THE
A MAGAZINE FOR THE ROYAL ST. GEORGE’S COLLEGE COMMUNITY
SPRING 2013
SHIELD
A League of Their Own RSGC’s Ball Hockey Culture Thrives A Georgian Touch at the CBC
RSGC Alumni Make for Passionate Educators
RSGC’s Legendary Lunch Haunts
An Exciting New Role for Andrew Bennett ’91
Members of the Class of ’88 at the 2012 Service of Lessons and Carols.
The RSGC Alumni Association Executive
Needs You!
The RSGCAA has existed for over three decades to engage alumni and enrich their lives. The Association has also been a strong supporter of the College. From sports and social events to mentorship programs for recent Old Boys and current students alike, we are committed to enriching the lives of RSGC men. In order to make the RSGCAA the best it can be, we need you to get involved. Whether you can help with events or just want to have your voice heard in our upcoming strategic process, this is your alumni association. Get involved today.
Get in touch now at alumni@rsgc.on.ca
Contents
The Shield Spring 2013 Email: shield@rsgc.on.ca General Inquiries: 416.533.9481 Alumni Inquiries: 416.516.5202 Headmaster: Stephen Beatty ’86 Editor: Laurie Mandarino Assistant Editor: Fiona Cooper Copy Editor: Dave Mitchell Designer: Jonathan Cresswell-Jones Photography: Tom Stevens, Tim Hutton, Laurie Mandarino RSGC Board of Directors
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Officers
FEATURES 18 Alumni Spotlight BY LAURIE MANDARINO Andrew Bennett ’91: The new Ambassador to the Office of Religious Freedom will never forget his Georgian roots. 20 Student Spotlight BY LAURIE MANDARINO Joey Lisser, Class of 2021, has the makings of a true Georgian. 22 Grandparent Spotlight BY LAURIE MANDARINO Lt. Bill McCormack is a hero who inspired his Georgian grandsons. 24 RSGC Alumni Make for Passionate Educators BY CARMELLE WOLFSON The Shield talks to four educators, who after studying at RSGC, took the lessons they learned at school into their careers as educators. 28 A League of Their Own: RSGC’s Ball Hockey Culture BY LAURIE MANDARINO For many students, the RSGCBHL is a major highlight of high school. 31 A Georgian Touch at the CBC BY CARMELLE WOLFSON Several members of the RSGC community bring a sense of pride and honour to working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
DEPARTMENTS 5 6 8 10 12 17 34 38
Message from the RSGCAA Culture: The Experience of a Lifetime Prefect’s Corner Around Campus: My RSGC by Thompson Garrow ’13 Events: 2014 is RSGC’s Golden Jubilee Year Alumni Connections Retrospective – New jobs and interesting tidbits on RSGC alumni Time Capsule
Chair: Ruth Woods Vice-Chair: Paul Clark ’85 Treasurer, Audit and Finance Committee Chair: Cathy Bateman Headmaster: Stephen Beatty ’86 Chief Financial Officer, Board Secretary: Jane Nyman Board Members Michael Barker, Facilities Committee Chair Guy Burry ’77, Campaign Committee Co-Chair Anthony Caldwell, Nominating and Governance Committee Chair James Crossland, Communications Committee Chair Kimberly Cudney, Georgian Parents’ Guild Representative Tye Farrow, Past Chair Sandy Gibson ’01, Alumni Representative Shelly Haber, Strategic Planning Committee Chair Wanda Ho, Campaign Committee Co-Chair Dorothy Byers Bruce Chapple ’87 Peter Furnish Molly Johnson Robert Keilty ’81 Bruce MacLaren Caroline Newall Jesse Parker ’01, Clergy The Shield is the official magazine of Royal St. George’s College. Serving RSGC’s alumni and community, it strives to engage, inform and connect all audiences.
FPO The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 3
LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER
Dear Fellow Georgians,
D
uring the Christmas season, I was engaged in some e-correspondence with a friend who had, like me, graduated from the College in the 80’s. He and a group of other alumni were organizing themselves to support a friend and fellow Georgian who had recently been diagnosed with cancer and was preparing for the journey and battle ahead. The former classmates, along with their own families, were rallying around their friend, organizing meals, rides to appointments, taking care of household chores, communicating with others in the support network and making sure that the joys of Christmas were remembered, even in a time of uncertainty and anxiety. I remarked to my friend how much I admired the support structure they had pulled together so quickly for their friend. How moving it was to see these Georgian brothers galvanize their efforts to try to make things better. “Chalk it up to RSGC and its lessons,” my friend wrote to me. “It would seem odd if we didn’t rally around one of our own in need. As young and dim-witted as we might have been during our school days, the important message about pietate and friendship got through.” Pietate. We tend to translate it as “duty”. Certainly it shares an etymology with piety and pious, which have a sense of religious significance to them. Our Founders established Pietate as one half of the motto of the College, bound on our
crest with Scientia, which we generally translate to mean Knowledge. For almost 50 years, Georgians have worn Pietate on their blazers as a reminder of its significance. I recently engaged one of our Grade 11 media arts students to bring his video camera and walk around the campus with me one rainy Friday afternoon, while I asked students the question: “What does being a Georgian mean to you?” The answers the boys gave covered a range of sentiments from “it means saying please and thank you” or “being a good guy” to “always being thankful and respectful” and “being part of the family”. Ultimately, the boys’ answers distilled to a very simple, yet profound essential aspect of being a Georgian. Being Georgian, they told me, means always doing the right thing. The exercise of Pietate is not easy. The path of the ethical and moral high ground rarely is. It is, however, a commitment that we expect each Georgian to undertake. In this issue of The Shield, we put into focus the example of a number of Georgians; students, alumni, parents and grandparents, who have demonstrated Pietate in their lives.
Stephen Beatty ’86 Headmaster
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A Note from the Editor
W
ay back when I was in journalism school, I took every opportunity to spin assignments so that I could make them about hockey. The game is – and always has been – my passion, so writing about it was a dream come true. Much to my pleasure, I had the opportunity to write an article about hockey in this issue. After spending two full school years at RSGC, I’ve come to understand the importance of ball hockey to the boys, staff and alumni. In fact, I even became a dedicated member of the RSGCBHL – picked last overall (a humbling experience!) by Choice. This issue’s cover is also significant since Chris D’Arcy played such a huge role in making the RSGCBHL what it is today. Still a member of the Hitmen (I learned very early on to stay away from his slapshot!), D’Arcy has remained influential to many alumni over the years. I hope you enjoy the issue. If you have any story ideas or feedback, I’d love to hear from you.
Laurie Mandarino Editor
lmandarino@rsgc.on.ca
RSGCAA Executive Committee
MESSAGE FROM THE RSGCAA
Enhancing the Georgian Experience
F
ellow Georgians: During my years as a student at RSGC and looking back as an alumnus, I find it remarkable how the school manages to take a customized approach to every individual, helping him develop his skills, pursue his interests and be an active member in the Georgian Community. Since its establishment almost 50 years ago, RSGC has had over 2,000 boys graduate. When I joined the RSGCAA five years ago, it was my goal to see the RSGC culture and experience last a lifetime. I am pleased to report that we have made remarkable progress. In addition to our marquee events – the annual Old Boys’ Dinner and the Ball Hockey Tournament – the RSGCAA has hosted and participated in no less than 19 alumni and school events this year. This wide range of activities is reflective of the efforts the members of the RSGCAA Executive Committee and Advancement Department are undertaking to provide alumni with the opportunity to be a part of the Georgian Community and benefit from the collective strength of the association. Key highlights from this year include: The third annual Alumni Mentoring and Networking Forum, initially created to connect young alumni in university with senior Georgians to offer career mentorship, has proven to be an effective way of cultivating professional networking within the Georgian community. This year’s record attendance and broad representation from alumni who graduated between 1978 and 2012 will only help snowball what will be another successful event in 2014, when we will be extending invitations to current and past parents. The RSGCAA also participated in the school’s Open House, Town Hall, Grad Moms’ Tea, Grad Parents’ Reception,
Alumni Association President Colin Watson ’94 Vice President and Mentoring & Networking Chair Alex Edmison ’02 Representative to the Board of Governors & Past President Sandy Gibson ’01 Arts & Culture Committee Chair Bernard von Bieberstein ’97 Communications Chair Micheal Fountain ’99 Fundraising Committee Chair & Capital Campaign Alumni Co-Chair Jamie Lint ’98 Faculty Rep Drew Blanchette ’01 Capital Campaign Alumni Co-Chair & Member-at-Large Jamie Peters ’90 Members–at-Large Peter Antonoff ’82 Arthur Kennedy ’81 Dave McCarthy ’04 Jay Murray ’79
Carol Service and Grandparents’ Day. We successfully fielded two teams at the RSGC Hockey Night, completed seven university visits and, under the initiative of Peter Antonoff ’82, revived the everpopular wine tasting event. As many of you may know, the renovations to the campus are now complete and have transformed our school into what is truly a first-rate facility. For those who have not had the opportunity to return to the school recently, please contact the Advancement Department to arrange for a tour. A special thank you is owed to Jamie Peters ’90 and Jamie Lint ’98 for their outstanding work on the Capital Campaign and helping make this vision a reality. A special thanks also goes to RSGCAA President Colin Watson ’94, who has worked tirelessly overseeing the activities of the alumni association, developing a new strategic plan and liaising with the Board of Governors and Parents’ Guild. And congratulations to
Colin for receiving the Athletic Director’s Award in recognition and appreciation of his contribution as a photographer. For the first time, we will be hosting the RSGC Alumni Family Day Picnic this summer. If you have young children, we would be delighted to have you join us. Please visit the RSGC website events page for details. As we look towards next year, we welcome your feedback and encourage your participation. This year, we were very successful in recruiting new volunteers to the alumni association and will continue to welcome new members and new ideas on how the RSGCAA can work to enhance the Georgian experience for all of our boys, both old and new! All the best,
Alex Edmison ’02 Vice-President, RSGCAA
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CULTURE
The Experience of a
Lifetime BY LAURIE MANDARINO
H
igh school is a time of growth and opportunity. And while the growth part tends to happen automatically, opportunity often has to be sought out. Alumnus Michael Poth ’86 and Class of 2016 students Quinn Hartwig and Nicholas Ramsubick made, or are making, their high school experience the best it could be by expanding their horizons. All three took part in an exchange program during their time at RSGC, experiencing other cultures and spending time away from their families. And all three were eager to talk about their experiences. “I’d never been so far away from home. I really wanted to experience that feeling of being away from my family and going to a new school,” said Nicholas. “My sisters went to Quebec on an exchange; they always talked about what an amazing experience it was. I wanted to experience the same thing.” Both Nicholas and Quinn hosted Swedish exchange students for three weeks back in October. They then
spent three weeks with their exchange partners near Stockholm, Sweden, in March. And both had the time of their lives, making friends, travelling and immersing themselves in another culture. “I loved seeing all the different architecture and learning different ways of doing small things,” said Quinn. “Even the little things like light switches were different. Toronto seemed bizarre when I got back!” Nicholas found it interesting to compare things to the way they are at home. “I was always shocked when I saw different things,” he said. “Their restaurants are very high-end. Even the Pizza Hut looked like a five-star restaurant! Even at the McDonald’s, you take a number and they bring the food to your table. It was all really interesting.” Both Grade 9 students bonded with their exchange partners and had some unique experiences in Sweden. Quinn travelled north of the Arctic Circle to go snowmobiling and visit the famous Ice Hotel, while Nicholas spent
6 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Nicholas (R) and Eric spent time skating on the frozen lake.
time at his exchange family’s summerhouse in the Swedish archipelago, skating with cross-country skates on the frozen lake. The boys have been in constant contact with their exchange partners through Skype and Facebook. And both know how lucky they are to have gone on the trip. “I think it’s good to take risks. You’ve got to put yourself out there to experience things,” said Nicholas. “It makes you more worldly
and well-rounded. I overcame fears of going on long flights and I stayed away from my family for three weeks. An experience like this makes you more independent.” Michael Poth ’86, who spent three months in Switzerland during his Grade 12 year and who now lives in St. Louis working as a Senior Financial Analyst at a diverse chemical company, applauds the youngsters for stepping outside of their comfort zone. “I hope that [Nicholas and
Quinn (L) and Martin at the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden.
Quinn] will remain inspired to continue their exploration of our ever-shrinking globe and the wonder of its people,” he said. “I know no better way to learn admiration for and tolerance of that which does not figure as part of our daily surroundings.”
Michael says his eyes were opened to a whole new world during his own Swiss exchange. It took him on a completely different path than what he had planned. And he wouldn’t trade it for the world. “It resulted in my travelling to many interesting
places around the world at an early age and meeting many interesting people, many of whom would become lifelong friends,” said Michael. “Most importantly, it ultimately led to my journey to Japan, where I met my wife.” Michael and his Japanese wife were married in Canada. Several Georgian alumni were in attendance, including Headmaster Stephen Beatty ’86 and Charles Fowler ’86. Michael highly recommends the experience of an exchange program during the teen years. “Technology can’t substitute the experience of friendships across borders and for understanding that with all the turmoil around the world, we’re actually all very similar,” he said. “It opens your eyes to different ways of thinking. An experience like this could confirm and give greatest credence to your decisions, or it could change your mind and set you in a new direction. “If you go when you’re young and learn to understand the way people think and view the world on the other side, you’ll be a lot more tolerant
of differences and be much slower to make a judgment on what you think is normal,” said Michael. “It’s like a path of discovery for yourself too. You’re young; you’ve got so many things you don’t know yet. You see things, you take an interest in them and that becomes part of who you are as an adult.” Quinn is already hoping to go back to Sweden for a visit this summer and would like to spend more time in Europe. Both he and Nicholas would have liked to go on the trip for longer – but coming home wasn’t too bad either: Swedish hockey hero Mats Sundin was on their Toronto-bound flight.
Michael Poth ’86 and family.
Several RSGC alumni were at Michael’s wedding in 1992, including Stephen Beatty ’86 (fourth from L) and Charles Fowler ’86 (second from R).
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PREFECT’S CORNER
Julian Wookey ’13 and Justin Oborne ’88 In what is becoming an annual tradition, The Shield brought back the Head Prefect from 25 years ago to sit down with the current Head Boy for an informal chat. Justin Oborne ’88 (known by his classmates as P.J.) and Julian Wookey ’13 met on a cold spring day to compare their experiences leading the school – two and a half decades apart. Julian Wookey: How did being the Head Prefect impact your last year at RSGC? Justin Oborne: It had a huge impact. It was a pretty large time commitment and I spent a lot of time, even over the summer, getting the prefect room up to speed and customized for the Class of ’88, then organizing social calendars for the school, reaching out to other schools, sitting on councils here – plus my regular course load. JW: What was the election process like? JO: Ballots were narrowed down to a short list. Then a big announcement ceremony took place in the Chapel. It was pretty exciting for me when I was announced Head Boy – I was really thrilled. How does it take place today? JW: In order to apply, you need a certain number of House points, community service, minimum grade average and you have to display participation in school through clubs and teams. Your application gets assessed and the successful candidates give speeches over three or four days. Then, through ballots, 10 prefects are elected. After that, there’s a second round of voting for Head Boy. JW: So, do you think being Head Prefect had any influence when it came to getting into university? JO: Absolutely. I’m sure it’s the same today: you’re ultimately responsible for some of the fun and livelihood of the
students, and you have to lead the team. Those leadership skills are developed throughout the year. You definitely develop coaching and interaction skills because you have to work with groups pretty regularly. JW: What did it feel like when you were elected Head Boy? JO: I was elated, but also a little scared. It felt like a very big role at the time and public speaking was never really my comfort zone. I don’t know if the same holds true for you? JW: Yeah, I’m not a fan of public speaking either. The first big thing I did in front of the whole school was our prefect candidate speech. JW: So, looking back, would you have done anything differently during your time at RSGC? JO: I don’t think so. My final year was a pretty good way to end my time here. When I entered Grade 9, I moved from the suburbs of Oakville. The urban experience was pretty new, as was coming to an all-boys school. I wasn’t too convinced that it was the right decision for me, but I immediately made a lot of close friends – some of whom I just saw the other night! It turned out to be a terrific time. JW: How did you pick RSGC? JO: I was coming in from the suburbs so I didn’t know many people. I think the smaller school feel had a big influence on the decision. It just kind of felt right.
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It felt like I wouldn’t get lost here like I might have in other schools. JW: Where did you go to university? JO: I did my undergrad at Western and then I did an MBA at McGill. JW: And what do you do for a living now? JO: I’m in digital media advertising sales with Rogers. I’ve been there for a year. I just came back to Toronto after 13 years in New York, where I worked in media sales. I thought I’d be living down there for a year or two – get a stamp on my passport and come home – but, ultimately, I fell in love with a girl, who is now my wife, and we have a couple of kids. She’s from Chicago, but we wanted to come back to Toronto because we have two young children – 8 and 3 – and we needed a little more space than our apartment would afford us. And we wanted to be closer to family and friends. One of my tight friends from St. George’s lives three blocks from me so our kids are growing up together. JW: How has your role as Head Prefect helped you in your career and daily life? JO: We were talking a moment ago about the public speaking, running assemblies and things like that. I find myself doing things like that on a regular basis. Now I run a pretty large meeting, put the agenda together and end up doing a lot of the talking too. Part of the media sales role is about presentation. It has definitely equipped me for that.
Justin (L) and Julian (R) enjoyed lunch and a chat.
JW: Looking back at your life 25 years ago, did you ever see yourself where you are today? JO: I definitely didn’t see myself moving to the States. I didn’t know much about the US and felt like it was a bit of a leap of faith just to go there. It turned out to be an incredibly rewarding experience for me and obviously I met my wife there. But it really opened up my eyes to a lot of different types of business and cultures. It feels like my world is a much larger place than it was 25 years ago. JW: So would you encourage going abroad to study? JO: Definitely. And you don’t have to spend 13 years there! Even if it’s a semester of university, or a year, it gives
you a much better appreciation for what’s happening in the world. And here I am back in Toronto, so hopefully I can apply what I’ve learned and make a good life for my family and me. I was excited to come home. JW: Do you think RSGC and your role as Head Prefect helped get you where you are today? JO: Absolutely. In addition to getting the wheels moving on some of the public speaking and group work, it also helped develop courage. That will help you in all parts of your life. Whether it’s applying for a job, establishing business relationships or even in the sports you play. They feed off one another. The courage builds into your character. JW: What are your biggest take-aways from your experience both as Head Prefect and at RSGC in general? JO: I think it would be putting others in front of myself. You’re really trying to help others and give them a better place to go to school. I feel like that’s really paid off for my character – it’s not always about you. You want other people to do well too! You definitely want to give back more than you take out.
Justin’s graduation photo.
JW: So you’ve taken on leadership opportunities for your whole life – RSGC, McGill and then in New York. Do you think that started at RSGC?
JO: It’s fair to say that it was nurtured here at St. George’s because I was a painfully shy kid growing up. Raising my hand to go to the bathroom was an anxious process for me! But I feel like coming out of St. George’s, I had a better, more confident approach to whatever I was taking on. Given the size of the school and the classrooms, you get the attention that allows you to build up confidence. JW: Do you have any questions for me? JO: I do! What are you doing next year? JW: I got into St. Andrews in Scotland so I’m thinking about doing that. It’d be cool to experience the whole living abroad thing. I also applied to Queen’s Commerce – we’ll see what happens with that. But I think I’m leaning towards going abroad to study. JO: Tell me about your final year. Was being Head Prefect everything you thought it would be? JW: I didn’t really know what to expect coming into the role. Since Grade 9, I’ve looked up to the prefects but I never thought I’d be the one guy out of the whole school. Even during the election process, I thought it would be great to make prefect – never mind Head Boy! Coming into Grade 12, I’d say it met my expectations for sure. I’ve been able to manage balancing Head Boy stuff and the schoolwork. It’s been everything I thought it would be.
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AROUND CAMPUS
My RSGC BY THOMPSON GARROW
Graduating student Thompson Garrow ’13 has a keen eye and a definite talent for photography (among other things). In this photo spread, enjoy the new RSGC campus through his eyes.
ART ROOM
With individual “pods” for working, the extension of the Senior Art Room is a place I seem to spend a lot of time when I need to get work done. (top right)
A showcase of some of my classmates’ art backed by the window looking onto Howland Avenue. (middle right) With the new renovations, RSGC added a new Art Room. The space is used for Junior School classes, while the Senior classes moved back into a familiar space. I am glad we were able to move back into this space – it’s my favorite place at the school. (above)
SEE HOUSE
The new See House room on the second floor is home to Jack Schwartz’s Filmmaking Club, a club in which I really enjoyed participating during the first term. (right)
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CHAPEL
Evensong and Chapel are integral parts of the St. George’s experience. While Thursday Evensong may evoke groans from some students, the time given to reflect in a truly beautiful space is something about the school I really enjoy.
COURTYARD
As the winter is finally letting go of its grip on March and April, I find myself wanting to spend more and more time outside. The open spaces of the courtyard in the heart of the campus are a great place to do so.
LIBRARY
The library always provides a place to study or relax. Plenty of resources, study rooms and a welcoming environment make the library a place I spend a good portion of my time at RSCG.
FTC
During a spare, I find the Fitness Training Centre (FTC) a really good place to go and blow off steam.
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EVENTS
RSGC’S
GOLDEN JUBILEE September 7, 1964 was a beautiful bright morning, full of promise. 65 boys in their new maroon blazers gathered to celebrate the opening of their new school. Over the next half-century, generations of Georgians have benefitted from the vision of our Founders. Beginning in September 2014, all Georgians – past and present – are invited to join us in a year of celebrations of our remarkable College. Watch for more details in the months ahead for Golden Jubilee events including: • A Homecoming Weekend • A Golden Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving • A community-wide Georgian Gala 12 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
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EVENTS
Memories... This event usually evokes tears...
Oliver! was a definite highlight.
Grad Mothers’ Tea Over 50 mothers, grandmothers and guardians gathered for a formal tea in their honour at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club on April 12, 2013. The Grade 12 boys were dismissed early so they could join their mothers for a special photo at the end of the afternoon. The emotional annual event – often involving tears – featured addresses from Headmaster Stephen Beatty ’86, RSGC Alumni Association president Colin Watson ’94 and Master of Ceremonies David Lee. David had a point when he said that the College’s motto could actually be “Mothers Maketh Men”!
Hidden Gems Concert February 28, 2013 was a real treat! It was the fifth annual Hidden Gems Concert, featuring the talented Molly Johnson, Stephanie Martin and Master of Ceremonies Damon Redfern. Numerous students, staff and parents took part in the show, which raised almost $10,000 for the Georgian Scholarship for the Arts. While particular highlights included RSGC Executive Chef Corey Jongsma belting out a tune from Les Misérables, and Stephanie, several students and Doug Jamieson performing songs from Oliver!, all of the performers were incredible and worthy of mention. To cap off the evening, a post-show art auction was held during the reception, featuring art by Senior School students and staff. These pictures might convey a sense of the special evening… http://ow.ly/k9jYJ
14 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Owen Barney performed a stirring solo.
The Senior boys' band blew their performance out of the water.
Don’t miss these upcoming events: June 12, 2013 Junior School Prize Day Class of 2013 Graduation Ceremony September 4, 2013 Back to School BBQ September 24, 2013 Junior School Proficiency Awards
Springtime Showcase Concert Gary Martin and Tom Wade-West orchestrated a spectacular show at the Palais Royale on May 2, 2013. More than 50 boys (along with a few teachers) performed in the seven bands that played that evening. Many of the boys played in several bands on different instruments! Over 100 family members and friends of the performers attended the event, and music ranged in style from Big Band Jazz and quiet melodious concertos to the giant all-in band finale with the everpopular James Bond Skyfall theme song. A wonderful evening full of great music, and a perfect venue to highlight the extraordinary depth of talent the RSGC music program fosters and nurtures.
RSGCAA Wine Tasting Paul Speck, co-owner of Pelham Family Estate Winery, led a tasting for more than 25 alumni, partners and guests on April 23, 2013. Introducing several wines to represent the estate’s award-winning range, including its renowned Pinot Noir Reserve, Speck also provided interesting background stories about how he arrived at wine making, his involvement with Ontario’s VQA wine appellation system and how more than 200 years of family history connects him to his work.
September 26, 2013 Grad/Alumni Speed Mentoring September 27, 2013 Terry Fox Day October 3, 2013 Grad Parent Reception November 22, 2013 Old Boys’ Dinner
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Congratulations are in order Congratulations to Sandra Skinner for becoming the newest (and first female) member of the Order of the Dragon for 25 years of service to RSGC.
Order of the Dragon Mark Ackley Andrew Barlow John Birkett Chris D’Arcy
Richard Holdsworth John Kerr Gage Love Gary Martin
David McMaster Sandra Skinner Tom Wade-West
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
Many alumni have fond memories of "Phil the Ice Cream Guy".
RSGC’s Legendary Lunch Haunts RSGC, especially my year, had a great connection with Pizzaiolo on Bloor. The older fellow who runs it knew many of us by name and our favourite types of pizza. It was pretty neat and never mimicked at any other establishment. —Ben McLaughlin ’12 There used to be a burger restaurant called Blueberry Hill. You’d have to leave your name with your order and they’d call it out. We used to give ever-crazier names with each visit and they never batted an eyelid. Of course, there was also Stan’s Variety – the sketchiest convenience store in Toronto! There was also a running conversation in my class about who served the superior falafel – Aida or el-Basha. I had my first-ever falafel at Basha at the urging of a classmate. I’ve since been to both many times. I don’t know if either exists anymore. —Colin Watson ’94 I remember spending far too much time at what was JJ Muggs at Albany and Bloor across from Pizza Pizza. I must have been there at least once a week during morning spare or lunch with all sorts of different guys. Dana, a Rogers sports announcer, was always our server. —Michael Barnicke ’98 George’s, Acme Burger and Pizzaiolo were the Class of 2012’s top three hangouts for lunch. If I had to pick one, it would have to be ACME Burger for its hot-off-the-grill patties, freshcut fries and cleanliness. Although it can be slightly pricey for a 6 oz. combo, it’s well worth your money. What makes it unique is the acme sauce they put on your burger. A lot of people from my year loved going there for a nice burger before dozing off during fourth period. —Anthony Mariano ’12 The Tarmac and The Lunch Truck. We weren’t allowed off school property back in the 1980s. —David Bourne ’89 George’s. It’s a staple! I even try to go there now – the burgers are amazing!! The great thing about being on Bloor is that every day you can go somewhere different. —Kevin Marthinsen ’08 Burrito Bandidos because they serve Toronto’s best burrito! —Mack Horton ’13
George’s. It’s cheap and delicious. —Iain Bryant ’13 JJ Muggs. The restaurant has closed and is now Aroma, but you used to be able to get a grilled cheese and fries for $5. —Alex Edmison ’02 Once a week, Chris D’Arcy would collect orders from students and staff as part of “sushi club”. Whoever had a spare before lunch would run down to Sushi on Bloor to pick up the food. We’d all eat together in Chris’ office. A real equalizer – staff and students eating together. There was also Annapurna, a vegetarian restaurant on Bathurst near Dupont. A couple of us were preachy vegetarians/vegans back in those days and this holein-the-wall restaurant operated by Hare Krishna devotees was a favourite. I also have to mention JJ Muggs, formerly on the corner of Bloor and Albany, and Dana the eccentric radio announcer waitress. —Jesse Parker ’01 Al Ghazal. Still open today and was always the best for those who had depleted their pocket money and/or were vegetarians. —Micheal Fountain ’99 At one time, there were three Hungarian Restaurants on Bloor St. between Brunswick and Albany. Country Style is the only one that remains. What I recall is the incredible deal you could get at any of these spots. A huge bowl of thick, homemade soup along with an enormous wedge of bread cost under $3. We could head down for Hungarian and still have enough money left for Stan's or Tony, the popcorn guy. —Stephen Beatty '86
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
AN
AMBASSADOR’S
CALLING BY LAURIE MANDARINO
N
amed Ambassador to the Canadian government’s brand new Office of Religious Freedom in February 2013, Andrew Bennett ’91 has his job cut out for him. And he’s more than up for the challenge. “When I was first approached by Minister Baird, I was very flattered, but it was daunting,” said Andrew. “I knew the challenges that would come with it. But in looking at all the different aspects of my life and the different passions that I have – even as a little guy at St. George’s – I was interested in religion, my own Catholic faith and different cultures. So it’s all coming together in this role. It’s a really good fit.” The mandate of the office, located within the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, is to promote religious freedom around the world. But there has been some controversy with the opening. “I think there was some concern that the office would be only focused on protecting Christians – that the office was only about defending a particular group,” said Andrew. “But that’s not what we are about. It’s not a theological issue – it’s a human issue. At the core of our seeking to advance this particular human right is the fundamental recognition of the inherent dignity of every human being.” Andrew has numerous goals in his position, including raising awareness about
freedom of religion and why it’s important; focusing on countries where there are the most significant problems of persecution; and demonstrating the Canadian model of pluralism and its multi-faith, multi-ethnic profile. He also wants people to understand that it’s not only people of faith who need defending – people also have the freedom to not have a faith. Andrew was most recently Dean and professor at Augustine College in Ottawa. He has also worked with the Privy Council Office, Export Development Canada and Natural Resources Canada. Clearly, Minister Baird had the confidence that with Andrew’s background, he would be able to reach his goals. “I was working as a civil servant, which had been my career since I finished my PhD in Political Science in 2002, when I was approached by Minister Baird,” said Andrew. “I think the fact that I had the right sort of background of international relations and theology made it a good fit.” RSGC’s Head of Music, Gary Martin, remembers Andrew well and agrees that the job fits him like a glove. “He’s the right kind of guy for that kind of job,” said Gary, who taught Andrew music from Grades 7-13. “He’s got the personality – very outgoing, very friendly and very knowledgeable. He knows his stuff.” Long-time friend and fellow Georgian Chris Yelle ’90 believes
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“The greatest gifts my parents have given me are the love of a family, my faith and that they sent me to RSGC.” — Andrew
Andrew will do a great job. “I think he’ll put everything forward – he’ll be great,” said Chris. “With his debating background, he’s able to listen and form an intelligent argument that doesn’t seem like an argument. He’s always able to see the other side.” While Andrew has been living in Ottawa for the past 12 years – and away from Toronto for half of his life – he is still in touch with Chris and other friends from RSGC, which he attended for Grades 5 to 13, from 1982 to 1991. And after all this time, he still credits RSGC for helping him become the man he is today. “I wouldn’t be the man I am today without RSGC,” said Andrew. “Everything the school stands for, like Manners Maketh Men, still has an impact on my life. The greatest gifts my parents have given me are the love of a family, my faith and that they sent me to RSGC.” And while he knows that kids learn a lot about who they are during their formative years, he says RSGC is so much more than that. “RSGC teaches you what it means to be a man – and to be a man in terms of your mind, body and spirit,” he said. “Feeling the sense of camaraderie and common purpose is invaluable, especially for young guys. Guys get socialized differently than girls; having a place like RSGC
to form you is really invaluable.” According to Chris, his friend since Grade 5 hasn’t changed a bit. “Nothing has really changed with Andrew. He’s genuine and very nice. There’s not a mean bone in him,” said Chris. “He has
turned into the Renaissance man, but he always had that. He was always interested in other things, whether it be history or religion. And he never seemed devoutly religious and never pushed his beliefs on anyone.” All the more reason why Andrew is the perfect man to
head up Canada’s new Office of Religious Freedom. “For Andrew, the end result is the goal, but he’ll get to it in a proper fashion without undermining anyone,” said Chris. “He’ll be able to use his intelligence and background to deal with all types.”
The Shield Winter 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 19
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
JOEY LISSER:
THE MAKINGS OF A GEORGIAN BY LAURIE MANDARINO
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rade 4 is an interesting time for the boys of RSGC. No longer the “new kids on the block”, these 10-year-olds are starting to get a handle on all things Georgian. Manners are starting to become second nature, personalities are being developed and extracurricular activities begin to fill up the schedule. For Joey Lisser, it has been a time to explore new frontiers, including playing the saxophone and enjoying extended recess. “I really like school and I love the new campus,” he said. “My favourite part is the turf field. We play soccer, football and wall ball. But my favourite things to do at school are my instrumental music class and recess.” Joey, who started at RSGC in Grade 3 after spending his first years of Junior School at Rosedale Day School, is certainly taking advantage of everything the College has to offer. He began learning the saxophone in January and is really enjoying it. Add in his other extracurricular activities of Set Club and competing on the cross-country and track & field teams and you have one well-rounded 10-year-old. “Joey is great at music and gym,” said his home form teacher Janet Stephenson. “He
is atypical in that he’s also strong in language and math. Some kids are super strong in one area but Joey’s very well-rounded.” Joey’s father, Jim, agrees that his son is well-rounded – which was one of the things that attracted the Lisser family to RSGC. “The school is really well-rounded,” he said. “And there are lots of good things coming that Joey will be able to experience. That’s one of the reasons why the school appealed to us.” In addition to the school’s small size and its urban location, Jim Lisser and Carol Cruickshank also liked RSGC’s emphasis on music. The parents realized the importance of music early on and enrolled both their children – Joey and his twin sister Camille – in piano lessons when they were five. “It was a priority to expose our kids to music because Carol and I aren’t particularly musical,” said Jim. “We know the importance of music – for enjoyment, for education and for opening up the mind. We wanted to make sure our kids had exposure at an early stage. What we didn’t know at the time was that Joey had a natural gift of music and is able to pick up songs as he hears them.”
20 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Joey in Caledon
Now, Joey practices the piano every day and is not shy to get up and perform in front of the entire Georgian community. The future Lifer played and sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at the Junior School’s Georgians Have Talent show when he was only in Grade 3. This year, the youngster took to the piano to perform a One Direction piece during the Hidden Gems concert at Walmer Road Church. And he wasn’t even nervous. “I play in front of people a lot and I knew this
audience wasn’t complete strangers,” he said. “They were all RSGC people and friends. If there were girls at RSGC, I wouldn’t feel so brave to get up and perform though!” His parents are extremely proud of their son. “He practiced really hard for Hidden Gems,” said Jim. “He taught himself the song just by listening and his piano teacher helped him with the dynamism of the piece. He hopes to perform every year with different pieces.” In addition to being an
Joey, twin sister Camille and mother Carol on vacation in Paris.
his great-grandmother passed away recently at age 98. Joey knows he has more to take on as he grows as a Georgian. “Mr. Beatty taught us how to tie a tie on the first day of school,” said Joey. “Sometimes I do my tie by myself in the mornings, but I often let my dad do it for me because he’s faster at it! I also need to be nicer to my sister sometimes.” And while he learns to master the act of tying a tie, the youngster already has big plans for his Georgian future. “I’d love to be a Captain in Grade 8,” he said. “And when I enter the Senior School, I’d like to help the Grade 3 students with their social studies, language arts and other stuff.”
RSGC cross country buddies. L to R: Ben Strain, Devin Chapple, Aaron Brady and Joey.
The Tree By Joey Lisser
Joey, sister Camille and father Jim on vacation in Holland.
accomplished pianist, Joey is also a capable student. “He’s very hard-working, helpful, dependable and prepared to go the extra mile,” said Janet. “He keeps me on my toes and is a joy to teach. He’s a real leader: bright; well-mannered; thoughtful and meticulous.” Jim and Carol know that their son is a typical 10-year-old in many aspects, but that Joey has certain qualities that make him seem older. “He’s very curious and asks a lot of good questions,” said Carol. “When it
comes to going on stage or communicating with adults, he can have very mature conversations.” Joey’s maturity often comes out in his creative writing, which he does in his spare time. He loves to write poetry and short stories. “I like to write stories,” he said. “Basically whenever I had time and was looking for something to do, I would start writing.” His writing is a creative outlet that allows him to communicate his emotions, whether for Remembrance Day or when
There was a tree so big and strong That was in a forest so wide and long With hundreds of other trees And monks saying ‘god please oh please’ The forest was so quiet And it seemed like it was on a diet Because they were shrinking so fast That half of the forest looked like grass Except for the tree that was so big and strong That was in half of a forest so wide and long.
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 21
GRANDPARENT SPOTLIGHT
Cataraqui Square in France has Georgian Connections BY LAURIE MANDARINO
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n the town of Cruelly, France, there sits a small square. That square was named after the Cataraqui – one of three tanks that entered the town on June 6, 1944, liberating it from German occupation. Lieutenant Bill McCormick, grandfather of Royal St. George’s alumni Geoffrey Cardy ’01 and Alex Edmison ’02, commanded the Cataraqui. While the Georgian connection might be distant, World War II is not such a distant memory for the 93-yearold honorary Colonel. Lt. McCormick enlisted in November 1941 at the age of 21 and was sent overseas in July 1942. He returned to Canada in July 1944, having lost many friends – and one of his legs. “June 11, 1944 was a bad day,” Lt. McCormick said, recalling the day six days after the liberation of Cruelly that ended his active military service. “We were knocked out by German tanks. I was in the middle of the field and got dragged back across the field. The two boys in the tank with me were both killed and the driver was wounded. There were heavy casualties. I was one of the lucky ones to just lose a leg.” His comrades dragged him through the wheat field, holding him up by his belt because his legs were useless. After he took another hit to the shoulder, Lt. McCormick and his fellow soldiers made it back to where the First Canadian platoon was located. He spent four days lying in a cot in a tent hospital set up by the shore of Normandy before being moved to an English hospital where he spent one week. After another month in a Canadian hospital, Lt. McCormick was finally sent home. “I was on a hospital ship for about a week. It was a rough crossing,” he said.
Lt. McCormick (kneeling) with his fellow soldiers in front of the Cataraqui.
“It was so rough, at one point the ship came close to capsizing. We landed at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto. My sisters and parents were there waiting for me.” They were waiting for a hero. Six days before he lost his leg, Lt. McCormick and his squad entered Cruelly in his Cataraqui tank, bringing to an end the Nazi occupation of the small French town. On that day in 1944, a young boy named René Lemars climbed onto the tank and gave the lieutenant a bottle of wine. Years later, Lemars tracked down his hero. “René came looking for me and I went over for the 50th anniversary of D-Day,” said Lt. McCormick. “We’ve been in touch ever since. Then in 2011, I went back there with my family for the naming of the square.” Grandson Geoff Cardy ’01 was in attendance for the ceremony. And that was when the magnitude of his
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Lt. McCormick enlisted at the age of 21.
grandfather’s experience really hit him. “He didn’t really speak about it that much when we were younger – it’s just been in the last few years that he has opened up,” said Geoff. “To be a fan and a student of history is one thing, but to relive it with your family in France, that’s a completely different story. I don’t think I’ll ever really fully understand what he went through, but it became a much clearer picture in 2011.”
Despite his heroism, Lt. McCormick has always been a modest guy. “He’d be the first to tell you that he’s not a war hero,” said Geoff. “He dropped out of high school, he dropped out of university and he’ll say that after he lost his leg, he dropped out of the war. He’s really modest.” Lt. McCormick had a huge influence on his grandson Geoff ’s life. “He taught me how to golf and shoot. He taught me patience too,” said Geoff. “He’s thoughtful, measured and a lot of fun. When the family sits around the dinner table, he listens and waits for his opportunity to speak. And we all know that there will be something insightful coming out of his mouth.” The other big influence on Geoff ’s life was RSGC. “It changed my whole life,” he said. “It definitely breeds gentlemen but it also fosters the ability to be yourself. If you don’t know who you are and if you’re not self-aware, I don’t think you can do too much in life. That’s what RSGC gave me. I’m very self-aware and I’m very confident in who I am. I learned that from St. George’s.”
Lt. McCormick is thrilled by the opportunities the College has given his grandsons. “I was glad they went to a private school – most of my friends were private school boys,” he said. “The boys were so well-disciplined and they needed that! I would have loved to have had that opportunity.” And while Lt. McCormick had a different experience growing up, his life didn’t turn out too badly. After the war, he worked as a chartered accountant and then started a textile company.
A solid marriage of 56 years, three children and eight grandchildren later, Lt. McCormick will always be a hero – to René Lemars, to the town of Cruelly and to his family. Lt. McCormack's remarkable story was captured in a video shown to the students at RSGC as part of their Remembrance Day week. Catch the video here: http://youtu.be/S-hHtxjMroY
Geoff Cardy ’01 (L) was in France for the ceremony.
Lt. McCormick and grandson Alex Edmison ’02.
The entire family went back to France in 2011 for the naming of the square ceremony. The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 23
FEATURE
RSGC Alumni Make for Passionate Educators BY CARMELLE WOLFSON
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SGC Junior School Intern Drew Blanchette ’96, Washtenaw International High School Teacher Eric Wynn ’00, Canadian College Italy Headmaster George Rutherford ’71 and Université de Montréal Associate Professor William McCausland ’85 all have something in common. After studying at RSGC, they became passionate about learning and teaching, taking the lessons they learned at school into their careers as educators.
and AIC. Although it was financially rewarding, the work wasn’t satisfying. “I didn’t enjoy Sundays because I knew Monday was coming. And I didn’t enjoy getting up for work. I actually hated it,” he said.
When he turned 30, he quit his job, got his real estate license and bought a piece of property. Unsure of his next move, Drew made a five-year plan. He started his own real estate company to save money while studying for
Drew Blanchette ’96 “If you had asked me while I was going to school here if I’d ever be a teacher, I would’ve laughed and said ‘not a chance’,” admitted Junior School Intern Drew Blanchette. Drew didn’t exactly take the traditional route to teaching. For 10 years, he worked on Bay Street in mutual funds sales for companies like TD
Drew helped the Grade 3 class build a living wall.
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his Masters of Education at Canisius College. Drew came to the realization that he enjoyed working with children while volunteering at Camp Oochigeas for kids with cancer, which he has been doing for the past six years. “The kids are amazing,” he said. “I think I get more out of it than they do.” Completing his degree in 2009, Drew did a practicum at Montcrest School and at RSGC. After working as a supply teacher for a year, he accepted a Grade 4 teaching position at Montcrest. He then left Montcrest to return to RSGC this school year, joining five other alumni staff members. Drew feels he can relate to the experiences of
“I know I’m in the right profession. I love what I do.” — Drew
RSGC students after studying there from Grade 7 to 13. “This is home to me,” he said. He describes his role at RSGC as a “jack of all trades”. One day he might teach Grade 4 Math and Gym, along with Grade 3 Science. The next day might look completely different. Although Drew is teaching math now, he struggled with the subject as a student. He says he appreciates the attention he received from teachers at RSGC, even those who pushed him hard. “I was not an easy kid to teach. I probably put a few grey hairs on those teachers,” he said. “However, they never gave up on me. They always pushed me to do my best. I want to do the same thing.” What he lacked in Math he made up for in other areas like sports, playing on the soccer, hockey, cross country and badminton teams at RSGC. His Phys Ed teacher and soccer coach John Evans had an especially strong impact on him. In fact, it was John who connected Drew to the soccer coach at Dalhousie University, where he ended up studying Commerce. Drew and John now work side-by-side as teachers at RSGC. “I know I’m in the right profession. I love what I do,” he said. He likes witnessing students learn something new. “It’s not just about learning math skills. It’s learning life skills.” He is driven by the desire to teach students manners and core values. “I hope I inspire them that you can be whoever you want to be, but that you should do what makes you happy,” he said.
Eric Wynn ’00 A Canadian teaching American Studies and American Literature, Eric Wynn has always been interested in international issues. “I think having an ‘over the fence’ perspective [on the United States] actually allows me to frame an American studies class without the typical assimilating attitude that those raised in this country cannot escape,” he said. For the last two years, Eric has been teaching Grade 10 classes at Washtenaw International High School, a publicly funded high school of 600 students in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that opened in 2011. Next year he will teach English and a philosophy course called “Theory of Knowledge”, while transitioning to an administrative role as the school’s International Baccalaureate Coordinator. “I laugh every day. I don’t think there are a lot of careers where people can claim that,” said Eric.
He developed his laughing muscles as a boy at RSGC, where he studied from Grade 9 to 13. His teachers taught him that there is space for laughter in the classroom. “They injected humour and their own personality into their classrooms,” said Eric. He has taken this approach to his own teaching, showing students that they shouldn’t take life too seriously. Another lesson he hopes to share with his students is to be open-minded. It was at RSGC where he first realized “identity is not homogeneous”. “RSGC really allowed you to find and explore identity in a safe way,” said Eric. In his final year at RSGC, he stopped playing sports to perform in theatrical productions and participate in drama competitions. “I never would have done that at another school,” he admitted. Eric recalls that as an RSGC student, he was expected to participate in extracurricular activities each semester – something he For the last two years, Eric has been teaching Grade 10 classes at Washtenaw International High School.
encourages his own students to do. While he nearly failed math, his strengths lay in the humanities. In Grade 13, Eric became a prefect and competed in an international public speaking championship. He liked rhetoric, forensics and debating, taking part in Model UN, which he now coaches at Washtenaw. Before Eric began at Washtenaw two years ago, he worked at Desert Academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico for seven years and Salisbury Summer School in Connecticut. He moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Amy and their two children, Everett, 2 and Elijah, 4, because he was impressed by the high quality of education at the public schools and the family-friendly atmosphere. “It’s very Canadian,” he said about Ann Arbor, referring to the fact that the city devotes a good deal of time and money to its schools, public infrastructure and community support networks. “I teach public school because I endeavour to provide everybody with a good education,” said Eric. “A good education is a universal right – not something limited to those who can afford it.”
“I laugh every day. I don’t think there are a lot of careers where people can claim that.” — Eric The Shield Winter 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 25
George Rutherford ’71 George Rutherford’s eldest daughter, Kathryn, 27, is Alumni Representative at Crescent School. His second daughter, Diane, 26, is a teacher at Trafalgar Castle School. His youngest daughter, Shelagh, 21, would also make a great teacher, “but hasn’t really come to that conclusion yet,” said her father. You could say that George, Headmaster at Canadian College Italy, has raised a family of educators. “I think it’s like many homes, where the language of the parents becomes the language of the home,” George said about his daughters’ interest in education. From Grades 1 through 12, Katherine, Diane and Shelagh all attended and graduated from Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill while George was Headmaster there. George started out at Holy Trinity as a teacher in 1984. A few years later, he became the Admissions Officer. At age 35, George set a goal to become a headmaster by the time he was 40. Surpassing even his own expectations, he was named Headmaster of Holy Trinity at age 39, continuing in the role for the next 18 years. After spending his entire career in the Toronto area, George retired from Holy Trinity in 2010. “It was time for me to take my own advice and go out and do something different,” he said of his decision to relocate to Lanciano, Italy. Despite never having worked at a boarding school or an international school, George and his wife
Deborah moved to Europe where he became Headmaster of Canadian College Italy, an international boarding school that prepares students in their last two years of high school for university in Canada, the US, the UK or Europe. While George has worked in administration for over two decades, he keeps teaching because he enjoys working with children and helping them resolve problems. “It’s exhausting, but in many ways it’s uplifting,” he said. While in high school, George discovered he wanted to teach. Although he admits to not being a great student upon arriving at what was then St. George’s College in Grade 10, he said some teachers were able to see his true potential. One of them was math teacher Jock Armitage, who George credits as being the best teacher he has ever met. “He commanded considerable respect from everybody. He was a person kids would walk through for fire for,” said George. “I realized that whatever it was he was doing, that was what I wanted to do.” After completing his Bachelor of Education, George taught at Jesse Ketchum Public School for two years. When hundreds of
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public school teachers were let go due to declining enrollment in 1977, he lost his job. But this unfortunate circumstance led to the opportunity to work at his alma mater, SGC, where he taught Math and English and set up the Art Department over the next seven years. At first, working alongside his former teachers, including Armitage, was surreal. George remembers being nervous around some teachers and recalls entering the “sacred staff room” for the first time. But over time, his apprehensions dissipated and it was a great experience. One boy George is proud to have taught in Grade 8 English is current RSGC Headmaster Stephen Beatty ’86. Rutherford learned many lessons at RSGC that influence his work as an educator today. One of those is that
appearances aren’t everything. “It’s not about the facilities. It’s about the people and the program,” said George. “St. George’s was a great school [even] in those early days when it was a very modest school.”
William McCausland ’85 William McCausland’s job entails more than just giving the occasional lecture. As an Associate Professor at Université de Montréal, William teaches Economics and Statistics, instructing undergraduate and graduate classes of up to 90 students. But he says that research is a huge part of his job. “You’re not a professional teacher in the same way that
“I realized that whatever it was he was doing, that was what I wanted to do.” — George, of his RSGC teacher, Jock Armitage
George now lives and works in Italy.
“Physically, I’m at the computer and it might not look that exciting. But I find it very interesting and fascinating.” — William
William spends the winter months conducting collaborative research at the University of Technology in Sydney.
someone teaching in a college or high school would be,” said William. “Research is a big aspect.” For the past four years, William has been spending the winter months conducting collaborative research at the University of Technology in Sydney. He is currently working with economists, mathematicians, statisticians and marketing specialists at the Centre for the Study of Choice to find out how people make decisions among a small number of choices. One way the research could be used would be to assess how commuters would respond to the introduction of new transportation options in Sydney. Although he has the summer off from teaching, he will be busy doing more research in Montreal, presenting at conferences, and writing and editing papers for publication. “Physically, I’m at the computer and it might not look that exciting. But I find it very
interesting and fascinating,” he said about his research. As for the teaching side of things, it is the office hours that he enjoys most. “I find the individual experience more satisfying,” he said about his interactions with students outside of class. He first discovered he liked tutoring students as a member of the drama club at RSGC, which he attended from Grades 7 to 13. His preparation for a production of Frost at Midnight involved helping other club members who were having difficulty with Math. “I recall that, on average, students interested in Drama struggled with Math more than most,” said William. He is happy that he was encouraged to get involved in extracurricular activities like drama at RSGC. Although he wasn’t naturally inclined towards team endeavors, working with people helped develop his teaching skills. Upon graduating from RSGC, where he won the
Math and Science Award on multiple occasions, William wanted to put his Math and Science skills to use. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Science in Engineering at University of Toronto. Enjoying explaining concepts to others, he continued tutoring students and helping his classmates throughout university. As William’s father was a professor of electrical engineering, he was considering a career as a professor himself. After finishing a Masters of Engineering at McGill University, William worked in Silicon Valley for a software company, engineering educational software. He realized then that he didn’t like the practice of engineering and decided to go back to school, taking a course in Economics at University of Toronto. “Having taken one course, I felt that I didn’t understand anything about economics. So I took another course,” he said.
Teachers In Attendance RSGC Alumni have been working in education all around the world. While the list of educators is too long to publish (and we wouldn't want to miss anyone!), it can be said that Georgians are certainly making their mark in the classroom. From Nanaimo to Montreal, Chapel Hill to Michigan and Shanghai to London, Georgian alumni are leaving their stamps on education for kids of all ages. Primary and secondary teachers at public or independent schools, university professors and Heads of School, teachers of all subjects from gym to science, our Old Boys are passionate about their jobs.
This eventually led to the course in Beysian Econometrics that inspired him to pursue that field of research. “The professor that taught it was very passionate about this particular approach to statistics,” said William. I was convinced by his arguments and saw it as a very interesting way to do research,” said William.
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 27
FEATURE
A
The Immortals
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN RSGC’s Ball Hockey Culture BY LAURIE MANDARINO
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Jeff Enfield ’97
Dave McCarthy ’04 (L) and Andrew Hepburn ’02 (R).
T
here’s something quintessentially Canadian about playing ball hockey on the street with the neighbourhood children. Rain or snow, cold or freezing cold – so many of us have spent hours on the street with our hockey sticks. Over the years, Royal St. George’s College has brought that same experience to the College with the development of the RSGC Ball Hockey League (RSGCBHL). And for many students and alumni, that experience has been a major highlight of their high school years. “There’s the classroom element of school, but the things you do outside of the classroom are also impactful,” said Andrew Hepburn ’02. “Three extracurriculars made an impact on me. The first was debating with Mr. Reid and Ms. Miller, the second were the skits in assembly in which we would impersonate teachers and the third was ball hockey.” Andrew started at RSGC in 1995 and joined the ball hockey league as a Grade 9 student in 1999. “For a kid in Grade 9 to join a team where you’re playing with fellow classmates of all grades, it’s a great way to make friends. Otherwise high school can be more of an intimidating time,” said Andrew. “The camaraderie flows from that.” Both Andrew and fellow alumnus Jeff Enfield ’97, who is also a science teacher in the Senior School and who has run the RSGCBHL since 2009, have seen the league change and grow – both while they played and beyond. “The league has changed immensely,” said Jeff. “It used to be Houses against Houses. We would just put up two nets wherever we could fit them as opposed to clearing out the cars and having an official tarmac. It was a lot smaller.”
Alex Cleveland ’13 (L) and Bradley Walker ’13 (R).
Now, with four teams – Choice, the Hitmen, the Roughnecks and the Steamers – and with the official Gage Love Tarmac having opened last fall, the league is thriving. A student-run draft takes place before the season begins, two Grade 12 students are selected as League Commissioners, trades occur throughout the year and awards are handed out during an end-of-season banquet. “Being a commissioner allowed me to take the responsibility in my own hands and do something that I love,” said Bradley Walker ’13, who, along with Alex Cleveland, was the 2012/13 League Commissioner. “It has been a very positive experience. People were supportive of us and Alex and I had the opportunity to do some things that we’ve wanted to do in the past. We were very fortunate to have come in this year with the new playing surface because it required us to change the way the game was played and develop a game structure that will hopefully endure.” Because of the construction on campus last year, the league moved indoors. Now, with the Gage Love Tarmac in use, Bradley and Alex had to figure out things like construction, boundaries and optimizing the rules for the outdoors. The pair also introduced the Winter Classic, a best-of-seven series between the Wannabes (the RSGCBHL all-stars) and the championship-winning Senior Hockey Team. The Senior Hockey Team was victorious by a 4-1 margin. Another major change since the league’s inception is the fact that each team has a handful of staff members on it, which wasn’t the case when the Houses played each other. “Staff members were allowed to play but it wasn’t as common,” said Jeff. “You might get a teacher here or there.”
Now, the fact that staff and students play together as teammates and opponents adds a completely different dynamic to the game. “It’s nice because the culture of our school is that staff try their best – they aren’t just letting the kids win. If the kids beat the staff, they feel better. But this is one place where they can feel equal because they’re playing on the same team,” said Jeff. “It’s a way for the staff to connect with kids. They can have conversations about it in the halls. It really helps build relationships.” And the fact that students play a huge role in the day-to-day running of the league makes it even more special. “When you give students that kind of responsibility, it gives them a sense of pride in the league that wouldn’t be the case if it was just given to them by the teachers,” said Andrew. “I think it’s important for the school to give students that kind of leadership. That kind of organization helps later on in life.” While Jeff, who took over from the legendary Hitmen defenseman Chris D’Arcy, does have a big hand in the daily operations of the RSGCBHL, his role is essentially to give the boys the power to run it themselves. “I get things started and get everyone else’s role in place so the league can continue on a daily basis,” said Jeff. He establishes the annual commissioners, captains and referees; gathers equipment; makes sure the surface is clear and manages the website. The boys are responsible for the statistics, absences, standings, rosters, draft and trades. It’s a far cry from when Jeff was a player in the mid-1990s. “We didn’t really have a system in place at the time,” said Jeff. “Anyone who wanted
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 29
to come out could play. In my last year (1996-97), someone started keeping stats and that really changed the league. Everyone was really enthusiastic and excited.” While much-loved former teacher Gage Love was responsible for the beginnings of ball hockey at RSGC, it was Chris D’Arcy who really took the league to a new level. When he retired from the league’s helm in 2009, Jeff was more than happy to take over the reigns. “I really liked what Chris had done with the league – he had it set up more or less as it is now,” said Jeff. “I appreciated the structure and experience of the league. I really liked what he did with the league’s setup and culture. And the experience for the students has been incredible, which is the most important thing.” Andrew Hepburn feels extremely passionate about the RSGCBHL, despite having graduated over a decade ago. “I come back most years for the Legends game,” he said. “I even gave money to RSGC and specifically marked it for the ball hockey league. It’s important for alumni to support the things they enjoy.” Especially if that thing is such a large part of the College’s culture. “The league simulates a lot of cultural elements of St. George’s,” said Jeff. “It’s certainly important for the guys who are in the league. Alumni come back and talk about it fondly. Guys come out to watch, staff who aren’t involved watch here and there, and even a handful of parents come to every game.” Bradley agrees. “It’s definitely a unique piece of our culture – it’s tradition at the school and something that most schools don’t have,” said Bradley. “We take it very seriously and you need to be heavily committed. You’re playing a 17-game season, up to three
games a week, so it’s definitely something that you have to be prepared to commit to. If you don’t, you’re letting your team down.” Andrew believes the school’s small size really lends itself to the league’s culture. “It wouldn't be as easy to run a league like this at a much bigger school,” he said. “I think the small size of the school is what gives the league its culture and its importance to the student body. There are enough people who have played in the ball hockey league and I think everyone has really enjoyed it. It combines friendship, athletics and a healthy dose of competitiveness.” The fact that the league is small doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to the annual drama. “The personalities, the close games, the underdogs winning – it’s the drama and the exposure in the league that we all love,” said Jeff. “It might be small, but we magnify it: we film it; we write about it; we hand out awards. It doesn’t matter what grade you’re in – the kids latch onto it. And hockey is an easy one to latch on to. I get to build on that and give the experience to the kids.” For Bradley, who graduates this spring, that experience was an amazing part of high school. “It was nice to be able to look ahead in the day and know that you had a big game after school,” he said. “I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to play a role in the management of the league in my final year. The league is a great way to meet people, it’s a real community and something that I became more passionate about as the years went by.” So much so that he plans to join Andrew Hepburn and many other fellow alumni at the annual Legends game for many years to come.
RSGCBHL Hall of Fame Their contracts may have expired but their Legends live on... 2010/11: AJ Buchanan1,2,4, Tim Connell, Ian Cook, Matt Darcy, Will Guest, James Ratcliffe, Andrew Savory1,3, Adrian Steen 2009/10: Rylie Cook, Michael Dawson, Max Ingram, Mark Kryshtalskyj1,3, Marshall Porter, James Reble1, Tiago Viera 2008/09: James Boyle, Brendan Lee5, Jake Rosenberg1 2007/08: Andrew Lahodynskyj3, Geoff Martin1,2,4, Mke Mallin, Will Mountain, Thomas Pepper 2006/07: Adam Burns, Osa Campbell, Matt Chong, Mason D’Arcy, Dieter Fishbein, Andrew Harris, Chris Jackson, David Lilleyman, Andrew MacKinnon, Frank Martin, Gary Purkis, Stephen Saunders1, Geoff Squibb, Steven Tang, Jeff Whittard, Alex Woolaver 2005/06: Nick Carravetta, Damian Creber, Kyle Golding, Julian Hucal1, Cam MacNicol2,4, Max Sisam, Thomas Whelan 2004/05: Fraser Cameron, Moyukh Chakrabarti, Cam Easto1, Anthony Field, Taylor Imrie, Matt Parker David Wilson2,4, Scott Pollock1,3, Jay Rhind, David Ricketts, David Ruta, Paul Trebuss 2003/04: Aaron Bongard, Ian Colterjohn, Charles Crawford, Taylor Drury, Dave Evans, Derek Hepburn, Tyler Kee, Paul Koven2,4, Steve Macchione, David McCarthy1,3,4, Rob McLean, Jamie McLellan, Kyrylo Rewa, Colin Rubes, Andrew Somerville, Greg Vertes, Eric Zimm 2002/03: James Appel, Teddy Durrant-Taylor, Rob Gainer, Rob Gleadow, Andrew Gordon, John Hawryluk, Tom Hutchison1, Andrew Hepburn, Jay Joliffe, John Karantonis, David Kerr-Vayne2,4, Mike Love, Skip McGrath, Chappy McNabb, Shane Milne, Aaron Mitchell, Sandy Norton, Linton Porter-Taylor, Don Pyper, Morgan Rubes, Colm Schlosser, Dale Skinner, Tom Smith, Josh Sved, David Winterbottom, Steve Woodiwiss, Lee Vyner, David Zhang3
The Legends Commissioner, 2Regular Season Scoring Leader, 3Top Goalie, 4Record Holder, 5Director Of Communications 1
30 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
FEATURE
A Georgian Touch at the
CBC BY CARMELLE WOLFSON
T
hese RSGC community members all bring a sense of pride and honour to working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada’s public broadcaster. Meet Mary Ito, host of the CBC radio program Fresh Air and mother to Michael Ammendolia ’07 and Mark Ammendolia ’09; Karen Volterra, Administrative Coordinator for Advertising and Marketing at CBC and mother to Daniel (Class of 2013) and Luke Jones (Class of 2016); and Nick Purdon ’89, Current Affairs Reporter for CBC Television’s The National and former RSGC student.
Mary Ito Mary Ito describes a typical workday as host of CBC Radio’s Fresh Air as “extremely busy”. Weekend mornings start by getting up at 3:30 am. At 4:30, she’s prepping her three-hour show by reading over the program script, music notes, listening to pre-recorded interviews for last-minute edits, checking major news and sports updates, and condensing weather reports from across the province. “I know it sounds really mundane, but I tell you, [the weather report] is not easy because I’m not a meteorologist!” said Mary. Mary’s work schedule sometimes got in the way of spending time with her family, but fortunately, freelancing
while her children were young allowed her to carve out her own hours. When her first son, Michael Ammendolia ’07, was born, she took off work for 10 months. Then she worked one to three mornings a week until Michael was 10, her second son Mark ’09 was eight and her daughter Sarah was three. It also helped that Mary’s parents and husband Carlo Ammendolia, a researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital, were available to
pitch in with childcare. Mary first discovered journalism while studying English at University of Toronto. “It was kind of accidental,” she admitted. She wanted to become a librarian or a teacher, but after
volunteering at campus radio station CIUT doing restaurant reviews, acting in radio plays and writing for the campus newspaper, she developed an interest in broadcasting. A major motivation for pursuing journalism was
Mary Ito
Mary and her family, including two Georgian alumni.
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 31
meeting interesting people. She says that every time she speaks to someone through her work, she learns something new. “I wanted to be a teacher. And in a sense, I’m really a student,” said Mary. Upon graduating from U of T in 1981, Mary enrolled in Radio and Television Arts (RTA) at Ryerson University. At the end of her first year, CFRB hired her as a summer reporter and kept her on in the newsroom afterwards. She never returned to Ryerson. Since then, she has worked as a reporter, host and news anchor at CFTO-TV, Global TV, host of More to Life and Second Opinion on TVO and host of CBC’s Living in Toronto. Throughout her career, Mary has spoken to thousands of people, from the rich and famous to those less fortunate, on a wide range of topics. It’s no wonder that when asked to recount her most memorable interview, it’s cause for pause. “That’s so hard,” she said. After some thinking, she recalls an interview at TVO. Mary spoke to a man jailed in Iran and held in isolation for over a year in a dark cell so small he couldn’t lie down. One of the only things that kept him sane was reciting a poem over and over again. “The way he spoke about that experience, it was as if you were there with him.” Many of Mary’s shows have focused on health, a topic about which she is passionate and devotes time to outside of work. For over a decade, she has been chairing the Transforming Lives Committee at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which honours people battling mental illness or addiction for their contributions to the
community. She is also the Master of Ceremonies for the Healthy Minds fundraiser every year. In April, she acted as Master of Ceremonies for the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s Sakura Gala. This commitment to humanitarianism translates into Mary’s choice of school for her sons. “It’s great that they promote volunteering and caring at RSGC,” she said. While at RSGC, Michael and Mark volunteered at the Stop Community Food Centre. Michael also fundraised for the Yonge Street Mission’s Evergreen Centre. Initially, Mary and her husband had hesitations about private school because they believe strongly in public education. However, when Michael’s self-confidence and grades began declining in middle school, they started to consider it. “We thought, maybe he needs smaller classes, some more personal attention,” she said. In the end, they all agreed RSGC was worth a try. “It was a really good experience for him,” said Mary. He became a prefect, participated in plays and excelled in Math, developing an interest in Business. Last year, Michael graduated from Business Accounting at McGill University. He is now doing his qualifying hours at Deloitte in Toronto and works part-time as a disk jockey. Meanwhile, Mark is in his fourth year of a BA at McGill, majoring in English. After playing ball hockey at RSGC, he is now the play-by-play commentator at university hockey games. He is considering taking RTA or Journalism at college to become a sports reporter.
32 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Karen Volterra, with sons Luke (L) and Daniel (R).
Karen Volterra Soft-spoken and modest, Karen Volterra is self-assured in a Canadian way. For eight years, she has been doing administrative work at Canada’s national broadcaster. In her current role, she is working with the CBC’s busy sales team as Administrative Coordinator for Advertising and Marketing. Before moving to the revenue group in July, she had the chance to see behind the scenes of various CBC departments including Current Affairs, Factual Entertainment, and Arts and Entertainment. Karen started out in the industry over 25 years ago selling television programs to networks and fundraising for independent films. Wanting to do something creative, Karen dreamed of working for the CBC as early as high school. She says the best part of her job is “supporting an organization I think is vital to Canada, to our identity as a nation.” She believes the CBC tells the best possible stories because it isn’t driven by profit. “It is vital to have an independent news voice, which I firmly believe we are.” Along with the sales team, Karen ensures that when ads don’t air or there is a change in the schedule, another spot is found for them. It’s a demanding job.
“There is never any down time,” she said. When the Pope resigned and a new Pope was selected, it meant overtime for Karen and her co-workers. When hockey playoffs lead to changes in the regular television programming schedule, her work days become hectic once again. Meanwhile, Karen’s family will be watching hockey from home, each cheering on a different team. “We’re a dysfunctional hockey family,” she joked. Her husband Kelvin Fosberry is a diehard Leafs fan; younger son Luke likes the Jets and Tampa Bay; while oldest son Daniel is a Habs and Leafs fan. Karen is loyal to Montreal. She decided to send her sons Daniel (Class of 2013) and Luke (Class of 2016) to RSGC in Grade 9 on the recommendation of CBC radio host Mary Ito. “Mary raved about the school,” said Karen. “I told her that we felt they really knew my child,” said Mary. When Karen went to visit RSGC, she was impressed by the students’ “calm selfassuredness” and the teachers’ enthusiasm. “I liked that the school emphasized both the arts and sports without being a jock school,” she added. Karen says her sons are very different from one another. Daniel plays drums
Nick Purdon and son Hugo.
in his spare time and is developing a virtual tour of the school as one of two student project managers of Project Vault. Luke is more athletic, playing on the baseball and soccer teams at RSGC. He is also producing a hip-hop music video with other students. After graduation this year, Daniel will move on to study at Ontario College of Art and Design. “I think they benefitted from the small scale and the attention,” said Karen. For her part, Karen has been contributing to the school by hosting the Saucer Debates the last four years, which she hopes to continue doing in the coming years.
Nick Purdon ’89 As Current Affairs reporter for CBC’s The National, the worst aspect of Nick Purdon’s job is the family sacrifice. Working at least 50 hours each week and frequently
travelling means less time with his six-year-old son Hugo, 10-year-old daughter Frida and wife Lisa Richardson. “That can be really draining,” he said. Last fall, Nick and Lisa planned to visit New York City to take in the sights. Then Hurricane Sandy hit the region. Instead of the romantic getaway he had prepared for, Nick was in Queens interviewing a couple who had been huddled in their attic, holding each other and praying overnight as they watched the water rise to the second story of their house. It ended up being a career highlight for Nick. Other highlights include reporting on a Christmas dinner in Mission, B.C., where convicted criminals prepared the meal and the entire town was invited, and covering the Olympics in Greece, Italy, China and Vancouver. “Working at The National, it feels like an honour,” said Nick. “And having Peter Mansbridge read your intro, that’s pretty cool.” As a primary student in Grades 7 and 8 at RSGC in the ’80s, Nick says he had no interest in journalism. “I don’t even think I was clear on what a journalist was then,” he admitted.
Nonetheless, Nick enjoyed writing and had a penchant for telling stories, which is why English teacher Mr. Stevenson made an impression on him. Nick appreciated that Stevenson invented his own farfetched and elaborate tales for grammar lessons. “A kid doesn’t forget that,” said Nick. “The teachers were different, original and quirky,” he said. For him, that was the best aspect of studying at RSGC. He also appreciates that some of his teachers were able to see past his behavioural problems. Nick and his older brothers Michael and Jonathan left the school after two years when their family moved to Scarborough. After graduating from a public high school, Nick studied Human Geography at McGill, where he developed his journalistic skills writing for The Daily and The Tribune. But it wasn’t until later that he considered pursuing journalism. Graduating in 1995, Purdon became an outdoor educator, taking at-risk youth on canoe trips. “You can’t really live like that. It’s not enough work,” he said. Needing a career change, he considered becoming an ambulance driver. But his mother wasn’t thrilled about the idea. “My mom said ‘over my dead body’,” said Nick. With a bit of prodding from his mother and his future wife, he registered in Journalism at Ryerson. He was lucky enough to land a job as a news reporter for CBC Radio in Sudbury right out of J-school in 1999. Nick then worked as a CBC Radio reporter in Calgary before returning to Toronto where he worked as a producer for Workology, as a current affairs reporter for
This Morning, as a producer for DNTO and as CBC Radio’s chief sports columnist. After working in radio for many years, he got a call from the CBC offering him a job on Connect with Mark Kelley. He’s glad he made the move from radio to television. “Radio got lonely in the end because you work on your own,” he said.
RSGC AT CBC Several other RSGC alumni, past parents and current parents work or have worked at the CBC. Here are just a few: Alannah Campbell – Former reporter, documentary maker and host of The World at Six, and mother of Logan Kearns ’08 Carol Fripp – Former producer, For Kids by Kids and mother of Eric ’86 and Will ’88 Jack Julian ’89 – Reporter/editor, CBC Halifax Jay Ingram – Former CBC Radio One host and CBC TV science feature reporter, and father to Max ’10 Molly Johnson – Host, Radio 2; Board member and mother of Otis Moore, Class of 2015 and Henry Moore, Class of 2018 Judy Maddren – Former host, CBC Radio’s World Report and mother of Jeremy Elliott ’97 and Simon Elliott ’00 Knowlton Nash – Former anchorman, The National and grandparent to Jesse Parker ’01 and Robert Parker ’03 John Northcott ’80 – Breaking News Reporter Fred Parker – Director and father of Jesse ’01 and Robert ’03
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 33
Retrospective
Want to share your latest news, proud moments and achievements with the RSGC community? Send details to Fiona Cooper at shield@rsgc.on.ca
1980s Michael Adamson ’89
David Bourne ’89
A graduate of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design who also trained at Ryerson University and the renowned Gesamkunst Hochschule in Germany, Michael is a classically trained painter. He has recently started inspiring a new generation of art school students to pick up their paintbrushes. He told the Globe and Mail that he is “the first in Toronto and maybe all of Canada in recent times to challenge the institutional ideology of art as needing to be conceptual, photo-based or Marxistfeminist.” Since the late ’90s, Michael has been showcasing his own work in vacant properties around Toronto – what is now known as the trendy “pop-up”.
David can’t believe it has been almost 25 years since he graduated from RSGC. He continues to work as a Professor Engineer with CH2M Hill Canada Limited, currently managing the $1.4 billion Windsor-Essex Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway project of extending the 401 to the anticipated bridge crossing between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Michigan. David lives in Kitchener with his five-year-old twin daughters, Gemma and Megan. If that doesn’t keep him busy enough, he got his private pilot’s licence in 2010 and can often be found flying around Southern Ontario. David is hoping to get his night and instrument ratings soon.
Michael Adamson ’89
David’s twin daughters, Gemma and Megan.
David got his private pilot licence in 2010.
34 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
1990s Peter Istvan ’87 From July 12-14, 2013, cyclists, volunteers and supporters will be participating in the third annual Pedaling for Parkinson’s event, which was cofounded by Peter. For the first event in 2011, cyclists pedalled over 100,000 pedal strokes, one for each Canadian diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and raised almost $18,000. Last July, the 72 participating riders raised $54,100. The goal for 2013 is large: $75,000. “It is not a race,” said Peter. “The ride is open to riders of all skill levels, from first-time riders to seasoned cyclists. It is about participating and helping make a difference in the lives of people
and families affected by Parkinson’s. The stories and the reasons that some of the cyclists ride are truly inspirational.” Some Georgians have already kindly agreed to provide sponsor support including Dane Morrison ’87 and Stewart Istvan ’84, Chuck Magyar ’84 and David Lyon ’84. Peter and his team would be delighted to have additional support in the form of sponsorship, riders, donations or volunteers. To learn more about supporting the cause, the sponsors and the various cycling route options for participants, visit pedalingforparkinsons.ca or email pistvan@cogeco. ca.
Saphia Khamballa of CityNews is a spokesperson for Parkinson’s. Here she is with Peter (L) and Stewart (R).
Chris Remerowski ’94 Chris has been a busy guy. Several of his short films have appeared in numerous film festivals lately. His short film Life on the River was at the Montreal World Film Festival, the Victoria Film Festival, the Phoenix Film Festival and the Canadian Filmmakers Festival. A second film, Weekend Getaway, was at the 38th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and the Roswell Science Fiction Film Festival. But Chris actually has a day job as well, working as a producer at Zoomer Media (for Moses Znaimer), where for the past six years he has produced, directed and edited documentaries, commercials and promos.
Ed Conroy ’95 When he’s not working as Brand Manager for Nelvana (nelvana.com), a leading international producer and distributor of children’s animated content, Ed has been working on an archival project named RETRONTARIO (retrontario.com), which seeks to digitize, restore and – through social media – share vintage Ontario broadcast
Chris Remerowski ’94
ephemera (something of no lasting significance!). Ed and the project have been profiled by the CBC, the Toronto Star, Toronto Life and Zoomer. Ed Conroy ’95
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 35
Retrospective 1990s Asad Jobanputra ’97 With great joy, Asad and his wife Anjali Bisani are proud to announce the birth of their first child, daughter Alyna, on April 2, 2013. Weighing in at 8 lbs, 10 oz., Alyna entered the world at St. Joseph’s hospital in Toronto. Asad and daughter Alyna.
Dave Robinette ’98 Dave and his wife Jennifer welcomed a little girl, Charlotte Marian Robinette, into the world on March 19, 2013 in Hamilton, Ont. The 6-lbs., 13-oz. Charlotte is the first child for the couple.
2000s Alex Carter ’02 Alex and his wife Haelie are thrilled by the birth of their first child, daughter Rylie. She entered the world at 11:05 pm on February 16 at 7 lbs, 10 oz. The couple is loving parenthood.
Matty Burns ’04 and Simon McCamus ’05 Matty and Simon have comedic aspirations! They are both currently in the Second City Conservatory Program, in the third of six levels. The Conservatory Program is a year-long, professional improvisation training program at the Second City Training Centre, for which participants must audition. Following that, graduates of the program
can audition for Second City’s professional companies. The guys’ Conservatory Program finishes in October 2013, culminating with their two-hour main stage revue, which they will co-write with their classmates. Matty and Simon thank Mr. Holdsworth, Dr. Newton and Ms. Miller for inspiring them in their Drama classes.
Jonathan Holtby ’04 Jonathan recently accepted a position with the Portsmouth Group, a communications agency in Dubai. The move comes after a Masters program in Australia, and internships and political work that brought him to Washington, London and back home to Toronto.
Charlotte Robinette
Jonathan Holtby ’04
This departure is the next step on what he hopes will be an international career working in the communications industry. The Portsmouth Group is a regional firm with offices around the Arab Gulf, with specialties ranging from Information Technology to Hospitality and Retail. Jonathan is joining them as a consultant and will be based out of Dubai. His experience since leaving RSGC has been in marketing and communications for the arts, government relations and politics. His Masters program was in Public Relations and Crisis Communications.
Paul Trebuss ’05
Matty Burns ’04
36 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Simon McCamus ’05
After graduating from Queen's with a degree in History, Paul did another degree in Nursing. He is now working in surgical oncology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital.
2010s Kevin Marthinsen ’08 The graduating class of 2008 is still very much in touch and as close as they were back in high school. From social gatherings in the city to weekend trips to Muskoka, the guys spend plenty of time together, proving that friendships made at St. George’s are longlasting. The ’08 grads golf together practically every weekend in the summer. This winter, a group of nine ’08 grads went to Kevin’s family villa in Virgin Gorda, one of the British Virgin Islands. Among the group were Edward Younger, David Clark, Adam Phillips, Andrew Lahodynskyj, Christian Mathews-Gagné, Jean-Nicolas Giroux and Hayden Phillips.
Tristan Bogler ’10 Tristan, who has just finished up his third year of Kinesiology at Western, has recently scored a four-month summer internship with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He will mostly be working in ticketing and sales, but there is also a small marketing component.
George Graham ’12 After taking a gap year to work and travel, George is heading to Cambridge University in the UK in September. He is studying chemical engineering via natural sciences.
A bunch of guys from the Class of 2008 went to the British Virgin Islands together this past winter.
George Graham ’12 spent part of his gap year working in a lab at University of Toronto.
Ben McLaughlin ’12 Ben, who just finished his first year at Queen’s, has been intensely training for the sport of powerlifting. In early June, he competed in the Toronto Pro Supershow at the Metro Convention Centre.
Ben’s goal is to push healthy living and activity into the mainstream, so he is active on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social media. He recently secured his first sponsor – a supplement company. Ben will be back at Queen’s in September.
Ben McLaughlin ’12
The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College 37
TIME CAPSULE
Then & Now:
2013 Lifers Back in 2003, 12 boys started RSGC in Grade 3. Now, 10 years later, five Lifers remain, having spent the bulk of their schooling in the halls of RSGC’s Junior and Senior Schools. Justin Arbesman, Nick Balan, Graeme Buchanan, Nicholas Jackson Chornenki and Thomas Trusler graduated from the maroon blazer to the navy blazer four years ago and this spring, graduate from RSGC itself. So what are the boys who have spent all of their formative years on 120 Howland doing next? Justin is off to the University of Ottawa, Nick and Graeme likely are heading to Queen’s, Nicholas has accepted an offer at Western, and Thomas is taking the next year to ski professionally with the Ontario Ski Team. Best of luck to the 2012/13 Lifers!
38 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Five boys remain from the Grade 3 class in 2003: Justin (back row, middle), Nick (front row, second from left); Graeme (left of Justin); Nicholas (left of Graeme) and Thomas (front row, first sitting on left). The Lifers of 2013 (from L to R): Justin, Nick, Nicholas, Graeme and Thomas.
The boys in front of See House, 10 years after the original photo was taken.
Blink and you could miss giving your son the best education You could walk right past Royal St. George’s College and never even know it’s there. Tucked behind some trees on a residential street in Toronto’s Annex, it looks more like a home than a school. And in many ways, it is. Look a little closer, however, and you’ll discover what’s missing from most boys’ schools: the kind of camaraderie that comes from a small student body; a more creative learning environment; and a genuine love of the school. It’s the one school you and your son don’t want to miss.
of his life.
IF YOU WANT YOUR SON TO THINK BIG, THINK SMALL.
rsgc.on.ca
Fellow Class of ’84 Georgians
Chuck Magyar, David Lyon and Stewart Istvan Working together, using a holistic approach to managing clients’ wealth management needs… Stewart was a “lifer” at RSGC spending 10 years at the school (’74-’84) while both David and Chuck spent the balance of their high school years there (’78/’79-’84 respectively). We all look back fondly on those formidable years remembering the wonderful teachers, classmates and of course good ’ol Tony’s popcorn wagon, our “cafeteria” (a.k.a. the lunch truck) and many after school games and tournaments played on the asphalt “field”. 28 years after graduation, the 3 of us have remained not only friends but have joined together as partners, taking over the Forest Hill Branch at DundeeWealth in May of 2005. Since then, we continue to help clients with their wealth management needs. We provide solutions to concerns about estate planning, mitigating tax, insurance needs and overall life planning objectives and strategies.
Most institutions want you to come in for a second opinion; we would like you to come in for a better one… a personal approach, from one Georgian to another. Chuck Magyar, CIM
David Lyon
Portfolio Manager Director, Private Client Group DWM Securities Inc. cmagyar@dundeewealth.com
Insurance Advisor Branch Director, DundeeWealth Marketing and Sales Dundee Insurance Agency Ltd. DundeeWealth dlyon@dundeewealth.com sistvan@dundeewealth.com
DundeeWealth, Forest Hill Branch, 980 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario M6C 2C5 416.785.0513 40 The Shield Spring 2013 • Royal St. George’s College
Stewart Istvan