Students, parents, teachers and invited guests gathered at the Sudbury Catholic District Board office on May 9, 2012 to take part in the SCDSB’s third annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards ceremony. This essay contest is an initiative which stems from the Learning Partnership which is an organization that champions a strong public education system to deliver innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives, executive leadership and public engagement across Canada. Turning Points is a character development and literacy program that allows students to reflect on their fundamental values and, through a process of self-reflection and dialogue, write a narrative essay about a significant event, or turning point in their lives. As it is the third year, student participation has continued to grow as teachers have continued to encourage their involvement with this rewarding program. The secondary students that took part in this contest and authored the winning essays were awarded plaques, a copy of the publication, as well as monetary awards at Wednesday night’s celebration. The students were honoured for their efforts and several students had the opportunity to read their essays allowed. The audience was visibly moved by these emotional accounts and several of the teachers involved spoke of the courage and strength of their students to be able to write such heart-felt accounts of their experiences. Allison Cameron, a Marymount English teacher was the master of ceremonies at this event and was visibly moved after the students read aloud their essays. “Even after being involved with this initiative for three years, I am never really prepared for the poignant words our students have written and shared with others,” Cameron stated. “The courage of these students to express their deepest feelings and emotions about their life’s turning point is so powerful – for the student, and their families.” Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Board echoed Cameron’s sentiments. “I am thrilled that the this program once again met with such success, and am so honoured that our students have courageously shared their most personal and meaningful life experiences. We are certainly overwhelmed by their talent and honesty involved in this writing experience.”
Category: Community
St. Raphael Early Learning Kindergarten Students Celebrate their Moms
Students in the two Early Learning Kindergarten Programs at St. Raphael Catholic School professed their love of their mothers with a show stopping performance on Monday, May 7th. As part of the school’s Catholic Education Week events, the two classes took turns singing songs in honour of their mothers and grandmothers. The families also enjoyed a slideshow and video presentation that had all the students professing what they loved most about their moms. Afterwards they had the opportunity to share in some refreshments with their classmates and their families. Some students were fortunate enough to have generations of moms together in the room – with grandmothers, and even great grandmothers in attendance. Rosemary Tripodi, one of the Early Learning teachers explained the history of the school’s Mother’s Day tea. “We have been hosting this event for approximately five years now,” Tripodi stated. “Every year, we get such positive feedback as it is really is such a wonderful opportunity to not only showcase our students’ talent, but to give parents a chance to enjoy their child’s company in the school setting. The students, their families and the staff really love this event as it is such a feel good morning – everyone leaves with big smiles and warm hearts!” As well as taking in the performances, the parents also walked around the entire gym as every single wall had pictures and tributes to the students’ mothers.
St. Andrew Hosts Hawaiian Day Bookfair
The parents of St. Andrew School are hosted a Scholastic Book Fair during Catholic Education Week. To kick start the week students were encouraged to get dressed in Hawaiian gear and the best dressed from each class won $10. of free books.
Mentoring Students and Making Memories
The Grade 1 students at St. Bernadette Catholic School partnered with teacher Paola Gutcher’s Parenting Class from nearby St. Charles College to create wonderful Memory Boxes. The Grade 1 students read the book, Lighthouse: A Story of Remembrance and the class decided to create memory boxes that would celebrate highlights of this past school year and all of the love and important memories in their lives. Pictured are St. Bernadette grade 1 student Christina Gregory and St. Charles College student Julia Furlotte working on the memory box together.
Paralympic Athlete Brings “Passion for Sport” to St. Charles College
Robbi Weldon started downhill skiing at the age of three. Many years later, she would compete on the international level as a Nordic skier and cyclist as a Paralympic athlete. Weldon of Thunder Bay has been in Sudbury the last few days, sharing her story and passion for sport. She visited St. Charles College to inspire the students in the Exercise Science class. Weldon also shared her dreams for the upcoming games in London, England.
Weldon was diagnosed with a genetic eye disease when she was a teenager in high school. The macular degeneration disease she was diagnosed with has not stopped her from living out her dreams. She’s 2011 Parapan Am Games 4-time Gold Medalist, 2011 World Champion Road Cyclist in the Time Trial and the 2010 World Champion in Road Racing.
Students Learn about Community at Corpus Christi School
As part of their Catholic Education activities, Corpus Christi students in teacher Eva Scola-Lawryshyn’s grade 1/2 class had the opportunity to come to school dressed as their favourite community helper during the open house. They made a mural of our school community when the parents arrived putting their mapping skills to task. As well, they made their own community helper hats as part of their science unit.
SCC Students Take Home Gold at 4 Corners Basketball Championship
On May 3, students from St. Charles College travelled down south and competed at the 4 Corners Basketball tournament put on by Special Olympics Ontario. There were four divisions at the tournament and the team from S.C.C. were put in division 3 which allowed for the opportunity for the team to play a total of seven games. Of the seven, the Cards won six and only lost one, resulting in the team winning the division three championship and taking home the gold medals and banner.
This trip was a result of the St. Charles College students winning the Sudbury tournament back in October and allowing them to advance to the all Ontario tournament in which twelve teams in total attended. Teacher and coach Charles Esau was thrilled for his team and was very proud of their accomplishments. “The students really outdid themselves during this tournament,” Esau stated. “We are so proud of their dedication and passion for their team. The represented St. Charles College with true Cardinal Spirit and brought home the gold – what more could you ask for?”
Community Clean Up at St. David Catholic Elementary School
On Friday, May 4, St. David Catholic Elementary students from grades 2-8 participated in the Donovan Elm West Community Clean Up while JK-1 students did their part by cleaning up litter in the school yard. Students did a wonderful job of demonstrating that they really can change the world with their own two hands. This was one of many activities that students participated in as part of the SCDSB Dearness Conservation initiative.
St. Raphael Student a Mining Week Poster Contest Winner
Five grade 5-8 classes in the city had the opportunity to win a Discovery Mining tour April 30-May 4 through a poster contest for this year’s Sudbury Mining Week – and one of the winners was Thomas Crowther. Crowther, a grade 6 student at St. Raphael Elementary Catholic School was excited to have been chosen as a winner. His teacher, Kevin Krystia said that it was a hard choice selecting one poster to submit for his class, but ultimately it was Crowther’s that he thought would be the best submission. “The poster truly reflected the theme of Mining Week – Mining and technology for the next generation,” Kristia stated. “Thomas’s poster depicted mining in the past, present and in the future – showing mining on Mars. This was great as it not only related to the theme of Mining Week, Thomas was also able to connect to space and space exploration which is part of the grade 6 curriculum. ” Crowther was happy that his classmates also got to enjoy in his prize – a trip to Dynamic Earth for the entire class which took place on Friday, March 4th.