’ve lived
here for most of my life, it was a bit of a shock in March when I moved back after almost nine years abroad. In Poland, people you don’t know don’t randomly talk to you on the street or in the stores. Openness and friendliness to strangers is very rare, at least where I lived in the capital, Warsaw. I think that the war and post-war communism is still very fresh in people’s minds, especially in the older generation, and that is why people are a bit more cautious. What is the craziest story so far from your journey to becoming a doctor? Seeing a live birth up close and personal was definitely one of the more memorable experiences. I was in my fifth-year studies and in my second year of gynecology and obstetrics clinical studies. We were in the middle of a lecture, and one of the senior doctors ran into the room saying that a patient was ready to pop out a baby and asked who was willing to help. I was already putting on my doctor’s coat and running up to him before he could finish his sentence. My job during the delivery was to hold the patient’s legs back and to keep an eye on the father in case of any fainting. It was a lengthy delivery, but a healthy boy, whom they named Filip, was born. Another, maybe more frightening experience, was during my first-year summer practice. Every summer we had to complete at least one month of a particular training. Since the first year of medical school was all theory, this summer practice was my first contact with patients… ever! It was a nursing practice, and I chose to do it in the gastroenterology ward of one of the most well-known teaching hospitals in Poland. A lady was admitted from England, and since she didn’t speak any Polish, the nurses put me in charge of her. One day, the nurses told me to move some hospital beds from one room to another, and as a reward, I could go home a bit early. The next day I came in, and the lady from England had a broken nose, missing teeth, and her whole face was bruised. It turns out that she fell out of her bed because the bed rails weren’t raised. Of course, the blame was on me. That was a hard one to get out of! What is your biggest accomplishment since graduating from Mulgrave? Probably completing my next level of education, which as you have probably guessed by now, is medicine. And not only that, but finding a passion for medicine. It is not only a profession for me, but an interesting puzzle that slowly unfolds the more I learn.
ABOVE: Sarah with friends at the European Championships in Warsaw in 2012. Would you recommend studying abroad to become a doctor? As many of my professors have told me, ‘it depends’ is never a wrong answer. I chose to do my medical schooling abroad, first of all because my family is Polish and I would spend most of my summers there visiting friends and family. Since the language and culture were not foreign to me, and they offered a medical programme in English, I figured it was worth a shot. Another bonus was that there were no pre-med courses required. A six-year programme straight out of high school seemed like a good deal. At the time, I didn’t do a lot of research about transferring credentials back to Canada, which is something I regret. Many of my peers from Canada or US studying with me did their research and actually took all the required exams to transfer back home during their last year of studies. I, on the other hand, got engaged and decided to stay in Poland to do my internship there. There are a lot of pros and cons to studying abroad, but nothing will beat experiencing a different culture. Favourite Mulgrave memory? ‘FAME - I’m gonna live forever!’ Being part of the cast of Fame in Grade 12 was definitely the most unforgettable experience of my final year at Mulgrave. Sometimes I even catch myself subconsciously dancing the moves that Mrs. Hugh-Grant taught us. Any advice or words of wisdom for our current Grade 12s who are nearing graduation? My motto has always been, ‘If you’re gonna do something, you might as well do it right’. Follow your heart and be daring because this is how dreams are made. A strong work ethic always pays off in the end. Sarah Kopak, 2016
MATTHEW CULLEN Mulgrave School Class of 2008 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | November 2016
M
atthew Cullen was among the first graduating class from Mulgrave to complete the International
Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 2008. Faced with a decision to pursue a career in hockey or attend university and focus on his education, Matt artfully found a way to incorporate both passions into his life. He used his time at university to gain experience in sports broadcasting and was able to integrate travel into his studies through an exchange to Angers, France. This Spotlight with Matt demonstrates how following your passion, taking advantage of opportunities, and persevering can lead to a dream job and doing what you love. We hope you enjoy!
48
ABOVE: Matt (right) at his graduation from The College of Sports Media.
After completing the IB at Mulgrave, you had a tough decision
world outside of the classroom, allowed me to make friends
to make - work toward achieving a hockey scholarship in the
and connections around the world, and provided me with
United States, or go to St. Francis Xavier University. Deciding
the opportunity to learn a new language. These experiences
on the latter, how did you ensure sports remained part of your
were extremely valuable to my personal and professional
life, even if you weren’t playing hockey at a high level?
development.
My passion for sports was still very much present, and I finally
Where has your career path led you to today?
reached out to the St. FX campus newspaper (The Xavieran Weekly) to be a sports reporter. I also began broadcasting varsity hockey and basketball games on the university streaming network in my final year of university. In addition to reporting, I competed on the St. FX rowing team for two years and played basketball with the club team at the Université Catholique de l’Ouest while I was on exchange in Angers, France. I always continued to play hockey at a recreational level.
After taking two years to work abroad in France, I decided to return to my studies in September 2014 to pursue a diploma in Radio and Television Broadcasting at the College of Sports Media in Toronto. In the summer of 2015, I worked as a Digital Media intern at TSN.ca and was also hired as a CBC Host Broadcaster for the Pan American Games. These two experiences were key in helping me find a position as a sports writer with CBC in Toronto. I had continued to commentate for live sporting events (my dream job!) and at the end of the
Would you recommend going on an exchange during post-
summer was fortunate enough to get the call to be the regular
secondary, like you did in your third year to Angers, France?
Colour Commentator for the Mississauga Steelheads (Ontario
Yes, I would definitely recommend an international exchange to anyone who is interested. It introduced me to a different
Hockey League) on Rogers TV, a local cable station in a Toronto suburb. I am now in my second season with the team. 49
In addition to commentating, I’m involved in several other
My favourite sport to watch this summer was women’s soccer.
initiatives. I’m currently a committee lead in the Game
There was an incredible amount of hype around the Canadian
Operations and Hospitality department at Hockey Canada for
team after their bronze-medal performance at the London
the upcoming 2017 World Junior Championship in Toronto. I
2012 Olympic Games. I enjoyed all the other sports as well, but
am also a member of the Young Professionals Network at the
there was always a special buzz when the Canadian women took
You Can Play Project, which is dedicated to ensuring equality,
to the pitch.
respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity. What has been the most powerful article you’ve written so far? The most powerful article I have written was for TSN.ca during the summer of 2015. I had the opportunity to interview former Olympic swimmer, Mark Tewksbury, who at the time was preparing to be an honourary coach at the Special Olympics. I also had the chance to ask Mr. Tewksbury about his goldmedal performance (backstroke 100m) at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, as well as what he experienced after he became Canada’s first openly homosexual athlete. He gave me some great insight, and I was thrilled to promote his initiatives. Mr. Tewksbury was also the Chef de Mission for Team Canada at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Favourite sport to watch at the Summer Olympics this year?
What strategies do you have for filling empty air time? For me, it’s all about preparation. During shows and games, I am regularly asked to ‘fill’ until the period starts or until the producer is ready to play a clip. (These are just a few examples.) Another example is from a game today: The peg that holds the net on the ice got stuck and resulted in a 10-minute delay, and I was left to fill that time gap. Anything can happen and in those scenarios, my best moments are when I am able to react with knowledge. Without the proper preparation, I feel that I am risking an embarrassing or awkward moment during a broadcast. I also think that keeping a good pace is important and not speaking too quickly. I have a tendency to speed up and talk too fast when I’m asked to fill extra time, as it is not scripted. I find it’s most natural when I slow down and concentrate on what I know.
50
ABOVE: Matt with Don Cherry.
ABOVE: Matt broadcasting in action!
To that note, do you have a most embarrassing announcer
will get better at this with more experience and practice.
story?
Who is your hero sports announcer?
As I mentioned, anything can happen on live television, so
I have many announcers that I look up to. Gord Miller (a
naturally there have been a few. My most embarrassing
hockey/football commentator from TSN) gave me some great
moment to date was when my broadcast partner asked me
advice about finding your own voice: “Don’t try to be someone
an unexpected question. To be brief, one of the players we
else.” My personality needs to shine through in order for it to
were talking about played two games in a relatively unknown
be authentic. I definitely look up to Mr. Miller as a successful
development league called the East Coast Hockey League
commentator who I would like to learn from. I also enjoy
(after his junior season ended a few years earlier). On the air,
listening to Jim Hughson (Sportsnet Hockey) and Bob Cole,
he asked me (just as a fun question, I think) if I knew which
who is a long time Hockey Night in Canada announcer.
NHL team had a partnership with this small development league team. While I try to be as prepared as possible, this was
How would you describe your on-air voice?
not something I was ready for. I did not know the answer and
I’m still developing my own voice through practice and
needless to say, I had a chat with him afterwards about limiting
repetition. I’ve been told I have a good broadcast style, but it is
his unexpected questions.
definitely a work-in-progress.
How important is the chemistry with your other on-air partners? Chemistry is always beneficial, but you aren’t always going to be able to work with someone that you know. The most important thing for me is to understand your partner’s style and try to adapt your style to fit. There have definitely been times where I have cut off (or have been cut off) because I thought that the other person had finished their thought. I’m hoping that I
10 Mulgrave role model? Linda Hamer. She started the school on a very small scale and developed it to be one of the most successful schools in British Columbia. I believe in her concept of dreaming big, and I hope to apply this to my career.
Matthew Cullen, 2016 51
STEFANI LEWIS Mulgrave School Class of 2005 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | March 2016
T
his Spotlight was published on International Women’s Day when we were celebrating the social,
economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. We are honoured to feature our 2005 alum, Stefanie Lewis, who completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow in the maledominated field of experimental nuclear physics. Her doctoral work involved developing novel software for data analysis in high-energy physics, and she has now joined HGF’s Glasgow office as a Trainee Patent Attorney in the Electronics group. We had the chance to catch up with Stefanie to find out how she strives for gender parity in the workplace, the struggles she faces, and how she has learned to overcome them.
52
ABOVE: Stefanie at a dance competition.
It’s great to catch up with you, Stefanie! What motivated you to
During my PhD, there were quite a few events that addressed
move to Scotland to study physics?
sexism and gender stereotyping, and for the most part, they
I was really interested in the Celtic culture, and being accepted to the University of Glasgow offered the perfect opportunity to study physics and enjoy the culture. Why nuclear physics?
showed that a lot of gender stereotyping is subconscious. There was one event in particular that highlighted this: In a meeting, a woman voiced an idea, and it was largely disregarded. Five minutes later, a man voiced the same idea, and it was met with a much more positive response. I’ve had similar experiences, but there are more and more women
My project was heavily computational, and I was keen to have
in science these days, and I think that there is at least some
a strongly mathematical project for my PhD. My project was
improvement.
focussed on an area of nuclear physics where the behaviour of subatomic particles is still not well understood, and it was very
On the other hand, there is still a considerable amount of
interesting exploring such a field.
misinformation being distributed. There was another instance at a physics conference where women were told to, “not
Since nuclear physics and computing are known to be
wear dresses or skirts because men won’t take you seriously,”
male-dominated industries, we are curious to see how you
and, “use a black pen instead of a blue one because it’s more
have found your experience so far in this field. Has it been
masculine,” and other nonsense like that. Essentially, the
challenging to stand out, fit in, or have your voice heard, or is
message was to “be less of a woman and people will treat you
this gender stereotype becoming a thing of the past?
better,” which does nothing to solve the problem.
I think the situation is improving, but I have definitely had
What was the male/female split while studying for your PhD in
some sexist comments and behaviour directed towards me.
nuclear physics? 53
54
During my PhD, there were three female students (myself and
My PhD has taught me how to read highly scientific and
two others) in my research group and 11 males. I think this is a
technical documents. It also taught me that things that
fairly typical split.
are difficult tend to be more rewarding. Doing a PhD in
We were interested to hear that you are also an Irish Dancer. When did you first begin dancing? How often do you dance? I started dancing when I was 11, but I took a break from it during my PhD. After I had completed my PhD and was settled
Physics especially teaches that if there is something you don’t understand, take a step back and approach it ‘from first principles’. Can you describe ‘A Day in the Life’ of a Patent Attorney?
in to a job, I took it up again. When I was training for the
If I get a new case to look at, I’ll usually spend a few hours
Dancing World Championships last year, I was at dance classes
reading the application and other relevant documents. Then
for about 11 to 15 hours a week. I competed and ended up
I’ll go through the response from the patent examiner and
placing 6th.
try to argue over his/her objections, which is quite time-
That is a huge accomplishment - congratulations! As a PhD student, your project combined nuclear physics with Bayesian
consuming but involves a fair amount of problem solving, which I really enjoy.
statistics, computer programming and data parallelisation. What exactly does this mean? Bayesian inference is an alternative to ‘normal’ statistics (frequentism). It is often used in situations where there isn’t a vast amount of data from experiments, such as astronomy where it’s difficult to repeat experiments or get a large dataset. The experiments that I was involved in for nuclear
What do you miss most about Vancouver?
“Be confident and be assertive. If your ideas aren’t heard the first time, keep trying.”
The Grouse Grind and Purdy’s chocolate! What advice would you give to students interested in studying nuclear physics? Find an all-encompassing undergraduate physics programme, and then find a project that interests you. Also, make sure you get on well with your supervisor(s), ideally before you start. It makes all the difference.
physics were very expensive to run, It’s hard to believe your Class of 2005 just
time consuming to set up, and usually the data wasn’t ready to be analysed for several years, by
celebrated their 10-year reunion in the fall. Is this where you
which point the experiment had been dismantled. It was
thought you would be ten years after graduation? Where do
important to get as much information out of the data as
you see yourself in another ten years?
possible, and that’s the benefit that Bayesian inference provided. Unfortunately, the algorithm I used was quite slow, and in order for it to run in any sort of realistic time, I had to parallelise it using various programming methods. What was your biggest misconception about studying nuclear physics? It’s not about nuclear war! I think the name suggests nuclear weapons or nuclear fusion/fission, but that’s only a subset of nuclear physics (and not at all the field that I studied). How has a PhD prepared you for your training to become a patent attorney?
I don’t think I had any concept of where I’d be ten years after graduation! In another ten years, I hope I will be a fully qualified patent attorney! What skills or tools can women work to have in order to thrive in an industry with such a small percentage of women? Be confident and be assertive. If your ideas aren’t heard the first time, keep trying. And probably most importantly, try not to worry about how others perceive you. It turns out, it’s none of your business, and it usually reflects more on them than it does on you! Stefanie Lewis, March 2016
GRANT AYERS Mulgrave School Alumni Family Interviewed by Michelle Noble | December 2016
A
t first glance, you might not guess that Mulgrave’s deep roots trail all the way back to a portable in
North Vancouver - but for Grant Ayers, one of the school’s founding families, these roots are what make Mulgrave the unique, humble, and tight-knit school that it is today. For such a small school to grow into a world-class school is testament to the endless love, support and generosity from our original families who took a chance on Mulgrave. Grant had two children graduate from Mulgrave and has been a pillar of support for the school since the early days. (He actually moved the school from that little portable to its new home in West Vancouver!) For many years, Grant lived close by and would be the first one on site if assistance was ever needed at the school. He was at every community event and jumped at any opportunity to lend a hand - whether it was offering his moving company’s (Edgemont Moving & Storage) services, restoring power to the building after a snowstorm, or providing the floats for the Canada Day parade. Even after his children graduated, Grant continued to sit on Mulgrave’s Board of Directors for a total of eight years. Always flying under the radar, Grant quietly and unconditionally supported the school and has been instrumental in shaping Mulgrave’s history. We are very excited to Spotlight this unsung hero, and officially thank him for everything that he has contributed to Mulgrave. 56
ABOVE: Grant’s children, Shelby (left) and Brandon (right) holding their Mulgrave swim meet ribbons. As one of Mulgrave’s founding families,
When Mulgrave first opened, it was very
Coming from modest beginnings, the
you have given back to the school
small with a low student/teacher ratio,
school relied a lot on its community.
in more ways than can be counted,
which was really attractive to us. But in
Everyone seemed to work together to
but particularly with respect to your
the end, it was our meeting with Linda
do what was best for our children and
company, Edgemont Moving & Storage.
Hamer that sold us.
for the development of the school. It
What are some of the ways you have supported school initiatives with your company? At Edgemont Moving & Storage, we always wanted to support Mulgrave in anyway we could. In the beginning, Mulgrave was such a small school that it relied a lot on community involvement and support from its families. We contributed by providing movers for events like Gala, vehicles for the parade floats, and we also moved Mulgrave to its new location in West Vancouver. Wherever we could help, we would. Why did you initially choose Mulgrave school for your two children, Brandon and Shelby?
What were some of the qualities that you admired most about Linda Hamer, Mulgrave’s founder?
was always a very tight-knit community, and we all worked together to support a common goal. I think because it was ingrained in Mulgrave’s culture since day
Linda was incredibly driven. She had
one, the community has, and always will
this unique ability to connect with the
be at the heart of this school.
students and she remembered not only every child’s name, but also their individual educational needs. Through
How did you come to be a host family for Tsering Dorje, the student from Nepal?
her professionalism and leadership, she
While I was on holiday with my family in
was able to create an atmosphere for
the Interior, I received a phone call from
learning that was fun and engaging for
the school asking if I would be interested
children, and that was always one of her
in hosting a student from Nepal. I
best qualities.
thought it would be a great way for my
How did you, along with the other founding families, work together to ensure Mulgrave kept its strong community as it grew?
family to learn about another culture, so we accepted. I really enjoyed learning about Tsering’s Buddhist culture while he stayed with us. My son, Brandon, had the opportunity to travel to Nepal to visit
58 ABOVE: Grant with his wife, Karen, on a motorcycle trip.
GRANT AYERS
ABOVE: Brandon at the airport with Tsering going to Nepal.
ABOVE: Brandon and Tsering in Nepal.
ABOVE: Greg Cusbert in his famous bear costume dancing in front of the Canada Day float.
Tsering’s family in return, and it was an
During his stay, Brandon worked and
I never know what to expect when
amazing experience for him.
lived at the SMD school in Nepal. He
I arrive at the office. A typical day
gained so much knowledge and insight
generally involves bookkeeping, HR, IT,
from this opportunity that he otherwise
finance, fleet maintenance, purchasing,
would never have been exposed to had
repairing, and basic management. I wear
Nepal was an eye-opening experience
we not met Tsering. Brandon left as
a lot of different hats and am exposed to
for Brandon, and it gave him the
teenager and returned as a young adult.
all aspects of the company, which is why
What did Brandon gain from his exchange to Nepal?
chance to see what it was like to live in a different culture; it truly gave him a better understanding of the world. He made memories that he will never forget and friends that will last him a lifetime.
We want to know a little bit more about what you do at Edgemont Moving & Storage. What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I enjoy my work so much. Craziest moving story? From working with the Federal Government assisting all of the Royal 59
ABOVE: Edgemont Moving delivering a dining room table to a penthouse in downtown Vancouver.
ABOVE: Tony Macoun and Shelby on her graduation night.
visits to Vancouver and Victoria, to
continued to offer my services through
One of my favourite Mulgrave memories
moving a 9ft plasma television through a
Edgemont Moving, whenever needed.
was the excitement of moving to the
house window, to moving Native Affairs’ 700 workstations in one weekend, Edgmont has had a lot of exciting moves. With that said, I think airlifting a 12ft glass dining table to a penthouse in downtown Vancouver using a helicopter, might take the cake. We actually had to close off two blocks to do it! How have you stayed connected to the school since your son and daughter’s graduation? After my kids graduated from Mulgrave, I continued to sit on the Board of Directors for a total of eight years. I also 60
Your wife, Karen Pinchin, is also a cherished member of the Mulgrave community. She worked at the school for 10 years, and this year, she became a Mulgrave alumni. What is your favourite activity to do together?
new school back in 2001. I have enjoyed being part of an ever-developing environment, and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to be involved enough to see the outcomes. The school has gone through a lot over the years and I admire the job that Tony
Karen and I both love to go on outings
Macoun did to hold the school together
and adventures on our Harley Davidson
through trying times. Every member of
trike. We love walking, exploring, and
the Mulgrave community has played a
visiting the Sunshine Coast. We also love
role in the development of the school,
the oysters at Joe Fortes.
and I will always look back with respect and enjoyment for being part of a team
What is one of your favourite Mulgrave
of amazing contributors.
memories? Grant Ayers, 2016
COMMUNITY ARCHIVE ROOM AT MULGRAVE SCHOOL
Construction of our new Community Archive Room began in the spring of 2016, and it hosts a wide-range of treasures that have been collected and stored away over the years. Along with archival contributions from founding Mulgrave families, teachers, and alumni students, this room is a trip down memory lane that showcases the school’s unique history.
In the fall, a group of alumni families came together to sort through and organise archival material. The afternoon was filled with opportunities to reminisce and relive many cherished Mulgrave moments. There is still a lot of work to do. If you would like to help in the organisation of the Archive Room, or have artifacts to donate to this room, please contact: alumni@mulgrave.com
ABOVE: Mark Steffens, Tina Tett, Helen Joannou, April O’Brien, Linda Gill-Crone, Sue Wallster, Helaine Shepard, Vivian Lanko.
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