What a wonderful day for St Charles College students and staff as they celebrated the various cultures and diversity at the school by hosting their annual International Dessert Fair.
There were over 40 student booths with a variety of countries being represented. Students travelled to Nigeria, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, Mexico, France, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, Lebanon, Norway, Philippines, Honduras, Austria, Korea, Spain, Chile, Zimbabwe, Bahamas, South Africa, Germany, Tibet, India & Israel, and go to enjoy bite sized desserts from each country. School Principal Mr. Aaron Barry was blown away by the various desserts and booths, after spending the afternoon conversing with many students and learning about their culture & foods, he said he has definitely added a few places to travel on his bucket list.
The event was a huge hit raising funds for the Northern Cancer Foundation. The event was planned by the schools’ international clubs, student council, foods classes and the amazing teaching staff involved.
St. Charles College students Parker Tilbury, Kyle Nyereyemhuka and Brady VanDruenen all placed first in the Skills Ontario Qualifying Competition held at Canadore College on April 1, 2023.
Parker took home gold in the Individual Carpentry competition while Kyle and Brady wrote, filmed, and produced an innovating short film on climate change which earned them the gold medal in the TV/Video Production category.
“There were some requirements before heading to Canadore. We had to do a storyboard, a production brief, and a script. We came prepared, were dead set to win and we really wanted to move onto Toronto. Overall, we’re really proud of our efforts” said Brady VanDruenen, St. Charles College Student.
“After two years of virtual competitions, it feels good to compete in person! We’re excited to meet the other students involved and excel at the Provincial level next month,” said Kyle Nyereyemhuka, St. Charles College Student.
Teacher mentors Chris Kohut (Construction SHSM Teacher) and Christina Thompson (Digital Media SHSM Teacher) are very proud and excited to see their students compete at the next stage.
“It was great watching Parker apply his skills and knowledge throughout the competition. Winning the gold in North Bay has made him even more focused on his goal to reach the podium in Toronto, and after that, maybe even the National competition. We’re very proud of his efforts so far and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes!” said Chris Kohut, Construction SHSM Teacher at St. Charles College.
The students will next compete against the best in Ontario at the upcoming Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions. A total of 13 secondary students from St. Charles College and 2 students from Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S will represent the Sudbury Catholic District School Board at the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1 –
3, 2023. Contests will include Carpentry, TV/Video Production, Graphic Design, Auto Service Technology and Photography. Participating students will have an opportunity to win medals, be awarded with scholarships and bursaries, and qualify for the National Skills Competition in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Kyle Nyereyemhuka (left) and Brady VanDruenen (right) with SCC Teacher Mentor Christina Thompson (middle).Parker Tilbury competed in the carpentry competition.
Grades 2-12 students across the province were invited to participate in the 2nd annual Skills Ontario’s Junk Drawer Races! In this program, students had fun while exploring various challenges to build their skills and explore different pathways for their future.
This past week the winners of the Regional round of the competition were announced on Skills Ontario’s YouTube Channel.
We are excited to report our results in the following competitions:
Grade 4/5 Cardboard Car Races
St. James placed 1st & 3rd
Grade 6/7Paper Glider Competition
Bishop Alexander Carter placed 1st & 3rd as well as St. Paul’s 2nd
Grade 8 Paper Hydraulic Crane Challenge
Bishop Alexander Carter placed 1st & 2nd
These teams will be competing in the Provincial Championship round and will have until March 3rd to review their existing blueprints, potentially modify their designs to meet the provincial challenge and construction requirements while explaining their modifications and submit their new submissions. Provincial Submissions will be evaluated by industry volunteers, and the top three teams will be awarded prizes by Skills Ontario. Winning teams will be notified by March 27th. We wish our students the best of luck and thank Skills Ontario, industry partners, the Government of Ontario and Bombardier for giving our students a unique experiential learning opportunity.
Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School built a custom warming station for the Valley Trailmasters Snowmobile Club. Over 70 students in grades seven through 12 worked on the warming shelter, which took approximately seven weeks to complete. Most of the 70 participating students were students in Grades 7 and 8, with a small group of current SHSM students acting as mentors in their supporting roles. Throughout the course of the project, the grade 7 and 8 students were exposed to Bishop Alexander Carter’s technology courses and trades areas, as well as the Green Industries and Manufacturing Specialist High Skills Major Programs, which Grade 11 and 12 students are able to enrol in.
“There are so many job opportunities in the trades right now. We try to start introducing students to the trades as young as Grade Seven, so that they can see the pathway opportunities with their own eyes. Students designed and constructed everything within the shelter – from the fireplace to the frame. I’m very proud of them,” said Paul Mailloux, Co-Op teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S.
Grade 12 student, Noah Brabant throughly enjoyed the experience.
“The best part about the experience was completing the welding. That’s why I wanted to do this, I wanted the experience to learn about trades and experience it first hand!” he said.
Grade 7 Marymount students Annabelle Richardson, Isabella Palladino and Mila Kidd placed first in the Popsicle Stick House Challenge; an event hosted by Skills Ontario as part of the International Day of the Girl Virtual Challenge Series.
To celebrate International Day of the Girl (which was held on October 11, 2022), Skills Ontario hosted several events including the For Girls, By Girls conference, a virtual celebration, and the virtual challenge series.
Students were assigned the task of building a house entirely out of popsicle sticks. Along with the structure, students were required to list and describe the various trades required to complete a project such as this. They then submitted a video of their project.
“We really wanted to win! It was a lot of fun to work together and build our popsicle house. We worked hard all week on our submission,” said Annabelle.
“The theme of this year’s event was girls can do anything – and I think we proved that! We really like completing these challenges because we’re given the opportunity to work on technical skills and collaborate as a team!” said Isabella.
The three students also agree that partnering with Skills Ontario and participating in experiential learning opportunities helps prepare them for the future!
“I want to be an architect – coming to Marymount has been awesome because there are so many opportunities and programs that focus on trades and technology. I really enjoy completing Skills Ontario Challenges and look forward to completing more in the future,” said Mila.
For more information about International Day of the Girl events, please go to https://www.skillsontario.com/idg.
St. David School joined schools across the country and participated in Take me Outside Day on October 19, 2022. Take Me Outside Day helps to raise awareness about outdoor learning and encourages teachers to take their students outside. In 2021, 8,900 educators and nearly 400,000 learners across the country participated in the event.
For their activity, St. David students had the task of building a structure that would keep a photo of a dog safe and dry. They had 10 minutes to find materials outside and the structure had to leave room for a water bowl and bed. Students learned how to collaborate, problem solve and be innovative.
St. David School regularly engages in outdoor learning as a pedagogical approach to enrich learning, enhance school engagement, and improve student health and well-being. The school believes that spending time outside playing, exploring, and learning should be a regular and significant part of every student’s day. St. David School is set against a backdrop of trees, trails and a structured outdoor classroom which significantly encourages teaching and learning opportunities, such as the Take me Outside program. Having a dedicated space for outdoor learning helps students to learn through imagination, play and inquiry.
“Using our outdoor space provides opportunities for our students and teachers to interact and learn in an environment which stimulates enhanced teaching and learning. Through our connection with the land, St. David School intends on deepening our connections with Indigenous perspectives, strengthening our health and well-being, and increasing our knowledge on climate change, stewardship, and the environment,” said Dawn Wemigwans, Principal of St. David School.
“Being outside is awesome because it’s fun to learn outdoors and get some fresh air. I think being outside makes me more creative, said Emmett, Grade 4 student.
“I really enjoyed the activity today. Building the structures wasn’t easy, but we did our best! I love learning outside and interacting with nature,” said Sophia, Grade 4 student. More information about Take Me Outside can be found online at: takemeoutside.ca
In honour of International Day of the Girl, Marymount Students attended the ‘For Girls, by Girls’ conference on October 11 at Science North. The conference was designed for girls in Grade 6-8 and provided them with the opportunity to discuss the trades and technology and the various career options available to them.
Heather Walinga (left), Roselyn Urena-Tejada (middle) and Jade Goodson (right) participated on the panel discussion of the For Girls, By Girls Conference.
The conference included a blend of workshops and panel discussions. The keynote speaker was Kendra Liinamaa, a local welder who has completed various apprenticeships with Vale. The panel discussion was moderated by Danielle Robb, a millwright apprentice, and included Marymount students Roselyn Urena-Tejada, Jade Goodson and Heather Walinga. In addition, participants were allowed to participate in three different workshops. Workshop options included:
Boombox Kit Build, hosted by Skills Ontario (English)
Exploring the Skills Ontario Trade and Tech Truck (Bilingual)
Tools 101, hosted by Milwaukee Tool (English): Showcasing the latest Milwaukee innovation from hand tools to power tools including safety products.
VEX Code VR (bilingual), hosted by Michael Frankfort
Electrical Bugs (Francophone), hosted by College Boreal
Students left feeling inspired and motivated by the conference, and are eager to further explore their career options.
“I feel like I know more about jobs that I never would have considered before, “ Alana, Marymount Student
“I thought it was very hands on and interactive. I loved learning and being inspired by the women at the workshop“ Maddie, Marymount Student.
