St. Benedict Student Appointed as Sudbury Catholic Schools Next Student Trustee

Posted on April 26, 2024April 26, 2024 by Erin Kendall

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that Grade
10 St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School student David Madiba Akero was appointed as
Student Trustee for the 2024-2026 term by the Board of Trustees at their April 16th meeting.

David is a passionate student leader, with a strong work-ethic, determination, and desire to help
others through leadership. He has served as the Grade 8 Valedictorian and has been the
recipient of the RJ. McCarthy Award, the 2023 Grade 9 honour roll student and Soccer
Coaches Award, the 2024 Milk-Up Ontario Soccer Leadership Award, and has been a NOBEEP
Entrepreneur Feature. David is deeply involved in community service, volunteering over 70
hours of his time to support youth groups, and collaborating with the Kenyan Canadian
Association to launch a new initiative that promotes community engagement through soccer.

David’s unwavering commitment to community service is further exemplified through his steady
involvement in the Northern Ontario Black Economic Empowerment Program (NOBEEP). In
addition to being featured as an entrepreneur/client in NOBEEP, David is an active volunteer
and continues to support their work of providing assistance and resources to Black
entrepreneurs and business owners to help foster economic growth and inclusion in Northern
Ontario.

David is a strong advocate for student voice and believes it is necessary for student
development and growth. He hopes to bring more attention to elevating post-secondary support
within schools in order to further empower students in building their post-secondary portfolios
and navigating their educational and career pathways effectively.

“I am honoured to be chosen to represent the Sudbury Catholic District School Board as the
next Student Trustee. I wish to serve as an example to people of all backgrounds and show how
we as students, have both the capacity and the opportunity to shape their learning experience. I
believe that student voice and involvement are crucial elements for an effective education
system. When students are engaged, schools have a better understanding of their needs and
can continue to implement changes and updates that coincide with generational developments
that help students excel in their education.” Said David Madiba Akero, Student Trustee.

“We are immensely proud to have David Madiba Akero represent the Sudbury Catholic District
School Board as the Student Trustee,” said Michael Bellmore, Chairperson of the Board of
Trustees. “David’s exceptional leadership skills, dedication to community service and student
involvement make him an exemplary ambassador for our community. We have full confidence in
his ability to advocate effectively for the voices and interests of fellow students and are excited
to have him join us at the Board table next year.”

David Madiba Akero will officially assume his role as Student Trustee alongside fellow Student
Trustee Julia Parenteau on August 1, 2024. His appointment reflects the Sudbury Catholic
District School Board’s commitment to fostering student leadership and engagement, ensuring
that student voices are heard and valued in the decision-making process.

David Madiba Akera and SCDSB Chairperson Michael Bellmore

St. Benedict School Students Soar to Second Place in Skills Ontario Competition!

Posted on March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Erin Kendall

In an exciting display of innovation and teamwork, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School Grade 7 students have secured a remarkable achievement in the Fall of 2023. Caleb Charbonneau, Alex Lamarche, Austin Girouard, and Eli Burke, participated in the Skills Ontario Paper Glider Challenge. Their mission? To craft a glider capable of defying gravity and staying airborne for the longest duration possible.

Facing off against competitors from across the province, the students rose to the occasion with their ingenuity and dedication. Their creation, a creatively designed cylindrical glider, soared through the air with remarkable grace and efficiency, surpassing the three-second mark—a feat that earned them a well-deserved Second Place in the overall standings.

This outstanding achievement is a testament to the passion, perseverance, and collaborative spirit embodied by St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. Congratulations to Caleb Charbonneau, Alex Lamarche, Austin Girouard, Eli Burke, and all those who supported them on this remarkable journey. Way to go Bears!

St. Benedict’s Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation Shines Through Student Initiatives

Posted on September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 by Erin Kendall

Since 2021, St. Benedict has made a commitment to be a legacy school with the Downie Wenjack Fund which honours a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

This year, students in Ms. Dowdall’s Indigenous Studies classes took part in the Truth and Reconciliation Relay hosted by Greater Sudbury Police Service. Additionally, students participated in a fence art project where they created a large mural stating, “Every Child Matters”. Students were able to participate in both events. Their ReconciliACTIONS were complimented with learning about the Residential School System and why they were taking part in the actions. The Honourable Murray Sinclair said, “Education is what got us into this mess, education will get us out.”

For more information on becoming a legacy school visit www.legacyschools.ca.

Congratulations to St. Benedict Bear Emily Levesque on Joining the Cambrian Golden Shield

Posted on March 30, 2023March 30, 2023 by Erin Kendall

Secondary student, Emily Levesque from St. Benedict CSS, has recently signed a commitment letter to join the Cambrian College soccer team, the Cambrian Golden Shield. This announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by Head Coach Evan Philips, who personally came to St. Benedict to welcome Emily to the team.

According to Coach Philips, Emily has already started training with the team during the winter months. He expressed excitement about working with Emily over the summer to further develop her skills.

“Emily has already begun training with us during the winter. I am excited to work with her more over the summer as we continue her development into the OCAA and beyond.” – Evan Phillips, Head Coach, Cambrian Golden Shield.

The St. Benedict Bears family is immensely proud of Emily’s accomplishments, and they wish her nothing but success on her new journey. They are confident that her hard work and dedication to the sport will serve her well as she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her athletic career.

As Emily prepares to take the field as part of the Cambrian Golden Shield soccer team, she can be sure that she has the support and encouragement of her St. Benedict Bears family behind her every step of the way. Way to go, Emily!

Five Sudbury Catholic District School Board Students Will Advance to the Canada Wide Science Fair!

Posted on May 4, 2022May 11, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

The Sudbury Regional Science Fair, which took place virtually during March 21^st – April 3^rd, 2022, is a meaningful learning experience where Sudbury’s four School Boards, can provide opportunities to students from Grades 7-12 to show case their knowledge in different areas of science. Sudbury Catholic District School Board was grateful to participate once again in the Regional Science Fair and allow our students to enjoy hands-on learning experiences by extending their discovery in biology, chemistry, technology, and other areas.

This year approximately 15 projects represented the Board in the Regional Science Fair. The number of project topics was diverse again this year, with exciting subjects ranging from “Theoretical Gravity Control”, “Hacking an Air-Gapped Computer”, Creating a “Self-Hitting Hammer,” and more. We want to thank our judges and educators for guiding our students and continually finding new opportunities for hands-on learning and growth.

MMA Student, Kate Bouchard – 2022 Best In Fair Winner!

Following the Fair, Sudbury Catholic Schools, students, and families were invited to attend a virtual celebration organized by the Sudbury Regional Science Fair on April 10th, 2022. This virtual celebration highlighted the winners of divisional awards, special awards and celebrated students’ achievements. At this celebration, we are pleased to announce that Sudbury Catholic students collected ten awards, including Best of Fair which was presented to Kate Bouchard, a student from Marymount Academy for her project, “Go With The Flow“. We are also thrilled to announce that in addition to Kate’s amazing project , 4 other projects submitted by SCDSB Students have also been selected to advance to the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) taking place on May 16th, 2022, in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The students and projects that will advance to the Canada Wide Science Fair include the following:

Maggie Polischuk (Marymount Academy) – Eggcellent Eggshell All-Natural Dish Cleaner Experiment
Elliott Boyles (MMA) – Gris → Est elle le Prix?
Kate Bouchard (MMA) – Go With The Flow
Summer Kelly (MMA) – Are Phones Dirtier Than Toilets?
Dylan Nelson (St. Benedict) – Self-Hitting Hammer

“Each year, our students present unique and creative science fair projects. This year was certainly no exception,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “We are very excited to see the number of participants continue to grow, and we are proud of our students who represented us incredibly well again. We thank our judges and our educators for guiding students and continually finding new opportunities for hands-on learning and growth. We wish the students who are moving on to the 2022 Canada-Wide Science Fair the best of luck!”

“Science Fair was so much fun, and I think it’s because I was passionate about my topic.” Says Best in Fair Winner and CWSF participant, Kate Bouchard. “I chose something that I was interested in and genuinely wanted to learn more about. It helped me be more engaged, and because I was interested in what I was learning, I felt like I could explain it better and put forth more effort in making it better. I am really looking forward to be a part of the CWSF in May!”

Some of MMA’s Regional Science Fair students stop and smile with their regional science fair medals! (Middle left Best in Fair Winner – Kate Bouchard)

Dylan Nelson, a Grade 8 student from St. Benedict, will also be attending the Canada Wide Science Fair with his unique project where he created a Self-Hitting Hammer. This idea was inspired by his passion for building things and from wanting to help his grandmother.

“I was trying to think of something inventive to do. I wanted to create something new, and I realized that I like building things, so I wanted to make a new type of hammer that would allow someone who cannot hammer a nail with a normal hammer still perform that task. My experience was fun because I spent time with grandpa, who helped me construct it, and I was able to make my project about making something that would help my grandma.”

Pictured is St. Benedict Student and Regional Science Fair Honouree Dylan accepting his award from the SCDSB Director of Education, Joanne Bénard and Principal of St. Benedict, Laura Kuzenko.

Overall, we are pleased to celebrate the contributions and participation of all our schools and students in this meaningful learning opportunity. We would like to end our post by congratulating all students, educators, and schools on their participation and effort in making the 2022 Science Fair a success! The ten project winners included projects from Marymount Academy, projects from St. Benedict and one project from St. Charles College.

Please visit the following link below to view all the wonderful projects brought forward by Sudbury Catholic Students this year.

Sudbury Catholic Science Fair Projects: LINK

Picture Gallery

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School Hosts Water Walk!

Posted on April 29, 2022April 29, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

The students and staff at St. Benedict will walk for water in their upcoming Water Walk on Thursday, May 5th. This event will run all day and will commence at the school and continue onto the water pump station near Countryside Sports Complex.

As part of the day, students from every grade will take time to Walk for Water and elementary students from Holy Cross will be joining in on the walk in the afternoon.

In addition to the water walk, there will also be a WaterLution “Water Speaks” art exhibit in the school building all day to enhance student learning further. This event was organized on behalf of the Diversity Club of St. Benedict Catholic School with the help, guidance, and support from Indigenous Support Lead, Shannon Agowissa.

“We are looking forward to bringing our student and staff together and shining a light on the continued need for clean water in our communities. We are truly proud of the efforts of our Diversity Club and Shannon Agowissa, as they work together to deepen their understanding of issues by planning events such as this Water Walk and put their learning in action.” – St. Benedict Principal, Laura Kuzenko

On May 5th, it is also an awareness day for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People. In the MMIWG2S Final Report we note the Call for Justice:

“Calls for Educators:

11.1 We call upon all elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions and education authorities to educate and provide awareness to the public about missing and murdered. Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people, and about the issues and root causes of violence they experience. All curriculum development and programming should be done in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, especially Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. Such education and awareness must include historical and current truths about the genocide against Indigenous Peoples through state laws,policies, and colonial practices. It should include, but not be limited to, teaching Indigenous history, law, and practices from Indigenous perspectives and the use of Their Voices Will Guide Us with children and youth.”

In honour of those Loved Ones Stolen, St. Benedict plans to play their part by joining Indigenous Women and their traditional roles of protecting the Water. On page 29 of Their Voices Will Guide Us, St. Benedict began foundational teaching of Indigenous Women’s roles, and specifically in protecting and speaking for the water and this event will allow them to continue this learning with action.

The Water Walk will shine a light on the continued need for clean water in our communities and to celebrate the unpolluted, fresh water left in our community while supporting the Indigenous Peoples of the area in the ceremony.

St. Benedict & Holy Cross Are Reminded That Water is Life!

Posted on April 22, 2022April 29, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

Hannah Morningstar, a guest speaker and third year biology student speaks to more than 800 St. Benedict and Holy Cross students on Earth Day.

Last Friday, April 22nd, was Earth Day. On this occasion, the entire SCDSB community took time to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding us reflect on the way our planet provides for us. While we celebrate and honour the environment all year long, Earth Day was a special opportunity for students and staff to reflect on their actions and strengthen their commitment as stewards of the Earth.

More than 7 hundred St. Benedict’s students and another 100 Holy Cross students joined forces on Earth day to recognize the importance of water in their world.

Together, they wore blue and green to prepare for an upcoming water walk happening on Thursday, May 5^th, 2022.

Click here to learn more!

Guest Speaker Hannah Morningstar, a third year Biology student spoke about the significance of Nibi or water and the shortage of clean water in our world. She also spoke of the commitment of women to protect Nibi.

Elder Frank Ozawagosh led a water song on a water drum with 15 year old student Tiaraoluwa Esan.

The event was organized by Indigenous Support Worker Shannon Agowissa.

Pictured below is Elder Frank Ozawagosh and 15 year old student Tiaraoluwa Esan complete an honouring water song together on flute and water drum.

St. Benedict Students Wear Blue For World Autism Day!

Posted on April 4, 2022April 4, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

On April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated around the world. Though this day took place on the weekend, we still saw schools take part. Last week the Learning Support Center students at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School organized a World Autism Day activity whereby students in the building signed colourful puzzle pieces.

These puzzle pieces are symbolic of Autism as it reminds people of how little is known about the disability. In 2018, the puzzle piece symbol was recently replaced with a set of circles, but today many students still identify with the puzzle insignia.

In photo: Mrs. Mary Villeneuve, Amedeo Folino, William Speropoulos and Zander Zubal helped to celebrate the spectrum with the signatures of students and staff at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

In addition to signing puzzle pieces, students at the school were encouraged to wear as much blue as possible. In addition to being a beautiful colour, blue is also identified as the official colour for autism spectrum disorder awareness. By wearing blue, students and staff can support those with Autism and help bring further attention to the cause.

Did you know that April is Autism Awareness month?

Like a puzzle, wearing blue is just a tiny piece that makes up a larger puzzle of how we can all support. The United Nations established April as Autism Awareness month in 2008 to bring attention to the cause and help every child reach their full potential. Join us and learn more here.

St. Benedict Diversity Club Helped All Students Learn More About Black Culture During Black History Month!

Posted on March 4, 2022March 4, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

African American history, contributions, and achievements are recognized annually across the United States and Canada during Black History Month. Sudbury Catholic Schools recognize it as an important opportunity to craft meaningful experiences to allow both the school and Sudbury community to honour the tradition of black culture and understand its importance in our education every day.

Throughout February, students, educators, faculty, social workers, and more have participated in various events, initiatives, and activities centred on bringing awareness towards the impact and infinite legacy of Black History both in and outside the classroom.

We are pleased to share the many outstanding efforts that have been exercised on behalf of St. Benedict’s Diversity Club. The club, which the school organizes, is comprised of students, administration, and St. Benedict Indigenous Support Worker (ISW), Shannon Agowissa.

This vital group has gone above and beyond, planning several events throughout February to help proudly share information on cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation. These diverse and informative events were completed in an effort to teach the student body and the community what is considered acceptable and help them learn more about black-culture.

One of the events they celebrated was “embrace your family heritage and dress in your cultural attire day”. Followed by this event was “celebrating and affirming your identity with your favourite hairstyle.” The goal of these events was ultimately to educate students and staff on the history of hair in African culture and the cultural attire and its significance.

In photo: (From left to right) Hillary Duong, Oseirudute Okojie, Tiara Esan, Olamide Fadahunsi (in the front row) Helen Bao Nguyen and Nifemi Boamah with their artwork representations of what hair and attire mean to them and their cultures.

Nifemi Boamah is a student and member of the club and has expressed the impact on what the days mean to her and what it could mean to others. “If I wear my curls out, I feel courageous.” – Nifemi Boamah

As she displays her breathtaking artwork and showing off the gorgeous curls, we can truly feel the strength of her powerful statement. In the past, curls were deemed untamed and shameful. Though we know this is untrue, we recognize that the past is a part of human history, and it remains influential in our lives today. Having representation, visibility, and understanding of culture is essential for education. By providing these events, schools can cultivate a period of reflection that transforms thinking and grows a school community into being more present, respectful, and culturally and socially aware.

Overall, we are incredibly proud to see the amazing way St. Benedict’s Diversity Club has made an integrative effort to teach and accentuate the history of black culture, by creating events that help other races express other cultures as well. These type of activities show what wonderful global leaders we have at St. Benedict and at all Sudbury Catholic Schools.

Get the latest on what’s happening!

To see how other Sudbury Catholic Schools celebrated Black History Month, we encourage you to check out social media. School social media accounts are available on each school website. To navigate to a school website, please see our List of Schools.

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