SPRING 2019
InspirEd School Marketers 2018 BRILLIANCE AWARD WINNER Feature Article Design In-house Photography: People
Solely for valued members of the Ridley community. The information contained herein may not be published without permission.
Andrea Carisse
CONTRIBUTORS
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
writing
design
Andrea Carisse Wendy Darby ’99 J. Edward Kidd Rupert D. Lane Angela Osborne
Michelle Scrivener
Mackenzie Fowler ’11 DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Angela Osborne WRITER & MEDIA RELATIONS COORDINATOR
editing Andrea Carisse
Michelle Scrivener
printing
GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Battlefield Press
photography Tanya Amyote Andrea Carisse Amy Forte Mackenzie Fowler ’11 Doug Keeley Michelle Scrivener
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ridleycollege.com
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OUR SCHOOL
LIFE ON CAMPUS
Headmaster’s Headlines
Academics............ 24
Athletics................ 34
Meet the Board
Student Published in Medical Journal
Lower School Swimming
Outstanding Orators Celebrating Diversity CAIS and IB Accreditations Robotics Takes on the Worlds Markers of Achievement Fulford Cup on Campus
U14 Squash Takes Second Indoor Rowing Champs Record-Setting Swim Prep Girls Claim Championship Tigers Come Up Short Bediako at BioSteel Back-to-Back Champions
MGI-Gordon Speaker Series Arts........................ 30
Service.................. 40
Artist Receives International Recognition
Training for Wellness
Talent Nation Finalist Striking a Chord A Musical Within a Comedy Arts in April
2018–19 House Captains
To Ridley, To Ridley, To Ridley The Tradition Lives On Transforming Our Globe
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FEATURE STORIES
ALUMNI STORIES
ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARCHIVES CORNER
What is Positive Education?
Alumni @ Work: Entrepreneurship
Class Notes
Mr. Ridley: Terence ‘Terry’ Cronyn 1920
Tiger Captures Gold for Canada Turning Adversity into Opportunity
• Bruce Croxon ’79 • Jamie Katzman ’90 • Chloe ’05 & Parris ’08 Gordon
Marriages, Births, Obituaries
Global Events Recaps
Faculty and Staff Notes
Remembering The Reverend Canon Dr. Gerald S. Shantz
Farewell to the Clarkes
in this issue
Toronto Branch reception
2018–19 Board of Governors
Michelle Scrivener
Headmaster Kidd with Elliot Peracchia ’24, discussing the “Chopped! Cutting Board Challenge” at the Grade 7 Science Fair. 4
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HEADMASTER’S HEADLINES Accomplishment at Ridley Welcome to the Spring 2019 edition of the Tiger. I am confident that you will enjoy this striking publication, equally impressed by the many exciting stories herein as you are by the attractive graphic layout and visuals that frame these stories. Indeed, accomplishment is a thematic thread that weaves its way throughout this edition and knits together these seemingly disparate stories. At Ridley, we are acutely aware of the importance of accomplishment in the life of a self-actualized and high performing individual. In fact, it is one of the pillars of our definition for flourishing. As you will read in the article, What is Positive Education?, in our attempts to ‘inspire flourishing lives’ we have defined the ingredients by borrowing from research at the University of Pennsylvania. P.E.R.M.A.V. is an important acronym at our school. Accomplishment is represented by the penultimate letter A.
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Having a sense of accomplishment means that we have worked towards and reached our goals, achieved mastery over an endeavour, and had the selfmotivation to complete what we set out to do. Accomplishment contributes to our wellbeing when we are able to look back on our lives with a sense of achievement and say ‘I did it, and I did it well.’
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— SELIGMAN, 2012
As you will read, there are certainly plenty of opportunities for students to experience a sense of accomplishment. At times, it is the result of years of dedication, repetitive practice and hard work. In other instances, accomplishment is the result of tackling a difficult task and emerging out the other side with a growing awareness of their own abilities to persevere and achieve. Confidence is an important aspect of accomplishment—we want students to develop the confidence in their ability to sit with the discomfort—to push through the pain and emerge out the other side of this important stage in the learning process. When we are successful, young Ridleians will possess the “confidence in their capacity to learn, achieve, and take on new challenges”.
In previewing the magazine, it strikes me that the following pages are filled with many examples of this process in action. In the domain of the Arts on page 30 you can read about the accomplishments of our student musicians and thespians and their success stories on stage. Some inspiring stories of athletic achievement can be found throughout, including a feature story on one of our elite student athletes, Shailynn Snow ’19 and her success with Team Canada hockey. Finally, it is hard to argue that our many Ridleians engaged in Robotics competitions do not experience a satisfying sense of accomplishment—after a late night in the lab, programming their robots to accomplish challenging tasks in preparation for their next competition. This dedication led to a berth in the World VEX Robotics Championships, which you can read within. I strongly encourage readers to learn more about the inspiring journey of 2019 graduate, Asmat from Afghanistan. Despite considerable odds and significant obstacles, Asmat turned adversity into opportunity, experiencing notable achievement during his two years here (see page 54). Of course, current students are not the only Ridleians who are leading lives filled with accomplishment. In our Alumni @ Work section beginning on page 58, we feature four entrepreneurs who could no doubt tell us a few things about accomplishment and how Dr. Seligman describes it: “working towards and reaching our goals, achieving mastery over an endeavour, and having the self-motivation to complete what we set out to do.” None of these examples are tales of easy victory. We know that to be satisfying, accomplishment is often preceded by failure and always accompanied by struggle. From my perspective, the defining characteristics of an archetypal Ridleian are grit, work ethic and the confidence to achieve. These are traits that are bred in the bone by the unique Ridley experience. A final footnote: whilst high performance and personal success are important, we strongly believe that accomplishment is also a key ingredient in a life that can be described as flourishing. May it ever be so. Terar Dum Prosim, J. Edward Kidd TIGER | SPRING 2019
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meet THE BOARD
Devoted, passionate and generous are only a few ways to describe our Board members. Read on to learn more about each of these talented volunteers. The 2018–19 Ridley College Board of Governors is comprised of 16 volunteer members who serve five-year renewable terms. Governors and additional Standing Committee members give generously of their time and talents to serve our school and are committed to successful governance. David K. Carter ’88 BOARD CHAIR A trusted leader with business and finance experience at the executive level, David’s professional practice as a Chartered Accountant and Certified Public Accountant has focused on business restructuring and fraud investigation. He has actively volunteered in governance and finance in the non-profit world, including serving on Ridley’s Board of Governors since 2009 and its committees since 2001.
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For me, Ridley past means deep influences over many chapters of my life, including relationships, self-discipline, curiosity and emotional quotient. Ridley today, means a foundation where students can flourish and become globally-minded leaders in anything they pursue—with a bent for service to others, and better grasp of an ever-changing world.
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Timothy J. Coffin ’81
Philip D. Court ’85
Michael C. Kray ’88
Scott G.A. Lampard ’88
ADVANCEMENT (CHAIR)
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT (CHAIR)
GOVERNANCE & NOMINATION (CHAIR)
FINANCE, AUDIT & HUMAN RESOURCES (CHAIR)
GOVERNANCE & NOMINATION
Michael is a corporate lawyer specializing in servicing the needs of privately-owned businesses and their principals. He also represents and advises athletes, artists, independent schools, universities and other charitable organizations of regional and national importance. Michael is a past president of the Ridley College Association and past trustee of The Ridley College Foundation.
Scott, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, is currently the Head of Global Markets for HSBC Canada. Prior to joining HSBC in September 2015, Scott spent five years at Deutsche Bank where, most recently, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bank Canada.
In the investment industry for over thirty years, Tim is currently Senior Vice President with Breckinridge Capital Advisors in Boston, a firm founded by his brother Peter Coffin ’78. Tim previously worked with Fidelity Investments where he launched the firm’s municipal finance group within Fidelity Capital Markets. He has served on the board since 2012, is the Chair of the Advancement Committee and is the Treasurer of Ridley’s U.S. Foundation.
Philip is a Director and Active Shareholder of Court Holdings Ltd., which represents a portfolio of businesses that has emerged from three generations of family ownership. Prior to joining Court Holdings Ltd. in 1992, Philip received his Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University in 1989 and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1991 while working for KPMG in Halifax.
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Kelvin S.M. Chen ’70
Brian A. Hutchings ’84
Dragan Matovic
Maria Menechella
ADVANCEMENT
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
ADVANCEMENT
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
FINANCE, AUDIT & HUMAN RESOURCES
GOVERNANCE & NOMINATION
After graduating from Ridley, Brian attended Saint Mary’s University where he captained the varsity football team for three years and later played in the Canadian Football League for six years. Currently, Brian is the Vice President of Administration at Brock University. Over the last 25 years, Brian has volunteered on non-profit boards and has coached numerous teams.
Dragan is Chairman of Halex Capital, a real estate investment firm. His companies span real estate, hospitality, environmental remediation, software and green energy across North America. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo, Master of Science in Management from Cornell University, Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and PhD from Virginia Tech.
Sarah E. Eyton ’86
Alison A.C. Loat ’94
Donald S. McMurtry ’82 Louise Taylor Green
ADVANCEMENT
GOVERNANCE
ADVANCEMENT
Sarah is Vice President of Fund Development for Special Olympics Canada and oversees all fundraising and stewardship for the Canadian division of this global movement. Sarah began her career as a corporate lawyer with the international business law firm Torys. Since leaving the practice of law, she has been active in sport, health and educational organizations within the charitable sector.
Alison is a globally-oriented executive with experience building and managing high-impact, purpose-driven organizations. She is Managing Director of investment think-tank FCLT Global and board chair of Ai-Media Canada, a technology company that makes educational, workplace and media content accessible. She has received the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals and WXN 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada distinction.
Donald, who describes himself as a “voluntrepreneur” is passionate about volunteer work and throughout his career has applied this to his business style. Don happily retired from RIM/ Blackberry in 2006, but a decade later returned his attention to managing the growth of software companies.
Kelvin was a member of Ridley’s first class of graduates from Hong Kong. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Kelvin is an alumni of Price Waterhouse L.A., Chemical Bank of New York, Ernst and Young, the Café De Coral Group of Hong Kong and is now retired as CEO of the ManchuWok Group in Canada.
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Maria graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law and Master of Law from the University of the Pacific School of Law. In 2001, she returned to Niagara Falls and joined her family’s hospitality company as COO. Maria is active not only at Ridley, but also within the greater Niagara community.
FINANCE, AUDIT & HUMAN RESOURCES Louise is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA), the professional regulator of the human resources (HR) profession in Ontario with over 24,000 members. With a highly-diverse career spanning more than 25 years in aviation and hospitality, financial services, health care, and professional regulation, Louise has a unique perspective to offer her committee.
Leigh Ann Epperson
G. Scott Paterson ’82
GOVERNOR
ADVANCEMENT
Leigh Ann is an experienced attorney and board member who delivers visionary leadership to define and drive strategic business direction. From 2002 to 2015, she was General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Alliance Data Systems (ADS) Corporation, a Fortune 500 global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions. Prior to joining ADS, Leigh Ann was a corporate lawyer at Akin Gump
Scott, a technology and media venture capitalist, has been active for 28 years in the investment banking industry. He currently focuses his business attention on his board and leadership roles at FutureVault, Symbility Solutions, Lionsgate Entertainment, Engagement Labs and The QYOU, including a wide-range of philanthropic endeavours.
Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP.
Yanick Pagé ’84 GOVERNOR Yanick, who has worked in the investment industry his entire career, is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Vice President of National Bank Financial Wealth Management (1990–present). He is a former Board member for the University of Moncton, where he acted as Chair of the Investment Committee. Yanick has also been involved in charities, serving on the Revenue Committee of United Way/Centraide for six years.
2018–19 STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Supporting our Board of Governors are volunteers known as Standing Committee members. These individuals are invited by the Headmaster and various Directors because they possess a particular prowess that benefits specific areas of the school.
Committee & Board Self-Nominations We believe that effective governance hinges on a diversity of perspectives. Ridley College considers nominations to our Board of Governors and Board Committees from individuals who possess specialized leadership expertise and who will act as committed ambassadors on behalf of the school. If you are qualified to make meaningful contributions to the advancement of Ridley College, we welcome you to complete the Application & Declaration of Candidacy form on our website, under the Leadership & Governance page.
ADVANCEMENT Keddy A. Chandran ’03 Jeanie Hendrie ’05 D. Andrew Lind ’88 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Joseph Ferrante Justin J. Goulding ’96 A. Dean Karachi ’87 Paul S. Kundrat ’92
FINANCE, AUDIT & HUMAN RESOURCES Christopher D. Cooke ’88, VICE CHAIR
E. Allison Griffiths ’95 Robin E.A. Lampard ’85 Dean McCann GOVERNANCE & NOMINATION *Comprised exclusively of Governors
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Michelle Scrivener
Each day, our students are prospering inside and outside of the classroom, making it a challenging task to narrow down the top accomplishments from early 2019. Read on for a glimpse into what students have achieved in Academics, Arts, Athletics and Service.
LIFE ON
campus TIGER | SPRING 2019
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Michelle Scrivener
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Lower School students and their grandparents enjoyed various activities in Williams Hall.
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Grandparents Day TIGER | SPRING 2019
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Michelle Scrivener
The fall Upper School drama production tackled tough but timely topics such as bullying and social media safety.
girls LIKE THAT
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honouring 16
GEORGINA
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Michelle Scrivener
Celebration and portrait unveiling in December 2018 for retiring Board Chair, Georgina H. Black ’85.
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photos: Michelle Scrivener
tiny TALENT
Michelle Scrivener
Lower School performance of The Twelve Days of Christmas.
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CADET day
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Michelle Scrivener
A successful mace toss by Cadet Drum Major Jaden Kidd ’19 at the combined Cadet Parade and Inspection.
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Shailynn Snow ’19 Nolan Biscaro ’19 Jaden Bediako ’18 Lucy Black ’19
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Amy Forte
team CANADA
academics Our long-standing reputation for having an outstanding academic programme still holds true today. As an IB World School, our JK to Grade 12 students are experiencing even deeper levels of inquiry.
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Student Published in Medical Journal Committed to his goal of becoming a medical doctor, Arnav Wadhawan ’19 completed an observership over summer 2018 and contributed to a peer-reviewed medical journal. The 17-year-old impressively presented his findings on Legionellosis at the 2018 Medical Imaging and Case Reports Conference (MICRA 2018). This brilliant Ridleian was mentored by Dr. Rajinder Bajwa, an infectious disease specialist at Niagara Memorial Medical Center in Niagara Falls, New York. “As it was my first publication, I was extremely thrilled, as I [feel] the journey to my dreams had begun and my hard work over the summer has brought a reward,” said Arnav.
Outstanding Orators Our annual public speaking contest, which is celebrating its 112th year, took place on February 9. Competition was fierce as nine students took to the stage to share their written works on topics such as optimism and politics. The quality of speakers for this year’s contest made the judges’ jobs very difficult, but upon much deliberation, the final selections were made: Junior: Abigail Sullivan ’21 EAL: Olivia Xingyi Chen ’22 Senior (1st): Guilherme de Cavalcante Martins ’19 Senior (2nd): Bart Skala ’19
Celebrating Diversity Throughout February, students led celebrations for Black History Month. Several initiatives took place across campus to raise awareness. In the Matthews Library, a selection of books by African-American authors was prominently displayed, while the Great Hall showcased information cards on cultural icons and historical figures.
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Michelle Scrivener
Mackenzie Fowler ’11
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CAIS and IB Accreditations Throughout the final week of February, Ridley hosted accreditation teams from two of our most important associations: the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). These 14-member visiting teams spent four days on campus as the concluding step in our 15-month self-review and school improvement process. The evaluations produced two very favourable reports, with the IBO noting that our students and faculty exhibit strong enthusiasm and commitment to IB learning. Impressively, in our first IB review process we had “No Matters To Be Addressed.” Likewise, the report provided by the CAIS Visiting Team recognized our dedication to whole-school improvement and offered a total of 30 commendations across the 12 standards being evaluated. The valuable feedback from these reports will inform our school improvement plan.
Robotics Takes on the Worlds In April, two of our robotics teams travelled to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the VEX World Robotics Championships. From over 16,000 teams worldwide, our Ridley squad was one of only 600 to qualify. Team 1509Z (Ryan Craig ’19, Alex Luo ’19, Lucinda Zhu ’19 and Thomas Lin ’20) competed in the math division and ended the tournament with a respectable 5-6 record. Team 1509E (Albert Liu ’21, Simon He ’20, Carly Chen ’19, Willie Li ’21 and David Meng ’21) finished with a 3-8 record, learning many valuable lessons along the way.
Markers of Achievement On April 2 in Chapel, Headmaster Kidd and Head of Upper School, Mrs. Michele Bett presented Academic Ties to Grade 12 and Post Graduate (PG) students who had achieved 85 percent or higher in their best six courses as of March 2019. Academic Ties are generously supported by the Class of ’56. Additionally, Prefect Ties were awarded in recognition of outstanding student leadership.
Fulford Cup on Campus On April 6, Ridley welcomed 11 independent schools from across Ontario to debate in both the junior and senior categories of the Fulford Cup. There were two prepared rounds on the topic of modern technology companies and their influence upon western democracies, followed by an impromptu round in the afternoon. Media expert Jesse Brown helped crystallize the debate as he gave an informed talk on the prepared resolution followed by a robust question period. The Ridley Debating Society is made possible through the W. Darcy McKeough ’51 Speaking Arts Fund which helps develop the speaking arts at Ridley—debate, public speaking, and Model United Nations.
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If I am not for myself, who is for me? And being for my own self, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?
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—HILLEL THE ELDER
An Evening with The Honourable Bob Rae
Michelle Scrivener
Mr. Bob Rae with Tony Kemp ’56 and Bob Matthews ’56.
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Ridley welcomed The Honourable Bob Rae to speak on November 21. Mr. Rae, the 21st Premier of Ontario and interim leader of the Federal Liberal Party, conversed with students about their duty to serve others; sharing his wisdom and perspective on humanity. He was joined on stage by Prefects Vida Han ’19, Ben Mandigo ’19 and Jordan Mitchell ’19.
MGI-GORDON SPEAKER SERIES: supported by the Class of 1956 and the MGI-Gordon ’56 Speakers Fund. Susan Aglukark: Nomad On October 19, students were inspired by singer-songwriter, Susan Aglukark. Through compelling stories and song, she shared how the People of Canada’s Arctic have survived and thrived through adversity and rapid change.
Ian Tyson: Hooray for Everything!
Andrew Hitchcox
January 26 began on a truly inspirational note as motivational speaker, comedian and student leadership advocate Ian Tyson took to the stage. He shared his moving stories of loss, strength and leadership, which eventually led him to co-founding Youth Leadership Camps Canada (YLCC), one of the nation’s top leadership training programmes. Ian also touched on the power of personal attitude and letting go of negativity to improve one’s outlook on life.
Why Public Service? with Alison Loat ’94
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Andrea Carisse
On April 4, students and invited guests enjoyed an informative discussion moderated by Alison Loat ’94. The expert panel included the Honourable Jim Bradley, Niagara Regional Chair; Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberg, and the Honourable Deb Matthews, former Deputy Premier of Ontario who shared their perspectives on public service, lessons learned along the way and how youth can make an impact in society.
arts From music to visual art, drama and dance, Ridleians and their masterful works of art have been on full display—especially during our month-long celebration known as Arts in April.
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Artist Receives International Recognition Phoenix Feifan Gao ’20, an IB1 Visual Arts student, has received three gold and three silver key awards for six works submitted to the 2019 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Out of thousands of applications from around the world, Phoenix was recognized in the ‘International Region-at-Large Artists’ category. We look forward to seeing her artwork develop.
Talent Nation Finalist Just before March break, Angela Daudu ’20 took part in a singing competition presented by Talent Nation, an artist discovery platform that empowers the next generation of musicians. After several jaw-dropping performances, Angela advanced to the voting rounds amongst other talented Canadians.
Striking a Chord On April 7, our musicians collaborated with more than 1,400 students at the Canadian Independent Schools (CIS) Music Festival and filled Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto with magnificent melodies. The event was confidently co-hosted by our very own Kishi FemiJohnson ’22, while our 31 students in Grade 6 to 12 impressed with their instrumental and vocal abilities, especially given the difficulty of the songs from a number of genres. The combined Concert Band was also skillfully conducted by Upper School music teacher Dr. Lindsey Berthiaume.
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A Musical Within a Comedy From February 28 to March 2, audience members were transported to the 1920s during three performances of The Drowsy Chaperone. Narrated by the Man in Chair (Quinten Neudorf ’22), the show winds through a comedic and chaotic storyline that follows the wedding of Broadway star Janet van de Graaff (Georgie Murphy ’19) and oil tycoon Robert Martin (Jacob Lytle ’21). Dazzling dance numbers, beautiful songs and laugh-until-you-cry moments earned all three shows standing ovations. This highenergy production featured a cast of 19 actors and 14 dancers, as well as a group of students diligently working behind the scenes. The production was a vibrant display of the arts at Ridley!
THE ANNUAL CAPPIES GALA On May 22, Ridley took home 11 awards, including Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Best Cappies Team, Best Musical and Best Costume Design! Cast, crew members and critics deserve a standing ovation for their hard work and talent.
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Albert Liu ’21 Grade 10 Design Technology, Passive Speaker Project 3D Printed PLA Plastic
Ciara Blew ’21 Grade 10 Design Technology, Passive Speaker Project 3D Printed PLA Plastic
arts in april
C E L E B R AT I N G T HE
Arts in April is our opportunity to celebrate and witness the talents of our artists, musicians and actors.
CIS Music Festival
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Celebration of the Arts
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IB Graduate Art Exhibition
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RIFF (Ridley Independent Film Festival)
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Art Awards Ceremony
photos: Michelle Scrivener
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athletics From mastering fundamental movement skills, learning a new sport, to developing skills or competing in elite leagues, our Tigers have been an impressive example of perseverance and determination this year.
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Lower School Swimming Our Lower School swim team finished its season with a strong showing at the CISAA Championships. Our U14 Girls proved to be fierce competition impressively winning each team event! In addition to outstanding victories, there were also individual event champions, including: Paige MacPhail ’26 (U12 50m back stroke), Jade Postma ’25 (U13 50m fly), and Adela Dunkley ’23 (U14 50m breast stroke and 50m freestyle). Every swimmer on the team earned a personal best, with many top 10 finishes.
U14 Squash Takes Second Competing against six other teams, the U14 squash team placed second during the CISAA Championships on February 27. With many players returning for the 2019–20 season, the future is very bright for this young squad.
Indoor Rowing Champs On March 2, Ridley once again hosted the indoor Ontario Ergometer Championships. The Fieldhouse was teeming with energy as students travelled from across the province to compete in this dynamic challenge. Ridley had an impressive 53 athletes racing, with 13 students finishing in the top 10 of their categories while taking home many personal bests. TOP THREE FINISHERS: Senior High School Women 1st Place - Lucy Black ’19 Senior High School Men 2nd Place - Nolan Biscaro ’19 Senior High School Lightweight Women 1st Place - Charlotte Drennan ’20 3rd Place - Gabrielle Cook ’20 TIGER | SPRING 2019
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Record-Setting Swim In March, and just after taking home 12 medals at the CISAA Championships, our swim team made its mark at the OFSAA finals in Toronto. History was made as Horace Wong ’19 swam a personal best in the 50m freestyle, posting a 23.45 time, breaking a 13-year OFSAA record and capturing gold! Our Senior Boys kept the momentum going, earning a second overall ranking in all of Ontario out of 315 teams.
Prep Girls Claim Championship
Jay Tredway ’96
March madness was in full effect for our Prep Girls hockey team, as they were entrenched in an intense battle for the CISAA Championship title. The road to victory began in the semi-finals against Nichols School, which had multiple members of our Tigers returning from the Canada Games in Red Deer, Alberta only a few short hours before the puck dropped. Our team did not skip a beat, clinching a 4-1 victory that would send them to the finals against long-time rivals, Appleby College. Our girls battled hard in the championship, but fell short in regulation time, tying the series 1-1 and setting up a four-on-four overtime. Just three minutes into the sudden-death play, Avery Penner ’20 found the back of the Appleby net, securing the win and earning our team its third CISAA Division One Championship.
Tigers Come Up Short It was a gut-wrenching loss for our Prep Boys basketball team, as it was defeated by the defending OSBA champions, TRC Academy in a 65-60 loss during the semi-final match. Our boys put forward their best efforts on the court every single game this season.
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Michelle Scrivener
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Bediako at BioSteel For the second year in a row, Tigers basketball powerhouse, Jaden Bediako ’18 competed at the fifth annual BioSteel All Canadian Basketball Games hosted March 29 to 31, at the University of Toronto. He is just one of 24 Canadian players invited to join this impressive roster. Sporting number 30 for ‘team white’, the 6’10” athlete put up a great performance in Sunday’s matchup representing our school to the fullest in front of a national audience on TSN and to courtside NBA stars.
Next year, Jaden will become a Bronco, as he competes and studies at Santa Clara University.
Amy Forte
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Back-to-Back Champions Over the Family Day long weekend in February, our Prep Boys hockey team defended its 2018 title, once again winning the Midwest Prep Hockey League (MPHL) Championships! Heading into the tournament as the number one seed, our Tigers quickly found their momentum in the first game, defeating Shady Side Academy from Pittsburgh, PA 7-3. Saturday’s semi-final match was one for the books— as the longest game in school history—taking Gilmour Academy from Gate Mills, Ohio into quadruple overtime. AJ Cook ’19 finally put an end to the contest, scoring in the 119th minute, sending our Tigers to the finals. Only 12 hours later, our boys once again laced up for the championship game. Facing off against Stanstead College from Quebec, a rematch of the 2018 championships, our Tigers pushed hard, winning the trophy with a 3-0 victory. Congratulations to our boys for capturing the MPHL championship title for the fourth time in five years!
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photos: Doug Keeley
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service Within the community and far afield, our students have shown compassion for those in need, developed clubs for social causes that deserve a voice, and have proven they are the leaders of tomorrow.
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Training for Wellness Members of our Jack.org group dedicated their weekend to completing a two-day ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshop, learning how to care for someone with suicidal thoughts. This important training was made possible because of the 2018 GRADitude Fund, which supported these mental health initiatives.
To Ridley, To Ridley, To Ridley The annual Cadet Mess dinner is an opportunity for our students to come together to honour the traditions associated with our Cadet programme. On February 7, more than 100 Ridleians and invited guests dressed in their best to celebrate and enjoy a delectable meal. Those in attendance heard from guest speaker Corporal Afton Maisonneuve, who focused on the topic of leadership. The event was made particularly special by the ceremonious music of The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Band and Piper Corporal William Belet. Recognition is owed to the organizing committee, Minji Kang ’19, Ciara Blew ’21, Sophia Blaikie-Sloan ’19, Muzhi Li ’20, Jacob Lytle ’21, and Edgar Lai ’23, as well as Interim Director of Cadets Major (ret) Barbara Maisonneuve and LieutenantGeneral (ret) Michel Maisonneuve. Andrea Carisse
The Tradition Lives On
Michelle Scrivener
On a bright and sunny April 28, students donned their red uniforms to participate in annual Cadet traditions. For the second year, the new format of Cadet Day allowed our community to enjoy both the Inspection and Church Parade on the same day. Once the flag was raised, students from both Upper and Lower School began their march through the Marriott Gates, witnessing a flawless mace toss from Cadet Drum Major Jaden Kidd ’19. From there, they continued across the Burgoyne Bridge and downtown for the 99th Church Parade, before arriving back on campus for the 112th annual Inspection. The Reviewing Officer was Colonel Dan Stepaniuk, who inspected the platoons and addressed the cadets, asking about their favourite subjects and future goals. TIGER | SPRING 2019
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Transforming Our Globe Global Service-Learning Over the March break, two groups of students travelled to different parts of the world to live out the Ridley motto.
Mackenzie Fowler ’11
Each year, George Butterfield ’57 donates funds to support global service trips that allow current students to give back and gain a greater knowledge of our world. We are grateful to George for his continued support of service-learning initiatives.
MALAWI Twenty-eight students and chaperones travelled over 13,000km to Malawi, Africa, where they spent a week with the students at the Jacaranda School for Orphans, teaching classes, learning about their culture and, most importantly, forging unbreakable bonds with these inspiring children.
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Mackenzie Fowler ’11
GUATEMALA Twenty students from Grades 7 to 10 spent a week installing two smokeless stoves in the village of El Salitrillo, working with students at two local schools and making time to bond with the children at the Centre of Hope. Upon hearing that a 14-year-old local villager, Oscar, would not be attending school because he could not afford the fees, our students raised over $600 to help pay for his tuition!
Mackenzie Fowler ’11
Malawi
Guatemala
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—WHAT IS — POSITIVE EDUCATION
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By Headmaster J. Edward Kidd Ridley College has become a leader in the groundbreaking field of positive education. Our school is using global research and practices to prepare students to lead flourishing lives after they graduate. Learn how: IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL & ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE In his opening address to a packed New York City ballroom in 2001, newly inducted President of the American Psychology Association, Dr. Martin Seligman delivered a “rite of spring” moment. Challenging the prevailing research paradigm that addresses the human condition from a perspective of pathology, Dr. Seligman threw down the challenge that psychologists should instead turn their research to the study of human flourishing. This shift in focus became known as positive psychology and, in the 18 years since, has propagated into research and practice across a range of fields, including leadership, organizations, healthcare, public policy and now education. The application of positive psychology in schools—positive education—has attracted considerable attention in institutions largely in Australia and the U.K., where leading schools such as Geelong Grammar School, St. Peter’s College and Wellington College have adopted Seligman’s approach, pioneered innovations and school programmes that focus on well-being and achievement. The birth of national and international organizations such as the International Positive Psychology Association’s (IPPA) education division, the Positive Education Schools Association (PESA) and the International Positive Education Network (IPEN) has built momentum and advanced this global movement, which is why Ridley became an early adopter. Strategic Commitment to Flourishing With the launch of our current strategic vision (2013), we stuck our flag in the ground and set ourselves the challenge to “inspire flourishing lives to transform our globe”. Our task was to take all that we have learned from international experts and put it into practice on campus. In committing to this aspirational vision, our school quickly established itself as a North American pioneer and voice for positive education.
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Academics, co-curriculars and the boarding experience; while excellence in all of these categories are at the core of a Ridley education, we felt there was more to it. We are convinced that the world requires more from the graduates of great schools like Ridley. Beyond simple academic achievement or career preparation, the real difference in a Ridley education is the sum of these experiences, combined with the ‘unseen curriculum’—the relationships, team work, ▶ flourishing
humanity
wisdom and knowledge
justice
courage
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“
Deaf to the wisdom of the ages, we deny ourselves the chance of finding a happiness that is meaningful. We’ve settled, nowadays, for a much weaker, much thinner, happiness: mere enjoyment of pleasure, mere avoidance of pain and suffering. Somewhere between Plato and Prozac, happiness stopped being a lofty achievement and became an entitlement.
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— RICHARD SCHOCH The Secrets of Happiness: Three Thousand Years of Searching for the Good Life.
Diversity strengthens the culture of our school through varied perspectives.
resilience, the passion and transcendence in Chapel to name a few. Once referred to as “character education,” we felt that at its best, a Ridley education has for generations prepared students for more than university; it has prepared them for life. Our challenge in setting our vision was to be intentional in providing this preparation for each and every student. Armed with emerging research and theories of positive psychology, and the understanding that flourishing can be defined and taught, we set forth with the audacious goal to teach young Ridleians how to lead meaningful lives now—and into adulthood. In addition to teaching writing skills and quadratic equations, we commit ourselves to ensuring that each student who walks through the Marriott Gates is taught and, more importantly, experiences the foundational habits that comprise a flourishing life. In many ways, we were making what was invisible (and perhaps fortuitous) for generations of Ridleians, and transforming it into a visible and intentional occurrence. ESTABLISHING CHAMPIONS & DEVELOPING A DEFINITION To be truly transformative, we recognized that this was more than a programmatic or surface level curriculum change. Achieving our vision requires a whole school cultural shift and a “slow cooker” approach that will take many years to simmer. Our first step included the work of a committed group of trailblazers who formed our Positive Education Task Force. The faculty and staff who comprised this task force had the assignment to deepen our institutional learning, develop basic literacy on the topic, connect with the early research and practitioners around the world, and most importantly establish a Ridley definition of flourishing. If we were to ‘inspire flourishing lives’, first we needed to be able to define what that was. Borrowing from the work of Dr. Seligman and one of his students Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, we adopted the acronym P.E.R.M.A.V. as our definition (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement and Vitality). Partnering with Global Experts The next stage in our journey was an exciting partnership with Dr. Lea Waters, an organizational psychologist and leading positive psychology researcher from the University of Melbourne. Ridley entered a two-year research relationship with Dr. Waters who served as a visiting scholar and introduced her Visible Wellbeing approach to us. If P.E.R.M.A.V. was the end goal, Visible Wellbeing was our pathway and our route to getting there. Our relationship with Dr. Waters, who is the current president of the IPPA, has accelerated our journey and commitment to share our approach with others. 46
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In June, Ridley hosted Flourish: Positive Education Conference for educators from across Canada and the globe. In addition, we are leading the efforts to create an association of schools committed to the movement. More than Happy-ology It goes without saying that the pursuit of happiness and search for the good life are not new ideas! From Aristotle’s Academy to Confucius to Enlightenment thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and Benjamin Franklin, to Matthew Arnold and John Dewey, many educational traditions, both Eastern and Western, have defined quality education as a process of tutoring the soul, of developing character and preparing self-actualized citizens to contribute to the body politic. Some skeptics argue that positive education is nothing more than facile happy-ology, yet another coddling of a generation of victims. We disagree. Flourishing, in its proper sense (and Aristotelian origins) has nothing to do with pleasure or selfindulgent hedonism. Instead, it has everything to do with responding to failure, overcoming discomfort, contributing to a group and consistent, mindful attention to ‘being good’, ‘feeling good’, and ‘doing good’ to help others flourish. It is founded on the belief that when individuals flourish, so too do communities, societies, and civilizations. The result is abundance, achievement and human progress.
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Its goal is to equip people—students, teachers, school systems, and community partners—with the wellbeing skills and tools to flourish, and contribute to the flourishing of others, in ways that support and strengthen traditional learning. —WORLD POSITIVE EDUCATION ACCELERATOR, 2018
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We have made the courageous decision to be laser-focused on what we believe is the true purpose of education— quite simply, to do what we would most want for our own children—to help them to lead fulfilling and truly flourishing lives, so that they can transform our globe. At Ridley, we have set our sights on this aspirational and global challenge. TIGER | SPRING 2019
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How Do We Teach Flourishing?
Providing students with the experiences (and the confidence) to throw themselves into a passion, to lose themselves in an activity that is challenging yet meaningful, a state that psychologists refer to as ‘flow’.
ENGAGEMENT
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POSITIVE EMOTIONS Teaching students emotional self-regulation skills and habits (i.e. mindfulness). Understanding and making students’ emotions visible (Visible Wellbeing S.E.A.R.C.H. framework).
ONLINE RESOURCES
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R RELATIONSHIPS Teaching students how to build and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and how to enrich and sustain flourishing communities.
The Global Happiness and Well-being Policy Report http://www.happinesscouncil.org
International Positive Education Network http://ipen-network.com/
The World Government Summit – The State of Positive Education https://www.worldgovernmentsummit.org
What is Positive Education? https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_ continue=18&v=i92eh8sx45w
Teaching students how to search for meaning and purpose in their lives, and how to experience the sense of being connected to something bigger than oneself.
The importance of developing the habits of physical health, daily activity and the physical literacy to ground a healthy mind in a healthy body. Nourishment, exercise and rejuvenation.
MEANING
VITALITY
M A V ACCOMPLISHMENT Instilling in students a growth mindset, and a confident belief in their capacity to learn, achieve and take on new challenges while understanding the importance of risk taking, the growth opportunities in failure and the confidence to ‘sit with the discomfort’ of learning new things.
FRAMEWORK FOR FLOURISHING Flourishing is about ‘doing good’, ‘being good’, ‘feeling good’ and high performance.
LEARN MORE ABOUT POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being by Martin E.P. Seligman
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Strength Switch by Lea Waters, PhD
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Shailynn Snow ’19 Amy Forte
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FEATURE STORY
© Robert Hradil/HHOF-IIHF Images
Tiger Captures Gold for Canada Shailynn Snow ’19, co-captain of the 2018–19 Prep Girls hockey team, showcases her skills with Team Canada, Team Newfoundland and Labrador and the Ridley Tigers in the same season…and has the hardware to prove it! In December 2018, Grade 12 student Shailynn Snow was pinching herself when she learned that she would be living out her dream by playing for Team Canada at the U18 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships. The goal of the 5’3” forward to one day wear red and white was what led her to relocate from her small east coast town to Ridley’s campus in St. Catharines. It was here, after several years of hard work and mentorship, that Shailynn learned she had been selected to compete in Obihiro, Japan for the World Championship tournament. It all began in Shailynn’s hometown of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, a seaside community with a population of just 1,600. She developed a passion for hockey at a young age, first lacing up her skates when she was only fouryears-old. Hailing from a small town posed challenges, as opportunities for girls to develop in the sport of hockey weren’t easy to come by. Shailynn found herself forced to join all-boys AAA teams to advance her talents.
With the support of her mother and grandfather, Shailynn pushed through to the next level of competition— gender aside—to become one of the top players in the league. “There wasn’t a lot of girls hockey back at that time,” remarked Snow. “It has now, however, progressed a bit, but the skill level wasn’t there for me then.” Playing as the stand-out female in a boys league garnered much attention from scouts around the Atlantic provinces and even from thousands of kilometres away in St. Catharines. Prep Girls Hockey Coach (and former Team Canada athlete), Amanda Wark discovered Shailynn’s talent when she was just 10-years-old, noticing her one summer at the Andrews Atlantic Hockey Showcase on Prince Edward Island. After this initial encounter, Amanda was dedicated to following Shailynn’s rising hockey career, often reaching out to personal contacts in Newfoundland to get updates on the progress of the promising young girl.
Upon graduation from Ridley, Shailynn will attend St. Lawrence University on an athletic scholarship and will compete at the NCAA Division One level for the Saints. STATS Home Town: Bay Roberts, NL Team Co-Captain Position: Right wing Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Turgeon Player of the Year 2018–19 JWHL Offensive Player of the Year 2018–19
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“She was a dynamic player back then, and I knew that if she found the right place to hone her skills she could be a national team member one day,” remarked Amanda. After much partnership, an offer was extended for Shailynn to officially become a Ridleian and Tiger. “I was thrilled when she chose Ridley to pursue her academic and athletic future!” her current coach adds. Less than three years after enrolling, Shailynn’s passion and persistence paid dividends when she was selected to represent Canada at the eight-team championships in Japan. The news came via a phone call after the athlete’s tryouts in early August in Calgary, followed by a series of exhibition games against the highly-skilled U.S. team. While she plays right wing for Ridley, Shailynn showed her versatility by playing centre forward during the World Championship to help even out a roster that had overstacked offense. After dominating in the round robin, Canada continued to fight its way to the finals, which lined the team up against four-time defending champions, the U.S. The match proved to be challenging, wrapping up the third period with 27 shots on net and two goals apiece. Excitingly, it was the goal scored at 1:34 into overtime that secured the 3-2 victory and the 2019 IIHF U19 Women’s World Championship. This was Canada’s fifth world title and its first since 2014.
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Competing on the national stage didn’t end there for this Tiger. In February 2019, Shailynn was also selected as captain of Team Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2019 Canada Games— a tournament she originally participated in back in 2015 as the youngest athlete from her province. During this year’s contest, Shailynn played a total of five games (two wins and three losses), earning seven points total. She even had the chance to enjoy competition against her Ridley teammates as Catherine Foulem ’20, Carmen Elliott ’21, and Maggie Johnston ’20 were also selected to play for their respective provinces. “My experience at this year’s Canada Games was a lot different than 2015 when I was 13-years-old. This time around, I knew what was expected both from myself and my teammates. My experience allowed me to act as a leader and mentor to others,” explains Snow. After two whirlwind experiences, Shailynn returned to campus to sport her bright orange Tiger jersey alongside her teammates in the CISAA Championships and Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) playoffs. To cap off this banner season, Snow and the Prep Girls hockey team clinched the CISAA title and elevated school pride to extreme levels.
Shailynn is one of the most elite student-athletes in our country, which is a result of her hard work and desire to be the best she can possibly be. Shay has the ability to single-handedly change the outcome of any game she is in. She is a great leader both on and off the ice and has gained the respect of her teammates and opponents alike. Making Team Canada is a huge honour for her, and one that she has worked for every day. To see this come true for her is rewarding for everyone involved.
Amanda Wark, Prep Girls Head Coach 52
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”
THE
EX
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Discover a Boarding Education Beyond your EX PECTATIONS
EX PRESS CULTIVATE YOUR CREATIVITY Release your inner muse in superior arts programmes that will allow you to shine at centre stage in front of hundreds, screen your original short film or hang your canvas in a vibrant gallery of works.
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TU
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adversity INTO
How one Ridleian overcame persecution and earned a full university scholarship to support his ambition to transform our globe.
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If you are looking for somewhere to flourish and grow, Ridley is the right place for you. —ASMAT ’19
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opportunity
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It was nightfall
when sixteen-year-old Asmatullah ‘Asmat’ arrived at the border in summer of 2017. He had just undertaken a solo journey from California to reach the Canadian land crossing after learning that the United States would no longer have him as a student. Thousands of miles from his home in Afghanistan and unable to return to his family, Asmat made the bold decision to seek refugee status and hope for a better future in the ‘Great White North’. The original plan to study in North America had begun as an exciting prospect. As a uniquely remarkable student, he accepted a scholarship to a military academy in California for his Grade 10 year. However, when his funding and student visa were revoked, he found himself in limbo between a country where he was no longer welcomed and a home nation that would suspect him a conspirator.
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Asmat’s circumstances and life experience mean that he lives with so much uncertainty every day and yet maintains a positive outlook towards everything and everyone around him. I aspire to emulate his strength of character and feel honoured to bear witness to his journey. —CORY MILLER
“If I hadn’t come to Canada and I hadn’t crossed the border that night, I would have returned back to Afghanistan and who knows if I’d be alive now,” reflects Asmat on what might have happened if things hadn’t gone to plan. Soon after arriving in Canada, he was connected with social services and provided with housing in Ontario, but, as a minor, he struggled to fulfill his basic needs without a legal guardian. He once walked himself to a public high school in East York, Toronto where he unsuccessfully attempted to enroll. Enter Cory Miller, Guidance and University Counsellor at Branksome Hall (an all-girls CAIS independent school), who upon learning of the displaced teen’s story felt compelled to act. “Asmat and I first met on a sunny day at the Toronto waterfront and I took him to a Blue Jays game,” Miller recalls. “From our initial conversations and [seeing] his academic records, it was clear that he was very keen to continue his education,” adds the woman who became Asmat’s legal guardian only weeks after setting eyes on him. “It was an opportunity to help someone who clearly has so much potential, it felt like a very easy decision to make. Helping a Muslim refugee in this day and age of growing xenophobia felt like my small gesture of social justice.” Partnering with Asmat and his parents back in Afghanistan, Cory swiftly reached out to her colleagues at fellow independent schools to see if anyone would be willing to welcome an additional boarder on short notice. Cory knew the school would need to be able to support Asmat’s talents and ambitions so her initial call was to Julie Cameron, Director of Admissions at Ridley College who says she clearly recalls being profoundly moved by Asmat’s story because it harkened back to Ridley’s deep service-oriented mentality. “Asmat is an example of why we do what we do as a educators,” Julie underscores. With the support of Headmaster Kidd, Asmat was soon accepted as a late addition to Dean’s House. In less than a full academic year, Asmat began to soar. He enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, learned his fifth language, became an active member of Cadet Corps leadership, went on a service trip to Malawi, joined clubs committed to human rights, and took up rowing as well as Model U.N. and Debating. It’s no wonder then, that his peers voted him in as a Prefect for the 2018–19 academic year. “Coming to Ridley…everything exceeded my expectations; from the diversity in the community to studying with such an amazing and smart cohort and the volume of opportunities available, to academic intensity at the school especially with the IB programme,” he said enthusiastically about his first year. “I felt overwhelmed in the beginning, but with support that I got from the faculty, staff and my friends, I was able to take on every challenge, thrive and have fun.”
Speaking with Mr. Bob Rae
On a promising trajectory already and working with Ridley’s University and Guidance Counsellor, Michael Maki, post-secondary institutions began to take notice of Asmat’s undeniable potential. In mid-February 2019 one university in particular stepped up to make the dreams of this new Canadian come true. While on what he believed was a Huron University College campus tour and interview with its President, Dr. Barry Craig, Asmat was surprised with acceptance and a full, four-year undergraduate scholarship—the largest in the school’s history.
Tweet from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
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As a proud graduate of both Ridley College and Huron University College, it is awesome to see Asmat’s success so early in his young career. In meeting him recently as Ridley’s cadet commander for 2019, it was clear what a strong yet humble character he has. Well done, Asmat! —DAVID K. CARTER ’88
Beaming even days following the news and in his consistently humble way, Asmat reported that he has decided to pursue a double-major, combining Leadership, Governance and Ethics with Economics. He also plans to study photography while obtaining a business certificate from Harvard University. “I want to get into politics [and] I’m committed to transforming our globe because I believe in equity and equity of opportunity for everyone and currently that does not exist…it’s just going to open the door for much development in this world,” the 2019 graduate explains. He elaborates that his intended studies are all to support his vision of one day working with the United Nations as a part of the security council or on peace-keeping missions overseas. “I think Asmat definitely has the makings of a statesman; he cares about mankind and improving circumstances for all of humanity. He has the intellectual and social skills to plan strategically, negotiate policy—and hopefully—peace in the Middle East. He articulates that aspiration regularly,” Cory reinforces. “What’s most inspiring about Asmat is not just his list of accomplishments and achievements, but also his positive outlook on life in spite of the challenges he has faced on his journey,” says Headmaster Kidd, adding, “He should be an example of resilience and perseverance to us all. As a community we are so proud of him and I am confident he will continue to flourish (and inspire others to flourish) at Huron.” Asmat isn’t shy in expressing his gratitude to Ridley College, Huron University College (and of course, Cory) for providing him with educational opportunities he wouldn’t otherwise have. “For me, Ridley is far more than just a place where I go to school. It is an experience. Apart from the academic skills and knowledge that I have acquired, my experience here has helped me grow spiritually and find my real self in many different ways. Ridley has taught me how to handle my emotions and fight till the end, until I succeed.” TIGER | SPRING 2019
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alumni work @ Being an entrepreneur requires a distinct set of characteristics: determination, innovation, adaptability, leadership and passion. To quote Steve Jobs, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is pure perseverance.” When pursuing a career of your own devices, the stakes tend to be higher and the stumbling blocks more frequent. Remaining focused and persevering, regardless of the obstacles, is paramount. In this edition of Alumni @ Work, we are focusing on four Old Ridleians: venture capitalist and former “Dragon” Bruce Croxon ’79, fashion designers Chloe ’05 and Parris ’08 Gordon and retail giant Jamie Katzman ’90. Like countless Ridley grads, these alumni have blazed unique entrepreneurial trails and possess an underlying drive to create, innovate and evolve.
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ENTREPR
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UR SH IP IDEA TEAMWORK STARTUP BUSINESS SUCCESS
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alumni work @
Years before social networking became a way of life, Bruce Croxon ’79 made his mark on the world of business by trailblazing the online dating landscape. A serial entrepreneur, Bruce added the title “digital pioneer” to his repertoire when he co-founded Lavalife in 1987, revolutionizing the way people connect. Since selling the company in 2004, Bruce has spent years helping other entrepreneurs jumpstart their companies, especially through his role on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Bruce grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, but made a move to St. Catharines where he began at Ridley as a Grade 8 student. He learned about the school through a friend he met at summer camp, who had highlighted emphasis on athletics. Bruce discussed the possibility of attending with his parents, and this conversation picked up such momentum that soon after he was enrolled for the upcoming September. He immediately became immersed in sports and took a shining to gaining life skills not only inside the classroom, but outside of it as well. “Curiosity is a key trait of an entrepreneur, and Ridley is a great place to feed that,” notes Bruce about the early impact on his career path. He also mentioned how his teachers played an integral role in his life: “Nat Caters, who was revered as a teacher, was incredible about instilling confidence within his athletes. He was able to say the right thing at the right time, and while tough, he had a way to make you feel like you were better and that you were able 60
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to rise to the occasion.” This lesson on how important older voices are to the next generation struck a chord with Bruce, “Nat did a very good job in making you swing way above your weight.” The relationships he made during his formative teenage years as a boarder were friendships that would prove to be significant in numerous ways. His closeknit circle of friends came from families who also had entrepreneurial backgrounds. Bruce acknowledges that, “Ridley seemed to be a magnet for entrepreneurs.” Many of his heroes—starting with his father and the fathers of his friends—exposed him to the gumption it takes to own a business and served as real-life examples of success. He had a tremendous amount of respect for their individual roads to success within their given industries and these were compelling illustrations of what could be accomplished with integrity, focus and commitment. The friendships Bruce formed during his six years at Ridley were bonds that would carry on over decades. Bruce’s roommate from Grades 11 to 13, Nicholas Paine ’79, was one who played a key role in his high school experience, later becoming his partner in Lavalife. “There is a group of about eight to ten of us who get together at least once a year,” reveals Bruce. This year, the group celebrated its 35th consecutive reunion on the same weekend, at the same place, sharing the same laughs as those of earlier years within the Marriott Gates. “We have a history of being there for each other.”
Bruce with his roommate from Grades 11 to 13—and future business partner in Lavalife—Nicholas Paine ’79.
Bruce recognizes that one of his strengths is recognizing a good idea when he sees it. In the 80s, he and Nicholas met two other entrepreneurs who were testing out ideas of early social networking technology. He identified that there was a great deal of potential in connecting with people in a way they were unable to before, and cleverly applied this to the world of dating. This idea soon became the world-renowned brand and website, Lavalife. Over 15 years, the company grew to more than 600 employees, becoming the goto online resource for dating around the world. In 2004, Bruce and his team decided it was time to move on and sold to a U.S. public company for an astonishing $180 million. As expected, Bruce reflects on this transaction as one of the biggest moments of his career. “Entrepreneurship is a lifelong rollercoaster,” explains Bruce, recognizing this was the greatest peak to date. It is the confluence of timing, work, commitment and perseverance put into your vision, and according to him, “If you hang around the hoop long enough, with the right people around you, there’s a good chance you will catch a ball.” Bruce’s entire career has been attracting or backing like-minded people. He provides guidance in a way which he too has been afforded—by teachers throughout the years, his friends and other industry leaders. Bruce
reminisces fondly about an early mentor named Paul Woolner, a leading-edge organizational development expert who graduated from the University of Toronto. When Lavalife was in its infancy, Paul stressed the importance of having a company vision, core values and a strong culture. “It is the people—the culture— that allows you to move the needle and get to that next level of success,” said Bruce. These characteristics stuck with him as he and Nicholas grew Lavalife to the giant it ultimately became. Offering guidance and mentorship is what enticed Bruce to join the team of venture capitalists during the 2011 season of CBC’s Dragon’s Den. At the same time, Bruce also launched his current company, Round 13 Capital, which invests in growth-stage technologybased companies in Canada. Being a leader in his industry and steering people on their own entrepreneurial journey has become a big part of how Bruce devotes his energy. In offering advice to entrepreneurs, he opines to “Pick something that you really love as a subject because you are going to have to work at it seven days a week.” Bruce has followed his passions and interests, and is a true example of success in the multi-faceted world of entrepreneurship.
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A strong sense of family unity, interest and business acumen are assets in transitioning a family business from one generation to the next. For Jamie Katzman ’90, it wasn’t initially a clear next step, but one which he would adopt with pride with his enterprising family. Now, as the leader and owner of Boathouse, a chain of retail stores that spans eight provinces and is growing online, Jamie is proud to be part of a greater purpose. Sitting at the helm of the company, which first opened its doors in 1963, he is honoured to be able to continue the family legacy. This leadership is something that was well established from a young age through his family and further cultivated during his time at Ridley College. Jamie entered Lower School as a Grade 6 student and he “never looked back” until graduation in Grade 13. Deeply involved in the school’s culture, Jamie made his mark as a student, taking on numerous leadership roles throughout the years including head of Lower School Cadets and winning The Bullied Award (for Enthusiasm and Leadership) in Lower School. In Upper School, his leadership was further developed as a Prefect, captain of First Team basketball, member of the First Team soccer championship squads, and ultimately graduating as an Ontario Scholar. His time spent in athletics and experiential learning taught Jamie to be a well-rounded person, leader and member of his community, which would transfer to both his business career and personal life.
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The tight-knit community at Ridley allowed Jamie to cultivate life-long friendships. One thing he’d always noticed when getting together with fellow alumni, whether it was at a concert, golf weekend, or organized “Old Boys” event, was that they were always able to pick up exactly where they had left off.
Upon graduation in 1990, Jamie attended the University of Western Ontario studying History and Economics. He wrote his LSATs and considered going to law school, but decided that he would try working within the family business, which at the time had just six retail stores, in which his father, Arlie, and sister, Melissa, were already involved. After a few years, he seriously considered leaving to attend business school on the west coast and begin a new path—but after much soul searching, Jamie made the decision to stay. The company currently runs under two separate banners: Boathouse and Blackwell Supply Company. Between the two there are approximately 100 stores and over 1,600 employees. Boathouse, the larger of the two banners, sells apparel, footwear, and accessories and caters to a demographic of 14 to 35-year-olds.
The real magic seems to be the experience of being a part of something bigger than ourselves that we share as Old Ridleians. —JAMIE KATZMAN ’90
Jamie with wife Erin and children Jemma ’23, Avery and Seth.
Throughout his 25 years in business, Jamie has experienced numerous positions, including: working at the store level, Buyer, Merchandise Manager, President and Owner. Jamie attributes his success to following the example of the relentless work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit that his father taught him. He recognizes that it is a team effort that contributes to their overall success, paired with enthusiastic and passionate efforts by their President, Anthony, and the incredible management team. The road to success was met with some difficulty along the way with the most challenging time taking place early on. When Jamie first entered into the family business, his sister, Melissa (who graduated from Ridley in 1986), had already been involved for several years and was on her way to eventually taking it over. That all changed in 1998 when she was diagnosed with cancer and tragically passed away just a year later. During this time, Jamie’s father took a leave in order to care for Melissa. “As one can imagine,” remembers Jamie, “this was an incredibly difficult time for our family. It was also during that time that I came into my own in the company. Self-preservation and being forced to step-up during hard times was really the most critical experience that I gained in my business career.” In taking on this greater leadership role, the organization began to make some
key strategic hires that proved to be instrumental in helping develop store templates that could easily be duplicated in many different geographic markets. Celebrating his sister’s legacy drove him to grow the business, with her example as his source of inspiration. After Melissa’s passing, the Katzman family established the Melissa Ann Katzman Cancer Research Fund at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. Over the years, they have quietly continued to donate to the fund, which currently sits at over $4 million. Locally, the family also contributed to the Walker Cancer Centre with a significant donation that was used to purchase equipment integral to the fight against cancer. With 25 years of selfemployment and many ups and downs along the way, Jamie is sure to always look at this vocation as an opportunity and a privilege. ”Surround yourself with people who are more talented at specific things than you are, and never ask anyone to do something for you that you have not—or would not—do for yourself.” To budding entrepreneurs, he advises that with any career decision, “you need to be passionate about what you are doing. You need to find the delicate balance of when to take chances when your head tells you the timing is right and when to hunker down when your gut tells you they are not.”
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Wally Sparks
Persistence is an indispensable characteristic in developing and running your own business. Driven by a determined spirit, successful entrepreneurs are unflappable in their dreams of building a viable company. For sisters Chloe ’05 and Parris ’08 Gordon, persistence is what they say has attributed to their success. Their shared tenacity guided them through years of schooling, along with their willingness to learn and adapt when confronted with challenges. Ultimately, their passion was the driving force that anchored their focus and took them to the level of success they have since achieved in the highly competitive world of fashion with their company, Beaufille. Having been encouraged by their father, Crawford Gordon ’56, the sisters each attended Ridley for their final three years of high school. “Our father’s passion for the school is what brought us to Ridley,” says Chloe. “He had the most amazing experience and met some of his closest and best friends there, and I think he wanted to pass down that experience for us.” Parris was initially introduced to the expansive world of art education through faculty member, Mr.
Duane Nickerson. Exploring the different facets of the arts while gaining the work ethic promoted through a Ridley education were the instruments that helped catapult both Parris and Chloe into considering art as a viable career path. 64
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Upon her graduation in 2005, Chloe attended Dalhousie University in Halifax where she focused on Costume Studies and Psychology. It was during her time entrenched in the world of technical design that she realized her passion for constructing and creating garments. She decided to apply to Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University, which presented more comprehensive creative course offerings. Chloe’s initial application was turned down, but there was a spark of hope when the admissions board saw potential in her and presented an opportunity to attend a four-hour course to test her skills. Chloe was thrilled to learn that her efforts were recognized, and she was accepted into the school. Chloe spent four years at NSCAD majoring in textiles and minoring in fashion, where she acquired an array of skills from creating a garment to spinning yarn to unique fabric manipulation techniques. In her final year, she began designing complete collections and has never looked back. After getting a tour of NSCAD from Chloe during her final year of Upper School, Parris felt the magic within its walls and soon joined her sister, starting as a student that Fall. Fascinated by a course in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing, Parris focused on this niche programme. Chloe and Parris always knew they wanted to build something together. Naturally close as sisters, they developed a new type of closeness after attending art school together. While it took years of finessing, they soon landed on a clear mission: creating beautiful, well-made clothing at an attainable price point. Ethically-made and attentively-considered, they focused on quality over
quantity while placing a high attention to detail; something they believe the customer cares about more than ever. Along the way, their parents were consistent with their support, providing mentorship and guidance. Finally, in 2013, they launched Beaufille: women’s ready-to-wear clothing and jewelry.
The name Beaufille is a non-sensical French compound word meaning “handsome girl”, which embodies Chloe and Parris as designers and sisters; a dichotomy to create a unique harmony. “Beaufille is about offering an effortless, relaxed, yet imaginative approach to dressing. We always want the wearer to feel comfortable, confident and cool with a subtle sense of being fashionforward,” Chloe explains. Learning to follow their intuition was what
launched the sisters on their pathway to success. One of their biggest moments was when a stylist reached out to them and requested that they pull some looks for their client: Lady Gaga. The sisters jumped at the opportunity, knowing that stylists typically reach out to multiple companies
in order to provide a range of options for their clients. The chances of being selected are generally low, but they put their best foot forward and came up with an outfit befitting the singer. The surprise came some time later when Lady Gaga stepped out in their full look—a moment that helped propel their names within the media and validate the brand in a distinct way. The celebrity endorsement didn’t end there. Another remarkable moment came recently when Michelle Obama’s
stylist reached out to provide earrings for a photoshoot with Elle Magazine. Although the photos featuring the earrings were not selected for the final editorial, the former First Lady liked the earrings so much she purchased them—and happened to wear them during an interview with Oprah when she was promoting her book. Even with this notoriety under their belts, Chloe and Parris always remember to remain humble and express gratitude for the opportunities they have been afforded. When faced with challenges along the way, which is inevitable in the world of entrepreneurship, the sisters reflect on why they started. “Being grateful that the business is still afloat, and ultimately remembering that we have freedom in our creativity is a gift,” says Parris. What inspires them? “People daring enough to make a career out of their dreams—following trailblazers of modern entrepreneurship,” says Chloe. Much like those that inspire them, the Gordon sisters are also an example of female entrepreneurs willing to put it all on the line to pursue their passions.
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JANUARY
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In addition to a reception at the Buffalo Club, members of our community cheered on the Prep Boys hockey team as they skated to a 6-5 win over Nichols School.
By visiting Brian Wannamaker ’82 in Portland, OR we learned about his fascinating work as a developer and toured the Falcon Art Community building that he founded for artists and musicians.
GLOBAL EVENTS RECAPS
Since the beginning of 2019, Headmaster Kidd and members of the Advancement Office have been globe-trotting to connect with alumni and extended members of our school community. We hope to be in a city near you soon, so be sure to subscribe to the monthly RCA e-newsletter to stay informed. Visit ridleycollege.com/alumni for upcoming events.
Vancouver and Victoria, BC In Victoria, we recognized new members to The Order of 1889 (individuals who have informed the school of a planned gift to Ridley), Terry Scandrett ’61 and Jeff Jakobsen ’91.
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Over 100 Old Ridleians filled the athletic complex for exciting hockey and volleyball tournaments, while a group enjoyed curling at the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club. Before the afternoon’s events, alumni celebrated the latest inductees to both the Richard A. Coy Wall of Distinction and the Athletic Lives of Distinction.
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Mexico City, Mexico Current parents, Nadine Karachi-Estrada ’87 and Fernando Estrada hosted a reception at their beautiful home in Mexico City. It was fantastic to have new families (enrolled for September 2019) and prospective families in attendance. 66
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Winter Homecoming
Rowing Reception Squash Reception We welcomed nearly 50 people to the Mayfair Club in Toronto for some recreational competition. Headmaster Ed Kidd, Director of Athletics Jay Tredway ’96 and Head Coach Dave Forgeron shared an update on the sport at Ridley and plans for future development. Guests were treated to an exhibition match between two top-ranked Canadian squash players.
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Following the Ontario Erg Championships on campus, members of the community were presented with a recap of the season thus far, a forecast of the upcoming season, and even an opportunity to wish our rowers the best at March training in Sarasota, Florida. MARCH
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As many as 30 Ridleians turned up to our first Florida reception, hosted by Brian ’67 and Rosemary Iggulden. President of the U.S. Foundation, Hal Wilson ’67 made the long drive from Hilton Head with his wife, Alison to attend and support this initiative.
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The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) was the perfect setting for a creative spin on the annual Toronto Branch Dinner, which included performances by our strings ensemble as well as singer-songwriter, Jane Lewis ’90. The venue was further accentuated by an incredible visual art display by current students and Duane Nickerson, Director of the Arts at Ridley. Alumni Emily Bright ’88, Andrew MacTaggart ’93, Andrew Ross ’86 and Scott Steele ’85, added to the atmosphere with their unique and inspiring works of art.
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REMEMBERING THE REVEREND CANON DR. GERALD S. SHANTZ by Rupert D. Lane, Headmaster (1995–2005)
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This is the Chapel, here my son Your father thought the thoughts of youth, And heard the words, which one by one The torch of life has turned to truth. 68
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”
These were not of course Gerry Shantz’s words, but almost everyone who served at Ridley—as student or faculty—during the last quarter of the 20th century will associate our Memorial Chapel with words they heard from him; their wisdom, humour, originality, and their way of cutting to the truth of issues, local or global. Headmasters will attest that school Chaplains are a rare breed, good Chaplains even thinner on the ground, and that among the latter special Chaplains are a oncein-a-lifetime stroke of luck. Gerry fell in this last category. He had an unique feel for the heartbeat of the community, and the community loved and respected his wholesome influence. Ridleians of his era, who will be hugely saddened by news of his death, will all avow that he was exceptional. For many, particularly those from nonChristian backgrounds, Chapel was initially an uncomfortable setting. Soon, however, they would come to recognise it as the domain of ‘The Rev’. They would apprehend that his mission was not one of narrow indoctrination. Indeed although he relished the great festivals of the Christian year, he would equally encourage us to honour Hanukkah, Diwali or Eid. He would provide us all with ideas which would remove us from transient worries, and set a mood for the morning; one which would send us on our way sometimes chuckling, sometimes stroking our chins in thought, but almost always feeling more upbeat about the coming day than upon arrival. And so, partly because of Gerry’s unpredictability and originality—he was never boring and rarely repeated a fable (save perhaps his renowned story of the mendacious students’ car-tyre!), Chapel became a haven to be treasured and respected…and re-visited after graduation. There is something especially poignant about the coincidence of Gerry’s passing with the Centenary of the Armistice of the Great War—the terrible conflict for which our Chapel stands in memory. Gerry would often refer to this and to Dr. Miller’s tragic morning task of announcing to the school the names of Ridley’s fallen. His own esteem for the Chapel was evident, and any student callow enough to show occasional casual disrespect could expect an explosive rebuke! As so often with men of powerful public presence, away from the Chapel or
classroom (where he was also an adept and unusually versatile teacher of Latin, Law, English or History), Gerry was a private man, almost shy even to friends. Few knew of the 30 plus pool-lengths, which he would swim early most mornings, and he enjoyed a great love of Classical Music and Literature. Glimpses of these would surface in his addresses. If anything, he preferred the five-minute ‘thought for the day’ to the set-piece Friday sermon, though such was his remarkable mind and commanding presence that these too were often a treat. At graduation he would almost always use the parable of ‘The Good Samaritan’ for his text, though the ensuing address would be different each year. Of course it embodied his own life philosophy, that “compassion is the basis of all truthful relationships,” so “go and do thou likewise”. Just occasionally in our profession one meets a truly special mentor, someone of incomparable quality, who influences his or her charges in their day and also for a lifetime. Gerry was one such, and we were all, students, faculty (and, yes Headmaster) greatly, blessed that our paths crossed. Terar Dum Prosim, RDL
The Reverend Canon Dr. Gerald S. “Gerry” Shantz, died peacefully on October 3, 2018. He was a beloved friend, Chaplain and faculty member, who served our school between 1981–1991 and again from 1992–2005. At his memorial service on December 2, 2018, members of our community filled the Memorial Chapel to pay their respects. Chair of the Board, David K. Carter ’88 shared fond memories from his time as a student during Gerry’s tenure, while Chris ’62 and Trish Loat remembered their friend and former colleague. TIGER | SPRING 2019
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HAPPY CAMPERS 70
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ACADEMICS
ATHLETICS
THE ARTS
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW, VIEW OFFERINGS:
ridleycollege.com/summerprogrammes TIGER | SPRING 2019
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CLASS NOTES WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Share a few short words with your fellow Old Ridleians about important milestones, career moves, or philanthropic endeavours. Please include your full name and the year you graduated from Ridley. High resolution images (300dpi, 2MB minimum) are welcome to accompany your Class Note. SEND TO: development@ridleycollege.com
1970s Clive Caldwell ’71 was inducted into the Ontario Squash Hall of Fame on April 4 for his impressive career as both a player and builder of the sport. In over 20 years, he has won over 35 doubles and singles events on the World Professional Squash Association Tour.
1950s
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Chris Snyder ’59 has written a book entitled Creating Opportunities: A Volunteer’s Memoir, which documents the 70 years he spent volunteering and living out our school motto.
John Frederick ’71 set a new record, becoming the first Canadian to run 34 consecutive Boston Marathons! Impressively having completed 80+ marathons to date, he doesn’t have plans of slowing down. Michael J. Sabia ’72 received the 2019 Maple Leaf Award of Distincton from the Canadian Association of New York, which celebrates the career accomplishments and philanthropic contributions of a Canadian leader in Canada and around the world. John M. Brunton ’73, C.M. has been appointed as a member of the Order of Canada for his contributions to the Canadian broadcasting industry. Colm Feore ’77 was one of five Canadians who were honoured at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, for his astounding career on the stage and screen. On April 27, he received a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Film).
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John Matthews ’61 was honoured on February 10 for his donation to Ridley: a sculpture called Deliverance. Speeches were given by Gord Chaplin ’61, Tom Belton ’61 and David Dodge ’61, with Headmaster Kidd and Bob Matthews ’56 (John’s brother) carrying out the dedication and unveiling.
On October 22, 2018, Tony Fraser ’82 was elected Mayor of the Township of North Dundas, winning by an extensive margin over his competitor.
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Michele-Elise Burnett ’86 was the recipient of the Cultural Arts Award at the 18th Annual 2018 Women in Business Awards in Niagara.
1990s Greg Stremlaw ’90 has had a record-setting career in sport and, for the past few years, has made his mark as the Head of CBC Sports. Greg has recently decided to move south to Indianapolis, where he will take up the position as President and CEO of Indy Eleven. Debbie (Lang) Pearmain ’92 and Hilary Cole ’91 have been changing lives in Zambia, Africa through “Project Samuel”. The alumnae have been facilitating adoptions and raising both awareness and funds to help educate, feed and clothe youth. To get involved or give, contact: debbiepearmain@yahoo.com. Author, musician, editor and writer, John Crossingham ’92 returned to campus on February 13 to talk to Lower School students and their families about literacy, before reading from his book, Turn off that Light!
2000s
Marcie Lewis ’03 became engaged to fellow faculty member Gerardo Martinez on February 2. They plan to wed in 2020.
Strat Allen ’05 continues to play competitive hockey in Australia for the Sydney Ice Dogs of the Australian Ice Hockey League.
As a tribute to the late Joe, Anita and Laura ’11 Robertson, alumnus Alexander 'Sandy' Rasmussen ’07 presented his painting, Samosas to Clark ’09 and Taylor ’07 Robertson. On April 29, this piece was unveiled at its permanent home at Brock University.
2010s Ridley sweethearts Olivia Park ’11 and Chris Robinson ’11 became engaged and will wed in the Memorial Chapel in 2020. On April 13, alumni returned to their alma mater to coach soon-to-be-graduates on what to expect in their first few years at university. It was fantastic to have Caroline Sherk ’12, Luis Lopez ’13, Alex Herbert ’15, Lena Macdonald ’16 and Katy Rootes-O’Doherty ’18 as a part of this Q&A panel.
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MARRIAGES
BIRTHS
Martine Hall ’02 married Greg Hutchison on September 15, 2018 in Muskoka.
Ashley (Sutherland) ’02 and Simon Beatty celebrated the arrival of Noah James on June 12, 2018.
Daniela Gimenez ’10 married Luis Alfredo Medina on April 6, 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela.
Martine Hall ’02 and husband Greg are delighted over the birth of Theodore Gregory on December 9, 2018. Darren Bleau ’04 and Sarah Milligan ’04 welcomed a daughter, Devon Kathleen Ann, on November 18, 2018. John Hall ’04 and his wife Jessie had a son, Robin Serge, on April 17, 2019. Tricia (Hatch) Tomiczek ’06 and her husband Nick became parents to Craig Stanley, born April, 19, 2019.
Megan Breukelman ’11 said “I do” to Kenneth Sterling Gronquist on February 24, 2019 in Toronto.
Crawford Gordon Jr. ’03 and his wife Lisa are new parents to fraternal twins Crawford (fifth) and Cameron.
First-time parents Sean Moir ’03 and his wife Mubeen happily announce the birth of their son, Gabriel William on March 24, 2019.
OBITUARIES Edward C. Atwater ’64 on April 27, 2019 at the age of 93.
The Rev. George Dunkley on November 10, 2018 at the age of 80.
J.K. 'Kerry' Martin on July 11, 2018 at the age of 76.
Craig Bagozzi ’93 on September 30, 2018 at the age of 44.
The Honourable J. Trevor Eyton, former Board member, on February 24, 2019 at the age of 83.
Hugh Osler ’66 on October 12, 2018.
Kenneth Burtch ’53 on December 27, 2018. Charles F. Christie ’72 on February 8, 2019 at the age of 64. James D. 'Jim' Donald Coons ’56 on April 19, 2019 at the age of 81. John Dillaine ’57 on November 29, 2018 at the age of 80.
Kenneth Hollinrake ’63 on February 13, 2019 at the age of 74. Richard Hutchison ’53 on February 18, 2019 at the age of 85. Donald Keown ’49 on December 20, 2019 at the age of 86.
James 'Jim' Scandrett ’39 on December 14, 2018 at the age of 97. Peter Simms ’51 on November 22, 2018 at the age of 85. Harry Ronald 'Ron' Sterne ’65 on December 26 at the age of 72. Ian Waldie ’66 on April 9, 2019 at the age of 71.
FACULTY & STAFF NOTES
OBITUARIES J. Douglas Court ’53 on March 25, 2019 at the age of 85. Doug was a national and international figure skater as well as a varsity hockey player at McGill University and the University of Toronto. During his career, he and brother Richard R.P. 'Dick' ’50, grew Court Holdings Ltd. (their late father’s company) to 35 locations in 15 countries worldwide. Doug was also an active volunteer and philanthropist throughout Niagara. Memorial donations in Doug’s memory may be made to the Stephen R. Court ’89 Memorial Bursary (set up by Doug & Nancy following Stephen’s death in 1985) to assist Niagara children to attend Ridley College.
Upper School teacher, Gillian Fournier and her husband Nathan MacDonald welcomed their second child, Blythe Lily on November 28, 2018.
Maurice R. Cooke on November 13, 2018 at the age of 89. Maurice arrived at Ridley in 1959 and became the Housemaster of School House the following year. During his 30 years serving the school, he taught Latin and History, coached hockey and cricket, sat on a number of committees, supervised the student publication HANK, managed the first Admissions Office and, eventually, became the Assistant Headmaster. Maurice retired from Ridley during the school’s centennial year. He was a well respected Master and will be remembered for his good humour, calm presence, his faithful black Labs, care for his students and our school. Donald S. McFarlane ’76 on March 3, 2019 at the age of 61. Don attended Ridley 1973–1976 and was amongst the most loyal of Ridleians; a former Board member (2003–2008), Foundation Trustee (1987–2003; 2012–2019), proud past parent and alumnus. He was a generous supporter of scholarships and bursaries, and was named to the head table of the 125 Renaissance Campaign. Don was the son of Dr. Donald C. McFarlane ’44 (former Board member 1970–1986; Board Chair 1982–1986). His brother David C. ’71 also served on the Board (1990–1996), while his sister Joanne Browne is a past parent.
Lower School faculty members, Ashley Auld and her husband Justin became first-time parents to Owen Raymond on March 29, 2019.
B&W photos: Tanya Amyote
Steve and Liz Clarke with children Ben ’07, Jesse ’09 and Madison ’13, as well as their Labradors, Chip and Google.
Farewell to the Clarkes After 20 years of service to Ridley, Steve and Liz Clarke are embarking upon new careers in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As our community says goodbye, we take a look back on all they have accomplished during their time on campus. Following new personal and professional pursuits was a decision filled with mixed emotions for the Clarkes, but, as recent empty nesters seeking new experiences, they agreed it was time to take on a new challenge together. Steve was recently appointed the new Head of School at Armbrae Academy, a Preschool to Grade 12 CAIS school in the heart of the maritime city. Liz has also accepted a Head of School position at Bridgeway Academy (Dartmouth), a school devoted to fostering the unique needs of students with learning differences, while she also furthers her career in psychotherapy.
LIZ’S CAREER AND CONTRIBUTIONS Liz began her Ridley career in 1999 as a Grade 5 teacher and continued in that role for eight years. During that time, she also became Housemaster of Dean’s House and supported the girls through the transition from “Dean’s Queens” to “Leonard Ladybugs”. Liz was actively involved in the launch of primary grades (Kindergarten to Grade 4) and inspired the expansion of offerings. During the three-year implementation phase, she also enthusiastically taught Grades 3/4, Grade 4, and Kindergarten. Once the Primary Division was fully launched in 2010, Headmaster Leigh empowered her to create the Ridley College Learning Centre, of which she has been the Director for the past nine years. Additionally, Liz co-chaired the school’s Positive Education Committee devoted to researching positive psychology and challenging our community to practice flourishing skills in their personal and professional lives. To that end, as the holder of the Samuel I.A. Anderson Chair, Liz spearheaded
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many supporting initiatives including strengthsbased learning and the Living Library. Recently, Liz’s encouragement of the school’s positive education research ultimately led to Ridley’s current Visible Wellbeing partnership with Dr. Lea Waters. We are grateful that she also played a vital role in developing early awareness of suicide interventions within our community.
STEVE’S TENURE AND INNOVATION Steve began his Ridley career as Information Technology (IT) Director, becoming responsible
for determining a technology strategy to enhance student learning. Early on, he began working with the TigerFACT Committee to imagine how laptops could be used in classrooms and to design an intentional plan to teach specific tech skills across departments. Under his leadership, Steve developed an IT Department, established the HelpDESK, enhanced and expanded the school’s networks, moved Ridley to wireless technology, and successfully earned “Apple Service Provider” status. Steve understood that the real agenda behind the introduction of technology into classrooms was to focus on best practices in teaching and to encourage innovation in learning. Alumni parents, Clarence and the late Beverley Chandran were inspired by this work and gifted the school with a significant donation to support three years of intensive action research in classrooms— through teacher training known as The Chandran Institute for Excellence in Education and Chandran
aligning the academic departments and building capacity for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme; and working with Headmaster Jonathan Leigh to bring the IB programme to Ridley. Under Headmaster Ed Kidd’s leadership, Steve continued to serve the school in a variety of roles. In 2013, he was appointed to Head of Upper School, while Jim Milligan was appointed to Head of Lower School. This was a time of collaboration and cooperation across the school as Steve, Jim, and Headmaster Kidd worked together to move Ridley toward becoming an IB Continuum School—one that offers all three IB programmes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Following Jim Milligan’s retirement in 2016, Steve was appointed Head of Lower School, where he has been focused on: school safety; building relationships; distributing leadership to faculty; creating an inviting school culture; volunteerism;
We launched our careers and raised three children here, so it will always hold special meaning for each of us,” the Clarkes express. “We feel proud of what we’ve contributed to Ridley and are excited to apply our strengths and heart in new ways. Most of all, we cherish the friendships we’ve formed and memories we’ve made.
Master Teacher Programme. Ultimately, Steve’s work as IT Director put Ridley at the vanguard of independent school technology for a decade. Since 2005, Steve held a number of additional positions, including Director of Educational Development using New Technologies (EDNet), Curriculum Director, Head of Academics, and Deputy Headmaster. During this time, he was a part of several key initiatives including: the conception and execution of the Primary Programme; the development of an authentic Teacher Appraisal Programme; the establishment of policies and procedures; focusing on the craft of teaching; re-
and parent education. Strategically, Steve has been a key player in serving on the current Strategic Plan Steering Committee, and as a member of the Project Oversight Committee for the current capital building project. Steve and Liz served under six Board Chairs and three Headmasters throughout their time and would like to thank each of them for their steady personal support and for endless hours spent caring for our wonderful school. Our community is grateful to the Clarkes for their dedication and we wish them future happiness and success beyond the gates.
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Terence 'Terry' Cronyn 1920 made such an impression on our school as a student, Master, Housemaster, founder of the RCA, playwright and creator of The Ridley Tiger.
ARCHIVES CORNER Terry Cronyn: A name that still echoes throughout School House, although this gentleman has not graced these halls for nearly 40 years. A name I know so well for someone whom I never had the pleasure of meeting, but with whom I feel a strong connection through the traces he left behind. I speak of not just the physical, but the indelible mark he left on so many of the people who remember him fondly. Say his name to most Old Ridleians and inevitably their reaction is similar. They pause. Their eyes lose focus and look inward to the image of a man, fedora perched on his head, in a suit jacket with bow-tie slightly askew and a cane grasped firmly in his left hand to steady him, wide glasses framing his kind eyes and a pipe clenched between his teeth. Often a soft smile turns up the corners of their mouth and then the stories begin…
BY WENDY DARBY ’99
Nicknames are common at Ridley and Mr. Cronyn did not escape this fate, affectionately known as ‘Twitch’ by many of the boys, on account of his arm that would involuntarily spasm—an ailment that would preclude him from service during the war. He later became known as ‘Mr. Ridley’, a much more distinguished moniker which he rightfully earned having dedicated his life to this school; first as a student (1911–1920) and later as a prolific Master and Housemaster (1927–1967). Many of the societies and customs we appreciate today, including the Ridley Archives, simply would not exist if it weren’t for Terry. During my time as School Archivist, I came to value this remarkable man and his collection of Ridley paraphernalia as the most rewarding pieces to explore in my tenure. Finding scrapbooks full of gems that would often have me call in passersby to take a look at what treasure I had found tucked into an unassuming cigar box. Cards and letters to the Headmaster,
Richard Bradley and Paul Lewis retelling and preserving our school history one thoughtful fountain pen stroke at a time. He would take the opportunity to write warm wishes on Ridley programmes and personal stationery addressed to dear friends and the Ridley faithful, whom he clearly knew so well that he signed off simply, ‘T’. Kindness, twinkle and a touch of humour emanate from his notes. Not only have many of his personal writings found a home in the Archives, Terry’s vast assortment of books also now line its shelves. Perhaps one of my greatest rediscoveries was the day we stumbled upon The Statutes of England from Magna Carta to 1591. His collection of pocket Shakespeare plays is also a small wonder to behold and is of special interest to our students, who still have the arduous task of sorting through the immortal words of the great British bard. The students were always at the centre of Terry’s collection, and he made sure every event and special occasion was recorded for posterity to be housed in that extraordinary room in the basement of School House. There they remain still tucked away as he left them—including photo albums documenting Ridley’s great win at Henley, an event he travelled across the Atlantic to bear witness. In his album he kept the newspaper clippings and programmes celebrating the great Ridley win by those eight young men that left a mark in England. Terry’s pride in those boys is evident and warmly recorded in those albums which are still carefully returned to his small green satchel with a Canadian flag sewn to the front flap.
Friends of Ridley Archives Please consider joining the Friends of Ridley Archives. By donating meaningful items to the school, you will become a member of this essential guild. CONTACT: Development Office 905-684-1889 x2244 or development@ridleycollege.com
ridleycollege.com/give
Over the years, I’d come to recognize his quirky ways. When students would come to the Archives to do a little thoughtful digging of their own, hopefully finding old photos of their teachers when they first started at Ridley or better yet, as a student. They’d find those cigar boxes, those note cards and photos, and with a quizzical brow hold it up and say, “Mrs. Darby, what’s this?” Then that same knowing smile that has crossed the lips of hundreds of Old Ridleians, would come to mine. I would pause a moment before I’d say, “Oh, that’s Terry.” TIGER | SPRING 2019
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P.O. Box 3013 - St. Catharines Ontario, Canada L2R 7C3
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community events FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, VISIT: ridleycollege.com/alumni
JUNE 10 RCA Golf Tournament JULY 17 Halifax Branch Reception 28 Muskoka Branch Reception AUGUST 09 Birdies & Pucks Golf Tournament OCTOBER 4–6 Homecoming 2019 - Celebrating 4s & 9s
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