In School

When news broke about the remains of 215 missing children found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, and unmarked graves at other former residential schools, the UTS Indigenous Solidarity Committee helped students understand the impacts of these atrocities.

On June 2, UTS Elder-in-Residence Cat Criger and the Committee shared their reflections, leading the school in three minutes and 35 seconds of silence. M4 (Grade 10) student Shreya Shah said: “All of our Land Acknowledgements will be meaningless unless each of us commits to ensuring that treaties are honoured and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are implemented.” Two days later, many students joined a virtual talking circle, hosted by the Committee and Cat. The Class of 2021 celebrated Graduation day together but apart at the 5 Drive-In Theatre in Oakville. “This COVID year tested our resilience more than ever, teaching us that learning extends far beyond the classroom…” said Co-Valedictorian Elizabeth Zhu. “Learning is not about titrating a liquid perfectly or simply refining the derivative of a curve. It’s about experimenting…”

It was wonderful to see the grads cross the stage in their blue caps and gowns to receive their diplomas from Principal Rosemary Evans and Vice Principal Garth Chalmers. “We don’t have the traditional send-off, it’s true,” said Co-Valedictorian Shuruthi Sivadas. “We’ve been through so much together, and grown emotionally. What we’ve experienced over these years has ensured that we are leaving UTS as better people than when we came.”

He uses origami to teach abstract algebra. He made math a team sport. He leads students in the creation of the fRoot math puzzle magazine. And now UTS Mathematics and Computer Science teacher Adam Gregson has been named a 2021 René Descartes Medalist and will be inducted into the Society next year. He also earned the Mathematical Association of America’s Edyth May Sliffe Award for distinguished teaching.

Under Adam’s leadership, UTS has had several students on the Canadian International Math Olympiad Team, but the real success is how the Math Team has become more of a team, involving students from all grades with an equal gender balance. “We’re trying to make math more social, about getting together with your friends,” says Adam. “Our big success is that many more students are teaching each other and collaborating.”

It was a SHOW like never before. Due to the pandemic, SHOW 2021: ALL ABOARD became the first ever SHOW feature film. The premise: “A less-than-fortunate cruise ship experience is turned upside down by a murder on board. Can these two unlikely partners find the culprit before the next life is claimed?” The Directors – S6 (Grade 12) students Chloe Kim and Riya Kumar, and S5 (Grade 11) Patricia Nova – started planning in August 2020, and filming began in March, supervised by French teacher Claude Guillemot, and with expertise from Visual Arts teacher Robin Michel. “One of the major hurdles was trying to figure out how to film while keeping socially distant,” says Riya.

Patricia adds, “Everything we did was intensely collaborative. From the planning to filming to editing, there wasn’t an instant where we weren’t brainstorming together or giving each other heaps of feedback.” The world premiere debuted June 18 on YouTube to rave reviews.

After a semifinals debate on whether the west should abandon the proliferation of democracy as a foreign policy objective, the team of S6 (Grade 12) Sarenna McKellar and M4 (Grade 10) Alyssa Li reached the national finals. The topic: whether 100 percent of university admissions should be based on a lottery system. They argued the pressure of getting into a top university often puts detrimental stress on students, and stratifies the quality of education because top schools get the most resources.

The result: Sarenna placed first and Alyssa sixth, and together they became the Canadian Debate National Champions!

“This was the perfect way to recognize all of the hard work Ms . Sagalina Doré and Kieran (Kreidié-Akazaki ’17) put into coaching us,” says Sarenna. She has passed on everything she has learned to Alyssa, who loves how debate “promotes openmindedness as you view the world from many different lenses.” It takes a team to win an Envirothon, with everyone bringing different expertise to the table. In the top row from left to right, Science teacher Elizabeth Straszynski was coach of the S5 (Grade 11) team featuring wildlife expert Catherine Liu, and soils expert Luckya Xia. In the bottom row, Sharon Chen brought forestry expertise, Risha Reddy focused on nature-based climate change solutions for the provincial competition, and water resources management for the international competition, and Vanessa Fan covered aquatics. Together, they won the 2021 Ontario Envirothon, hosted by Forests Ontario. It was almost a UTS sweep with our teams in three of the top four places. In the summer, they became experts on the Nebraska environment to finish eighth at the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon, and win the forestry eco station section.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the University of Toronto; photographer Lisa Salulensky

HAL JACKMAN IS MAKING HISTORY — EVEN IF HE DOESN’T THINK SO

THE UTS ALUMNUS HAS SPENT A LIFETIME SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL CAUSES

By Karen Sumner

The Honourable Henry Newton Rowell “Hal” Jackman O .C . ’50 does not expect to be remembered. He is also aware of the irony of holding that view, given that his name is recognized in many places to acknowledge his generous advocacy and financial support. At the University of Toronto, there’s the Jackman Humanities Institute, Jackman Humanities Building, and Jackman Law Building. There’s also the Rowell Jackman Hall student residence, a building that Hal always felt such a part of because the gift was instigated by his mother, Mary Rowell Jackman. On noon-hour walks across Queen’s Park as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, he would often take the opportunity to linger at the plaque outside the building commemorating her name.

Soon, he will also have official recognition at UTS, and faculty and students will be able to enjoy dramatic productions and other activities in the new Jackman Theatre.

If there’s one certainty about Hal – woven throughout his time as Chief Executive Officer of E-L Financial Corporation, 25th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and 30th Chancellor of the University of Toronto, among other appointments and positions – it’s that he is a dedicated patron of the arts and education. In addition to U of T and UTS, he has given generously to

Hal Jackman in 2016 at the opening of the Jackman Law Building at the University of Toronto.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ➊ Hal (pictured left) played the rebel Hotspur in the UTS production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1. ➋: His grad write‑up in the 1950 Twig. ➌: Hal in the UTS Cadet Corps (front row left). ➍: Hal in Grade 11 at UTS (middle back row). the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet, and the Hal Jackman Foundation funds cultural organizations, creative communities, and scholarship in the humanities. His lifelong patronage earned him the title of Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000, and he has been awarded nine honorary doctorates.

But don’t confuse official acts of recognition with earning a lasting place in people’s hearts and minds.

“I would like to be remembered by my family, of course,” says Hal. “But not for giving. The important part is doing it. Maybe naming opportunities attract some donors, but what matters is that institutions that need the funds get the funds. The people at the top make ridiculous amounts of money. They could spend it all on yachts, but much better that those who are able to do something positive with their means take action and actually do it.”

Raised in a family committed to public service, Hal has been taking action his whole life. His UTS alumnus father, Harry Jackman O .C . ’18, was a Member of Parliament and founded the Winston Churchill Medal for the Art of Communication at UTS. His mother, Mary Rowell Jackman, was a devoted philanthropist. Acts of service and giving were baked into the family culture, and Hal can’t imagine doing anything better with his time and money than supporting causes close to his heart in a city he loves dearly.

PORTRAIT OF THE BENEFACTOR AS A YOUNG MAN

Hal’s lasting affection for UTS sprung into being soon after he arrived for his final two years of high school.

“When it came to academics and school spirit, there was no comparison with my previous school,” he says. “I had never seen students so enthusiastic about learning and about activities like sports and theatre. I remember when our hockey team played other schools at Maple Leaf Gardens, all of us came out to watch and cheer. The stands for the other team were almost empty. I wasn’t an athlete myself, but I loved the sense of connection and camaraderie I felt everywhere in the school.”

Rather than distinguishing himself on the ice or field, Hal found his place in the theatre. In one memorable UTS production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, he played the rebel Hotspur, who is killed by Prince Hall before he ascends the throne. During the duelling scene on the stage, Hal was in fact accidentally stabbed but carried on. Once the curtain fell, he was ferried to emergency to tend to what was quite a serious wound. Having taken theatre to heart, the budding actor understood that regardless of his own situation, the show must go on.

Hal’s fondest memories of UTS are of his times on the stage, so it is perhaps no surprise that when he became one of the first UTS Founders through the Building the Future campaign, his gift was directed to the theatre. It is also fitting that he became so actively engaged in the efforts to renew the affiliation between UTS and U of T, given his close ties to both schools.

“Hal saw the partnership between UTS and the university as critical,” says Board Chair Jim Fleck C .C . ’49, P ’72, who worked alongside Hal and Principal Rosemary Evans on the renewed agreement. “As a former Chancellor, Hal brought a lot of credibility to the process, and he was instrumental in establishing the same structure of relationship with U of T that the federated colleges have.”

Adds Jim, “I would also say that his love for the university showed in every conversation. He wasn’t just trying to get a ‘win’ for UTS, though he is a devoted supporter. He believes that every level of education is important and that U of T and UTS have much to give to and learn from each other. He acted on behalf of both schools out of a deep commitment to education and genuine sense of a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Rosemary agrees that Hal is “completely devoted” to the University of Toronto and adds that his energy and enthusiasm were an inspiration to everyone involved in the affiliation agreement.

“He always saw UTS as an integral part of the university community,” she says. “It was important to him that we maintain our traditional home on the U of T campus at 371 Bloor Street while also redeveloping the site, since it looked in many ways like his school in the 1950s and even his father’s school in the 1910s. Hal helped lead the campaign for that redevelopment as well, and now it’s kind of wonderful that the old gym, which held no draw for him as a young man, has been redesigned as a state-of-the-art theatre.”

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Hal Jackman retired as the University of Toronto’s 30th Chancellor in 2003 after six years’ service.

THE SHOWS CONTINUE TO GO ON

Hal carried his love of the theatre with him to university, where he was involved in productions at Hart House while earning his bachelor of arts degree from Victoria College in 1953 and bachelor of law degree from the Faculty of Law in 1956. Though he was destined for a career in business, he immersed himself in the theatre community and continued to advocate for the arts and humanities.

“The humanities make you think,” says Hal. “Philosophy, history, and literature are very important subjects for developing the mind and helping us understand the world. What you need in business, which is where I was before I retired, is the ability to think and understand complexity. I would suggest anyone interested in business or law study the humanities.”

In fact, Hal’s wife, Maruja Duncan Jackman, was a professor in the humanities and all five of his children hold post-graduate degrees in the humanities. This is a family that lives both its philanthropic and educational values.

While Hal went on to attend the London School of Economics and then immerse himself in the business world, he continued to support the arts through his leadership on various boards, such as the Canadian Opera Company, Ballet

Opera House, Ontario Arts Council, Stratford Foundation, and Art Gallery of Ontario, among many others. And during his term from 1991 to 1997, he established The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for the Arts, which dispersed over $2.5 million to 84 arts organizations across the province.

And of course, he never forgot either of his Canadian alma maters. He loved serving as Chancellor of the University of Toronto, once telling U of T Magazine that Hal, the individual, is not at all important while the role of chancellor very much is, especially at events like convocation. Looking back with the advantage of age and experience, he has also admitted that his appreciation for the university’s academic programming has only grown stronger with time, having devoted much of his youthful focus and energy to the theatre rather than his studies.

To show his appreciation, Hal made two $15 million gifts to the Jackman Humanities Institute – the largest donations ever to the humanities at a Canadian university. Then in 2012, he donated $11 million to support the Faculty of Law’s plans for a new building. In total, his giving to U of T has exceeded $56 million, including $2 million to Victoria College for the Vic One Program and $500,000 to the Centre for Medieval Studies’ Dictionary of Old English.

A SENSE OF BELONGING LASTS A LIFETIME

Hal has also maintained close lifelong ties with UTS as an advocate, donor, and volunteer.

“UTS helped form me as a person,” he says. “I believe we had the greatest teachers in the city. I know education has changed a lot since I attended, but I can say for a fact that the academic standards were a big change for me. A positive change. As was the sense of community and how welcome I felt in the theatre.”

Hal ascribes much of what is great about UTS to its relationship with U of T and believes that many of the eminent universities around the world have affiliated high schools. In his view, the excellence flows both ways.

This year, to recognize his many contributions to the advancement of UTS and to greater society through significant lifetime achievements, the school is bestowing Hal with its highest honour, the H.J. Crawford Award. Whatever Hal’s views of his legacy, there is no doubt that his generous support of UTS, the humanities, arts, and social causes has shaped Canadian society for the better.

“I don’t know if philanthropists are remembered for their giving,” says Jim Fleck. “But I do know that those who shape history and culture deserve a lasting place in our minds and our records. Hal’s support of education and the arts has impacted many, many people’s lives. And his role in securing our relationship with the University of Toronto is a significant historical event that the school will never forget.” ■

Hal Jackman proved instrumental to negotiating our school's renewed affiliation agreement with the University of Toronto, and is pictured here (top left) on December 15, 2015, the day the agreement was signed, along with Diamond Schmitt principal and co‑founder Don Schmitt C.M. ’70, and front row left to right: UTS Board Vice Chair John Duffy ’81, P ’17, ’21, UTS Principal Rosemary Evans, and UTS Board Chair Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72.

HELP OTHERS FEEL SEEN AND HEARD: KENNY HANDELMAN ’89

Author of Attention Difference Disorder and founder of The Centre for Integrative Mental Health

While he works with patients with a wide range of psychiatric disorders, Dr . Kenny Handelman ’89 has become an international expert on attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Throughout his career, he had always felt a connection with young people with ADHD. Then, at age 40, he was diagnosed with ADHD himself, which perhaps explains that intuitive affinity.

“I was not diagnosed as a teenager,” he says. “If you get good grades at school and don’t show hyperactivity, ADHD can be easy to miss. And when I received my medical training, the idea of adult ADHD was foreign. While anxiety, depression, or substance use is often seen in adults, there was little consideration of the role ADHD might play in those and other conditions. The same is still true for children and adolescents. Sometimes secondary conditions are more evident.”

Kenny shares this story within the context of our current pandemic, which he calls a “tsunami from a mental health perspective.” Young people with ADHD – diagnosed or otherwise – can have tremendous difficulty with online learning and over the course of a single year shift from being “good” to “at-risk” learners. With the return to in-class instruction, some of these kids will be behind both academically and socially, having lost the opportunity to strengthen their self-regulation skills in a typical school year.

Add in the possible financial or emotional stresses felt by parents, and Kenny predicts we will see a steady rise in mental health challenges in young people over the next few years. He is already seeing increased anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, combined with an overall shortage of mental health professionals and with emergency rooms unable to take in all patients who arrive specifically for psychiatric reasons.

In addition to providing that much-needed psychiatric support, Kenny counsels young people and their families about how to take care of themselves and each other.

“The fundamentals are critical,” he says. “That means regular sleep on a schedule, exercise of any kind, quality nutrition, limited screen time once learning and other responsibilities are taken care of, and an extra effort on the part of parents to maintain social ties and get the family outside playing games at the park or enjoying nature. I also teach my patients about journalling and mindfulness. Slowing down and understanding what is happening inside us is essential when learning how to manage stress and build mental wellness.”

One message he has for parents and teachers: “Check in. Ask explicitly how your child or student is doing. Show interest, care, and compassion. People navigate difficult situations better when they feel seen and heard. And then they will offer that same interest and compassion to others. That builds connection and community, which makes a real difference in our lives and which we especially need in these uneasy times.”

EMPATHY IS THE FOUNDATION OF RESILIENCE: ADRIANNE BREWER ’83

Private practice counselling psychologist in London, England with an integrative therapeutic approach

In the last year and a half, Adrianne Brewer ’83 has noticed a demographic shift in her referrals: they skew younger, with more and more patients arriving in their twenties. What she calls “a feeling of crisis” is higher amongst all her patients, and in particular the younger set, possibly owing to more limited life experience and less-developed coping skills.

“With the absence of social contact and community, particularly in schools, I am seeing diminished resilience in young people,” she says. “They haven’t yet learned how to live with extended screen time in a healthy way. Plus, existing in a COVID bubble and relying more on social media to connect with the world has created a narrower, more distorted view of reality,

without those typical daily living experiences that help us stay grounded. I’ve seen an erosion of confidence and a greater tendency to believe negative messaging.”

Adrianne points out that in the absence of a rich and varied lived experience, our thoughts become our reality. And as we are forced to live more inside our heads, we are more likely to seek unhealthy distractions – such as alcohol and drug use – to relieve the pressure of our own perceptions.

How do we help ourselves and each other to adopt a wider perspective and build healthy coping skills? For one, having a skeptical attitude toward the “truth” of our own thinking and the images we see around us can create some distance from negative thoughts.

“At the heart of a resilient mindset lies a balanced and realistic understanding of our own strengths and capabilities as well as the information we take in,” she says. “Patients tell me they feel their problems are too big for them. Teaching resilience involves guiding them to see themselves and their internal resources clearly while also helping them develop their skills even further.”

Adrianne advises adopting a compassionate lens toward ourselves and others. Whatever kindness we would show to a friend in need we should also show to ourselves. She finds that in times of stress, her patients are overly critical and negative toward themselves, which only further undermines their ability to hold realistic views. In families and schools, parents and teachers can model empathy for young people.

“Giving and receiving empathy builds resilience,” she says. “It creates clarity in how we see ourselves, whereas the negative critical voice creates distortions and undercuts confidence. In a place like UTS, it’s important to recognize that high-achieving students don’t necessarily have inner toughness built on strong self-esteem and self-worth. Those qualities are the foundation of resilience, and they develop well within an internal and external environment marked by empathy, compassion, and warm-hearted acceptance of ourselves and others.”

A HOPEFUL AND HUMBLING FIELD: JONATHAN LEE ’02

Outpatient child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist working in Fullerton, California

Since his introduction to child psychiatry in medical school, Dr . Jonathan Lee ’02 has been a passionate advocate for young people. In this “hopeful and humbling field,” he feels a sense of responsibility to elevate the voices of those often marginalized in society, with children among that group.

A staff psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto before accepting a position at UCLA and then transitioning to outpatient work, Jonathan sees a lot of people with generalized anxiety disorder in his practice. And while he has observed a greater severity in symptoms since the arrival of the pandemic, that trend has been coupled with a greater openness and willingness to talk about mental health issues.

“With limited social contact, the use of masks and lockdowns, anxiety has grown while also becoming harder to relieve,” says Jonathan. “Everyday mundane worries balloon out of control and people feel like they lack the ability to manage them. At the same time, the pandemic has leveled the playing field in some ways, uniting us in our experience. More of us are sharing our struggles, which is legitimizing the whole idea of seeking mental health support.”

Like other professionals, Jonathan views positive, supportive relationships as critical for building internal resourcefulness and overcoming adversity. In addition, he teaches the skills of dialectical behaviour therapy to his patients.

Dialectical behaviour therapy holds two tensions in balance: self-acceptance and change. On one hand, it’s important to have our experiences validated. On the other, we can make positive changes to feel better and more in control of our lives. Those changes come from practicing the core skills of this therapy: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion, with each skill broken down into individual steps that help patients gradually overcome unhealthy thought patterns and behaviours.

“Dialectical behaviour therapy skills work for everyone,” says Jonathan. “They can be taught to children and adolescents, used at home and in schools. With a wider cultural focus on mental health now and some of the stigma ebbing, we have an opportunity to go beyond talking about

it and toward teaching useful skills. Not only does every person have a story and deserve to feel worthy of being seen and heard; every person can be taught practical ways to find greater emotional and social wellness.”

Despite the additional stresses that the pandemic has introduced into our lives, Jonathan feels hopeful that families, schools, and other communities are viewing mental health as worthy of time and attention.

“We have the knowledge and the tools to help young people cope in healthy ways with their internal struggles as well as external challenges, like conflict with friends or exam season or a divorce in the family. The next step is to take intentional action.”

UTS MENTAL WELLNESS EFFORTS ARE “IMPRESSIVE”: DAVID KREINDLER ’84

Head of youth psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and UTS consultant on mental health

Some of the strongest and most significant relationships that young people develop are with their teachers, and yet there has been minimal training offered in teacher’s college on mental health. Dr . David Kreindler ’84 calls this a paradox, given how well-placed educators are to respond to students who are struggling with their mental health and direct students to relevant resources.

David is careful to distinguish between mental health and mental illness. The first is like physical fitness, which can be improved through changes in the environment and in habits. The second is more like a broken bone, which is a diagnosable condition and often requires medical intervention to effectively treat.

“In general, students and their families can do a lot to promote good mental health, starting with positive relationships and a good home environment,” says David. “Some other basics are getting adequate amounts of sleep, a reasonable diet, getting some exercise, trying to reduce those stresses that we can control, and having others to talk to about what’s upsetting.”

David has noted that, similar to other schools that emphasize academic achievement, some students at UTS struggle with balancing academic excellence and mental health. “Some students were able to get in to UTS because of a perfectionistic streak. But as work gets harder over time, it gets harder to do as well as they’ve been used to. Some students have more success than others at dealing with this change. Similarly, while stressing about doing well can be helpful motivating students to get work done, excessive stress can be a problem.”

Finding healthy ways of thinking about school and of coping with stress are important tools for maintaining good mental health in an environment like that at UTS. “The addition of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic over the past 20 months has resulted in even further stress, including limited opportunities to spend time with friends, the challenges of virtual learning, disrupted schedules, and decreased opportunities for physical exercise.” With a return to a more normal school year this fall, educators and parents as well as students may need time to adjust. For example, students will need time to adjust to the changes in routines, expectations, and the changes in types of assignments and evaluations.

David has been extremely impressed by the steps taken at UTS in recent years to support student mental health, such as providing full-time social worker support, hiring a school nurse, actively supporting student discussions around mental health, and ongoing efforts to incorporate mental wellness into the day-to-day life of the school. “It’s very, very different than 30 years ago!” ■

Before school began this fall, Dr. David Kreindler '84 and Dr. Marshall Korenblum, the Medical Director of SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health, gave expert advice to UTS staff in a professional development session on Prioritizing Student Mental Health and Wellness at UTS.

CONSTRUCTION CORNER

Brick by brick, we are building the future. White brick veneer outside the Withrow Auditorium ➊ ties together with the historic limestone to create an inspiring and distinctive facade for our school that melds the new seamlessly with the old.

With students expected to return before the end of the year, it’s beginning to look a lot like the school we always dreamed we could be, one where every aspiration our students have is matched by the calibre of our facilities. Students will be inspired as they behold the restored heritage facade ➋ and the Huron doors, the new main entrance of our school.

They will be able to create mesmerizing productions with the blank slate provided by the new Jackman Theatre ➌, a versatile performance venue as adaptable as their imaginations. In the new UTS Athletics Centre ➍, with the McIntyre Gymnasium through the window on the right, students will learn fitness for life and teamwork, in a spirit of healthy competition.

Upstairs, the possibilities for science experimentation abound in our renewed state-of-the-art science labs ➎, and classrooms like this one ➏ with UTS Principal Rosemary Evans are nearly ready for students to return. As we near the end of construction, it’s coming down to those vital finishing touches – the furniture and equipment that will complete our renewed building, creating a school that inspires UTS students for generations to come. ■

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Emily Liu and Caleb Na left our historic school building for 30 Humbert in 2018 as burgeoning M3 (Grade 9) students. Soon, they will be returning as 2021-22 Co-Captains, ready to lead our school into the future, finally coming home to the place where they made their first UTS friends, had their first UTS science class, and created so many other amazing memories.

“It’s going to be so incredible,” says Caleb. “I’m just really looking forward to being able to revisit those places and make new memories now that we’re four years older.” He’s also looking forward to all the potential meeting spaces at our new school that will bring the UTS student community closer together, whether it be the learning stairs in the Fleck Atrium, meeting tables in the library, or beanbag chairs in the S6 Commons gathering space for senior students.

Emily is also excited about the difference space (and new furniture) will make when working with lab partners on science experiments. “There’s nothing I admire more than a gorgeous lab.” She also expecting to up her games – she plays tennis, volleyball, and track – with all the specialized training equipment in new Ridley Fitness Centre and the expanse of the McIntyre Gymnasium’s double gym.

Both Emily and Caleb are eager to see all the innovation UTS students will create with high-tech tools like the laser cutter and the bank of 3D printers that will be available to students in the Lang Innovation Lab.

Caleb recalls admiring all the models, paintings, and murals on display at the old school from students who graduated 20 years ago or more. “A lot of students are looking forward to leaving their mark on the new school in a similar way and making this renewed school their own.”

Most of all, Emily can’t wait for first time (after COVID) that all UTS students will be able to gather together in the new 700-seat Withrow Auditorium and cheer for all that we have accomplished together!

Caleb and Emily are ready to return to 371 Bloor Street West, but the school is not quite ready for them. Support is still needed to fund state-of-the-art equipment and furniture in time for their return. Visit utschools.ca/donate to make your gift today or contact David Haisell in the UTS Office of Advancement at 416-978-3919. ■