The Andrean - Spring 2021

THE Laughlin

ANDREAN Spring 2021: volume 65, number 1

BURNING BRIGHT

ience RE-ESTABLISHED

2021

Grade 11 student

Henry Paluch

lights up a lab in the newly renovated McLaughlin Hall science building

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St. Andrew’s College 15800 Yonge Street Aurora, ON L4G 3H7 Canada

INSIDE: PANDEMIC REFLECTIONS

Andrean TRADITIONS

OLD BOYS PROFILES + NEWS

CONTENTS Spring 2021: volume 65, number 1 FEATURES 4 10 14 16 18 32

Hall of Wonders – McLaughlin Hall Renovation Pandemic POVs

The ANDREAN Published by St. Andrew’s College for Old Boys, parents, and friends of the School Editor Julie Caspersen Director of Communications Nicolette Fleming

Andrean Artwork

Art Direction, Design, and Photography Paul Mosey

Middle School Passion Projects Andrean Traditions Bedard Athletic Centre History Wall

Contributors Beth Carter Sean Maillet Chris Traber

COLUMNS 2 The Head’s Up 34 Sports Update – NCAA and U Sports Commits 37 Community News 40 Old Boys Profiles 50 Old Boys News 63 Obituaries

Telephone 905-727-3178, ext. 333 Email admission@sac.on.ca oldboys@sac.on.ca theandrean@sac.on.ca Website www.sac.on.ca The Cover

Henry Paluch ’22 is a top student excelling in both Grade 11 and 12 science courses.

He plans to pursue science and engineering in his post-secondary studies.

Welcome to The Andrean, your alumni magazine since 1956.

The pandemic has certainly changed the way we produce and publish this magazine: holding virtual planning meetings, keeping our distance during photoshoots, and working from home most days. This issue is the culmination of our new, and hopefully temporary, way of doing things as we wait for the all-clear to return to our offices on the upper floor of Dunlap Hall. We miss the joyful sounds of boys cavorting outside Rogers Hall, the shouted greetings of Upper School students making their way to and from classes, athletics, and co-curriculars, and even the hum of machinery as the maintenance staff spring cleans the property. I hope this edition finds you healthy and content, whatever your situation. And I hope one day, very soon, we’ll be seeing you on campus so we can show off the McLaughlin Hall renovation and the Bedard history wall, featured inside.

Julie Caspersen, Editor

We belong to the following associations:

The Andrean magazine supports the St. Andrew’s College mission to “…develop the complete man, the well-rounded citizen,” connects Old Boys and parents to the School, and is a reflection of St. Andrew’s College’s enduring value to the constituents it serves.

off the top

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION IN THESE STRANGE TIMES? Andrean Teagh Tremain ’23, (pictured left) used his impressive calligraphy skills and the words of John Pennal ’64 to create a visual worthy of cutting out and putting on the fridge or bulletin board. Great words to live by!

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a time when the world ground to a halt, school remained a staple. And, at St. Andrew’s, we are doing our best to offer a sense of normalcy to our students.

THE HEAD’S UP

FROM THE RED CHAIR

We remain committed to physical activity, the arts, clubs, councils, outdoor education, leadership (Cadets) programming, and, up until midApril, in-person academics. We have been successful because we have the unwavering support of our students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Creativity has been endless, leading to such implementations as Wellness Wednesday in the Upper School, where students focus on non-academic pursuits. Avant-Garde Wednesday in the Middle School brings curriculum into the real world as interdisciplinary and project-based learning takes centre stage. You can read more about this on page 16. Our biggest challenge will be maintaining this incredible timetable when students return to interschool sports and competitions, hopefully in the fall.

We have learned that almost anything can be done virtually. Besides providing students with synchronous and asynchronous learning through SACFlex, our online learning platform,

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we have hosted reunions, trivia nights, parent coffee hours, parent-teacher interviews, chapel, achievement assemblies, and guest speakers. Even the Red & White Gala makes its virtual debut this year!

Pre-pandemic, when only local prospective families could visit the campus for an open house, we now capture families from all around the globe with our virtual open houses.

When COVID-19 is in the rear-view mirror, this is one recruitment strategy we will maintain.

To great fanfare from the boys, we have also been more relaxed. Their blue blazers and grey flannels have been replaced with SAC wear. We also implemented weekly casual dress days through the winter to support our community partners, such as the Aurora Food Pantry and Inn From the Cold, where students would typically volunteer through our Community Giving Project. From the photo to the left, you can see that even I have sported jeans, normally reserved for weekends.

With students unable to come and go so easily through the school year, our weekend activities have expanded.

This was never more evident than when Ontario went into lockdown on December 26, and again on April 12, and students were thrust into government-mandated online learning.

Unlike in the 2020 spring term, more than 90 boarding students remained in residence. We effectively created a boarding bubble similar to professional sports leagues with mandatory masks and physical distancing still strongly enforced. Because no one else was allowed in or out, our boarders were granted access to all 126 acres of our facilities. Snowshoeing, tobogganing, rock climbing, skating, cross-country skiing, open gym, and outdoor survival skills were just some of the activities they enjoyed.

Understanding just how much we could offer on-campus demonstrated that we could provide many more opportunities to our students through the Weekend program moving forward.

Our faculty and staff who live on campus were enthusiastic and willing to keep our boarders happy and active.

When our students were officially allowed to resume in-person learning in February, they returned to find the McLaughlin Hall science and technology renovation completed.

They quickly began building robots, participating in online computer challenges, and testing all the new science equipment. It was a flurry of activity and a great way to reintegrate into the classroom. You can read more about the finished project on the next page.

We also completed the Bedard renovation that features a new vestibule, the Gatehouse at the bottom of the driveway is ready for tenants, and preconstruction has begun on St. Anne’s School. The Town of Aurora’s boardwalk project, which runs through our Willow Farm property, is nearing completion.

The parcel of land along Yonge Street for which we provided an easement will be naturalized, similar to other Aurora trail systems. It will be a beautiful walking and cycling path that offers our students many scientific and artistic opportunities.

So, while it might be easy to latch onto those gloomy feelings of isolation, we chose to focus on the silver linings, and there have been many, as you will find throughout this issue. But if the past 14 months have taught me anything, it’s that I never want to miss out on hearing the band strike up, watching a shot cross the goal line, high-fiving a student or colleague in the hallway, or looking on while a masterpiece takes shape. These are crucial human connections none of us should live without. X

Kevin R. McHenry, Head of School

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Grade 11 Computer Engineering student, David Ezeude, deep in thought in the new Dunin Family Engineering Centre.

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HALL OF

WONDERS Imagination and ingenuity enhanced with opening of renovated McLaughlin Hall

By Nicolette Fleming

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Construction fencing was covered with science-themed banners.

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or 18 months, a project hidden behind plastic tarps and construction tape was finally revealed in February to faculty and students. While it wasn’t a grand opening of typical fanfare, it couldn’t have come at a better time as students returned to in-person learning following the second lockdown in Ontario.

With audible excitement and joy, students and staff toured the new building finding bright, spacious, and flexible classrooms and laboratories filled with leading-edge technology and high-tech equipment. The main floor, with six breakout rooms, is a place of collaboration, learning, and sharing; and in the spirit of “doing,” the two-storey maker space allows students to bring their ideas to life.

“It was like being on a movie set, but everything seemed curiously familiar,” says Henry Paluch, Grade 11, when he first walked into the new space.

While he notes the science labs and maker space are like a candy shop for science and technology, the glass breakout rooms are his new favourite spot.

“We have spent a lot of time in virtual breakout rooms on Zoom, so to be in these new rooms, with the light pouring in, a TV display, and friends who are there beside you redefines what a ‘breakout’ room is,” Henry says.

“When McLaughlin Hall opened in 1971, it housed stateof-the-art classrooms and laboratories, a large lecture theatre, and a dark room, all of which revolved around the teacher,” says Kevin McHenry, Head of School. “Since then, our understanding of how boys learn and how to facilitate that learning has evolved.”

Over the past several years, the School has implemented constructivist and constructionist teaching methods across all disciplines, with science, robotics, and engineering courses finding this approach most fruitful. A student’s natural

curiosity is nurtured under these models, and our new facilities allow teachers to enrich educational offerings and ensure the future success of our graduates.

Jamie Inglis ’91, Coordinator of Student Life and physics teacher, was no stranger to the orange tables and lecturestyle seating of the old McLaughlin classrooms where he sat as a student. He is thrilled that the new facilities put student learning rather than teacher lectures at the core of curriculum structure.

“The students feel as though they are an integral part of open discussions rather than simply a receiver of information passed along from the teacher,” Jamie says. “Taking an active role in the process of learning is far more meaningful for them and helps them better understand and develop connections between the concepts that we study.”

Until now, some advanced labs could only be demonstrated by the teacher or a lab technician or not done due to the limitation of our facilities. This is no longer the case. As Jamie explains, “So much of science is about testing and refining ideas through experimentation and critically analyzing the results. You cannot effectively learn science without having the opportunity to do science.”

Amanda Thorne, Coordinator of Academic Support and science teacher, couldn’t agree more. “Science is all about doing and creating,” she explains. “The new labs are allowing us to provide a much more hands-on program than we were able to achieve in our old lab spaces.”

And that’s precisely what’s been happening. There has been no lag in getting started on more advanced and integrated lab exercises in such areas as organics and molecular biology.

Aaron Chan, the School’s Lab Technician, believes that working in these new lab facilities and having the opportunity to perform university-level experiments will >>

Top to bottom, left to right: The first floor hallway of the Wu Family Collaborative Learning Space with glass-walled meeting rooms; the Dunin Family Engineering Centre; the Zou Family Science Lab; the two-storey maker space.

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open many doors for our students as they navigate through their post-secondary education and beyond.

transform an idea on paper into a product, and solve a realworld problem.

“The hands-on skills will help them land extra work opportunities such as internships, placements, or co-op positions,” he says. “And being familiar with the concepts, equipment, and techniques used in this field will allow them to make connections with professors or instructors, which can lead them into the world of academic science.”

“The world needs young people who are prepared to construct and use their knowledge to exercise all elements of their creative, collaborative, and innovative capacities,” says Kevin. “We are confident the maker space will encourage ideation, collaboration, and exploration.”

Marke Jones, Head of Science, compares the new space to a Bugatti – a beautiful piece of machinery that cries to be driven. “Like with a new car (and complete with that new car smell!), we are still learning what all the switches and levers do. We have not tapped the brake, only floored the gas pedal.

We have big plans that we look forward to rolling out over the next year.”

Chemistry teacher, Joel Morrissey, can’t stop talking about the new fume hoods. “Having the fume hoods in the chemistry labs is amazing. This allows for more freedom in labs we can perform and provides an extra layer of safety.

The fact that they have glass on all sides makes teaching and observing significantly easier.”

Whether their interest lies in physics, chemistry, computer engineering, or any of the other science and tech courses offered at SAC, students agree the new facilities are “amazing,” “comfortable,” and “inspiring.”

Most are excited to use the maker space and all the machinery, including 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking tools, and the abundance of materials. Students are taking their ideas and moving them through to assembly and testing in a controlled space.

As we continue moving toward active participation, the maker space will allow students to turn theory into reality,

The late Robert Samuel McLaughlin, for whom McLaughlin Hall is named, would undoubtedly be proud of the innovation and creativity these spaces are sure to inspire.

Mr. McLaughlin founded McLaughlin Motor Car Company in 1907, which evolved into today’s General Motors Canada. At the time of his $800,000 lead gift in the late 1960s, he was nearly 100 years old. Throughout his life, Mr. McLaughlin held an interest in science and technology and donated hundreds of millions of dollars to educational institutions across Ontario, such as the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, and York University, and presented the lead donation for Toronto’s Planetarium.

Bringing the new $12.5-million McLaughlin Hall remodel to fruition required the support of numerous generous donors.

“It’s really something that people would give this much to support the improvement of education, and not just for us, but for the Middle School students who are coming up and new students coming in. Their experience in science is going to be in this huge, wonderful facility that will greatly improve their educational experience,” says Zain Salman, Grade 11, who hopes to complete a double major in math and computer science when he graduates from St. Andrew’s.

A grand opening event will be held when it is safe to do so. X

Top to bottom, left to right: Physics teacher, Jamie Inglis ’91, reviewing a formula on the second floor hallway whiteboards; Grade 12 student Ben Villamere watching an impending chemical reaction; a student measuring fluids in one of the new vented workstations; Lab Technician, Aaron Chan; Upper School students in one of the new chemistry labs.

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Prefects Braeden Donnelly, Nolan Rush, and Eddie Jia were asked to reflect on how they have been staying engaged during the pandemic and how they have seen other students handling the challenges of COVID-19. Here are their thoughts.

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Braeden

I

t has been a bittersweet year for the grads. The reasons to be bitter may be obvious, but with a little reflection, there is a sweet side.

As Old Boys, the Class of 2021 will be able to repeatedly enjoy An Andrean Christmas, Cadet Inspections, and the Focus Festival produced this year. Whether on campus and distancing or in online learning, there has been a need to film almost every assembly, chapel service, and coffee house; even individual projects have included some form of recording.

Our whole year is documented and should become one amazing time capsule for our class. This is something no other grad class gets to have. I’m thankful and truly proud of my classmates for how well we’ve done with what we’ve been given this year.

During the fall and before transitioning to online instruction, the ACPlus programs started up as usual but with some mandatory precautions. As a Rock Band club member, I couldn’t have imagined a more exciting and engaging environment to be in on Wednesday afternoons.

Despite not being allowed a singer in our bands, we rehearsed as normal and even recorded our cover of Sultans of Swing.

Our recording was edited, mixed, mastered, and produced into something we can keep forever. The video of our recording is the most 2020 thing ever: six feet apart, masks on, jamming out as a band. I couldn’t be more grateful for such a unique experience.

Donnelly ’21

After transitioning online in December, everyone tried to provide a unique, active online experience. Our Wellness team released a new schedule every week with recipes, workouts, and healthy activities. As Prefects, we rebooted the Commit-to-Fit Challenge started by our 2019-2020 counterparts. For First Hockey, we had weekly mental performance sessions with Coach Lucas Madill, which involved mindfulness, mental preparation, and visualization practice. We even had Zoom workouts. I’m still not used to being on camera every day, especially while working out.

That being said, an online team activity is better than no team activity. Many other teams at the School are doing similar activities, which helps physically engage everyone.

I am most looking forward to our parade season in Cadets. As the Cadet Commanding Officer, I am incredibly impressed with how engaged and agile our Cadets have been, no matter the circumstances. Whether we run the inspections online, film each company individually, or have live inspections with limited numbers, we will get to see the 142 on parade in the spring in some capacity. The Cadet headquarters got to represent the Corps at our Remembrance Day ceremony and have since run our staff Cadet and Master Cadet courses virtually with little change in curriculum.

Hopefully, we will see a loosening of pandemic protocols so our grads can parade one last time in uniform.

We could be bitter about our year, or we could choose to look deeper and realize how sweet this experience has been.

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t has been an interesting journey as I reflect on spending my final year of high school during a global pandemic. I came to St. Andrew’s in Grade 9, and I remember the anticipation of being in Grade 12. I couldn’t wait: I would play in the First Football game at Homecoming; I would try out for the lead role in my final fall play production; I would sing on the stage with my classmates at An Andrean Christmas; if I became a Prefect, I would hopefully be able to plan the semi-formal dance; I would maybe be a lead in one of the shows at my final Focus Festival of the Arts; and, I could finally go to the Cadet Formal.

But, so far, none of those things I looked forward to has happened in the way I imagined.

Looking back to September, we were still faced with restrictions, but we began the school year in person. After months of being at home on SACFlex, the SAC online learning platform instituted in March 2020, I forgot how much I missed talking with my friends in Staunton Gallery, interacting with teachers in the classroom, and playing sports on Yuill Field.

In December, we returned to online learning. Our teachers made the transition easy and enjoyable, but the in-person connections were lost until we returned to school again in February. The good thing about online learning, though, is that I got to spend more time with my family.

The School also did a lot to keep students engaged by continuing virtual chapel gatherings and instituting fun and healthy activities like the Commit-to-Fit Challenge.

One of the biggest hurdles the School faced was taking An Andrean Christmas online. Mr. Scoular, Head of Drama & Film, and all the teachers involved did a great job making it a virtual success. The student performers were amazing, and I am thrilled our final Andrean Christmas will be forever on video.

Nolan Rush ’21

For SAC TODAY, the news show produced by Broadcast Journalism students, there were few adaptations to be made. It was a bit more difficult to produce the shows from home, but I could count on my parents and siblings for help with filming. Although we haven’t had as many reports on typical school events, we have had more time to explore other interests and topics from outside the School. The class this year has set a good example and a high standard for quality content for next year’s students.

Participating in Movember was unique this year. As a “Mo Captain” alongside classmates, Liam Taylor and Liam Stevenson, we faced some challenges with student engagement and raising money for the charity.

Although we didn’t meet our fundraising goal, we were happy with what we raised for men’s health. I am sure the School can reach a higher goal next year, and I will be doing my best to help while at university. Once a Mo Bro, always a Mo Bro! All in all, I’m happy about what we were able to accomplish as a graduating class this year. We still got to enjoy sports, carried on the tradition of An Andrean Christmas, and I am looking forward to the Focus Festival production.

As some of my university acceptances roll in, I am excited for what the future holds and grateful for my time being part of a resilient Andrean community.

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n September 2020, SAC’s quiet campus welcomed back its students after six months of silence. Securing safety while maintaining students’ physical and mental health, the new Upper School schedule helped normalize an otherwise challenging year.

Since September, the weekly schedule has included Wellness Wednesday, chapel sessions, leadership and band, extracurriculars, and advisory. The remaining weekdays are exclusively for academic periods. This new schedule achieved two goals: limited student traffic to enable social distancing, and provided a mid-week break for boys to engage in the nonacademic aspect of school life and stay mentally healthy.

As all of us moved online in December, it was obvious we handled the online learning better than we did last school year.

Our teachers had mastered remote teaching skills by making clear expectations, clear communication on multiple platforms (Zoom, OneNote, Microsoft Teams), and a variety of teaching styles. Students have been motivated to keep up with their work and stay engaged. Understanding that students require a lot of concentration for remote learning, many teachers shortened their classroom time and added work periods to ensure a healthy schedule until we returned to in-person classes in February.

Eddie Jia ’21

As a Prefect, maintaining my academic performance wasn’t as difficult as keeping the community engaged; SAC’s strict pandemic protocols prevented us from hosting in-person events. While predicting a reduction in students’ connection with school and campus, we proposed the year’s theme: Seize the Day. We encouraged students to adopt the safety protocols while embracing opportunities to participate and stay positive.

We transformed in-person events into innovative online forums.

I was in charge of hosting a paint night for SAC students and girls from Trafalgar Castle School, an all-girls school in Whitby, Ont. We replaced the acrylic painting we had done in past years with digital drawing so everyone could participate from home.

We also experimented with changing the task from drawing the same image to drawing different frames of a themed video, which stimulated participants to adopt distinct art styles.

I was nervous about hosting the virtual paint night on Zoom until students started to break the ice and chat about life and art just as they used to do. We compared our school schedules and interests, shared some laughs, and, of course, provided advice on each other’s illustrations. With about 60 participants and 120 frames of hand-drawn illustrations, the legacy of paint night continued, as well as the vitality of our community bonds.

The SAC school community has matured this year, and students have adapted to the ever-changing COVID-19 protocols. Everyone at St. Andrew’s can’t wait to get back to our regular, pre-pandemic lives. But we have proven that, no matter what happens, Andreans are truly resilient. X

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ANDREAN ARTWORK DELIGHTS AND INSPIRES Creations from students in Middle and Upper School

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4 3 ARTIST INFORMATION:

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Eddie Jia, Grade 12 Zhou Hua, Grade 8 Charlie McDonell, Grade 10 Cooper Rodek, Grade 6 Sihan Guo, Grade 7 Oscar Wu, Grade 9 Eddie Jia, Grade 12 Andrew Marek Torterella, Grade 9 Kyle Kenopic, Grade 6 Carter Leung, Grade 10

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Middle School boys get PASSIONATE about learning Middle School students studied everything from astronauts and the environment to magic and fashion design this winter with a little help from some outside experts, including Old Boys, current parents, and friends of the School.

The pandemic provided an opportunity to think differently about our offerings at St. Andrew’s. The weekly academic schedule was adjusted, which led the Middle School team to develop Avant-Garde Wednesday, a day when the boys focus on interdisciplinary and project-based learning (PBL), outdoor education, coding, and community service.

What emerged was a nine-week plan for students to develop a Passion Project. Instead of earning a grade for their projects, they learned valuable lessons about time management, resource gathering, networking, flexibility, work ethic, and resiliency.

“The main goal of the project was to allow students to explore their interests and share their findings with their peers,” says Colby Dockerty, Grade 6 teacher, who co-designed this program with Paul Totera, Middle School science teacher. Rather than a typical research project where students pick a subject and give a presentation, the Passion Project required students to identify a problem or area of interest and develop an original solution or product.

Thanks to the School’s Advancement team, when students came upon a challenge, they had plenty of people to draw upon in fields that matched their unique interests.

“The Old Boys were excited to share their expertise in hopes a young Andrean would build on his curiosity and interest in coding or real estate or web design,” says Nicholas Weedon ’02, Associate Director of Advancement.

“They were more than willing to give their time, energy, and knowledge to the Middle School students.”

“The participating parents, Old Boys, and friends showed our students what it means to be passionate about something,” adds Colby. “It was great to see how excited they were to answer questions and went above and beyond our expectations by conducting their own research, drawing upon the networks they’ve built up if they didn’t have an answer, and providing our students with advice to help them get organized and develop a plan of action.”

Some notable connections were also established outside the participating experts. Ibrahim Rahman, Grade 8, interviewed a Nigerien official from Islamic Relief for more information about the country’s water crisis. He discovered that speaking to someone on the ground provided essential insights, including how dangerous solving this problem could be. Owen Ramon, Grade 6, worked with our very own CC Chang, IT Services Coordinator, to build a CPU so he could run a flight simulator program.

Caden Smith, Grade 6, was the winner of the Passion Project challenge.

His video presentation on magic was designed to lift our spirits during this difficult time. He certainly had many smiling, laughing, and asking, “How did he do that?” Caden also had us tapping our feet to a rocking AC/DC tune. “I learned that magic looks easy, but it’s really not,” he says. “It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and practice to get the best final results.”

Colby couldn’t agree more. “Students were given a great deal of freedom throughout the project, and those who chose to explore outside their comfort zone excelled.”

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By Nicolette Fleming

Miraj Siddiqui, Grade 8, took his interest in fishing to build the most versatile fishing lure to be used in any freshwater body. “The parts that I liked about working on my Passion Project were being able to make my own lure and baits and learning new things and skills such as 3D printing and how baits are manufactured,” Miraj says. He also learned how to create CAD (computer-aided design) 3D models for 3D printable designs.

Ethan Fleming’s music project saw him compose a song. “It was really fun to play with different notes and rhythms. It was cool to see it come together at the end of the project and be able to listen to something I made myself,” says the Grade 8 Student, and adds that his project has made him a better overall musician.

Other interesting projects included how astronauts might apply cryonics to travel to more distant planets, ways to keep the Earth healthy, how to design a sports uniform, and how the NBA might expand its league by adding another round to their Draft.

“We have been working toward the integration of project-based learning for four years, and these open blocks provide the structure to blend disciplines, develop twenty-first-century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication,” says Sabrina D’Angelo, Assistant Head of School, Director of Middle School, Diversity & Inclusion.

The Passion Projects were a lot like sneaking vegetables into a picky eater’s dinner. The work was so engaging and exploratory that the boys couldn’t help but apply and learn new curriculum – the kind that they will undoubtedly use in their future careers.

However, not all projects worked out. Students also learned the value of commitment and hard work and recognized when the project was not viable and when to pivot to something else.

“The greatest gift it affords our students is the opportunity to hit roadblocks, an opportunity to be part of a team that isn’t working cohesively, the opportunity to fail and recognize that the process does not always run smoothly and the final product is not always creative, effective, or complete,” explains Sabrina.

A common theme mentioned by the boys was the ability to spend class time focused solely on something they loved. For Miraj, that meant watching fishing-related videos; for Ethan, it was listening to his favourite music; and for Caden, it was practicing magic.

The first nine weeks of Avant-Garde Wednesday in the fall focused on the Engineering Design Challenge, where students built floating barges (Grade 5), battering rams (Grade 6), castles (Grade 7), and trebuchets and catapults (Grade 8). All designs had to withstand a series of challenges or attacks. No matter the project, teamwork and problem-solving skills were essential in fostering engineering and technological literacy.

The last nine weeks, the boys used their Avant-Garde time to create a Middle School news show, which required them to research current events, write scripts, film, and edit using Adobe Premiere Pro to complete their final broadcast. To kick-off this section, Tyson Geick ’07 met virtually with the students to speak about his sports broadcasting journey and answer their questions. Their final products premiered during the Focus Festival of the Arts in May. X

AQUAMAN

BASSMASTER

THE ILLUSIONIST

SELF-COMPOSED

Ibrahim Rahman | Grade 8

Caden Smith | Grade 6

Miraj Siddiqui | Grade 8

Ethan Fleming | Grade 8

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ANDREAN

TRADITIONS

By Julie Caspersen

A

s you flip through this edition of The Andrean, Andrean, you would have seen the beautiful calligraphy on page 1.

The inspiration for this student-created piece came out of research for the obituary of John Pennal ’64, ’64, who passed away last October. (Please see his obituary on page 64.) Mr. Pennal was Head Prefect in his graduating year, and his valedictory address was published in The Review.

Review.

Here is an excerpt: When you return to school next year, some of you will be appointed to positions of authority and leadership, and some of you will not. However, regardless of whether you are a prefect or a second former, it will be your duty

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to continue to improve the spirit of the school. Generations of Old Boys look to you to uphold fine traditions set down by them in the past half-century. In upholding these traditions and in maintaining a high spirit in the school, the reward will be a new unity for St. Andrew’s College – a unity which has never been imagined.

He signed off with the words, “Be “Be virtuous, be spirited, and be Andreans, Andreans,” which we asked Teagh Tremain, a Grade 10 student, to commemorate for us.

Mr. Pennal’s speech got us thinking about traditions and how St. Andrew’s has quite a few customs and practices that have been passed from generation to generation. We are nearing the end of our 122nd year. It’s a testament to our founders that some of the customs initiated more than a century ago are proudly maintained and celebrated today.

Many SAC traditions have stood the test of time. We selected just a few to feature on the following pages, some from the first years and some newer customs adopted in the last 50 to 60 years. Whether they graduated near the turn of the 20th century or the 21st century, Old Boys share a sense of belonging connected by time and tradition. Role models of the past serve to unite recent alumni and current students.

Old Boys likely have their favourite tradition, and we invite you to share your memories with us for the fall Andrean by emailing theandrean@sac.on.ca. Which traditions hold special significance from your years at SAC? We would love to learn how traditions have kept you engaged and how you feel about the new ways we celebrate older customs.

Whether old or new, SAC traditions strengthen the foundation laid in 1899 and, as Mr. Pennal references, raise school spirit and promote unity.

Oliver! then and now: Promotional material from the 1967 and 2015 productions.

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CROSS-COUNTRY RUN

EST. 1903

The Cross-Country Run has always been considered a “rite of passage” and is SAC’s longest-standing tradition.

The winner had his name inscribed on a shield put on the base of the Wallace Cup, which is the School’s oldest trophy.

The inaugural race was held on Nov. 13, 1903. Fred Chesnut ’04 was the first winner of the Cross-Country Run, and approximately 80 boys have raised the Wallace Cup in victory over the years, with several repeat winners.

The length of the race was increased from 3.5 to 5.5 miles in 1905. By 1910, the route was six miles long. In 1945, the run was moved to just before the October Thanksgiving weekend. The present-day course takes runners through campus, but in the past included a stretch of Bathurst Street (where years ago, some boys attempted to hitchhike part of the way!).

COVID-19 didn’t stop students from participating in the School’s longeststanding tradition this school year. The 3.5-km race was significantly modified and took two days to complete, but the annual tradition still occurred.

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On track: Runners and winners throughout the decades. These days, winners have their picture taken with the Cup and their names are added to a plate placed on a large wooden plaque that is displayed in a trophy case.

CADET CORPS AND PIPES & DRUMS EST. 1905

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The #142 St. Andrew’s College Highland Cadet Corps was established in 1905.

It’s not the oldest SAC tradition, but it can be considered the proudest one and is the largest of its kind in Canada. This year, 485 students participated in the leadership and music training programs offered in live and virtual formats.

The Pipes & Drums joined the program in 1915 when a parent donated six sets of pipes. Today, the Pipes & Drums membership numbers around 35, with up to 25 more in Middle School learning how to play. The band continues to support Cadet events such as the Church Parade and Cadet Inspection but also participates in the Aurora Santa Claus Parade in addition to mounting a Celtic Concert each spring. This year’s concert was offered on SAC’s YouTube channel.

For many years the Pipes & Drums has served a standing ceremonial role parading the Old Comrades and 48th Highlander veterans at Queen’s Park, which surrounds the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, on Remembrance Day. It has also performed at the Scotiabank Arena for the Toronto Rock’s intermission show, at halftime at a TFC game, at the Rogers Centre during the Metro Bowl, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, and all over the Netherlands.

Boys can earn high school credit for their piping and drumming music courses. Several graduates have found their way into some of the best pipe bands in the world.

The purpose of the Corps has changed over the decades, dependent on the needs of the country and our community. These days, the premise is much more ceremonial than military, and the focus is on establishing 22 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

leadership skills, emphasizing fitness, and promoting citizenship. The Cadet leadership journey, which starts in Grade 8 and continues until Grade 12, allows SAC students the opportunity to rise through the ranks and lead their peers in the establishment of future leaders in our community as well as in society.

Why has this tradition endured? A great answer was provided in 1998 by Brian Armstrong ’61 when he spoke at that year’s Wellington Dinner: “Every Andrean who wears the kilt, who marches to the sound of the pipes and drums, who joins in the Royal Salute, participates in an experience that is uniquely ours, an experience that he shares not only with his contemporaries but with thousands of others who have been here before him stretching all the way back virtually to the founding of this school.

“I believe that in maintaining this tradition and in sharing this experience, perhaps more than in anything else we do, we are called to remember our history, to acknowledge our debt to those who have preceded us and to commit ourselves to the values by which they tried to live and for which many of them died.”

This year, the Leadership courses were divided into small cohort teams by grade level. Given that most activities take place outdoors, the Corps delivered outdoor field training, expedition skills, marksmanship, archery, and mountain biking programs. For virtual learning periods, the instructors met

weekly with their teams to focus on soft-skill leadership topics suitable for online learning. The instructional team continues to grow, with 18 faculty, staff, and guest instructors involved in delivering the various programs.

Outside of the regular training, the Corps marksmanship and biathlon teams continue to represent SAC at competitions around the province.

The Pipes & Drums have fortunately been able to utilize modern technology during the pandemic by acquiring electronic bagpipe chanters that mimic the fingering and sound of real bagpipes. This has allowed the musicians to continue practicing despite provincial regulations against playing wind instruments in school. The drum corps has continued as before.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

23

SAINT ANDREW’S DAY

EST. 1934

Saint Andrew’s Day, which falls on Nov. 30, is a time for the students and staff to celebrate the rich history of St. Andrew’s College and its Scottish heritage.

The School has been paying tribute to its namesake since 1899 and celebrating Saint Andrew’s Day since “piping in the haggis” was introduced in 1934. That year, four cadets in fullkilted uniform, preceded by a piper, bore in the famous Scottish dish and paraded it around the dining room. Rev. D. Bruce Macdonald, Headmaster from 1900 to 1935, proposed a toast to the haggis in what would become a yearly tradition, complete with a large feast featuring haggis, traditional Scottish foods, and music provided by the Pipes & Drums.

Every Saint Andrew’s Day, students are reminded of the School’s notable 24 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

history. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and was chosen as a powerful symbol of SAC’s Presbyterian and Scottish roots. The saltire, also called Saint Andrew’s Cross, is an element of the School crest; it has also been part of the Scottish royal coat of arms since 1290.

Students lucky enough to be named Andrew were awarded a silver coin. For many years this traditional award was replaced with another token due to the cost of silver dollars.

Thanks to the generous donation of Andrew Cronin ’02, the long-standing tradition of awarding silver coins was reinstated in 2018.

Scottish fare: Addressing the haggis in years past.

The day was celebrated in 2020, but differently, as have so many other annual events since the pandemic started more than a year ago. Not to worry, haggis fans, the oval sausage still made it on the lunch and dinner menus for students, staff, and faculty who were not working from home.

CAROL SERVICE...

EST. 1934

In 1934, the boys performed at the inaugural Carol Service held in Memorial Chapel. Since then, the School has celebrated this event annually with pride, albeit at larger and larger venues to accommodate the growing audiences.

A variety of venues: The popular service moved around to accommodate a growing audience.

The event grew in popularity and three services were offered annually to accommodate the number of attendees, but even this was not enough. The service was relocated in 1976 to St. James Cathedral in Toronto. However, the Andrean community turned out in droves, and people had to be turned away. The following year, the Christmas concert was hosted at Timothy Eaton Memorial United Church, also in Toronto, then at Toronto’s 2,000-seat Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in 1978.

Our records show the Carol Service was moved to Toronto’s St. Paul’s Anglican Church in 1980, where it remained for more than two decades until 2002 when it moved back to Yorkminster Park.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

25

AN ANDREAN CHRISTMAS EST. 2015

A new venue was sought, and ultimately the service was rebranded An Andrean Christmas, and the boys took the stage at the world-class Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto starting in 2015. The pandemic forced the cancellation of the spectacular in-person production of music, dance, drama, and art in 2020. However, an online version of this theatrical tradition was broadcast to Old Boys and friends of the School worldwide.

26 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

MACPHERSON TOURNAMENT

EST. 1984

The annual MacPherson tourney is a cherished tradition and a highly anticipated event in the St. Andrew’s school year. The tournament launched in 1984, the creation of retired teacher and First Hockey coach, Al Dunford.

The Saints have won gold ten times, the last being in 2019.

It is currently one of the most respected and well-organized high school hockey tournaments in North America, attracting some of the continent’s top high school teams. It is named after the late Lloyd MacPherson, Assistant to the Headmaster from 1957 to 1982 and standard-bearer for the School’s Scottish traditions.

The tournament did not run this year due to the pandemic.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

27

FOCUS FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS EST. 1990

Drama was not featured in the School curriculum in the first couple of decades until a Dramatic Society was formed in 1921. Even then, the focus was more on the development of public-speaking skills than theatrical arts. Still, dramatic arts played a role in the history of SAC that grew as the years passed.

Not An Ordinary Place, a book penned

by Head of Drama & Film, William Scoular, details the progression of drama from an activity that taught elocution to become a central part of school life through house plays, school plays, and musicals. In the 1950s, plays were staged in the Assembly Hall until a cramped room under the library was converted into a space called the Little Theatre. The opening of Ketchum Auditorium in 1962 helped, and the first play to be staged there was Richard of Bordeaux. The first musical performed was HMS Pinafore.

28 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

The Focus Festival of the Arts was first produced in 1990, built upon decades of dramatic and theatrical performances.

On the occasion of the festival’s 25th anniversary, William reminisced, “If the festival’s name has long since entered into the School’s vocabulary (people have for years now talked affectionately of Focus), it’s because its vision has prevailed.” The ground-breaking festival broke newer ground in 2020 as the production was pivoted online. The success of last year’s virtual show set the stage for this year’s online production. The upside is that it’s available to Andreans worldwide. The show must, indeed, go on!

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

29

SASSIN / SASSAW EST. 1992

SASSIN (St. Andrew’s Society for Service in Nepal) took students to the same location year over year, starting in 1992. It was given a global directive and became SASSAW: St. Andrew’s Society for Service Around the World, offering international travel in countries across Africa, Asia, and South America with a focus on community service projects and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions.

Since SASSAW’s inaugural expedition to South Africa in 2003, hundreds of SAC students and faculty members have participated. They have built and renovated schoolhouses, constructed a kitchen for a mission hospital, built an addition to an orphanage, and taught English.

The last SASSAW trip was in 2019 and took 17 boys and two teachers to South Asia to gain an appreciation for the rich Indian culture and help build a classroom for local children.

While the 2020 expedition to Ecuador was grounded due to COVID-19 restrictions, there’s 30 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

a trip planned for this summer to the Arctic Coast of Ontario. The 10 students are training and preparing for the 300-kilometre paddle up the Missinaibi River from the Trans-Canada Highway to James Bay. The canoe trip will allow them to do service and cultural activities along the way as they travel through the traditional lands of the James Bay Cree. The journey will end at Moose Factory, the oldest town in Ontario, established in 1673. X

TYLER hit the ground running in his

SPORTS UPDATE

freshman year as a member of the men’s baseball team at Wright State University in Ohio. He took home Freshman of the Year honours and was selected to the Horizon League’s First Team and All-Freshman Team. Now in his third year, he is drawing a fair amount of MLB Draft interest as one of college baseball’s top infielders. He was recently named to Baseball America’s list of Top 300 Draft Prospects, along with four other Canadians.

The HISTORY of the HISTORY WALL

By Paul Mosey

Off to the next level Here are SAC’s most recent NCAA and U Sports commits:

>

WELLINGTON DINNER

EST. 1993

> It’s pretty clear we like to display our histories on walls. We’ve been doing it for millennia. Think about the simple, prehistoric drawings in Lascaux Cave in France or the elaborate tomb murals in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. A good story, a blank wall what more do you need? As part of the Bedard renovation project, an 80-foot expanse of wall became available, and it was the perfect canvas to display in words and pictures the first 100 years of St. Andrew’s athletic history.

The finished piece tells our story on three levels. First, and most prominent, is the athletic narrative. Starting in 1899 with football, and then following in 1900 with cricket and hockey, the story of sports at St. Andrew’s picks up momentum through the decades with new teams added and new athletes blossoming along the way. The second layer of SAC history covers the major school events throughout the first 100 years. Campus moves, leadership changes, building additions, and facility re-namings highlight this tier. Thirdly, the history wall looks beyond our gates to the world at large, where major events give our SAC experience a global context. World wars, international incidents, and Canadian milestones are dotted along the century-long timeline.

On installation day in April, the Bedard hallway was buzzing with activity as our athletic history came to life.

Installation took place over the April break. When the campus fully opens up after the pandemic is finally in the rear-view mirror, make sure to stop by the Bedard hallway.

For now, open the centre spread to see a rendering of the four panels.

> > >

Q&A How have COVID-19 protocols affected the way you prepare, practice, and play this season?

As an NCAA athlete, we are constantly being tested and have to do a really good job of self-isolating and limiting exposure as much as we can. One positive test could risk a good chunk of our season. In terms of the baseball side of things, not much has changed. We practice how we usually would, but in smaller groups and have to wear masks. It’s definitely challenging, but I tend to look on the positive side as many schools aren’t playing at all.

Whatever we can do to make sure we stay on the field, people are more than happy to abide by those rules.

Tyler Hotson ’22: Hockey Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

AJ Nichols ’21: Volleyball University of Waterloo

Two prospect organizations had you ranked preseason all-conference and conference Player of the Year. How do you handle that kind of recognition?

The recognition is very cool and humbling for me, especially because I didn’t get a lot of attention from scouts in high school. It drives me to become that much better and motivates me to continue to raise the bar and chase my full potential.

Thoughts on the upcoming MLB Draft and what it would mean for you to get picked?

Honestly, I am not really focused on the Draft, and instead just trying to win as many games as I can with my team right now. However, it would be a dream come true for me and would be a special moment for not only myself but also all the people who helped me get to the point I’m at today.

Aydar Suniev ’22: Hockey Harvard University

Every military mess dinner has its own set of unique traditions and eccentricities. Specific to St. Andrew’s is the Chain of Shame, awarded to a student for the most egregious infraction of mess dinner etiquette, which could be anything from lateness

How did your experience at SAC prepare you to be an NCAA D1 student-athlete?

SAC taught me a lot of things. The main thing they prepared me with was time-management skills and prioritizing things that would help me succeed. Being a D1 athlete, it is very tough to manage time, and balancing athletics and academics at a high level can be a big challenge. Coming into my freshman year at Wright State, I felt like I was way ahead of everyone else in managing my time and prioritizing things that would make me successful because of SAC. X

34 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

This annual dinner is a highlight of the Cadet year for the SAC Corps’ senior leadership. It was established in 1993 and is a study in proper mess etiquette. The event was first hosted in the Royal Canadian Military Institute library in downtown Toronto. For a few years, the event was moved to the 48th Highlanders mess, the hub of social activity for military personnel while in garrison. The tradition was brought to campus in recent years. The menu includes Scottish fare such as haggis and entertainment by the Pipe Major. A highlight of the evening is the guest speaker, who is a member of the military or business community.

Mason Watson ’21: Football Laurier University

to boisterous behaviour to table manners. At the end of the dinner, attendees nominate a peer for etiquette oversights, and the “winning” nominee must either defend himself or deflect the accusations toward another attendee. The guest speaker and Corps CO then deliberate and determine who earns the Chain of Shame, which must be worn for the remainder of the evening and throughout the following school day (the duration of the wearing of the chain has varied widely, but this

Jonathan Parker ’95, guest speaker at the 2019 Wellington Dinner.

is the accepted norm for the past couple of years).

The Wellington Dinner was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. X Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

31

TYLER hit the ground running in his

SPORTS UPDATE

freshman year as a member of the men’s baseball team at Wright State University in Ohio. He took home Freshman of the Year honours and was selected to the Horizon League’s First Team and All-Freshman Team. Now in his third year, he is drawing a fair amount of MLB Draft interest as one of college baseball’s top infielders. He was recently named to Baseball America’s list of Top 300 Draft Prospects, along with four other Canadians.

The HISTORY of the HISTORY WALL

By Paul Mosey

Off to the next level Here are SAC’s most recent NCAA and U Sports commits:

>

WELLINGTON DINNER

EST. 1993

> It’s pretty clear we like to display our histories on walls. We’ve been doing it for millennia. Think about the simple, prehistoric drawings in Lascaux Cave in France or the elaborate tomb murals in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. A good story, a blank wall what more do you need? As part of the Bedard renovation project, an 80-foot expanse of wall became available, and it was the perfect canvas to display in words and pictures the first 100 years of St. Andrew’s athletic history.

The finished piece tells our story on three levels. First, and most prominent, is the athletic narrative. Starting in 1899 with football, and then following in 1900 with cricket and hockey, the story of sports at St. Andrew’s picks up momentum through the decades with new teams added and new athletes blossoming along the way. The second layer of SAC history covers the major school events throughout the first 100 years. Campus moves, leadership changes, building additions, and facility re-namings highlight this tier. Thirdly, the history wall looks beyond our gates to the world at large, where major events give our SAC experience a global context. World wars, international incidents, and Canadian milestones are dotted along the century-long timeline.

On installation day in April, the Bedard hallway was buzzing with activity as our athletic history came to life.

Installation took place over the April break. When the campus fully opens up after the pandemic is finally in the rear-view mirror, make sure to stop by the Bedard hallway.

For now, open the centre spread to see a rendering of the four panels.

> > >

Q&A How have COVID-19 protocols affected the way you prepare, practice, and play this season?

As an NCAA athlete, we are constantly being tested and have to do a really good job of self-isolating and limiting exposure as much as we can. One positive test could risk a good chunk of our season. In terms of the baseball side of things, not much has changed. We practice how we usually would, but in smaller groups and have to wear masks. It’s definitely challenging, but I tend to look on the positive side as many schools aren’t playing at all.

Whatever we can do to make sure we stay on the field, people are more than happy to abide by those rules.

Tyler Hotson ’22: Hockey Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

AJ Nichols ’21: Volleyball University of Waterloo

Two prospect organizations had you ranked preseason all-conference and conference Player of the Year. How do you handle that kind of recognition?

The recognition is very cool and humbling for me, especially because I didn’t get a lot of attention from scouts in high school. It drives me to become that much better and motivates me to continue to raise the bar and chase my full potential.

Thoughts on the upcoming MLB Draft and what it would mean for you to get picked?

Honestly, I am not really focused on the Draft, and instead just trying to win as many games as I can with my team right now. However, it would be a dream come true for me and would be a special moment for not only myself but also all the people who helped me get to the point I’m at today.

Aydar Suniev ’22: Hockey Harvard University

Every military mess dinner has its own set of unique traditions and eccentricities. Specific to St. Andrew’s is the Chain of Shame, awarded to a student for the most egregious infraction of mess dinner etiquette, which could be anything from lateness

How did your experience at SAC prepare you to be an NCAA D1 student-athlete?

SAC taught me a lot of things. The main thing they prepared me with was time-management skills and prioritizing things that would help me succeed. Being a D1 athlete, it is very tough to manage time, and balancing athletics and academics at a high level can be a big challenge. Coming into my freshman year at Wright State, I felt like I was way ahead of everyone else in managing my time and prioritizing things that would make me successful because of SAC. X

34 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

This annual dinner is a highlight of the Cadet year for the SAC Corps’ senior leadership. It was established in 1993 and is a study in proper mess etiquette. The event was first hosted in the Royal Canadian Military Institute library in downtown Toronto. For a few years, the event was moved to the 48th Highlanders mess, the hub of social activity for military personnel while in garrison. The tradition was brought to campus in recent years. The menu includes Scottish fare such as haggis and entertainment by the Pipe Major. A highlight of the evening is the guest speaker, who is a member of the military or business community.

Mason Watson ’21: Football Laurier University

to boisterous behaviour to table manners. At the end of the dinner, attendees nominate a peer for etiquette oversights, and the “winning” nominee must either defend himself or deflect the accusations toward another attendee. The guest speaker and Corps CO then deliberate and determine who earns the Chain of Shame, which must be worn for the remainder of the evening and throughout the following school day (the duration of the wearing of the chain has varied widely, but this

Jonathan Parker ’95, guest speaker at the 2019 Wellington Dinner.

is the accepted norm for the past couple of years).

The Wellington Dinner was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. X Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

31

Panel 3

Panel 1

Panel 4

Panel 2

Bedard Athletic Centre corridor: north wall between the east and west double doors into the gymnasium.

Panel 4: 1975-1999

Panel 3: 1951-1975

Panel 2: 1926-1950

Panel 1: 1899-1925

TYLER hit the ground running in his

SPORTS UPDATE

freshman year as a member of the men’s baseball team at Wright State University in Ohio. He took home Freshman of the Year honours and was selected to the Horizon League’s First Team and All-Freshman Team. Now in his third year, he is drawing a fair amount of MLB Draft interest as one of college baseball’s top infielders. He was recently named to Baseball America’s list of Top 300 Draft Prospects, along with four other Canadians.

The HISTORY of the HISTORY WALL

By Paul Mosey

Off to the next level Here are SAC’s most recent NCAA and U Sports commits:

>

WELLINGTON DINNER

EST. 1993

> It’s pretty clear we like to display our histories on walls. We’ve been doing it for millennia. Think about the simple, prehistoric drawings in Lascaux Cave in France or the elaborate tomb murals in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. A good story, a blank wall what more do you need? As part of the Bedard renovation project, an 80-foot expanse of wall became available, and it was the perfect canvas to display in words and pictures the first 100 years of St. Andrew’s athletic history.

The finished piece tells our story on three levels. First, and most prominent, is the athletic narrative. Starting in 1899 with football, and then following in 1900 with cricket and hockey, the story of sports at St. Andrew’s picks up momentum through the decades with new teams added and new athletes blossoming along the way. The second layer of SAC history covers the major school events throughout the first 100 years. Campus moves, leadership changes, building additions, and facility re-namings highlight this tier. Thirdly, the history wall looks beyond our gates to the world at large, where major events give our SAC experience a global context. World wars, international incidents, and Canadian milestones are dotted along the century-long timeline.

On installation day in April, the Bedard hallway was buzzing with activity as our athletic history came to life.

Installation took place over the April break. When the campus fully opens up after the pandemic is finally in the rear-view mirror, make sure to stop by the Bedard hallway.

For now, open the centre spread to see a rendering of the four panels.

> > >

Q&A How have COVID-19 protocols affected the way you prepare, practice, and play this season?

As an NCAA athlete, we are constantly being tested and have to do a really good job of self-isolating and limiting exposure as much as we can. One positive test could risk a good chunk of our season. In terms of the baseball side of things, not much has changed. We practice how we usually would, but in smaller groups and have to wear masks. It’s definitely challenging, but I tend to look on the positive side as many schools aren’t playing at all.

Whatever we can do to make sure we stay on the field, people are more than happy to abide by those rules.

Tyler Hotson ’22: Hockey Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

AJ Nichols ’21: Volleyball University of Waterloo

Two prospect organizations had you ranked preseason all-conference and conference Player of the Year. How do you handle that kind of recognition?

The recognition is very cool and humbling for me, especially because I didn’t get a lot of attention from scouts in high school. It drives me to become that much better and motivates me to continue to raise the bar and chase my full potential.

Thoughts on the upcoming MLB Draft and what it would mean for you to get picked?

Honestly, I am not really focused on the Draft, and instead just trying to win as many games as I can with my team right now. However, it would be a dream come true for me and would be a special moment for not only myself but also all the people who helped me get to the point I’m at today.

Aydar Suniev ’22: Hockey Harvard University

Every military mess dinner has its own set of unique traditions and eccentricities. Specific to St. Andrew’s is the Chain of Shame, awarded to a student for the most egregious infraction of mess dinner etiquette, which could be anything from lateness

How did your experience at SAC prepare you to be an NCAA D1 student-athlete?

SAC taught me a lot of things. The main thing they prepared me with was time-management skills and prioritizing things that would help me succeed. Being a D1 athlete, it is very tough to manage time, and balancing athletics and academics at a high level can be a big challenge. Coming into my freshman year at Wright State, I felt like I was way ahead of everyone else in managing my time and prioritizing things that would make me successful because of SAC. X

34 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

This annual dinner is a highlight of the Cadet year for the SAC Corps’ senior leadership. It was established in 1993 and is a study in proper mess etiquette. The event was first hosted in the Royal Canadian Military Institute library in downtown Toronto. For a few years, the event was moved to the 48th Highlanders mess, the hub of social activity for military personnel while in garrison. The tradition was brought to campus in recent years. The menu includes Scottish fare such as haggis and entertainment by the Pipe Major. A highlight of the evening is the guest speaker, who is a member of the military or business community.

Mason Watson ’21: Football Laurier University

to boisterous behaviour to table manners. At the end of the dinner, attendees nominate a peer for etiquette oversights, and the “winning” nominee must either defend himself or deflect the accusations toward another attendee. The guest speaker and Corps CO then deliberate and determine who earns the Chain of Shame, which must be worn for the remainder of the evening and throughout the following school day (the duration of the wearing of the chain has varied widely, but this

Jonathan Parker ’95, guest speaker at the 2019 Wellington Dinner.

is the accepted norm for the past couple of years).

The Wellington Dinner was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. X Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

31

DRAKE has put together an impressive NCAA career as he competes in his final season on the men’s lacrosse team at Syracuse University in New York. The All-American goaltender entered this year as team captain and the program’s first three-year starter in a decade. He led the American Athletic Conference (ACC) in save percentage the last two years, and in December 2020, was named the preseason goalie of the year. Off the field, he’s a four-time ACC Honor Roll student and is a candidate this year for the Senior CLASS award, given to the most outstanding senior in NCAA Division 1 sports.

> > > >

Q&A How have COVID-19 protocols affected the way you prepare, practice, and play this season?

COVID-19 protocols have significantly changed a lot of our team’s daily routines that used to seem so simple. Practice is the only normal time of the day, where we can have the entire team on the field with no restrictions. The rest of the day, we are restricted to pods of about ten guys. We’re only allowed in the locker room for ten minutes at a time, whereas we used to all hang out in there during the day, and we’re only allowed to hang out with other guys in our ten-man pods outside the facility. Social life has been a big adjustment; finding ways to have fun on our own when we can’t necessarily get the entire team together is difficult. Practices and game days are fairly standard. We’re slowly getting a limited number of fans into our games, but these fans are students only right now, no parents or family. Because of this, I would say the biggest adjustment has been not being able to have my family at the games this year. I miss them, but I’m hoping the rules change soon, and they can come down and catch a game.

What does it mean to you to be a candidate for the 2021 Senior CLASS award?

It means a lot to me to be considered for an award that focuses as much on character and academics as it does athletic achievements. My goal has always been to represent my family and those who have supported me in the right way both on and off the field. Being a candidate for this award hopefully shows that I’m doing my best to achieve that goal. SAC pushed me to develop as a man, a student, and an athlete, so it would be wrong for me not to give a ton of credit for this nomination to my time at St. Andrew’s.

What has been a personal highlight for you on the field this year?

In our first game of the season, we lost by five goals to Army. We were very disappointed in ourselves as this was supposed to be a relatively easy win. That disappointment was compounded by the fact that many people in the lacrosse media immediately counted us out as a legitimate championship contender. We came back the next week and beat the University of Virginia, a team ranked in the Top 5 in the nation at the time. It was an emotional win for us since we proved to ourselves that we were a great team and silenced many of the critics who wrote us off.

How did your experience at SAC prepare you to be an NCAA D1 student-athlete?

SAC prepared me as an athlete and person, but more important than anything else, my time at SAC gave me a huge advantage in the classroom.

Being a D1 student-athlete is all about time management. Because the athletic schedule takes up so much of your time, using the free time you do have effectively is important. I had experience with this at SAC; between the rigorous academics, the high-level athletics, Cadets, and other activities, I was able to develop my time-management skills to get an adequate amount of studying and schoolwork in. Because of this, when I arrived at Syracuse, I didn’t have the same adjustment period as many of my peers on the team, and I was able to transition into my new schedule seamlessly. X Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

35

Hockey world takes notice of new prep school league

By Sean Maillet

After more than a year in the making, it was revealed on March 15 that six leading men’s preparatory hockey-playing institutions will make up the Prep Hockey Conference (PHC), set to begin play in the 2021-2022 season.

If you have ever been to watch a game at the MacPherson Tournament, then you know the electric atmosphere that surrounds the rink when the top prep hockey programs in North America get together. With the creation of the PHC, that energy won’t be saved for just one weekend at the end of January.

The institutions that will make up the league are Culver Academies (Culver, Indiana), Mount Saint Charles Academy (Woonsocket, Rhode Island), Northwood School (Lake Placid, New York), Shattuck-St. Mary’s School (Faribault, Minnesota), South Kent School (Kent, Connecticut), and St. Andrew’s College (Aurora, Ontario).

The group plans to establish itself as the premiere prep hockey league in North America by setting the highest standards for competitiveness and maintaining a level of institutional investment that demonstrates a significant commitment to its hockey programs and facilities.

“The formation of the PHC has been something we’ve envisioned being a part of and are thrilled to be a founding member with these other outstanding programs. We can’t wait for that first game next fall and the opportunity to compete and showcase our players in the best prep hockey league in North America,” says First Hockey Head Coach, David Manning.

Since 1899, hockey has been woven into the fabric of St. Andrew’s culture and, for many young men, it has been an essential piece of their educational journey. With teams starting at U12, St. Andrew’s offers a hockey program at every level.

The First Hockey team has elevated players to university teams since its inception, but in the last 13 years under David’s guidance, 46 players have moved on to NCAA programs and another 11 have been drafted to the NHL. The hockey community’s early reaction shows a strong feeling of enthusiasm for the potential this new league has to offer. Ryan Kennedy, senior writer and prospect expert for The Hockey News, wrote in his launch story, “Simply put, this is going to be very exciting for prospect-watchers.” Sportsnet host, Jeff Marek, sees it as a long time coming. In response to the PHC’s promo video, he tweeted, “Now *this* is interesting. Overdue? Probably. Good on these schools for getting this together.”

Establishing relationships within and beyond the hockey world can take the league to the next level. The goal is to create a high degree of visibility and positive media exposure for the PHC, its programs, and its players.

The league even made it into the “31 Thoughts” column by Sportsnet reporter and NHL insider, Elliotte Friedman. He mentioned that the six teams will be split up into East and West divisions and provided some information on how the on-ice action will be structured early on. In November, all teams plan to participate in a “full league weekend” in Rhode Island, with playoffs slated for February 2022.

Until then, more information regarding the PHC can be found on its website at thephchockey.com, and for up-to-the-minute details, follow along on its social media account @thephchockey. X 36 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS Shannon Kelly

has been appointed Director of Human Resources.

She came to St. Andrew’s in October 2020 from Pickering College, where she was the human resources manager, a position she held for 14 years. Shannon is a Western University graduate.

She has also completed a post-graduate program in human resource management and holds the CHRL designation. Shannon is very familiar with SAC as she was married to Rob ’94 in Memorial Chapel.

Chris Papalia

has assumed the reigns of SAC’s Summer School.

Chris, who began at SAC in 2012, regularly teaches AP Statistics and Data Management classes. It was also announced this spring that Chris would be taking over as Head of Memorial House in August. He has been Head of Laidlaw House since 2014 and before that was Assistant Head of Sifton House. Chris coaches First Squash and First Baseball, formerly coached First Hockey, co-facilitates the Social Justice Council, and runs the R for Data Visualization Club.

Matt MacIsaac

Director of Piping, is in a traditional group, Beòlach, which has been nominated for a JUNO Award in the traditional roots category for its 2020 album, All Hands. The JUNO Awards are Canada’s homegrown version of the Grammy Awards, and the winners will be announced on May 16. The group was also nominated for four East Coast Music Awards (to be announced May 5) and two Canadian Folk Music Awards, winning Instrumental Group of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year. Beòlach is based out of Nova Scotia, where the other three members live, and has been in existence since 1999. Matt plays guitar, pipes, and whistle, and two fiddlers and a keyboardist round out the mix. Matt first learned pipes in 1990 at age 10, developing his piping through various pipe bands in the Maritimes.

His guitar playing, in particular, opened musical doors, and he toured with Cape Breton fiddler, Natalie MacMaster, from 2001 to 2009 then from 2013 to 2017, separated by a stint in the military.

He began occasionally teaching at St. Andrew’s in 2016 and joined the School full time in the fall of 2019. Though not common knowledge in the School, insiders in the piping world consider Matt one of the best and most talented pipers globally.

Though his focus was on the traditional music scene more than the competition circuit, he has achieved and continues to achieve great success when he competes.

RETIREMENTS

and oversight on financial reporting. She was always intuitive and interested in people, helping employees and supervisors navigate the complicated world of pension, benefits, and performance. She was an early adopter of technology and introduced an innovative financial management system to the School.

I arrived as the Director of Finance in 1998 to a well-oiled machine, with all credit to Sherrill. She became a trusted business associate and a friend who was worthy of everyone’s respect for how she took care of the organization and its people, along with her warm and caring personality.

Her professionalism and strength in dealing with difficult situations were impressive, and she always had time for anyone who needed her assistance and counsel. Many past employees returned to visit, and their first stop was always

Sherrill Knight

By Beth Carter

Sherrill Knight officially began her career at St. Andrew’s College on May 1, 1986.

The previous summer, she spent three weeks in what was then called the Bursar’s Office, helping prepare the annual audit. It was not long after this that the Bursar, Col. Howard Tetlock, offered her the job to begin the following spring.

Sherrill took on her role as the Business Office Manager with the same dedication and work ethic as though it was her own enterprise. In the first half of her career with the School, she had lots of contact with students, arranging their pocket money, transportation needs, and healthcare coverage.

For many years, the Business Office and human resource functions were combined, so Sherrill handled payroll, hiring contracts, benefits,

Matt, far left, performing with his band in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sherrill with her partner, Ian.

to say hello to Sherrill and let her know how they and their families were doing.

Sherrill took on the role of the Director of Human Resources in 2005. In preparation for this expanded role, she obtained her human resources credentials through Seneca College. She was already a natural in dealing compassionately with employees, and she blossomed in her new role while still maintaining many of her finance manager responsibilities.

Sherrill’s job evolved a great deal over the years as St. Andrew’s grew and the Business Office and HR role expanded. A common theme in sentiments shared by employees on her retirement in November 2020 was the patience and genuine care she expressed during their hiring or when they sought help. She was always a true professional with a strong work ethic, and it was my privilege and honour to work with her for many years.

Employees past and present wish Sherrill all the best in retirement and thank her for her >> friendship, counsel, and insight.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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David Kyle

By Julie Caspersen David Kyle left St. Andrew’s College with a colourful lei around his neck and wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt under his winter coat, a taste of the sunny days to come.

David was a fixture in the Middle School since 1999. He came to St. Andrew’s as the homeroom teacher for the inaugural Grade 6 class, leaving his teaching job at the Toronto District School Board.

Thursday, March 11, was declared David Kyle Day, and the School sent him off in tropical flair; even the Canadian weather cooperated by offering a balmy 19-degree afternoon. The morning chapel gathering was devoted to recounting moments in David’s career at SAC where he was an academic leader, an athlete, a beloved coach, and a true friend.

Fellow Middle School teacher, Claudia Rose-Donahoe, referred to David as a “Renaissance man” who served as her mentor during her first days at SAC, straight out of teachers college.

only won twice since 1899, as one of the few original team sports at the School.

Chapel and would often perch at the grand piano in Staunton Gallery to the delight of passersby.

Ben van Eeden ’19 benefitted from the many afternoons, evenings, and weekends he spent with David on the cricket pitch and in the classroom. “He encouraged many of my friends and me to step outside our comfort zones, go for leadership positions, and learn how to motivate ourselves and others – in other words, to grow up,” Ben says.

David is also revered for his composition of Brotherhood of Man, which has become a standard at An Andrean Christmas.

Ryan Cole ’09 recalls the influence David had on him as a student and in his life following St. Andrew’s.

He taught the boys manners, respect, and how to conduct themselves with class and dignity.

“When I first joined the debate team in Grade 6, it was a small group of a half dozen boys. We weren’t very good. But by the time I graduated, Mr. Kyle had grown that small team into a 40-member-strong, unstoppable powerhouse,” Ryan says. “He taught me how to argue and, most importantly, win any argument, much to the dismay of my parents and sister, but a skill that has shaped my life and my career in politics. There is not a day that goes by that I do not use the skills Mr. Kyle taught me.”

Ryan described his teacher as “He taught the boys manners, “always kind and encouraging” respect, and how to conduct but never hesitating to push his themselves with class and students to do better. dignity. He pushed for teaching Ben van Eeden ’19 with David at halloween. about mental health issues Ben agrees: “Mr. Kyle was long before it became trendy to do so. He taught someone who I came to depend on at SAC, and about important issues such as poverty and also a very good friend.” racism in America. David fully understood the role David’s appreciation for music is no secret. Fellow of the English teacher in using the right novel as teacher, Scott Lewis, recalls being at David’s a platform to teach social justice issues and to house for a birthday party and David sitting down generate rich discussion about these important at his piano initiating a sing-along. “He was topics,” Claudia says. playing so well that I felt like I was at a concert.”

David coached three teams each year: soccer, He added that David often played beautifully basketball, and First Cricket, which won five during services and gatherings in Memorial championships under his leadership, after having 38 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

– Claudia Rose-Donahoe “Rogers Hall will not be the same without our colleague and friend, David Kyle,” says Sabrina D’Angelo, Assistant Head of School, Director of Middle School, Diversity & Inclusion. “His fierce attention to the needs of his students, his ability to push their curiosity and expand their knowledge, and his calm and steady presence will be missed.” X

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

39

OLD BOYS PROFILES & NEWS This edition’s PROFILES:

WAHID ’03 & HUSSEIN ’04 AMARSHI ROBERT ’88 & MICHAEL ’90 HISCOX ALBERT ’99 & HERBERT ’99 LEUNG ALI ’01, OLIVIER ’01, & SÉBASTIEN ’03 MANIGAT

40 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

Hussein ’04 and Wahid ’03 Amarshi, with their father, Farid, in their Toronto office.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

41

WAHID ’03 & HUSSEIN ’04 AMARSHI FAMILY TIES

By Chris Traber

I

n tandem with their strong brotherly bond, Wahid ’03 and Hussein ’04 Amarshi believe reverence for their ancestral past is an invaluable guidepost to their future.

Wilfrid Laurier University, earning a communication studies degree in 2007, after which he joined the Victoria Village Group of Companies, a family business established in 1983.

While both Toronto-born siblings have separate families and lives, they have committed professionally and emotionally to the business and philanthropic foundations created by their father, Farid, and mother, Zeena.

Hussein, 35, followed suit after completing English and world religions studies at McMaster University in 2008.

He is engaged to Aliya.

After graduating from St. Andrew’s College, Wahid, 37, attended 42 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

Wahid and his wife, Sarah, have a daughter, Amelia, who turns 3 in July and will welcome a son in June. Wahid serves as executive vice-president,

business development at the enterprise, a diversified early care and education provider, owning and operating licensed and inspected childcare centres, private home daycares, and accredited Montessori private schools.

Hussein is executive vice-president, administration, at the company, which also operates catering and real estate businesses, and serves approximately 2,000 families. Many of their locations are in catchment areas of newcomers to Canada.

The brothers’ rationale for joining the family operation is based on the hardships endured and examples set by their parents and the doctrine of their Ismaili faith.

The men passionately recall their parents’ early trials and tribulations, noting their father was forced to leave Uganda as a refugee in 1972 at age 21 by the brutal regime of dictator Idi Amin. Farid arrived at a refugee camp in England virtually penniless.

He endured and earned a degree in business and accounting in England before immigrating to Vancouver, B.C., to rejoin his mother and seven siblings. His employer, Royal Insurance, transferred him to Toronto in 1979, where he met his future wife.

Zeena, a trained early childhood educator, is credited as the founder of the business, starting 100 per cent from scratch, leasing one classroom at Victoria Village Public School in east Toronto. Soon after, the Amarshis rented an entire school wing for their burgeoning business. Farid left his insurance posting in 1989 to concentrate full-time on the company.

“Our parents worked hard all the time. They laid the foundation of who and what we are. Mom had the vision, and dad had the business acumen. It was a team effort,” Hussein says.

Wahid concurs: “We are extremely blessed to not only have our father’s guidance but to be supported by a professional senior leadership team, many of whom have been with the company for decades. Our success is due to them.”

Today, Victoria Village Group is flourishing. The majority of their locations are family-owned.

Sustainability, present and future, is predicated on the company’s guiding principles, including academic excellence, rewarding and challenging careers, fiscal responsibility, integrity, philanthropic endeavours, and celebrating success.

“Everything we do is measured against those principles,” Hussein says.

“It’s our moral compass.”

Renowned for their business savvy, the Amarshis are equally acclaimed for their social conscience.

From unpublicized charitableness for struggling immigrant families, partnering with Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan and establishing early childhood development centres in that country, to supporting Michael Garron Hospital and volunteerism, the family epitomizes the pure spirit of philanthropy.

The family often travels to their father’s native Uganda. They recently partnered with SOS Children’s Villages there to establish early childhood development centres to serve orphaned and marginalized youngsters as well as an institute of professional development for early childhood educators. There are now 75 trained teachers in place to provide vulnerable children with a healthy start to life. Similar centres are planned across the country.

Wahid sits on the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation Board and cochairs the hospital’s signature gala, Laughter is the Best Medicine. Victoria Village Group and the family have also

been involved with Michael Garron Hospital by redeveloping the Child Development Centre and child and adolescent mental health programs. The health facility’s Zeena & Farid Amarshi Family Cardiac Centre, named in recognition of the family’s benevolence, will open in 2023.

The brothers and their father exude gratitude and humility for their success and ability to support local and global communities.

“We are fortunate to make contributions,” Farid says. “We believe everything you have is because of the talents gifted by God and nature. If you use that talent to give, you get the most pleasure.

“We are hard-wired to give.”

SAC remains a significant influence on the brothers. During daily drives to and from school, their father would share lessons on life, ethics, and business. Both Wahid and Hussein fondly recall chapel services with Rev. Bob Arril. The men cite staff members, including Bob Bedard, William Scoular, Lisa Picerno, David Josselyn, and the late Ann Perrier and Clare Kowaltschuk for their kindness, guidance, support, and encouragement.

“They all gave us the confidence to succeed, work hard, and be good ethical citizens,” Wahid says. X

They [SAC staff members] all gave us the confidence to succeed, work hard, and be good ethical citizens.

– Wahid Amarshi ’03

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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D

espite the playful verbal jousting and good-natured digs, it’s quickly evident there’s no contempt, just caring familiarity, between the affable Hiscox brothers, Robert ’88 and Michael ’90.

Close in age and kinship, the siblings, raised in Caledon, northwest of their current Toronto homes, were essentially inseparable right through to their boarding days at St. Andrew’s College.

However, their professional lives are contrasting with 52-year old Robert selecting business and Michael, 50, medicine.

Still, there remain common denominators in their respective fields, such as determination, hard work, and a strong foundation evidenced by their achievements.

After SAC, Robert earned a BA in political science at Western University in Ontario and his MBA in finance, strategic management, and international marketing at the ISG International Business School in Paris, France.

ROBERT ’88 & MICHAEL ’90 HISCOX BROTHERS IN ARMS

By Chris Traber

In the mid-1990s, Robert’s initial post-MBA job was at Sony, which led to a series of roles at MarketSource Corporation USA, culminating in heading up the company’s Canadian operations. In 1999, Robert left Toronto for New York City to serve as a director with Bertelsmann Holdings AG (BMG). This move launched a diverse international business career that led Robert from NYC and London, U.K., to work on global opportunities from Switzerland to Africa. During this time, Robert founded and directed companies in Manhattan, N.Y. and London, U.K., in the energy and technology sectors.

After 15 years abroad, Robert returned to Canada in 2013 and co-founded Constantine Enterprises Inc., a private real estate corporation, with a longtime friend and business partner. Since its inception, he has served as the president and CEO of Constantine.

Robert and his fiancée, Dechen, welcomed their first child, Elizabeth, in January.

Michael is an anesthesiologist, past president of the Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East

44 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

General) Medical Staff Association, past director on the Michael Garron Hospital Board, and a lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine.

After graduating from SAC and before his medical studies at the Universities of British Columbia and Toronto, he spent years working in search and rescue (SAR) privately, provincially, and federally. In B.C. he worked at Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler as a professional ski patroller involved in avalanche control, SAR, high-angle rescue, and risk management for more than 12 seasons. During the summers of his undergraduate degree and the first two years of medical school, Michael worked with the Canadian Coast Guard as a medic on a high-speed rescue boat throughout Canada’s West Coast. Additionally, while working on his BSc and MD degrees, he worked with the province’s Emergency Plan in emergency preparedness and as part of a flight crew.

“It was my work in SAR that piqued my interest in medicine and has landed me here today,” he explains.

After a decade at Michael Garron Hospital, Michael moved to Mackenzie Health in York Region in March.

Mackenzie Health includes the newly opened Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital that was tasked to temporarily provide relief for the capacity challenges being faced across the province due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is Canada’s most technologically advanced health facility.

This new centre gives stimulation and challenges to Michael’s role as part of the new anesthesia team as well as providing state-of-the-art care to the surrounding community.

“Michael and I came to SAC in 1983 as two brothers. Our dad gave us another one while we were there, and by the time we both graduated from SAC, the School had given us many more brothers,” Robert says.

The brothers, along with older sister, Candace, and younger brother, Stephen, about 16 years their junior, were raised to respect others and value education and diligence, Robert says.

“We’re highly competitive people, but fair,” he adds. “Our DNA drives us to work hard and not complain.”

Michael concurs, adding, “Robert and I do have a baseline sibling rivalry.

We challenge each other, but we always have each other’s back. During our years at SAC, it was excellent to have him and his big-brother strength around. When he graduated a couple of years before me, those were big shoes to fill.”

We’re highly competitive people, but fair. Our DNA drives us to work hard and not complain.

– Robert Hiscox ’88

Their boarding tenure at St. Andrew’s provided the men with indelible memories and life lessons. “Boarding life provided the opportunity to create strong and enduring brotherhoods outside of our existing family,” Robert says.

Michael and his wife, Sara, were married in 2009. They have two children, Madeleine, 8, and Cameron, 7.

Both brothers served as Cadet Senior Officers, House Captains, and Prefects.

“Working with House Captains and Prefects created a political climate you had to learn to navigate at an early age,” Robert says. “You learn mutual respect and how to work with people.”

In their distinguished and personally crafted career paths, the brothers acknowledge their upbringing and the brotherly bonds and SAC experiences in playing a role in their accomplishments.

They played First Football and First Rugby. Through sports, they progressed over the years from not knowing a sport to playing U15, U16, and earning MIP honours. Later they became First team

members, a captain, and an MVP. And there were a few ISA championships along the way. Robert continued with rugby at Western University, where he was a varsity captain and club president.

Robert and Michael remain in contact with many of their boarding brothers.

Further, the Old Boy relationships and network continue in their professional worlds. For example, Marcus Gillam ’93 and current parent, David Beswick, are business partners with Robert. Wahid Amarshi ’03 sits on the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation Board. Michael created a fund in memory of his classmate, Steve Creber ’90, who passed away from cancer in 2009 at the age of 39. The funds will improve palliative care and comfort for younger patients.

Robert’s company, Constantine, supports Michael’s fund through its annual charity run, the Constantine Yorkville Run. The brothers bestow accolades on their many SAC teachers and coaches, including Geoff Smith, Aubrey Foy, Bill Skinner ’47, John Walden ’71, Ted Harrison, Paul Kitchen ’70, Peter Stuart, Peter Robinson, Gord Ackerman, and Bob Jones. Together, the SAC faculty members created a tapestry of educational styles and experiences that the brothers remember to this day.

“Work hard, treat others with respect, and go through life with humour,” Michael says. “They typified what SAC is all about.”

Robert agrees: “SAC taught me much about myself and others and provided me with many opportunities for which I will be forever indebted. At SAC, to endure is to succeed.”

Although the brothers followed different paths after leaving SAC, the common thread was a strong foundation coupled with hard work and determination.

“Through these experiences, we learned how to advance as men, how to be team players, how to lead, and how brotherhoods are formed in battle on the playing fields of life,” Robert says. X

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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ALBERT ’99 & HERBERT ’99 LEUNG TWINS PEAK

By Chris Traber

I

dentical twins, Albert ’99 and Herbert ’99 Leung, could well be considered Renaissance men.

To wit, the 41-year old Hong Kongborn brothers are equally adept in diverse creative and technical fields.

As St. Andrew’s College day students for six years, the Leungs, fondly called “The Berts” by their classmates, excelled academically, artistically, and athletically.

Both were excellent scholars and members of the volleyball, basketball, and badminton teams, while Albert also ran track and Herbert was a member of the Cadet Corps.

Both involved themselves in drama classes and were gifted artists with a 46 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

penchant for film. In their final year at SAC, the brothers were introduced to and enthralled with a new application on the desktop computer of art instructor, Stephen Kimmerer.

“It was an early video editing program and the only one at the School,” recalls Albert. “No one really knew how it worked, so they gave us the instruction manual, and we studied it day and night.

action drama titled Double Conflict and screened the film for the School. This was a watershed moment.

The recognition and acclaim ignited their passion, albeit it had to smoulder for years.

“It got to the point where my brother and I were working so late that the janitor gave us the key to the office. I guess he got tired of waiting to lock up after us.”

After graduating from SAC and out of respect for their parents’ wishes to prepare for “safer and more traditional” professions, Albert studied at the University of Toronto, graduating with an applied science and electrical engineering degree in 2003. Herbert opted for Ryerson University’s fine arts and film studies program and also graduated in 2003.

In their spare time, the siblings wrote a screenplay. They acted in, produced, and edited a 20-minute martial arts

The millennium had ushered in a dreary economy and made things bleak for engineers, Albert says. Accordingly,

The resources offered at SAC gave me, a kid with a dream, the tools I needed in life.

he and Herbert enrolled in Sheridan College’s one-year film studies program, furthering their hopes to break into film production and acting.

After graduating from Sheridan, Herbert returned to Hong Kong for a visit. “My mindset was to see family and friends and travel, then return to Toronto,” he says. “I was offered a job as a video editor and stayed.”

Albert secured a job with Motorola repairing equipment and had minor acting roles, namely in the 1-800 Missing television drama.

“I wanted more,” Albert says. “I spoke to my brother and decided there were opportunities in Hong Kong.”

The brothers reunited in 2005, working collaboratively and independently in the flourishing Asian film and production industry.

Herbert worked as an art director at Zenith before taking a position as a director at Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) in 2010. After leaving TVB, he and Albert wrote and

produced Time Stopper, which became an official selection in multiple 2010 film festivals. Herbert also produced a documentary program for Biography Channel Asia in 2011 and directed a mini-series for NowTV in 2012.

He founded Bert Brothers in 2012, producing commercials and corporate branding projects for clients.

Herbert also wrote and directed short films, including Gloomy Sunday, which won the Special Jury Award at the 2016 North American Film Festival, and he completed The Blind Spot in early 2017, supported by CreateHK. Albert won accolades for his first directed film, Jinn, which was officially selected to screen at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival in 2005. His film, The Art of the Commercial Lease, was screened at the 2016 Action on Film International Festival and the 2017 Hollywood Dreamz International Film Festival.

Albert is also a busy actor and stuntman. He played villain-fighting film stars Sammo Hung and Yuan Wah

– Herbert Leung ’99

‘The Berts’ at work: Albert is pictured in the photo at left; Herbert (in headphones) with a co-worker.

in Twins Mission and recently had roles in Mascot Agents and Fight in Causeway Bay II. Today, Albert is solely focused on working at the renamed Bert Productions Ltd. in Hong Kong, and Herbert is a senior producer at Weber Shandwick in Singapore.

Albert and his wife, Amy, have two children, Arthur, 9, and Athena, 8.

Herbert and his wife, Carrie, have two sons, Lucas, 5, and Jamie, 2.

“Even to this day, the happiest part of my life was at SAC,” Albert says.

“I remember arriving timid and shy, but I was encouraged to participate in different things, to find my passion, which I did. Playing sports built my confidence. I learned that confronting things you’re not good at helps you find the strength within.”

Herbert agrees. “The resources offered at SAC gave me, a kid with a dream, the tools I needed in life. The campus feels like home every time I visit.” X Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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ALI ’01, OLIVIER ’01, & SÉBASTIEN ’03 MANIGAT TRIPLE ENTENTE

By Chris Traber

I

dentical twins, Ali ’01 and Olivier ’01 Manigat, were known around St. Andrew’s College for their athleticism and imposing size. Add younger brother, Sébastien ’03, and you have a bona fide triple threat.

they’ve shattered that scientific dictate.

The men, singularly six-foot-threeplus and whose playing weights on SAC’s First Football teams and later on Columbia University’s squads each hovered in the 300-pound range, defy the rule of physics that suggests there’s a magnetism between mass and immobility.

The Montreal-born twins, now 39, attended SAC as boarding students from 1999 to 2001. Sébastien, 37, followed from 2001 to 2003. The brothers arrived at SAC after graduation from Montreal’s Collège Notre-Dame and studied in English for the first time in their lives.

Indeed, considering their impressive academic and professional trajectories,

The three brothers excelled equally on the field and in the classroom.

48 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

The twins, while at SAC, were named to The Toronto Sun all-star team.

All three brothers were recruited to play Division 1 football at Columbia University in New York City.

On Prize Day in June 1999, the twins’ academic achievements were lauded in a letter from then-Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, who noted Ali’s award for the highest average in December reports and Olivier’s highest average in scholarship exams.

After SAC, Ali earned his BA in American studies. From 2005 to 2008, he studied at Fordham University Law School, earning his Juris Doctor (law).

Ali served as an associate and attorney for several New York-based firms and organizations. After more than 16 years in The Big Apple, Ali moved to Boston in October 2017, working in private real estate and civil litigation practice.

Married to Nicole in 2019, the couple are expecting their first child in July.

Olivier also earned a BA in American studies from Columbia in 2005. A prolific offensive lineman, he was selected by the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian College Draft. Although flattered, he decided to continue his studies and attended Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University in New York, graduating with his Juris Doctor (law) in 2008.

Olivier melded his role as a lawyer with sports, serving as legal counsel for Major League Soccer and the United Football League and later as the first attorney recruited at the start-up XFL professional American football league.

Last September, he joined Herman Miller as an associate general counsel in New York. Olivier and his partner, Lauren, reside in Brooklyn, N.Y. At Columbia, Sébastien played varsity football and was a student-manager on the men’s basketball team, graduating in 2007 with a BA in American studies.

He pursued his passion for cuisine and hospitality at the International Culinary Center in New York City, studying restaurant management and earning a culinary entrepreneurship certificate. Soon after, he enrolled in McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, where he graduated with his MBA before moving to Cornwall, Ont., in 2013.

Sébastien served as founder and director of the Seaway Food Festival, a marketing and events company that promoted local cuisine and regional breweries, for four years. He later founded Bastion Hospitality before joining Montreal-based Goodfood Market, where, as product leader of meal solutions, he launched the breakfast subscription service and led the marketing operations for the division.

appreciative for their experiences there.

For the first time in years, the brothers reside in different cities. Still, the bonds are strong, unbreakable.

“I was in full teenage rebellion when I entered the School,” Sébastien recalls. “I remember my first day when a group of boys asked me to sit with them. Within ten minutes, it was instant camaraderie.

The school spirit and sense of belonging were fulfilling. Within days I was a St. Andrew’s boy, hat and all.” X

“We live international lives, but we’re lucky to have spent most of our lives together,” Olivier says.

“To have a twin is having an automatic best friend who encourages and validates you,” Ali says. “Sébastien was almost the same age.

It was special sharing life experiences and advice and supporting each other.”

Ali’s brothers echoed the sentiment.

“To see that it was possible for people of different races, creeds, and colours to come together was remarkable,” Olivier says.

The younger brother chimed in with a chortle.

“Growing up, they would gang up on me,” Sébastien says. “It was hell in a fun way, but they always had my back.”

The men are grateful for the decision their dad, Claude, a psychiatrist, and mom, Alta, made to enrol them at SAC and are equally

We’re where we are today thanks to St. Andrew’s. We were welcomed with open arms. It’s a wonderful community. We appreciated the diversity and inclusiveness.

“We’re where we are today thanks to St. Andrew’s,” Ali says. “We were welcomed with open arms. It’s a wonderful community. We appreciated the diversity and inclusiveness.”

While at SAC, Ali and Olivier were featured in an ad on the back page of the fall 2000 Andrean.

– Ali Manigat ’01

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1952 Woody Fisher

1954 Barry Wansbrough

AND NOW FOR THE

OLD BOYS NEWS

says after 10 years of postgraduate training and more than 20 years of academic medicine at the University of Toronto, he established Environment Protection Labs. In 1993, he founded the Upper Canada Lower Bowel Clinic and practiced medicine, as he puts it, “behind the front lines but still in the trenches,” until he retired in 2018.

Woody is now preparing a publication of his experience with two common and costly clinical problems that he says are actually stressaggravated diet disorders and don’t even need a medical doctor. Patients with irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids need to be informed about their diets and perhaps undergo stress management. “All in all, it has been a wonderful ride, and it all started at St. Andrew’s,” Woody says.

has been busy on two main fronts. One is the Skillpod project, an executive skills coaching program that helps young adults build, demonstrate, and articulate executive skills critical to working and living in the digital age. Barry is a co-founder, along with his wife, Michaele, and his daughter, Connie. The other is RAMP – Residents Against Muskoka Poverty, an organization focused on lifting families out of poverty. Barry is keeping connected on Zoom with classmates from across Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, London, Georgian Bay, and Muskoka), the United States (Massachusetts and Vermont), Peru, and Colombia. He says the Old Boys he’s in contact with are all ears about the new St. Anne’s School and how it will relate to modern learning practices and integration with the boys at SAC.

some canoe tripping with family, especially the grandchildren, and reports they are fifthgeneration paddlers learning about the wonders of nature, our place in it, and our responsibilities toward it. The pandemic precluded a planned trip in 2020, and they are all anxious to get back to it, hoping to congregate this summer and head to their favourite woodlands, rivers, lakes, and the floating fields of water lily-covered beaver ponds.

Robbie Keith ’56 with his son, Steve, and grandsons, Adam and Ryan.

John Swinden

and his wife, Helen, spent last spring and summer constructing a vegetable and flower garden at their new house, including an interlocking brick pathway.

Otherwise, John is spending his time playing tennis (when allowed), copious reading, and blogging with two groups of friends about Canadian and U.S. politics.

1956 Robbie Keith

= pandemic update

50 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College of the University of Guelph following SAC. He then completed his MA and PhD in communications at Michigan State University, followed by a 26-year academic career in environmental studies at the University of Waterloo, which included research and advocacy focused on resources, people, and environments in Northern Canada, all through the lens of sustainability. Now retired and living in Elora, Ont., Robbie and his wife, Dorinda, are doing their best to keep virus-free, enjoying their cottage on Georgian Bay, just north of Parry Sound, and tending to their arts: hers is rug hooking, and his is landscape painting.

Robbie is also designing with nature, a project at the cottage of converting open spaces of grass to native wildflowers. He continues to do

1961 Carl Ingwalson, Jr.

hosted a Zoom reunion for the Classes of 1960 and 1961 from his home in San Diego, Calif.

Despite time differences, Old Boys from Canada, the United States, England, and Spain joined the Feb. 13 chat centred on where everyone was living, politics, and gray hair! Participants from the Class of 1961 were Tony Campbell, Iain Gurr, Carsten Moser, Nick Oundjian, David Rogers,

Mike Rothery, Doug Rowan, Dan Routledge, and David Stollmeyer. They were joined by Kirk Gardner ’60. While these meetings started with the Class of 1961, others from different classes are welcome to join their next virtual gathering, scheduled for June 5. To join in, send an email to oldboys@sac.on.ca.

down the fort at home in San Diego, Calif., with their golden doodle and doing lots of walking and yoga at the beach, as well as a new sport: outrigger canoe paddling.

Dan Routledge

and his wife, Bev, moved to Newmarket to be closer to family after 32 years on their farm near Cobourg and Grafton, Ont. Dan grew up outside of Aurora and says this move is like coming home and will also allow him to attend many more school functions. This year, his class celebrated a small virtual reunion via Zoom. “This is a wonderful way of keeping in touch,” Dan says. “We had classmates from as far away as Spain and California on our call. I’d recommend this facility to any Andrean wanting to get a group together to reminisce and get caught up on developments. It was also wonderful to hear old voices and see live how we all have aged and hear the stories.”

1965 Michael Perley

followed up a long career in environmental and tobacco control advocacy by leaving Toronto and heading east with his wife, Jayne, and son, Will. The family headed to the shores of Lake Ontario in Northumberland County, where they cultivate wildlife, support Will’s hockey career, and dream of summers in Georgian Bay’s Nares Inlet. Michael enjoyed catching up with many classmates at his 50th reunion in 2015.

1966 Bill Harpur

says his wife, Judy, is still sheltering on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with one of his daughters, Leela, and he has visited her several times since March 2020. He has been holding

1968 Chris Rous

Carsten Moser

joined Bertelsmann, one of the world’s largest media conglomerates, after earning his PhD from Hamburg University.

In the Media Group, he worked as a journalist, editor, secretary-general, and CEO in Hamburg, London, and Madrid. A former president of the Spanish-German Chamber of Commerce, he is still active as a board member of companies and foundations. Married to Catherine for 52 years, they have two children and five grandchildren. He would be delighted if Andreans visiting Madrid contact him to arrange a meal or a round of golf.

lives in Oshawa, Ont., with his wife, Cara, and their children, Fionn and Eloise.

Bill Harpur ’66 with his wife, Judy, and daughters, Leela and Lorraine.

Bill McNeil

retired from the corporate banking – mining group at Scotiabank in 2016 after 20 years of service. Bill became the CEO of Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIORC) and retired in 2019.

He now serves as the chair of LIORC and sits on the board of directors for Iron Ore Company of Canada.

Steve McPhail

continues to focus on screenwriting projects from his home in the charming rural community on Manitoulin Island, Ont. He moved from Toronto a few years ago, and the pandemic has made him dependent on email and phone calls to connect with his son, Shawn, daughter, Zingarro, and grandchildren, Luca, Dante, and Julian. Derek’s latest project is Dreaming Together, a Canadian magic realisminspired historical romance that takes place during the 17th-century smallpox pandemic and is set in the Lake of the Spirit region, near where he lives. Once completed, an Anishinaabe friend from his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie will translate Dreaming Together into the Anishinaabemowin language.

Richard Weston

retired from Hydro One, where he worked in human resources and did a lot of management training and consulting. Richard started his own consulting company and handled clients in Southwestern Ontario as well as a few years of teaching at the University of Guelph. He was active in volunteering for HR organizations. Richard and his wife, Gaye, settled in London, Ont., and travelled extensively before COVID-19 arrived. Their son, Stephen, lives in Newmarket with his wife, Laura, and their beautiful black lab, George. His son, Graham,

and a few classmates gathered on Zoom on Robbie Burns Day in January to share jokes, fibs, and (possibly) some true information. They chatted and reminisced for about an hour. Times being what they are, COVID-19 was the initial topic of conversation, but they soon moved on to happier things. All agreed they should do it again when additional classmates can participate. Joining Chris on the call from his home in Port Hope, Ont., were Robin Brownrigg, Tom Butterfield, Don Clark, Michael Coward, David Cross, Alex Dougall, Carr Hatch, Fred Holmes, Bob Perry, Peter Rutherford, Lee Shinkle, and Fred Somerville.

The group members hailed from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Alberta, The Bahamas, and Jamaica.

1969 Jim Pallett

made use of the past six months to executive produce an album of old-school cozy romantic jazz standards, Mocha Love,

by Vivienne Williams. The album was recorded and produced at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ont., where Jim says all the steps were completed following pandemic protocols.

David Somerville

retired as a portfolio manager from Echelon Wealth Partners at the end of 2020 and plans on an extended fly fishing adventure. His permanent residence is in Calgary, Alta.

1971 Gerry Morris

retired in September 2015, and since then, he’s had the opportunity to do some volunteer work, summer sailing, and bicycling whenever possible. Ordinarily, Gerry would have enjoyed the warmth of the south this winter, but COVID-19 had a different idea, so he and his wife, Judi, have been waiting patiently in Pembroke, Ont., for the “all clear.” So it was snowshoeing in Algonquin Park instead of bicycling in the sunshine. Gerry wishes all Andreans, especially the Class of 1971, all the best in these interesting times.

1973 Tab Buckley

continues to live in Burlington, Ont., with his Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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UPCLOSE

wife of 41 years, Gaynor, who also happened to be his date to the Cadet Ball in 1972.

Tab and Gaynor have three children and six grandchildren.

Following two successful careers, one in the specialty tire business for 25 years and the second as an international consultant to a Fortune 50 multinational company for 15 years, Tab founded Nice Shot golf gloves. Tab would be interested in hearing from any international Old Boys as Nice Shot will be expanding distribution internationally in 2021.

BILL CLARKE ’69 attended St. Andrew’s College for two years and says this brief time was enough to establish the foundation of confidence and passion that would result in a life of adventure and personal accomplishment.

The academic expectations at SAC supported the budding scientist, but there was also a strong need to find ways to manage an increasing frustration that accompanied those confusing teen years. When faculty member, Geoff Smith, invited Bill to try out for football, Bill found the physical outlet he needed. It was football and later rugby that allowed Bill to focus on his studies and establish valuable SAC relationships. Mr. Smith, as coach and mentor, was the main catalyst who promoted this transformation.

After graduation, Bill was accepted to the University of Waterloo to study earth sciences, a degree he book-ended around a year working and travelling in Australia and a couple of years working for the Ontario Geological Survey.

He then returned to university to obtain his graduate degree in hydrogeology, making Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., his home.

After four years with a local engineering firm, Bill went out on his own as a hydrogeological consultant in 1986. Most of his projects were in Southern and Central Ontario, but travel to the Arctic and superfund sites (polluted locations) in the United States, Bermuda, and Chile were welcome challenges in different geological environments.

Bill’s occupation included a requirement to be outdoors most of his life. This led to an ongoing wonder and love of the natural world.

By the turn of the century, Bill was following a growing interest in tracking and nature connection. He attended several tracking courses in the United States and has since supported or volunteered at organizations in

Bill Clarke ’69 enjoying nature with his grandchildren.

52 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

1973 Ontario that teach outdoor skills.

In 2009, Bill sold his company, Waterloo Geoscience Consultants Ltd. This semiretirement allowed him to pursue other interests. One of those was introducing young people to nature. So, in 2012, Bill started volunteering at the Guelph Outdoor School and has been there ever since.

Bill has two sons, Justin and Duncan, and six grandchildren. Bill and his wife, Jackie, share a passion for healthy and vibrant living on this precious human journey. A recent purchase of an eco-park on Manitoulin Island will allow the visions for the community to be more fully expressed over time.

Bill still consults on his preferred hydrogeological projects, usually on First Nations’ sites, where a reliable groundwater supply is required for specialized projects.

A love of geology and solving groundwater puzzles will keep Bill active on the landscape for many more years.

Raymond Leung

started a charity called Care for Children to help needy families in Hong Kong that lost their job during the pandemic and have children under 18.

He is also a Teen Club founder for high school students who live in small quarters with their family and can’t afford a desk at home or any hobbies. Teen Club provides a place to study and offers a community where they can share their problems and seek help.

Peter Stock

is the head of global private wealth at Fiera Capital based in New York City. While he normally resides in Manhattan, Peter and his family have been at their home in southern Vermont during the pandemic. He reports that his daughter, Meghan, was married in August 2020 at a significantly downsized wedding. In addition to a son-in-law, Peter and his family welcomed a yellow lab puppy in 2020.

Byron Tames

has been busy colourizing paintings of the Second World War and has 30 completed so far.

The majority of them are actual photos he found in old Time and Life magazines, periodicals, and books. Byron colourized them, sometimes adding in soldiers and other figures to make them more authentic. He says while this is a hobby, it has

the underlying message never to forget the young men and women and the millions of civilians who sacrificed their lives to give us freedom.

1976 Craig Farrow

joined an earth observation geomatics company, CATALYST.Earth, as VP of global sales. While he says this new career is exciting, he is thrilled to report his eldest daughter, Emily, had a baby boy in early January, Archer David. Emily practices law in the United Kingdom and is married to David Beven, a housemaster at Lord Wandsworth College in Hook, England. They live on campus, and Craig says tons of memories come to mind when he walks the cricket and soccer pitches throughout this beautiful campus.

Gary Lawrence

submitted this note while coming to the end of a 21-day hotel quarantine in Hong Kong. After four negative tests, he says they will unlock the door, sort of like “walking through the looking glass.” Hong Kong has been a home away from home for Gary for 27 years, with Toronto and Eastbourne, Lake Simcoe, keeping the Canadian roots strong and nourished. His company, Excelsior Capital (the name partially inspired by the favourite word of York Pei ’76), is investing in a sixth Asian private equity fund. Gary and his wife, Soon, who were married in Memorial Chapel in 1991, have two children. Jenn, 28, is in the midst of her final examinations to become a barrister in the U.K., and Will, 23, is a chemistry-geology junior at Yale University. Gary’s brother, David ’81, keeps him up to date on the activities at the School, and he keeps in touch with many Andrean friends, predominantly from the Class of 1976. Their father, Bill ’49, passed away in October 2019 at the age of 89, and Gary says the funeral and reception were like a mega Old Boys reunion.

He adds there has never been a more loyal or thankful alumnus than Bill, and the School

turned out in full colours in his memory. Hockey continues to help make him “tick,” and he still gets the blades on occasionally and hopes to make the next alumni game. The stories from his days at SAC and the legacy of the 1975-76 athletic Triple Crown (First Hockey, First Football, and Senior Rugger all won championships!) are never far from the conversation. Gary is looking forward to his reunion in September, pandemicwilling.

for outdoor photography and cooking. It has also been an opportunity to re-engage with his classmates and plan their next reunion (45th!) with good friends, Matt Schinkle ’76 and Craig Farrow ’76. “Regardless of how we get everyone together beyond our ongoing social media and email exchanges during these times, I know it will be fun with this special group,” Simon says.

Matt Shinkle

Gordon Harris

and his wife, children, grandchildren, and extended family of sisters and brothers living in Newfoundland have been lucky that the impacts of COVID-19 have been limited. Matt reports that the provincial government and chief of health were able to quickly restrict access to the small island province, and they have seen a very low ongoing count, despite an initial flare-up of cases. While some industries are still working remotely, Matt only had to work from home from mid-March to mid-June last year, and he’s been in the office since then with recommended safety protocols in place. As a result of not being able to travel outside the province, he and his wife, Joyce, and some friends did various “staycations” around Newfoundland last summer and have similar plans for 2021. They are also working on some home renovations.

Simon Vincent

says after 40 years of career experience in the wireless, telecom, and financial technology sectors, the last eight as an executive with Celero Solutions in Calgary, the pandemic helped spur his transition to the technology strategy consulting business started by his wife, Katherine. Simon reports he is able to work out of their second home in Fernie, B.C., and moderate his hours and travel. Their eldest daughter, Katie, is back at Queen’s University completing her education degree to pursue an outdoor teaching career.

Christine, their younger daughter, is married and living in Victoria with her husband, Aidan, working for the B.C. provincial government. No grandkids yet! Life during the pandemic has been made easier by their ski resort location and multiple year-round trails for biking and hiking with their dogs while pursuing a passion

1978 completed his PhD in Old Testament from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto in September 2020. Since 2003, Gordon has been the director of Catch the Fire School of Ministry in Toronto. In 2019, he became the teaching pastor at Catch the Fire Church, where he is highly involved in the reformation of staff and pastoral culture. Much like SAC, Gordon and his team have been navigating the challenges of education through the pandemic.

1981 Chris Ball

has been working in both Toronto and Nova Scotia for the last few years as a director of photography and camera operator, most recently on Chapelwaite, the television adaptation of Stephen King’s short story, Jerusalem’s Lot. He also shot a feature film in Prince Edward Island called Still the Water, which is expected to be out this year. Chris is still teaching ultralight flying, hang gliding, and whitewater canoeing when he can.

1986 Gordon Clarke Gary Lawrence ’76 with his wife, Soon, in Whistler, B.C.

is the CEO of his family company, Worthy Park Estate Ltd., which makes sugar and rum. Gordon has worked for the company for 23 years and has

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litigation. Stephen joined the faculty at Western in 2000 after practicing corporate and commercial litigation in Toronto and completing graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. He was promoted to professor in 2013. He is a former president of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association and a recipient of the Canadian Association of University Teachers Dedicated Service Award.

Jay Rosenfeld Gordon Clarke ’86 is in the centre (wearing a white shirt with black collar), with Andrew Mahfood ’84 second from the left and Paul Henriques ’85 at far right.

been a board member for 26. He explains there are a couple of family connections involved in the company: the CFO is Paul Henriques ’85, who is also Gordon’s brother-in-law and a shareholder.

The Mahfood family company, Wisynco Group, is a 30 per cent shareholder in Worthy Park and their distribution and manufacturing company does all the distribution in Jamaica. Andrew Mahfood ’84 is the CEO of Wisynco, and his brother, Sam, is from the Class of 1983. Paul, Andrew, and Gordon have sons who are also Andreans: Adam Henriques ’13, Liam Henriques, who is currently in Grade 9, Joshua Mahfood ’13, Jake Mahfood ’15, and Christopher Clarke ’14.

has them locked down at home. During the pandemic, Mike has been working from home in Toronto but making time to pick up the guitar and enjoy their farm in Caledon on the weekends.

continues to work at Artemis Investment Management and says he mainly works from home. His youngest daughter, Rebecca, received early acceptance and a scholarship to Queen’s University. Her sister, Hanna, is graduating this year from Wilfrid Laurier University with Honours. During the pandemic, Jay is teaching himself to play keyboard and acoustic guitar in between trips to the cottage. He keeps in touch with his Andrean friends by phone and Zoom and admits to making good use of television streaming services like Netflix, where he enjoyed The Queen’s Gambit.

“I was shocked when I saw the School. I said to my daughters that it looked like my old school and, of course, several seconds later, realized that is my old school!”

Doug Hiltz

has been keeping busy through the pandemic by completing multiple renovation projects on his property in Glen Williams, Ont. After building a raised deck, railing, and gazebo last summer, he is now switching his focus to a kitchen renovation. “There is no shortage of projects that can keep me busy around this property. I truly enjoy it.” Aside from his role as the Ontario sales manager for Ariva, a division of Domtar, Doug owns a small fishing lure manufacturing company called Hangbelly Lures that he has run since 1998.

Doug reconnected with two good friends from the Old Boy community, classmates Gary Selley and Mark Smithyes, last summer and looks forward to further reunions as soon as it’s feasible.

Mike Lank

marked his 15th anniversary at OMERS Private Equity, where he is a senior managing director, leading the company’s global operations and strategy team. He and his wife, Fiona, recently became empty-nesters as both children are at university, studying engineering and business. Mike and Fiona love adventure travel, but like most others, COVID-19 54 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

Greg McGinnis

says with the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing travel plans, his only news is that he’s coming up on a year working out of his basement in Oakville, Ont. Greg is a management-side labour/employment partner at Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP, based in Toronto.

Stephen Pitel

has been elected to Western University’s Board of Governors and is the Canadian Association for Legal Ethics vice-president. He is one of Canada’s leading scholars on the conflict of laws, the field of law dealing with the taking of jurisdiction, the identification of the applicable law, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in civil and commercial

Jay Rosenfeld ’86 with his daughters, Rebecca, left, and Hanna, on a trip to the Galápagos Islands just before the pandemic hit.

ON SCREEN The Queen’s Gambit made a stir when it was released on Netflix last October, gaining positive reviews and sparking a renewed interest in chess. The mini-series about a child prodigy also caused many in the Andrean community to take note: some scenes were filmed on campus in the summer of 2019. If you haven’t seen it yet, the scenes that feature St. Andrew’s begin in episode five.

1988 Ed Seagram

reached a 20-year milestone at CBRE as a commercial real estate agent. Ed did some fishing this past winter with the extra time he’s found due to COVID-19. Below, he shows off a pickerel he caught during one of his ice fishing adventures.

1992 Albert Poon

1989 Curtiss Boyington

continues to work and live in Edmonton, Alta., with his wife, Judy, and their two busy boys, Quinn and Callum. He reports the past year has been challenging, both working on the front lines as an infectious diseases physician and as a medical director for Occupational Health and Safety. Curtiss and his team have worked non-stop since the pandemic’s onset to ensure thousands of healthcare workers are as protected as possible while also managing COVID-19 outbreaks in their facilities. He says the work has been exhausting and relentless, but important. Curtiss gives a special thanks to the dozens of his classmates, encouraged by his dear friend, Rod Boothby ’89, who sent him humorous cards of support over the holidays. “You lifted my spirits,” Curtiss says.

married Jenny Liu on Nov. 3, 2020, at the Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, despite the pandemic. Andreans in attendance were See-Wai Hui ’91, Wayne Yow ’92, and Jeremy Fang ’92 (pictured above, from left to right). With an architecture degree from the University of Southern California, Albert qualified as an architect and authorized person in Hong Kong. He is now a project manager with a major property developer there. have two older children, Violet, 19 months, and Cooper, 3.

1992 Curtiss Boyington ’89, Callum, Quinn, and Judy.

1991 James Morgan

and his wife, Michelle, welcomed their third child, Brooks Hudson, on Feb. 26, 2021. They

Carl Milroy

was named Entrepreneur of the Year in November 2020 by the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce.

Carl owns Red Thread Brewing Company, built on the premise of connections to people, places, and activities. Also, in 2020, the craft brewery teamed up with the Olde Village (the OV) Free House in

Newmarket to bring the community a new beer, called The cOVid Lager, and $5 from every case sold is donated to Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation’s COVID-19 Action Fund.

1995 Paul Etherington

and his brothers, Sean ’94 and Mark ’92, ran a one-hour virtual motionball Marathon of Sport that aired nationally on Sportsnet in September and raised more than $1 million net for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation. In 2002, the brothers founded motionball, a national non-profit that empowers young Canadians to be leaders in their communities, raising funds and awareness for Special Olympics through Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

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integrated social and sporting events. Their 2021 motionball gala, normally a soldout, 2,500-person event, was replaced with an in-home virtual gala on Feb. 5, featuring a Canadian all-star lineup of music and comedy.

in Boca Raton, Fla., with his wife, Paige, and their children, Scarlett, 6, and Windsor, 3, and flies his aircraft back and forth to their home in Collingwood, Ont., during the summer. In an interesting coincidence, Scarlett will be attending Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton this fall as a Grade 1 student. Jeff’s younger brother, Owen, is a current student at SAC in Grade 7, and his brother, Steve ’96, continues to live in Sydney, Australia. Jeff has kept in touch with close friends, Kai Brown ’95 and Matt Thorne ’96, and recently caught up with Robert Sands ’96 in Exumas, The Bahamas, at the Grande Isle Resort, where Robert is the manager.

1996 Jesse Kerr

is working in the not-for-profit sector at Sandbox Centre, a startup in Barrie, Ont., that helps people create a better life through business. He says he enjoys a few hockey tournaments a year and sliding down the slopes with his “better half,” Susan, and their combined three children.

2000 Ryan Brandham

and his wife, Sarah, had planned a 100-person wedding for April 2020 at Canoe Restaurant in Toronto, followed by a two-week honeymoon in Hawaii. Of course, the pandemic hit the month before, so the wedding was postponed. The couple decided to hold an intimate, 10-person wedding with their parents and siblings and their spouses on the balcony at the Oakville Club overlooking Lake Ontario. Ryan and Sarah managed to sneak away to Muskoka for a short honeymoon. “Although it wasn’t Plan A, it was a tremendous day, and we’re really excited to be able to start our married life together and continue enjoying our new home in the Bronte Harbour area of Oakville, where we are planting roots,” he says. While several Old Boys had been included in the original wedding plans, the only one at the family event was Ryan’s brother and best man, Brent Brandham ’03.

Vito Pilieci

The Etherington brothers: Sean ’94, Paul ’95, and Mark ’92.

Jeff Lewis

joined Fortress Investment Group in 2014 and is now a partner and head of aircraft leasing, managing the aircraft leasing business under Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure and FTAI Aviation, based in Miami, Fla. He also manages the personal aircraft for the co-founder of Fortress and enjoys time at the Milwaukee Bucks and Aston Villa games. Jeff is living

accepted the role of senior communications advisor to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in June 2012, following nearly 20 years as a journalist. He helps spearhead legislative change to give Canadians better rights to their personal information in today’s ever-changing digital world. He says it was tough to leave journalism, but his new role is challenging work that will positively impact Canadians from coast to coast.

Vito and his wife, Cheryl, live in North Gower, Ont., with their children, Alexander, 15, and Dean, 13.

1998 Jeff Sim

has spent the last 20 years abroad, having lived in England, China, and Hong Kong. He is back on Canadian soil, living in Vancouver, B.C., and working for Ionomr Innovations in the renewable energy sector. Jeff is excited to be back and hopes to meet fellow Andreans in the neighbourhood.

Jeff Sim ’98 with his children, Hugo, Kasper, and Ellie.

56 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

Ben Craig

and his wife, Rachel, welcomed their third child, Ella, a sister for Anna, 6, and Nathan, 4. Ben is president of Craig Manufacturing, a leading North American manufacturer of construction equipment attachments, with locations in Hartland, N.B., Cambridge, Ont., and Blackfalds, Alta. They recently opened a plant in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. The family lives in Fredericton, N.B.

2001 Roger Chau

started shoe customization as a hobby in university, mostly with paint and stencils. A couple of years ago, he attended a Shoe Surgeon Shoe School course in New York City to learn sneaker deconstruction-reconstruction. In 2019, Roger, pictured below at the far left, started his own company, re.creations.22, and established the first sneaker customization workshop in Hong Kong.

had been all over Alberta, British Columbia, and to Yukon twice. Michael was called back to flying in August and has been enjoying a reduced schedule. To keep busy during the winter, he took on a garage renovation. They now have an insulated, heated, winter parking garage for both vehicles and room for tools and storage. Besides parenting, his hobbies have been walking and maintaining a community hockey rink on the neighbourhood frozen pond. “This past year has had its challenges, but it has also given me so much perspective, personal growth, and strengthened relationships,” he says.

users to browse social media content, learn product details, and shop directly. He is also involved in the crypto/blockchain community.

Alessandro Lupo

John Housser

and his wife, Kristine, and children Dominic, 8, and Adalina, 4, have enjoyed life in Collingwood, Ont., for the past seven years. Alessandro reports there is no shortage of things to do despite the pandemic lockdown. Snowmobiling is one of the family’s passions, and they went on weekly outings on a beautiful trail system. They also had the pleasure of snowshoeing on their new two-acre property.

Alessandro reports they are breaking ground on a new home this spring, including a hockey arena to host Old Boy tournaments! Dominic has been training hard to attend SAC and hopes to become a pro goalie. Alessandro says being the head of his team as a wealth manager and investment advisor at RBC Dominion Securities is a never-ending learning curve. The influx of individuals moving north has made his practice busy over the past year. During the lockdown, he obtained his portfolio investment management license, allowing him to conduct business on a discretionary basis.

Jason Lau

Mike Tzimas

Danny Mak

says his family stayed home for the most part during 2020 and welcomed the newest member, Lambert, in July while their older daughter, Bertie, just turned 2. Danny is working at Google Singapore, looking after the Southeast Asia Cloud partner ecosystem.

2003 and his wife, Mary, welcomed Elliott on April 15, 2020. Older sister, Emily, 3, loves having a baby around the house. The family lives in North Vancouver, B.C., where they enjoy easy access to the mountains, the ocean, and the city. John continues to grow his career. He is responsible for the architecture and design of e-commerce and digital marketing software for Arc’teryx Equipment, and Mary is a family doctor.

2002 Michael Charlebois

is a pilot and says he has been acutely affected by the pandemic and the associated travel restrictions. He received a layoff notice from his workplace in March 2020, but this bad news was quickly replaced by the joy of welcoming his first child, Mackenzie Rae, on April 14, 2020. Michael made the most of his layoff and treated the situation as an extended paternity leave. He was able to be present in all things, provide support for his wife, Haley, and form an increasingly strong bond with his daughter. With Haley on maternity leave, the family loaded up their new motorhome for a road trip to Yukon. By six months of age, Mackenzie

and his wife, Juhee, welcomed their first child, Astrid, on Jan. 27, 2021. Although Jason and Juhee live in New York City, they were in Hong Kong for their daughter’s birth. Jason runs KALO, a one-stop fashion e-commerce platform for

is the CFO at Napoleon, joining the company in January 2020 after ten years in the automotive business. His previous role was VP finance at Multimatic. Napolean is a global manufacturer of hearth, barbecue, and HVAC products.

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Luc Zoratto

and some of his 2003 classmates formed an unofficial run club called The Toronto Red Toes.

They have taken up long-distance running in this COVID-19 era as a way to stay fit, healthy, and on-trend. This is an inclusive pace group with diverse distances. Luc jokes that you can expect to see them taking over the running community in Toronto.

From left: Ryan Hiscox, Chris McFarlane, Nathan Rothwell, Jeff Johnstone, Jordan Ross, David Amadori, Dave Banwell, and Luc Zoratto.

2004

2006

2007

Billy Burke

Scotty Johnstone

Matt Boyd

and his wife, Jamie, welcomed their second son, Harrison Joseph, on May 6, 2020. Harry is always smiling and motoring around and loves to play with his older brother, Willy.

accepted a promotion last year as a senior director of operations for No Frills, responsible for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Northwestern Ontario, which relocated him to Winnipeg.

Adam Laing

married Gabrielle Chin on Nov. 8, 2020, at his family farm in Portland, Jamaica, with only immediate family in attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions. Gabrielle and Adam were married in St. Andrew’s Chapel, a small chapel built by Adam and his father, Steven. On Jan. 1, 2020, Steven passed away, so the ceremony held extra special meaning for the couple. The couple both work for their familyowned businesses, Adam as managing director of Tara Courier Services Ltd., and Gabrielle as a senior associate at Island Wide Concrete Ltd.

Andrew Carnovale

is working at Morningstar Research Inc. as a customer success manager, helping support the fund companies, investment managers, and other users of Morningstar Direct, their flagship investment analysis platform.

Adam Laing ’06 and Gabrielle Chin with their dog, Bandooloo, outside St. Andrew’s Chapel.

58 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

has been working at Agnico Eagle Mines Limited for six years in strategy. He is currently a senior business analyst. Agnico is a Canadian-based gold producer with operations in Canada, Finland, and Mexico and development activities in the U.S. Matt lives in Toronto.

2008 Michael Choi

is pursuing a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology as part of the surgeon-scientist training program at the University of Toronto.

As a general surgery resident, he helped out at Toronto General Hospital during the pandemic, filling in the gaps in surgical and ICU services. After graduate school, Michael will return to complete his surgical residency and hopes to become a liver/pancreas transplant surgeon. He says he misses SAC, the sound of bagpipes, and his teachers more than ever and wishes to pay a visit once the pandemic settles down.

UPCLOSE

JOSHUA IRWANDI ’10 is an award-winning photojournalist whose photo

of the body of a suspected COVID-19 patient sparked fascination, anger, and admiration. The photo was published as part of a story in National Geographic in August 2020. The public response was immediate and viral; it received more than a million likes on the first day it was posted on the magazine’s Instagram page. Joshua also posted the photo on his Instagram page. Again, the response was overwhelming, and Joshua faced criticism in Indonesia. Here is what Joshua says about the photo and the fallout, as presented at the National Geographic Society’s Storytellers Summit 2021: Viral: The Crisis of Truth On July 14, 2020, National Geographic published an image to the story, How devastating pandemics change us. It was the photo of a suspected COVID-19 victim in a hospital in Indonesia. Alone, without the company of a family member. It was the most heartbreaking photograph I have ever made. What happened to this person may well happen to the people we love. I made the image because the public deserves to know the truth. Although the truth is not easy.

The photo gained traction and became the No. 1 trending topic in Indonesia.

On my Instagram, the image received 355,110 likes and on @natgeo, over a million likes within 21 hours. More than 500 news outlets used the image, showing a glimpse of this painful reality in Indonesia.

COVID-19 deniers questioned the image. I was deemed unethical; I was accused of setting up the photo to spread fear, of being a slave of WHO, a slave of Disney. All of a sudden, I was in the spotlight in a way I never expected to be. Details of my private life were released as news. On Instagram day and night, I received strings of personal attacks. I was silenced.

To me, it was an unnerving experience, but what would have been unimaginably terrifying is what would happen if we never saw the extent of the virus. As of this writing, on March 24, 2021, 863 medical workers have died in Indonesia. The question is, if we were left to doubt the existence of the virus, why did we show support to the medical force at the beginning if we were going to dismiss what they have to say?

This phenomenon reveals that we are at the cusp of history, when journalism at large will be consumed in a vastly different way from what we have always known. We are constantly dependent on social media to bring the most important message. Yet, we meddle through all of the misinformation out there. We come upon a new sobering fact: the only version of reality people want to believe in is the reality they curate for themselves. This is our challenge as storytellers, to always bring the real truth.

Joshua has since been nominated for a World Press Photo Award in General News for the photo above, and was awarded second place by the National Press Photographers Association’s Best of Photojournalism 2021 in the General News category. He has also been awarded the National Geographic Society exploration grant. That makes him a National Geographic Explorer. The grant will allow him to continue deeper work in Asmat, West Papua, for a year. Here are more of his photographic works.

Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

59

Zech Miller

started a new role as a criminal intelligence analyst with Toronto Police Services in February 2020. He functions as a strategic analyst and works with intelligence data to assist in investigations and create reports. While he can’t share much more, given the nature of his job, he says the new role is amazing. Zech notes he is grateful to have secured such a great position during these uncertain times and hopes to impact the city positively.

Colin Noble

earned his Australian CA designation in 2016 with KPMG in Sydney, Australia. He returned to Toronto in 2018 with KPMG and earned his Canadian CPA/CA designation before joining a specialized real estate and property development firm. He is a licensed realtor servicing clients in the Greater Toronto Area. Colin and Diana Boyd were married on June 20, 2020, at his parents’ country property in Uxbridge, Ont. They reside in Toronto and are expecting their first child in August. Colin is interested in reconnecting with his Andrean brothers. He can be reached by email at colinnoble@rogers.com.

2010 Spencer Powell

is based in London, England, where he is the performance lead for the Impact Management Project (IMP). He helps to oversee 16 organizations working collectively to bring sustainability measurement, management, and reporting to the same level of maturity as financial reporting. Before joining IMP in August 2019, Spencer worked as the finance manager for a publicly traded mining company. His stint in the corporate world made him keenly aware of the responsibility that organizations have toward measuring and managing their impact. This experience triggered his decision to pursue an MBA with a focus on social impact at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. During the program, he worked as a consultant in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a local impact investor.

Spencer was previously a senior accountant with KPMG’s Toronto office in the Energy and Natural Resources Group, where he became a chartered professional accountant.

Geoff Ruddock

moved to Germany after university, where he spent five years in the Berlin startup scene.

Geoff joked that in 2020, he made the “questionable decision” to move to a new country during a global pandemic. Since then, Geoff has been working as a data scientist at Facebook in London, England.

2011 Patrick Yan

and his wife, Chantelle, welcomed a daughter, Isabella, on June 5, 2020. Patrick has been the regional manager, high-value clients at TD since February 2018. The family lives in Toronto.

Andres Arozarena

has been accepted into Columbia Business School in New York City and will be joining the full-time MBA program’s incoming class this fall. He has a bachelor of industrial engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and a background in real estate investment and development.

Andrew Carr

married Kamila Pogoda on Oct. 24, 2020. The couple met during their studies at Queen’s University. Old Boys in the wedding party were Mick Carr ’09 (best man) and classmates Dylan Hewko, Christopher Ho, Arun Partridge, and Connor Pugliese. Other Old Boys in attendance were Brenden Hewko ’09, Alex Harris ’11, and 60 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

Kieran Mulroy ’11. The couple resides in Toronto, where Andrew is a CPA, CA working as a manager at KPMG, while Kamila is the environmental specialist for H&R REIT.

2012 Pedro Casas-Alatriste

moved from Mexico City to Washington D.C., pursuing a master’s degree in international development policy at Georgetown University in the McCourt School of Public Policy.

He was honoured with a merit-based scholarship at Georgetown and a merit-based scholarship from the Mexican federal government.

Mike Mildon

and best friend, Jackson Rowe, created and star in For Heaven’s Sake, a comedic documentary series set in Ontario and based on the mysterious disappearance of Mike’s great-great-uncle, Harold Heaven, from his remote cabin in 1934.

The series, which premiered March 4, 2021, is produced in partnership with CBC and Muse Entertainment and in association with Funny or Die and CBS Television Studios. With the help of Mike’s extended family, the pair attempts to solve this case by following theories, family stories, legends, and rumours. The duo decides to leave no stone unturned in their hilarious attempt to solve the 85-year-old cold case with nothing but amateur detective skills and an interest in true-

crime stories. Mike credits SAC for igniting his interest in drama: “If it wasn’t for St. Andrew’s, William Scoular’s drama class, and SAC TV, I don’t know if I would have discovered my love of film, comedy, and storytelling. Many Old Boys helped me along the way, and I am happy to help any students thinking about pursuing film.”

Reid Sisson

joined Citrix Systems in 2019 and moved from Vancouver, B.C., to Calgary, Alta., shortly after.

He was promoted from whitespace account manager to named account manager in fall 2019, servicing enterprise accounts in Calgary.

Citrix is a remote access and application delivery provider that saw explosive growth in 2020 due to COVID-19. Reid reports selling 10,000 Citrix licenses to various accounts in Calgary that resulted in rapid scaling of their work-from-home strategies. At the end of the year, he was awarded Named Account Manager of the Year for his first full fiscal year at Citrix, out of a pool of sellers across Canada.

Reid also closed the largest Cloud transaction of Q4, in partnership with Microsoft and Deloitte, across the entire Americas (Canada, United States, and Latin America) sales organization.

The pandemic also brought him back to his family, friends, and long-time girlfriend. Toward the end of 2020, Reid was granted a transfer to Toronto and promoted to field sales manager. He moved to a condo in Toronto’s coveted Distillery District and joined the Mississauga Golf Club, where he plans to spend time this summer.

two of his best friends, Jack McDonald ’13 and Quentin Campbell ’15. After graduating, he moved to Buffalo, N.Y., to start a career as a spinal implant specialist with Globus Medical.

“Ten years ago, I came through the gates of St. Andrew’s and was lucky enough to have the guidance and leadership of David Stewart and David Manning, two people who helped shape me into the man I have become today. The values and work ethic that they taught me, along with the rest of the St. Andrew’s family, has proven invaluable in my studies, playing career, and now my professional career,” Adam says. Below, Adam describes a fundraising initiative he is involved in.

Adam Moodie

says a lot has happened since graduating from St. Andrew’s: he completed his undergraduate degree at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he played four years of hockey with

2014 graduated from Lazaridis School of Business at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2018. In September 2020, he started his pursuit of an MBA with a co-op at McMaster University. Jeff is currently working as a supply chain and logistics specialist for G.S Dunn. Jeff, below, far right, enjoyed golfing this past summer with classmates, from left, Jin Yu, Michael Mardini, and Callum Green.

Well, right as I thought I was done playing hockey, I was asked to play in the most challenging game of my life. I have stayed involved in the game since “retiring” from competitive play and continue to play in a local men’s league and help coach a youth team in the Buffalo, N.Y., area.

I am playing in honour of my Aunt Debbie.

I spent a good portion of my life living with her, and, unfortunately, she lost her battle to cancer in my junior year at Skidmore College.

2013

joins the Health & Wellness team at St. Andrew’s.

He is a qualifying member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists and a professional member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. A graduate of Western University and Yorkville University, Alexander holds a master of arts in counselling psychology and a bachelor of arts in media, information, and technoculture. Along with his academic credentials, Alexander is an accomplished bagpiper and squash coach who works closely with the Pipes & Drums and athletic programs at SAC.

Jeff Banwell

I joined the 11 Day Power Plan to raise money for cancer research. From Nov. 14 to 23, 2021, I will begin competing alongside 40 other hockey players for 11 days straight to break this record. I could not think of a better way to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

Reid Sisson ’12, far right, and classmate, Sapheer Somani, second from left, golfing with two friends from Western University.

Alexander Seto

The friendships I made at St. Andrew’s carry on today, and I am confident that they are here to stay for the rest of my life. These friends have helped me with job guidance, life advice, supported me through ups and downs, and have, at times, walked me home from the bar after a good night of fun. I ask my fellow Andreans to help support this cause if they can. Visit communityshift.11daypowerplay.com/ adammoodie for details.

2015 Marc-Antoine Beauchamp

is a third-year law student at the Université de Montréal. He and his teammates won the 2021 Concours Pierre-BasileMignault, an annual advocacy competition for Canada’s six civil law faculties. In the final round, he and his partner pleaded their case in front of a bench composed of two justices of the Supreme Court of Canada and one of the Quebec Court of Appeal. The competition, which took place virtually, was organized by McGill University’s Faculty of Law and hosted by its dean, Robert Leckey ’93. Robert will take Marc-Antoine for a congratulatory lunch when public-health conditions allow.

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2016 Kyle Hunter

is in his fourth year at Western University studying business. Next year, he will join the university’s exchange program to England and looks forward to travelling through Europe while finishing his final year.

After graduating from SAC, he continued to play hockey at the junior level and now plays for fun in Western’s intramural league. He’s realized his passion for law, and after university, Kyle plans to apply to law schools within and outside Canada. Kyle says he’s looking forward to what comes next and will definitely be back at SAC soon to watch the MacPherson Hockey Tournament.

Mitch Martan

is attending Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., and playing Division 1 hockey. He is majoring in economics and finance and made the dean’s list last semester. This summer, he hopes to secure a finance internship with RBC as an investment associate. In his downtime, Mitch likes to read, golf, and do some investing on the side. He is enjoying a solid year on the ice, statistically speaking, with six goals and nine assists in 16 games played so far. He reports that his family is doing well, and everyone is happy and safe.

Jack Turner

graduated from McGill University in December 2020 with an honours BA in political science and a double minor in economics and business commerce. He plans to attend law school in the fall. For the past six months, he and a fraternity brother from McGill have been developing a non-profit online platform called Keen to Help.

It is a social network that officially launched in late January 2021 and is designed to connect prospective volunteers with non-profit and charitable organizations in their area. Jack and his partner were selected as finalists for the Dobson Cup, McGill’s annual entrepreneurial contest for students and alumni. They competed against five other startups in March for a chance to win $20,000 for Keen to Help, and placed second in the Social Innovation Enterprise Track category, also winning the Avmor Prize for Social Responsibility.

2018 Michael Kurp

is in his third year as a Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy from where he will commission as an officer in the United States Navy or Marine Corps. He won the Navy and Marine Corps Leadership Award in the 201920 school year for “outstanding leadership in the execution of his duties” and was selected by his peers for this honour. The award was presented by the Commandant of Midshipmen for the Superintendent. According to Michael’s grandfather, Michael Wood ’56, “SAC should take a bow inasmuch as the School laid the foundation for this success.”

Alex Solórzano Orozco

took over his father’s housing business, Grupo Herso, with his uncle two years ago. He works there as an executive board member while finishing his industrial engineering degree at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. He is also starting his career as a market investor and hopes to open an investment fund after graduating. Some personal hobbies that Alex enjoys are running, weightlifting, skiing, and fashion designing. His designs include everything from T-shirts and suits to sneakers.

62 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

submit your class note to appear in the fall andrean theandrean@sac.on.ca deadline: Aug. 31, 2021

UPCLOSE WILLEM GRIER ’19 started at Arizona

State University (ASU) in 2019. Now in his second year, he is engaged in a project with some classmates in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, a joint venture between the engineering and business schools.

This opportunity arose after he began his second major in business law to accompany his original degree in computer engineering.

The founding team of four business and engineering students created a maintenance management company called FixQuick.

Willem says his inspiration for this company came from his father’s experience as president of his homeowner’s association in Barbados. Residents needed a more efficient and effective means of communicating with maintenance staff during the pandemic and managing their maintenance requests.

Many maintenance management programs are available, but they are expensive and designed primarily for back-end analysis and job assignment. FixQuick bridges the gap between residents and maintenance so that residents can communicate with staff, view their invoices and transparent pricing options, and manage their maintenance requests on the go through a mobile application. Willem’s team has designed mobile apps and software for small residential communities like his father’s and large communities like ASU’s student housing.

Willem reports he is also engaged in EPICS (engineering projects in community service) at ASU, designing refrigerator and solar panel modules for residences in Arizona’s Navajo Nation. This community is disproportionately affected by power outages and lack of access to fresh food, and the elderly residents often require refrigeration for their medicines. The team installed two modules before the pandemic began and monitored the status of the refrigerator, solar panel, and battery remotely via satellite communications.

While the pandemic has prevented travel, Willem says he cannot wait to get to Canada sometime this year and visit his fellow Andreans. X

OBITUARIES 1938

James O’Brian passed away on Feb. 24, 2021, in Toronto. He attended St. Andrew’s from 1935 to 1938. He was a Prefect and involved in First Hockey, First Rugby, First Cricket, and swimming.

Jim held the tank record for backstroke and won the ski race in his graduating year. He was also a drum sergeant in the Cadet Corps, secretary of the Literary Society, and on the editorial board of The Review. The yearbook’s staff advisor was none other than Geoffrey O’Brian, Jim’s father, who was appointed Head of the Lower School in 1938. Jim received the Cooper Medal in Science, the Lt.-Governor’s Bronze Medal, the GovernorGeneral’s Medal, and the Macdonald Medal. He was also one of two students chosen to represent SAC on the Canadian School Boys Tour to the coronation of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, in London, England, in May 1937. Jim was a member of Princeton University’s Class of 1942, playing freshman football and hockey. He was the only Canadian in his class. Jim left in 1941, before graduation, to join the RCAF and follow his father and older brother, Peter, into wartime air force duty. After training in England on Hurricanes, he served in North Africa and northern Europe and flew Spitfires for the 417 Squadron in Italy.

Post-war, Jim finished his BA at Trinity College in Toronto, articled at Clarkson Gordon, and became a CA in 1950, working at George Hendrie & Sons until retirement in 1985. Jim is survived by his children, Geoffrey, Jennifer, and Maggie; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his brother, Liam ’46. He is predeceased by his wife, Annie; brother, Peter; and parents, Geoffrey and Kate.

1942

Donald Fraser passed away on Dec. 21, 2020, in Toronto. Donald attended St. Andrew’s from 1938 to 1942. In his graduating year, Donald stood first in Upper Sixth, won a First General Proficiency prize, the Old Boys’ Medal in Mathematics, and the Governor-General’s Medal.

The year before, he won the Chairman’s Gold Medal, the Hulbig Medal in Mathematics, and the Lt.-Governor’s Bronze Medal. He was a corporal in

the Cadet Corps and a member of the SAC Life-Guard Corps.

Donald went to the University of Toronto, where he studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and obtained his PhD from Princeton University, where he specialized in the newly developing area of statistics. He began a long and successful career in academia at U of T, becoming the Department of Statistics’ founding chair in 1977. Elected to the Royal Society of Canada at the age of 42, Donald was the first recipient of the Gold Medal of the Statistical Society of Canada in 1985. He later received honorary degrees from the University of Waterloo (1992) and the University of Toronto (2002). He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011 in recognition of his contributions to science and society. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; daughters, Julie, Danae, Maia, Andrea, Ailana, Ailie, and Donelle; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1945

Murray Campbell ‘Cam’ Dobbin passed

away on Nov. 26, 2020, in Toronto. He attended St. Andrew’s College from 1942 to 1945. Cam was a member of the shooting team and was a lance-corporal in the Cadet Corps pipe band.

He won the Old Boys’ Medal in Mathematics. Cam studied medicine at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1952. He and his wife, Dolly, moved to Elsa, Yukon, where Cam cared for the community for five years and then to Philadelphia, Pa., to complete a residency in ophthalmology. They returned to Toronto, where Cam ran a private and surgical practice at Toronto East General Hospital (now Michael Garron Hospital) until his retirement. His contributions during his career earned him a lifetime membership in the Ontario Medical Association and Canadian Medical Association. Cam was most relaxed at his island cottage on Lake Temagami. Earning his pilot’s license in the 1960s allowed him to fly there and avoid highway traffic. It was not unusual for Cam to buzz the Memorial Chapel steeple on his way up north. An early embracer of technology, he built a ham radio while living in Yukon, and in the 1970s built his own computer and taught himself to code and program. He wrote computer software to manage patient admin in his office and

eventually patented and leased his program to other physicians. Cam is survived by his children, Gord ’71 and Charlie, and three grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife, Dolly; his son, Peter ’73; and his brother, Pat. Cam and Dolly gave the Foucault Pendulum to SAC in Peter’s memory. It remains in the renovated McLaughlin science wing and demonstrates the rotation of the Earth.

1949

Hugh Thomson passed away on Feb. 6, 2020, in Stanstead, Que. He attended St. Andrew’s from 1944 to 1948, and during his time at the School, he was on the track team. His career was in business management and marketing, retiring 30 years ago. Hugh was appointed to the Stanstead College Board of Trustees in 1999. He also spent two decades as an international volunteer advisor with CESO (Canadian Executive Service Organization).

Hugh is survived by his wife, Jean; sons, Andrew and Peter; and a grandson.

1950

Jamie Dunton passed away on Oct. 4, 2020, in

Ottawa. He graduated from SAC after attending for two years. He was Head Boy, president of the Literary Society, a librarian, and school news editor of The Review. Jamie was also a corporal in the Cadet Corps. He received the George Etienne Cartier Medal in French, the Wyld Prize in Latin, the Lt.-Governor’s Bronze Medal, and the Governor-General’s Gold Medal for highest standing in the Upper Sixth. After graduating from St. Andrew’s and obtaining undergraduate and law degrees at McGill University, he was called to the Bar in 1957. He worked at Lafleur Brown and in the legal department at Canadian International Paper Company until 1965, when he joined the firm that became Dunton Rainville LLP in Quebec. Jaime remained at Dunton Rainville for 30 years. After retirement, he and his wife, Sooky, moved to the Eastern Townships in Quebec, and he was elected mayor of Hatley from 1996 to 2003. He later became president of the Unitarian Universalist Church of North Hatley. Jamie is survived by his wife, Marjorie Lee (Sooky); children, Betsy >> Spring 2021 The ANDREAN

63

and Tom; stepchildren, Geoffrey, Cym, and Sally; and nine grandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife, Diane.

1952

Richard Van den Bergh passed away on

Jan. 5, 2020 in Denver, Colo. He attended St. Andrew’s from 1942 to 1945. While at SAC, he played on the Lower School “prep” hockey team and received rave reviews for his portrayal of Joan in the play, St. Joan. Richard left SAC when his family moved back to England, and he completed high school there. He returned to Canada to attend McGill University and earned undergraduate and medical degrees. He moved to Colorado for his first residency in psychiatry at the University of Colorado, followed by a second residency at New York University. In 1964, he returned to Denver, where he started a private practice and lived with his family for the rest of his life. Richard is survived by his wife, Paula; his first wife, Sally, and their four children, Thatcher, Virginia, Rick, and Fred; and six grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brother, James ’51.

1956

David Kitchen passed away on Oct. 28, 2020, in Calgary, Alta. He attended St. Andrew’s starting in January 1949 until graduation. He served as a Prefect, was sports editor of The Review, and was a lieutenant in the Cadet Corps. After SAC, David attended the University of Toronto and obtained an honours degree in political science and economics. He spent his entire career with the Royal Bank of Canada, which took him and his family across the country to many cities, including Vancouver, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. He was also a visionary who championed the rights of women and First Nations people at the Royal Bank. David is survived by his wife, Margot; his children, Kelly, Tim, and David; and nine grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brother, Peter ’54.

1964

John Pennal passed away on Oct. 2, 2020, in Toronto. He attended St. Andrew’s from 1959 to 1964. John was chosen as Head Prefect in his graduating year. He was a commanding officer of the Cadet Corps, played First Hockey and First Football, was a member of the First Rifle team, and chair of the Executive Council. John’s leadership qualities continued to serve him at 64 The ANDREAN Spring 2021

the University of Toronto Law School.

He practiced at Fraser and Beatty, followed

by Norton Rose Fulbright. Following his law career, John founded a venture capital firm. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen; his children, Geoff ’94, John, and Alexandra; seven grandchildren; and his siblings, Peter ’69, Tim ’77, and Pam.

2009

James (Jake) Roman passed away on Oct. 24, 2020. He attended St. Andrew’s from 2005 to 2009 and was a valuable player on the First Football and First Rugby teams. James had fond memories of his days at SAC playing alongside his teammates and sharing in their victory of the 2008 Homecoming game. After graduation, James attended Wilfrid Laurier University and later the business program at Ryerson University.

He aspired to build his own land development business. James is survived by his mother, Claudia Arena-Roman, and brother, Luke ’08, who will forever miss his charismatic personality and iron-willed tenacity. He is predeceased by his father, Paul Michael Roman.

STAFF Luigi D’Ambrosio passed away on Dec. 8,

2020, in Newmarket. He started at the College in 1988 as the Head Chef. His arrival launched the “outstanding SAC tradition of excellent and willing service in the kitchen,” according to Not An Ordinary Place, the 1998 book by Head of Drama and Film, William Scoular. Luigi became an integral part of the SAC community, especially to his colleagues and the boys. Luigi taught the occasional cooking class for Grade 12 students. Even after his retirement in 2011, he continued to volunteer his time in Cole Hall. His favourite time to work was Homecoming, when he could catch up with the grads who attended when he worked full-time. He also devoted his time to CHATS (Community & Home Assistance to

Seniors), providing hot lunches for seniors weekly.

Luigi is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Domenic; five grandsons and a great-grandson; and his siblings, Cesare, Vince, and Celestina. Luigi is predeceased by his siblings, Ildebrando and Domenica.

Craig Kamcke passed away on Sept. 29,

2020, in Ottawa. He was educated at Upper Canada College, Ashbury College, and Victoria College at the University of Toronto. He served as Head of History at St. Andrew’s from 1964 to 1979. During his years at SAC, Craig commanded the Cadet Corps, directed the annual musicals, founded the Independent Schools Drama Festival in 1974, and coached the second and third football and basketball teams.

He left to become headmaster at Trafalgar Castle School. Craig had a long association with the military as a cadet, as a serving officer in the regular forces, in the reserves, and as a cadet instructor. He was a long-term member of the Royal Canadian Military Institute. Craig is survived by his daughter, Meghan, and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary. Craig and Mary were married in Memorial Chapel in 1972 and David Timms, former Flavelle Housemaster and Head of English and Drama, served as the best man.

Lewis Pitman passed away on Feb. 8, 2021, in

Salt Spring Island, B.C. He was a member of the SAC faculty from 1960 to 1976, teaching English.

Before coming to St. Andrew’s, Lewis was an army pilot and a member of the Pilot Regiment. He attended universities in England and Canada and trained to become an English teacher. He became SAC’s Head of English as well as Housemaster of Memorial House, chair of the Academic Committee, and an Assistant Headmaster.

Over the years, Lewis also became a distinguished potter, a bagpiper, and a keen runner. He is survived by his wife, Valerie; children, Nancy Jo, Andrew ’81, and Matthew; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. X

CONTENTS Spring 2021: volume 65, number 1 FEATURES 4 10 14 16 18 32

Hall of Wonders – McLaughlin Hall Renovation Pandemic POVs

The ANDREAN Published by St. Andrew’s College for Old Boys, parents, and friends of the School Editor Julie Caspersen Director of Communications Nicolette Fleming

Andrean Artwork

Art Direction, Design, and Photography Paul Mosey

Middle School Passion Projects Andrean Traditions Bedard Athletic Centre History Wall

Contributors Beth Carter Sean Maillet Chris Traber

COLUMNS 2 The Head’s Up 34 Sports Update – NCAA and U Sports Commits 37 Community News 40 Old Boys Profiles 50 Old Boys News 63 Obituaries

Telephone 905-727-3178, ext. 333 Email admission@sac.on.ca oldboys@sac.on.ca theandrean@sac.on.ca Website www.sac.on.ca The Cover

Henry Paluch ’22 is a top student excelling in both Grade 11 and 12 science courses.

He plans to pursue science and engineering in his post-secondary studies.

Welcome to The Andrean, your alumni magazine since 1956.

The pandemic has certainly changed the way we produce and publish this magazine: holding virtual planning meetings, keeping our distance during photoshoots, and working from home most days. This issue is the culmination of our new, and hopefully temporary, way of doing things as we wait for the all-clear to return to our offices on the upper floor of Dunlap Hall. We miss the joyful sounds of boys cavorting outside Rogers Hall, the shouted greetings of Upper School students making their way to and from classes, athletics, and co-curriculars, and even the hum of machinery as the maintenance staff spring cleans the property. I hope this edition finds you healthy and content, whatever your situation. And I hope one day, very soon, we’ll be seeing you on campus so we can show off the McLaughlin Hall renovation and the Bedard history wall, featured inside.

Julie Caspersen, Editor

We belong to the following associations:

The Andrean magazine supports the St. Andrew’s College mission to “…develop the complete man, the well-rounded citizen,” connects Old Boys and parents to the School, and is a reflection of St. Andrew’s College’s enduring value to the constituents it serves.

THE Laughlin

ANDREAN Spring 2021: volume 65, number 1

BURNING BRIGHT

ience RE-ESTABLISHED

2021

Grade 11 student

Henry Paluch

lights up a lab in the newly renovated McLaughlin Hall science building

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INSIDE: PANDEMIC REFLECTIONS

Andrean TRADITIONS

OLD BOYS PROFILES + NEWS