Past & Present Fall 2014

Crescent School • Fall 2014

Charting the course for our

second century: introducing

Crescent’s 10th Headmaster,

Michael Fellin

CRESCENT SCHOOL2365 Bayview AvenueToronto, ON M2L 1A2

[email protected]

crescentschool.org

DESIGNChris Simeon

September Creative Communications

PRINTERHarmony Printing Ltd.

NOVEMBER Thursday 20 Alumni Downtown Networking Event

Tuesday 25 CPA Holiday Sale Cocktail Party

Wednesday 26 Holiday Sale (open to public)

Thursday 27 Alumni Breakfast Series featuring Headmaster Michael Fellin

DECEMBER Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 Upper School Drama Performance

Tuesday 9 Lower School Winter Celebration

Thursday 11 Middle School and Upper School Winter Celebration

Thursday 18 Bidiak Basketball Tournament and Alumni Holiday Reception

Monday 22 – Friday, January 2 Winter Break

FEBRUARY Wednesday 4 Middle School Drama Performance

Friday 6 Alumni Reception – Hong Kong Branch

Tuesday 10 CPA Parent Luncheon

Friday 13 – Monday 16 Midterm Break

MARCH Monday 9 – Friday 20 March Break

Upcoming Events

CONNECT WITH CRESCENTTHROUGHOUT THE YEAR

For more Community Day photos, see page 43.

1Past and Present • Fall 2014

Contents

Past and Present • Fall 2014

Message from the Headmaster ...............2

Tooting Our Horn ....................................4

Staff and Faculty News ............................6

Message from the Chair of the Board of Governors ......................8

New Board Members ..............................9

CPA Report............................................10

Michael Fellin: A Story of Character .....12

School Leaders ......................................15

Retirements ...........................................16

Prize Day................................................18

Athletic Awards .....................................21

Athletic Achievements...........................22

Creating a Buzz: TEDxCrescentSchool .....23

Head Boy Naveen Gupta ......................24

News From Advancement .....................25

Message from the Chair ofthe Crescent Alumni Executive .............26

Reflecting Crescent Alumni Pride .........27

By Alumni, For Alumni ..........................28

Remembering Walter Massey ’39 .........29

Alumnus of the Year ..............................30

Crescent Alumni Bookshelf ...................31

Mentorship is a Two-Way Street ...........32

Alumni Events ........................................33

Life After Crescent.................................38

University Placements............................42

Crescent Community Day 2014 ............43

Lowndes’ Last Word ..............................44


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Past and Present is published twice a year for the entire

Crescent School community.

Produced by Crescent School’s External Relations Department:

John Lynch P’16, ’18Executive Director, External Relations

Jill CannonDirector of Advancement

Chris White P’18Director of Admission and Financial Aid

Betty-Ann ArmstrongWebmaster / Photographer

Angela BarbieriManager, Major Gifts and Stewardship

Leigh BowserMarketing and Communications

Coordinator

Christa HancockEvents and Scheduling Coordinator

Peggy McBeanAdvancement Services and Database

Manager

Kathryn RutherfordAlumni Relations Officer

Alanna SandersonAdmissions Coordinator

DESIGNChris Simeon

September Creative Communications

PRINTERHarmony Printing Ltd.

Upcoming Events

CONNECT WITH CRESCENTTHROUGHOUT THE YEAR

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2 Crescent School Since 1913

Message from the Headmaster

Before arriving at Crescent School, I was a teacher and administrator at an

urban Catholic school working to raise student achievement, enhance faculty engagement, and broaden the range of post-secondary options for boys. Like many educators within our dual public school system who were pursuing similar school improvement goals at the time, my colleagues and I often imagined our work as being in response to the new R’s in education: rigour, relevance, and relationships. It was some of the most rewarding work in my professional career. I learned that boys need adults to provide support, empowerment, clear boundaries and high expectations, and opportunities for them to use their time well. I learned that for boys to become thriving and contributing adults, they must be given opportunities to lead through strengthening commitments of authoritative communities as a whole – school, home, and congregation. I also learned that for boys to develop a broad range of positive outcomes, such as

improved sense of agency, belonging, and competence, they must experience transformative relationships with caring adults, teachers, and mentors.

As I think back on what we achieved during those years, most of our work focused on the first two of these important R’s. We increased rigour by raising standards and expectations of students and staff. We strengthened relevance by working in partnership with the larger community and connecting boys to meaningful work in their school. However, I have since realized that we talked about relationships more than we acted on them. Not that we didn’t care about the interactions between adults and students, or between students and their peers. We knew they were essential. But because it was difficult to speak scientifically about relationships, we didn’t try hard enough to understand, measure, and develop them with each other as a staff or with our boys. Instead, we focused our attention on what was easiest to measure: the rigour and relevance of our curricular and co-curricular

program, our assessment and evaluation methods, and our overall school success compared to others around us.

Little did I know how much similarity existed between my former school and Crescent School when I first arrived on campus four years ago. Both schools had made significant progress in improving student outcomes and pathways to post-secondary education. Both schools had grown in size and stature over a storied history. Both schools had a long tradition of educating boys well. However, both schools were underestimating the impact of relationships on teaching and learning.

What we know today from the best research about boys’ engagement in learning is that relationships are central. In his most recent book, I Can Learn From You: Boys as Relational Learners, Dr. Michael Reichert affirms that boys are uniquely relational – they learn their subjects through the relationships with their teachers. In fact, successful lessons with boys flow out of well-crafted


relational gestures used by the teacher to evoke and provoke learning. Recently, the largest study of its kind on high-performing boys’ schools, conducted by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, concluded that the most successful approaches to engage boys in learning and high achievement were those that were relationship-driven. In addition, Search Institute, the world’s leading social-scientific research-to-practice organization, has adopted the term “developmental relationships” to describe the close connection between a young person and an adult or between a young person and a peer that powerfully and positively shapes the young person’s social competence and personal identity and helps the young person develop a thriving mindset. Its research points

to the fact that boys, as compared to girls, require the development of these characteristics and qualities throughout early and mid-adolescence.

This year, I have named “relationships” as the core focus of the School. In fact, it is my strong belief that relationships are the gateway to our mission: Men of Character from Boys of Promise. While I am confident that this work is part of Crescent’s past and present, I am motivated to make it a more intentional keystone of Crescent’s future. What is it about the relationships our teachers form with students that motivate our boys to work hard and persevere through difficulty? What is it about the relationships our mentors, coaches, and program leaders form with their students that help our boys learn positive values and social skills? What is it

about the relationships our boys form with each other that deepen their pride in the School? What is it about the relationships our parents nurture with their sons that help our boys develop resilience and a strong work ethic? I think we have just scratched the surface at understanding the power of relationships to drive our boys’ moral orientation and self-determination. We must seek to learn and grow in our relational practices as a School so that we can commit as an authoritative community to the ongoing growth and formation of our young men.

I invite you to join us in this work, to provide feedback, and support those engaged in charting what is Crescent School’s second century.

— Michael Fellin P’24, headMaster

“ It is my strong belief that relationships are the gateway to our mission: Men of Character from Boys of Promise.”

4 Crescent School • Since 1913

Tooting Our Horn

Over the moonUpper School faculty member Jeff Lee spoke at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Innovation Lecture Series in August. He also served as an advisor to the NASA Blue Ribbon Panel investigating research conducted at the Center’s Eagleworks Breakthrough Propulsion Laboratory. Mr. Lee has been appointed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research at Baylor University in Texas.

computing championsGrade 11 students Matthew Riley, Aidan Oldershaw and Jonathan Pearce achieved perfect scores in the Junior Division of the 2014 Canadian Computing Competition. Hosted by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo, the competition included 1,800 of the world’s top computer science students. As a result of their performance, they were crowned Metro Toronto Champions.

From crescent school to hollywoodMiddle School student Michael Levinson’s professional acting career is off to a strong start. He appears in the feature film Algonquin, starring Nicholas Campbell and Sheila McCarthy, which was released this summer. Watch for it on iTunes and Google Play.

5Past and Present Fall 2014

Crescent’s app wins people’s choice awardCrescent’s team won the CIBC People’s Choice category in the 2013 MasterCard NXT Developer Challenge. Upper School students Adam Murai, Max Liu, Nick Haughton, Ian Lo and Jeffery Seto created an app called “NIMJA” that makes it easier for people to pay their restaurant bills. Their integrated app can add tips, display the receipt, split bills and even add rewards for customer loyalty.

National Certificate of Excellence award for Sylvia DuckworthLower School faculty member Sylvia Duckworth (French) was one of just 10 teachers across Canada who received the national Certificate of Excellence. Presented by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa on October 7, the award honours outstanding teachers who instil a love of learning in their students, and who use information and communications technologies to better equip their students to excel.

Australian rugby star coaches at CrescentAustralian rugby star Matt Burke shared his coaching talent with Crescent School’s junior and senior rugby teams in May. Burke played 81 games, a national record, as a fullback for Australia from 1993-2004 and is the country’s second-highest scoring fullback of all time. Retired Canadian rugby players Al Charron and Gareth Rees assisted Burke at the team practices, and also ran the Grade 5 gym classes that day.

Phot

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Staff and Faculty News

Jennifer FergusonMiddle School learning coach Jennifer Ferguson (mathematics) earned a new qualification during her summer vacation: her official gorilla-tracking certificate, endorsed by the United Nations and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Jenn’s African adventure also included a safari in Kenya, visits to genocide memorial sites in Rwanda, and to schools and orphanages in Uganda.

Air Guitar ChampionshipsMiddle School faculty member Ari “Red Thor” Hunter (English) won 2nd place in the Canadian Air Guitar Championships in August. Air guitar talent runs deep at Crescent. Middle School faculty member Tim Evans (drama) was the 2007 national air guitar champion. He organized the 2014 championship, a fundraiser for the children’s charity Right To Play. Breakfast Television promoted the event in a live broadcast from Crescent School in June.


Michael JansenUpper School faculty member Michael Jansen (chemistry) presented at two conferences this summer. The Canadian Chemistry Conference in Vancouver broadly covered all disciplines of chemistry. The IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education in Toronto featured members of the academic community who are putting effective pedagogy into practice.

shawn limUpper School faculty member Shawn Lim (mathematics, physics & robotics) has been reappointed to the Board of FIRST Robotics Canada. This organization oversees the robotics and Lego league competitions involving school teams across Canada, including Crescent’s own award-winning team.

alex PintilieUpper School faculty member Alex Pintilie (mathematics) is one of the Ontario teachers and university professors contributing to a new online learning platform being created by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC). The platform includes interactive content to promote in-depth learning of concepts from Grade 12 Advanced Functions (Pre-Calculus) and Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors. The free platform is scheduled to launch in late 2014.


Message from the Chair of the Board of Governors

Character and Promise. These are the key words of our mission statement

which so accurately describes what Crescent School stands for. We live and breathe this mission every day. For more than 100 years, we have been delivering on our promise to work with parents and the community at large to develop tomorrow’s leaders. Our Boys of Promise

grow and flourish in an environment that has made us Canada’s leader in boys’ education. Our stellar reputation and ever-increasing application numbers clearly show that we take our responsibility seriously and that we are unwavering in our dedication to our goals. We should all be very proud to be part of this very special place.

Our Board of Governors is just one part of what makes us special. We are an 18-member group whose sole responsibility is to ensure Crescent is managed responsibly within the context of our mission. Our talented volunteers come from all areas of the Crescent community and all possess the four core values of Crescent: Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Compassion. Our job is not to run the School, but to guide it and set its strategic direction while being mindful that we must always operate within a balanced budget. At each and every Board or committee meeting, our members are aware of our role and take it very, very seriously.

The School’s ambitions and goals would never be accomplished without the people who work day-to-day with our boys. More than 140 dedicated faculty and staff work long days as well as many nights to make our brand so unique and the envy of our peers. On behalf of the 2014/2015 Board, I would like to thank them for choosing Crescent as their place to make a difference to 700 boys year in and year out. Each one of these well-trained and talented individuals could hone their craft just about anywhere, but they chose us. Thank you. It makes all the difference in the world.

A final thought on a never-ending theme: our School must continue to improve and grow. This year we welcome our 10th Headmaster, Michael Fellin P’24, who has, through both internal promotions and newly acquired talent, strengthened and expanded the Leadership Team. Our facilities have grown as well. We just opened the Latifi Family Commons and will very shortly open our new Library. We have formed a superb committee to develop our next strategic plan which will guide us through the year 2020 and beyond. Our leadership position in character education continues to be the model to which others aspire. We clearly aren’t standing still. This is a busy place.

— Bryan kerdMan P’14, BOard chair


New Board Members

Bryan Kerdman P’14, ChairDr. Eileen de Villa P’19, ’21Sam Duboc P’19Barry Gordon ’87, P’21May Lee P’17, ’24Kate Lisus P’14, P’16

Doris Loo P’18Peter Osborne P’14, ’19Lynn Porter Zechner P’08, ’10, ’16Stuart Raftus P’17, ’18, ’23Glenn Shyba P’16Paul Spafford P’18, ’22

Paul Tompkins P’10, ’12, ’13Amanda Walton P’13Rob Watt ’85, P’14Dr. Greg Wells ’89Andrew Williams ’83, P’13Charlotte Youngson P’14, ’17

BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2014/2015

Dr. Greg Wells ’89As a coach, scientist and physiologist, Dr. Greg Wells has amassed more than 20 years of world-class experience with the extremes of human health and performance. Greg is an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. He is also an Associate Scientist in Physiology and Experimental Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children. Previously, Greg served as the Director of Sport Science at the Canadian Sport Centre, taught elite sport coaches at the National Coaching Institute, and worked with the Royal Canadian Golf Association as its Exercise Physiologist.

Greg has coached, trained and inspired dozens of elite athletes to win medals at the Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Olympics. He makes regular appearances on na tional television and radio as a health and performance expert, writes articles and research papers for numerous magazines and scientific journals, and is a high-demand speaker around the world.

In his free time, Greg practises what he preaches. Once an international-level competitive swimmer, he has also competed in three marathons including the Nanisivik Marathon, one of the world’s toughest marathons 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle; and an Ironman triathlon and the Tour D’Afrique, which at 11,000 km is the longest bike race in the world.

Lynn Porter ZechnerLynn Porter Zechner is the mother of Crescent graduates Scott Zechner ’08, James Zechner ’10 and current student Jack Zechner ’16, as well as daughter Katherine Zechner (Havergal ’12). She has been an active Crescent School volunteer since her family joined the community in 2004, and is proud to assume the position of President of the Crescent Parent Association this year.

Lynn is a graduate of the English and Drama program of the University of Western Ontario. Following graduation, she worked for several companies in both Ottawa and Toronto in sales promotion and marketing before arriving at the national offices of Holt Renfrew, where she worked until retiring to raise her family in 1990. Since that time, Lynn has owned and operated a retail antiques and home furnishings business in Collingwood, as well as managing her family’s real estate holdings on the Maryland shore. She has also been an active volunteer fundraiser with such organizations as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, North York General Hospital, Operation Herbie and most recently Human Rights Watch Canada. Lynn, her husband John Zechner and their children are all avid travellers who enjoy spending time at their cottage in the summer and winter weekends skiing in Collingwood.

Dr. Eileen de VillaDr. Eileen de Villa, wife of Dr. Richard Choi and mother of Aidan ’19 and Nicholas ’21 and Ryan (in Grade 4 at another independent school) joins the Board this year. She participated last year on the Headmaster Search Committee and looks forward to being an active contributor to the Board of Governors.

After completing her B.Sc. at McGill University, Eileen continued her studies at the University of Toronto where she completed her Master of Health Science, her MD and specialty training

in Public Health and Preventive Medicine. During her residency training, she practised family medicine in Toronto and completed her MBA. Since 2004, Eileen has worked for the Region of Peel where she is currently the Acting Medical Officer of Health.

Eileen is an alumna of Havergal College and enjoys connecting with fellow “Old Girls” at various Crescent events. She and her family are avid travellers and are looking forward to their fourth Crescent Choir trip this November.


CPA Report2013/2014

The Crescent Parent Association (CPA) enjoyed a truly wonderful year last year under the thoughtful stewardship of

President Tara Borg P’18 and her dedicated team of Committee members and parent volunteers. The CPA’s mission is to work in partnership with the School to build Crescent’s unique sense of community through social, fundraising and outreach initiatives. Inherent in that mandate is the requirement of significant parental support and involvement, and Crescent’s parent community has never failed to rise to that challenge. Every year, hundreds of Crescent parents raise their hands to volunteer in a wide variety of ways, through the donation of their time, their energy, their talents, and their imagination. They participate as Grade Parents, ambassadors, library support workers, event planners and fundraisers, just to name a few. Their willingness to do so is what characterizes the vibrant, generous nature of the Crescent family.

Last year, the opportunities to express this generosity came in many forms. In the social calendar, our annual Coffee in the Courtyard began the year with an opportunity to meet with old and new friends after the summer break. The Lower School Halloween Party was a huge success with record numbers of boys and their family members thrilling to the “creatures of the night” theme. The Holiday Sale cocktail party, sponsored by the CPA, continued to be a popular and extremely well-attended event. In February, the Annual Parent Luncheon at the Granite Club inspired guests with the fascinating life story of Spencer West and his challenge to “redefine possible.” Throughout the year, our dedicated Grade Parent team organized a series of social gatherings which further strengthened the bonds within the parent group at all levels of the School. The School and Community team promoted various outreach initiatives such as our annual Coat and Boot Drive, which last year delivered several carloads of warm outerwear to the Firgrove and Willow Park schools. In addition, this same team organized one of our most important events of the year: Staff Appreciation Day. This very special day gave parents an opportunity to offer up a heartfelt thank you to the entire Crescent staff. Prospective new parents to Crescent were given a window into our unique sense of spirit when they were greeted by a Parent Ambassador at an Open House. Similarly, we reached out to parents of our alumni via our Past Parent program which offers a user-friendly means to maintain ties to the School if they so choose via quarterly newsletters. This has happily resulted in a number of past parents returning to Crescent in order to volunteer at the Garage Sale or as Holiday Sale bakers long after their sons have graduated – an extraordinary testament to the uncommonly generous nature of Crescent parents.

Last year’s CPA fundraising initiatives bore impressive results. The loyal and hardworking Coyote’s Den volunteers not only provide a valuable service to the boys and their families but are a crucial part of our fundraising efforts. Equally so are the

President ...................................... Lynn Porter Zechner P’08, ’10, ’16Vice President.....................................................Lori Fisher P’14, ’18Past President ............................................................Tara Borg P’18Secretary .......................................................... Marianne Eaves P’16Treasurer .......................................................Nicole Swales P’19, ’21Communications ..................................................... Laurie Foote P’17Lower School Halloween Party Chair ........ Samantha Rakusin P’18, ’21Holiday Sale Chair .......................................................Tina Carl P’20Coyote’s Den Chair ........................................... Fran Brown P’17, ’20Garage Sale Chair ................................... Vivian Greenberg P’16, ’18Parent Ambassador Program Chair ........ Florence Chapman P’13, ’15School & Community Programs Chair ................. Sue Sundaram P’20Grade Parent Program Chair ...............................Lori Fisher P’14, ’18Lower School Grade Parent Chair ................... Joelle Corona P’19, ’23Middle School Grade Parent Chair .....................Tori Newall P’20, ’22Upper School Grade Parent Chair................. Carol Port P’16, ’19, ’21Upper School Grade Parent Chair................Ritu Gupta P’11, ’12, ’15

CPA COMMITTEE 2014/2015


Lower School Halloween Party Vice-Chair .......................................Tina Gray P’23Holiday Sale Vice-Chair ..................................................Lisa Gnat Buck P’18, ’20Garage Sale Vice-Chair ......................................Carol Lloyd-Pinnington P’15, ’17School & Community Vice-Chair ................................................. Lisa Davies P’19Parent Ambassador Program Vice-Chair .................................. Pam Yoannou P’16Coffee In The Courtyard Coordinator ...................................Susan Silma P’15, ’18Buy-A-Book Coordinator ......................................................... Caroline Lillico P’17Lower School Library Coordinator ......................................Domenica Ganguli P’16Annual Parent Luncheon Coordinator .................................. Sherrie Berdusco P’16Shop & Support Coordinator ...........................................................Lisa Dale P’16Past Parent Program Coordinator ............................. Florence Chapman P’13, ’15

CPA COORDINATORS 2014/2015

two largest single event-style fundraisers on the CPA calendar: Holiday Sale and Garage Sale. As they continue to evolve and grow, so too do the number and range of volunteers and participants that they attract. “Shop and Support” is a new fundraising initiative promoted on the CPA’s Green Room pages. By partnering with companies that provide magazine subscriptions, clothing labels and other goods, “Shop and Support” combines access to useful products with an easy means of supporting the School financially. Watch for new products to be added as opportunities arise. Finally, the former Birthday Book program was relaunched as the “Buy-a-Book” program. Buy-a-Book helps to stack Crescent’s library shelves by asking parents to donate to the library in honour of their son – particularly relevant now as we move closer to the completion of the beautiful new Library this fall.

The CPA is in its fourth year of a five-year pledge of $600,000 to the Great Boys campaign in support the new Library and Amphitheatre. Since 2012, all proceeds from CPA fundraising events and ongoing initiatives such as the Coyote’s Den have been directed towards fulfilling this pledge. We are very pleased to report that we are right on track, with $404,500 raised to date. With the ongoing support of our parent community, we will achieve our goal within our planned time frame. Prior to our Great Boys campaign commitment, the CPA created the Centennial Scholarship Endowment Fund in the amount of $700,000, which currently supports a worthy recipient in the Upper School, as well as a Local Outreach Endowment Fund, which funds locally based community service programs such as Firgrove Summer Camp.

Looking forward, we have much to anticipate and indeed already have much to celebrate. At the new Crescent Community Day, the CPA proudly hosted the first-ever New Families Breakfast, helping to fulfill our mission of welcoming, engaging and celebrating our parent community – from the most seasoned veteran parents of Crescent “Survivors”, to those who have only just joined the Crescent fold. This year’s CPA Committee is a happy balance

of experienced and new members, affording us the luxury of both invaluable expertise and fresh ideas. We warmly welcome everyone’s involvement, participation and assistance in the months ahead. I wish you a wonderful year at Crescent School.

— lynn POrter Zechner, P’08, ’10, ’16, cPa President 2014/2015


Michael Fellin: A Story of Character

I said, if it happens again, find someone else to pick you up,” laughs Heather

Fellin, repeating what she told her husband Michael about future staff-student games at school. Heather is recounting an incident that illustrates how far the new Headmaster of Crescent will go to fulfill his commitments.

“During a mentor group dodgeball game, Michael hurt his ankle,” Heather explains. “He didn’t want to let the team down, so he kept playing. Afterward, he completed his work day and then drove to a meeting for our son’s hockey team. By the time he got home, he could hardly walk because his ankle was the size of an elephant’s. It turned out it was broken.”

Commitment is one of several qualities that led to Michael being appointed as the 10th Headmaster in Crescent’s history. So much so, that when he challenges the boys to think about character as a set of learned competencies such as grit, resilience and self-discipline, he can back up the research and pedagogy with ample experience from his own life.

“My two younger brothers and I grew up not far from here,” Michael recalls, “but my upbringing was fairly different from most of our students. My parents were immigrants from Ireland and Italy who built their life from next to nothing. They taught me about the importance of hard work and perseverance.”

That learning included stocking shelves at age 13 in the new Loblaws Supercentre where his father was an area manager. “The store was so big, the price checkers wore roller skates,” laughs Michael. “I loved that job. I would line up the glass pop bottles so all of the labels faced forward. They looked like toy soldiers. I learned a lot about responsibility and customer service.”

When he was entering Grade 9, Michael’s parents sent him to St. Michael’s College where he met lifelong friend John Di Vizio. Now a high school vice principal, John most remembers Michael for his attention to relationships at St. Mike’s. “Mike was pretty quiet and introspective,” says John, “but he had

“


a knack for bringing different groups of people together.”

What comes to mind most for Michael about those years was the challenge. “I was a successful athlete in elementary school, but I didn’t make a single team in my first year at St. Mike’s. That’s when I really started to see failure as feedback

who is in Grade 3 at Crescent, Kara, who is in senior kindergarten, and Ava, who started junior kindergarten this fall. “Michael is an amazing dad. He’s always present with the kids no matter how busy he is,” says Heather.

Soon after they met, Heather attended teachers’ college at OISE and then worked

in elementary schools in Regent Park before

beginning an extended leave after Fionn

arrived. Meanwhile, Michael took a job

at Neil McNeil, an all-boys high school in

Toronto’s east end that was in the bottom

quarter of the provincial rankings. At that

point, 50 per cent of its Grade 9 students

were failing at least one credit each year.

“More than anything else, I want us to do what’s

right for the boys. We have to make their needs

our number one priority.” – Michael Fellin

– you have to learn from it.” Michael believes that his initial setback motivated him to earn a spot on future teams, including a career as a left-winger at the hockey-mad school.

After high school, Michael enrolled in the Concurrent Education program at York University’s Glendon College, allowing him to keep working at the Loblaws head office to pay the bills. He then pursued a Master’s in Divinity because he was considering joining the ministry. Throughout, he was involved in youth activities, including going to Paris and Rome for World Youth Day and helping to host that event in Toronto in 2002.

These interests led Michael to meet Heather, a Queen’s grad who spent two years working at Covenant House in New York City before joining the Catholic Children’s Aid Society in Toronto. “A friend of Michael’s arranged a meeting about programs but was an hour late,” Heather recalls. “While waiting, we talked about ideas. There was a natural synergy between us. We just got it.”

In the months that followed, the pair kept finding reasons to meet under the guise of work. “I think Michael figured out what was happening before I did,” Heather recalls. They were married in 2003 and have three children: Fionn,


“I remember one of my first classes,” Michael says with a smile. “It was Grade 11 open business English, which is a level below the applied level. Two colleagues on staff took turns sitting in class as backup. It was challenging and exhausting work, and it was the best thing that could have happened at that point in my career.”

It was then that Michael discovered his calling: working with boys. “I began to see how complicated a boy’s life can be, and I wanted to guide them in developing a positive sense of identity. I felt like I could help.”

Over his 10 years at McNeil, his passion for boys’ education grew and drove several new projects. He initiated work with the Search Institute, an American organization specializing in understanding student success, and he led McNeil to become the first public school in the International Boys’ School Coalition. He headed the development of a leadership program that won the Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2009, and he was a key player in the school rising to the top 10 per cent of the provincial rankings.

Michael’s interest in boys’ education was also a key factor in his career decisions. When the school board promoted him to vice principal, he insisted that he be posted at McNeil. Later, when it was suggested that Michael was hurting his career by working exclusively with boys, he knew it was time to go. “They wanted me to move to a co-ed or girls’ setting. That’s when I took an interest in working at Crescent,” Michael remembers.

Michael joined Crescent’s staff as Assistant Head of the Upper School in 2011. Immediately, Crescent was a great fit. “It was life-giving for Michael,” remembers Heather. “He loved the strong sense of community and the people. And the commitment to innovation and creativity was very freeing for him.”

Don Haag ’86, Director of University Counselling at Crescent, recalls Michael’s arrival. “Mike was really interested in getting to know people. He made a point of being with the guys in the halls and on the sidelines. He’s also really respectful of the School’s traditions and gets input from everyone, including the students, when changes are being considered.”

Don also remembers a moment last year when Michael’s style was on full display.

It was early in the senior hockey season, a team that they coached together, and Michael was speaking to the boys before a game, trying to convey that they needed more “jam” – a term used in sports for tenacity and toughness.

“He explained that they didn’t have to be nasty about it, but they needed to be harder to play against,” recalls Don. “And then, right near the end of his speech, when the room was silent, he pulled a jar of strawberry jam out of his pocket. The guys went wild. For the rest of the season, we gave the ‘Jam Award’ to a player after every game.”

Michael’s approach – a blend of support, high expectations and fun – is familiar to the students and staff of the Upper School. So much so, that there was widespread enthusiasm when news of his new role as Headmaster was announced. When informed at a meeting, the staff erupted into a standing ovation. When the student body heard at assembly, the senior students chanted “Fellin! Fellin! Fellin!”

The positive reaction is no surprise to Board member Barry Gordon ’87, P’21. “Michael doesn’t just talk the talk,” says Barry, whose father was Headmaster of Crescent from 1970 to 1982. “He has a stellar résumé and knowledge of all the research, but most of all, it’s his approach that energizes the community. When

we look back in 15 years, I think we will see that something pretty special has happened under Michael’s leadership.”

Barry also remembers a particular moment in the interview process that wowed the Selection Committee. “When Michael talked about working his way up from stock boy, it sent a shiver through everyone. He is an incredible role model for the students.”

Supporting the development of the young men at Crescent is Michael’s primary concern. “More than anything else, I want us to do what’s right for the boys,” he says. “We have to make their needs our number one priority.” It is a priority he emphasizes whenever he can and maintains no matter how busy life gets.

One such moment occurred on a Wednesday afternoon in late September outside the Drawing Room. Michael only had five minutes to grab some lunch and hurry back to his office for a meeting when he encountered an anxious student trying to find his team bus. Michael stopped, listened, made a few suggestions and then said quietly, “It’s okay. You can do it.”

It was a perfect Crescent moment: an adult helping a boy to solve a problem on his own. And it was an expression of how Michael intends to bring Crescent School’s mission to life – in the same way that lessons about relationships, resilience and commitment have played out in his own.


School Leaders 2014/2015

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Recipients 2014

Gold:

Michael Hatsios

Daniel Shane

Silver:

Jordan Abramsky

Matthew Allion

Abhishek Chandaria

Naveen Gupta

Andrew Kung

Rick Martell

Hugh McCauley

Tyler Rose

Bronze:

Nathaniel Diakun

Brandon Chan

Alastair Lewis

Jason Liebovitz

Thomas Lieou

Charles Lit

Gorav Menon

Andrew Pham

Miles Di Prata

Ryan Tam

Benjamin Tse

Bryan Wong

Andrew Youngson

Head BoyNaveen Gupta

Portfolio PrefectsArts

Ian Lo

AssemblyAidan Oldershaw

AssemblyLucas Verde

CommunicationsJonathan Pearce

Grad Class/Alumni LiaisonBrad Carlin

Lower School LiaisonDean Perlman

Middle School LiaisonMichael Jaunkalns

SocialAidan Potts

SportsJack Hutton

Upper School Liaison/Student LifeAlex Coburn

House CaptainsCartier

Brad Ashby Tyler Hull

HudsonStewart Kirkconnell

Ryley Mehta

MackenzieJeremy Geisler Cooper Midroni

MasseyCharlie Chettleburgh

Ryan Harris

SimcoeAidan Mayne CJ Yoannou

WolfeJordan Abramsky

Brett Balcom

House PrefectsCartier

Daniel Shane

HudsonWill Higgs

MackenzieMichael West

MasseyEthan Birbrager

SimcoeRyley Henderson

WolfeDavid Phung


Retirements

Geoff Roberts

Geoff, Crescent is so very fortunate to have had you call Crescent your second family. I might hazard a guess that is

precisely why so many people have joined us here tonight to celebrate your career and wish you well. Thank you.

Headmaster Geoff Roberts retired

after a 36-year career in education. He

began teaching at Crescent School in

1978, and served as Headmaster since

2000. The Chair of Crescent’s Board of

Governors, Bryan Kerdman P’14, spoke

at Mr. Roberts’ retirement party. Here

is an excerpt from his remarks.

Men of Character from Boys of Promise. This is Crescent School’s mission statement. Geoff helped craft what has become more than a tagline, motto, slogan or any other synonym you care to use. It is the essence of Crescent. Geoff’s roots as an English teacher helped take a myriad of ideas and shape them into this statement that is lived and breathed on a daily basis. These words speak volumes as to what Crescent School stands for, and summarize our commitment to each boy who joins the Crescent family.

Attempting to sum up Geoff’s many accomplishments over the last 36 years is virtually impossible. He’s touched the lives of thousands of alumni and students, helping them learn how to kick that perfect goal in soccer, recite Macbeth with passion and conviction, and be the best that they can be each and every day while at Crescent and outside of these hallowed walls.


Graham Steele

Graham Steele, Assistant Head of Lower School, retired after a long teaching career, including 29 years at Crescent School. Here is an excerpt from the speech given by Stuart Cumner, Head of Science, at Mr. Steele’s retirement party.

Graham, you are a person that I have always been able to count on. I’ve seen firsthand the inspiration you give to your students in the science classroom. Thank you for passing on your passion to our future scientists.

You have provided guidance to many colleagues over the years. As a mentor to fellow teachers you are second to none, providing a listening ear, calm support and a wealth of experience that you gladly share. I have enjoyed learning from you on the soccer field, as a player and from when we coached together, and as a person in the way you conduct yourself.

You have given so much to your students and to your colleagues over the years. Thank you, Graham, for all the contributions you have made to the School over the years as a teacher, mentor, coach, administrator, colleague and friend. On behalf of the staff, students and alumni of Crescent School, we wish you much happiness in your retirement!

John Nicolucci

John Nicolucci, Head of Geography, retired after 37 years of teaching, 18 of them at Crescent. Here is an excerpt from the speech given at his retirement party by Anjelien Slater, Upper School Director of Student Services and member of the Geography faculty.

John has passion – passion that inspires. He carefully builds his relationship with the boys throughout the year and

inspires in the boys a love of geography, a love for learning.

Recently John said to me, “You know, the biggest secret is the knack of knowing when the kids are bored. When they don’t give a hoot, make it real.”

That’s when John turns it on. He uses his quick wit, humour, gaming tricks, console debates, personal stories, jokes, movie quotes, analogies – making it real and

connecting with the boys. No one needs to look far for a successful example of “relational teaching.”

John, you have been my mentor for so many years. You are the epitome of true loyalty and genuine love for family. You inspire in all of us a love for teaching and learning. Most of all, we all thank you for showing us how to let our guards down, laugh, and find the joy in life.


Prize DayLower School Awards 2014

★ Sheila Barber Citizenship AwardsGrade 3Luca Alagheband

Grade 4Max GrossTucker Wilson

Grade 5Jonathan VoutsasNicholas de Villa-ChoiNoah Maunder

Grade 6Matthew BissetAidan MaunderMichael Farkouh

★ Character Pin AwardsEmerald Character Pins:Aidan MaunderDrew Pilkington

★ Lower School Spirit AwardsGrade 3Sean Conroy

Grade 4RJ LevittOscar Aylward

Grade 5Connor ColferWill MatthewsOliver Simpson

Grade 6Curtis BootheAlex RamsayCharlie Newall

★ CPA Effort PrizesGrade 3Jaden Rana

Grade 4Luke DevlinMattias Kim

Grade 5Lukas SwalesSimon MaloneRyan Rakusin

Grade 6James ConlinCaleb OraveczCarter Morrison

★ House Captains’ AwardDuncan Armstrong

★ Art PrizeJackson Partridge

★ Drama AwardCameron Overvelde

★ French PrizeDerin Uzumeri

★ Health and Physical Education AwardAdam Berry

★ Language Arts PrizeZack Erdman

★ Mathematics PrizeTerence Cheung

★ Music AwardsChoralLogan HersenLiam Engel

BandMatthew CarlEkansh Chandaria

★ Science PrizeJustin Metivier

★ Social Studies AwardTed Ferris

★ Proficiency PrizesGrade 3Windsor SooNeil Zhou

Grade 4Jacob DavidsonAndrew Guo

Grade 5Andrew Oprescu-HavriliucChristopher LawRyan Paikin

Grade 6Sean O’RourkeAndrew NgEkansh Chandaria

★ ValedictorianIan Devlin

★ House Captain’s CupHudson House

★ Colonel J.B. Rogers TrophyHudson House

★ Lamp of KnowledgeWolfe House

★ Dean Voutsas House CupWolfe House

★ J. Sean Buckley AwardsGrade 3John Raftus

Grade 4Will Newall

Grade 5Fionn Lay

Grade 6Jack Bunker

★ Board of Governors’ Boy of Promise AwardGrade 3Michael Demiglio

Grade 4Jack Hetherington

Grade 5Thomas Bellamy

Grade 6Farrell Fitzpatrick

★ David Heaney Character Education AwardEvan Ibbitson

★ Coyote AwardDuncan Armstrong

★ Philip Ambrose AwardJack Silverman

★ William Burridge AwardJack Wallace

★ J.W. James AwardIan Devlin


Prize DayMiddle School Awards 2014

★ CPA Effort PrizesGrade 7Will Webster

Grade 8Jared Horwood

★ Sheila Barber Citizenship AwardsGrade 7Nick Turnbull

Grade 8Jackson Bere

★ Middle School Spirit AwardsGrade 7Brock Mutic

Grade 8Andrew McBurney

★ Anniversary TiesVisual ArtAedan Forkan

DramaHenry James

MusicMax Bennett

★ John Tansey AwardCharlie Fisher

★ Art PrizesGrade 7Andre Corona

Grade 8Jackson Bere

★ Drama PrizesGrade 7Michael Levinson

Grade 8Christian Gnam

★ Public Speaking PrizesGrade 7Jack Duboc


★ English PrizesGrade 7Kyle Chang

Grade 8James Engel

★ French PrizesGrade 7Kyle Chang

Grade 8Max Bennett

★ History PrizesGrade 7Coulson Wiggan

Grade 8Chris Witte

★ Mathematics PrizeGrade 7Harrison (Haotian) Wang

Grade 8Ryan Cheng

★ Mathematics Contest PrizesGrade 7Kyle Chang

Grade 8Bret Hodgkinson

★ Health and Physical Education AwardGrade 7Jackson Margach

Grade 8Matt Jenkins

★ Science and Geography PrizesGrade 7Andre Corona

Grade 8Andy Mavroudis

★ Creativity and Innovation in Science and Geography PrizesGrade 7Aidan de Villa-Choi

Grade 8Alex Ker

★ House Captain’s CupMassey House

★ Lamp of KnowledgeWolfe House

★ Colonel J.B. Rogers TrophyHudson House

★ Dean Voutsas House CupWolfe House

★ ValedictorianCharlie Fisher

★ Middle School Liaison AwardJake Fisher

★ Ronald Memorial AwardNicholas Rockandel

★ Music AwardAlex Kim confirm

★ Director of Admission’s AwardBen Allen

★ Denise Manikas Crescent Spirit Commemorative AwardMax Bennett

★ Proficiency PrizesGrade 7Andre CoronaCory Gill


★ C.B. Gordon AwardKyle Chang

★ Pat McDonnell AwardMax BennettAndy Mavroudis

★ Bronze Medal of KnowledgeKyle Chang

★ Board of Governors’ Boy of Promise AwardsGrade 7Cory Gill

Grade 8Charlie Fisher

★ J. Sean Buckley AwardsGrade 7Grayson Arnott

Grade 8Justin Chan

★ William L. Scandrett AwardAndy Mavroudis


Prize DayUpper School Awards 2014

ACADEMIC AWARDS

★ Business Studies PrizeSam Davison

★ Symons Canadian Studies AwardJordan Abramsky

★ Civilizations in History PrizeMatthew Tory

★ John Grenfell Wright MC Prize in HistoryEric Noble-Marks

★ World Politics PrizeGriffin Baker

★ Philosophy PrizeSam Dobbin

★ James Ballard Memorial Award/French SwordJamie Rose

★ Spanish PrizeTim MelisCole Rosenberg

★ Computer Studies AwardAdam Leung

★ Geography PrizeMark BesseTyler Kerdman

★ Mathematics PrizeJake Fisher

★ Man Family Mathematics PrizeJuniorRonald Chow

SeniorJonathan PearceIan Lo

★ Health and Physical Education AwardJack Hutton

★ Science PrizeJamie Rose

★ University of Toronto Book PrizeJake Fisher

★ Hatch ScholarshipJamie Rose

★ Vladen Milic/Ontario Association of Architects AwardThomas Bell

★ George S. Blodgett Memorial PrizeEric Noble-Marks

★ Creative Writing PrizeEric Noble-Marks

★ CPA Effort PrizesGrade 9Jake ErdmanMatthew KasperaviciusBryan Wong

Grade 10Jordan AbramskyAlex JohnstonJack Williamson

Grade 11Dean PerlmanJason SpevackMichael West

★ Jerry Friedman AwardAndrew Youngson

★ The Burgess AwardRonald Chow

★ Grade 11 Academic AwardMatthew Riley

★ Silver Medal of KnowledgeMatthew Riley

★ Governor General’s MedalTyler Kerdman

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER AWARDS

★ Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science AwardNaveen Gupta

★ Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social SciencesTyler Rose

★ George Eastman Young Leaders AwardAlex Coburn

★ Xerox Award for Innovation and Information TechnologyIan Lo

ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

★ Anniversary TiesGrade 9 MusicBrandon ChanSam EplettFarid GhodsMatthew KasperaviciusChris OverveldeTimmy SetoBenjamin TseAndrew Youngson

Grade 9 DramaChristian Metivier

Grade 9 RoboticsAvram KachuraWalter RaftusRichard Robinson

Jason SauntryAlp TurkmenElwyn Zhang

Grade 9 Visual ArtsDevin Mutic

Grade 10 MusicSpencer DaleDaniel FridmanWilbert GuoJack Zechner

Grade 10 RoboticsGalen Frostad

Grade 10 Visual ArtsCharlie ChettleburghCole GreenbergNoah HarknessSean Malone

Grade 11 Community ServiceJordan AbramskyRyan NewmanDaniel Shane

Grade 11 DramaKeenan LivingstoneAlex NikiforovConnor Ward

Grade 11 Student Technology Advisory ClubJonathan Libby

Grade 11 MusicSean LaiTyler RoseMatthew Tang

Grade 11 RoboticsAidan OldershawMatthew Tory

Grade 12 Business ClubWill Strang

Grade 12 Community ServiceSean ChungAnthony GuillonCole HalbertNicholas Leung

Grade 12 DramaTyler MaySteven Shi

Grade 12 RoboticsBaron Alloway

Grade 12 MusicJack Watt

★ Art PrizeAdam Leung

★ Drama AwardSam Davison

★ Appoggiatura/Music Prize Eric Noble-MarksMichael Venier

★ Ronald Memorial Upper School Music AwardScott McFarland

★ Norris Family Robotics and Technology AwardRyan Tam

HOUSE AWARDS

★ House Captains’ CupCartier House

★ Colonel J.B. Rogers Trophy Hudson House

★ The Lamp of KnowledgeWolfe House

★ Dean Voutsas House Cup Wolfe House

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

★ Ian Roberts Community Service Award Andrew Kung

★ Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer AwardCole Halbert

★ Bruce M. Hicks Public Service Award Chris Lam

CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS

★ Environmental Leadership AwardJamie RoseMatthew Cheung

★ Board of Governors’ AwardsGrade 9Christian MetivierAndrew Youngson

Grade 10Ronald ChowRyley Mehta

Grade 11Dean PerlmanDaniel Shane

★ Dentonia ScholarshipsMarlon PalmerDante Smith

★ Ron Bertram/Quill and Quire AwardRyan Tam

★ Headmaster’s MedalJonah Mandel

★ Founders AwardNeal Ganguli

★ Graduating Class TrophySimon Mikre

★ G. H. Corolis Crescent Spirit Commemorative AwardTim MelisRyan McCabe

★ W.R.E. Williams AwardAlex Karayannopoulos

★ The Osler TrophyPeter Milazzo

★ Thom Family AwardJordan GrantTyler Kerdman

★ Susan Denton Massey AwardAlex Reid

★ Old Boys WatchAlex Karayannopoulos

★ Board of Governors’ MedalAlex Karayannopoulos

GRADUATION DAY AWARDS

★ Board of Governors’ AwardJake Fisher

★ Connor Bevans and Adam Scott AwardAsher Weiss

★ Effort AwardAdam LeungCole Rosenberg

★ Crestissimus Crescentium (Improvement Award)Thomas Chapman

★ ValedictorianAlex MacNicol

Matthew Kasperavicius

Jason Sauntry ★ Drama Award


Athletic AwardsSpring Term 2014

sPOrt teaM distinctiOns

BADMINTON Senior: MVP – Jonathan PearceCoaches Choice – Ryan Tam

Junior: MVP – Ronald ChowMIP – Tyler Ferguson

U14: MVP – Ivan ChengHeart Trophy – Christopher Howard

TENNIS Senior: Coaches Choice – Andrew Allen and Asher WeissCommitment Award – Andrew Pham

Junior: MVP – Christopher OverveldeTeam Spirit Award – Blake Shyba

U14: MVP – Zach ErdmanMIP – Troy Pinkney

BASEBALL Senior: MVP – CJ YoannouLeadership and Commitment Award – Mark Besse

ULTIMATE D1: MVP – Keith McRaeFRISBEE MIP – Ryan Fredrickson D2: MVP – Ross Hilliard

MIP – Vlas ChekhovtsovRUGBY Senior: MVP – Peter Milazzo

Rookie of the Year – Alex ReidDave LaForest Memorial Award – Peter MilazzoLeadership Award – Barrett Geisler and Trevor Noskiewicz

Junior: Most Valuable Forward – Andy BinnsMost Valuable Back – Devan HunterMIP – Jack Zechner

U14: MIP – Aedan ForkanLeadership Award – Owen CummingGame Changer Award – Justin ZhangHeart Award – Peter YoungsonRuck Over Award – Mitchell Buck

U13: Heart Award – Campbell HunterMIP – Duncan ReucasselGame Changer Award – Ian DilayMost Dedicated – Ben Allen

GOLF Senior: MVP – Will LeakCoaches Choice – Nicolas Corbett

Junior: MVP – Tyler HullCoaches Choice – Jeffrey So

SOFTBALL U14: MVP – Liam HaggartyMIP – Alex Kim

U12: MVP – Simon MaloneCoaches Choice – Charlie Newall and Carter Morrison

TRACK & FIELD Senior: MVP – Jason Kattan Junior: MVP – Deen Choudhury and

Ryley MehtaMIP – Omar Elmor

Midget: MVP – Matthew LuCoaches Choice – Christian Metivier

MS: MVP – Andy MavroudisMIP – Craig Meerkamper and Brock MuticCoaches Choice – Liam Livingstone

U12: MVP – Rhys Holman and Matt LampardCoaches Choice – Jack Bunker

U11: MVP – Owen Coulter and Matthew Pirie Coaches Choice – Thomas Bellamy and Jack Wallace

U10: MVP – Jacob Davidson and Jordan CorbettCoaches Choice – Mattias Kim

Athlete of the Year AwardsuPPer schOOl

Lawson Award for Athlete of the YearPeter Milazzo and Cole Rosenberg

Fitzpatrick AwardBarrett Geisler

The Geoff Roberts AwardTrevor Noskiewicz

Middle schOOl

Athlete of the YearJackson Bere and Max Montgomery

Lachowicz AwardDaniel Solomos

lOWer schOOl

Duane Livingstone TrophyRhys Holman

Wylie Coyote AwardMatthew Lampard


Athletic AchievementsSpring Term 2014

RugbyU13 – CISAA ChampionsU14 – CISAA Silver MedallistsJunior – CISAA Quarter FinalistsSenior – CISAA Silver Medallists

TennisU14 – 2nd Place, CISAAJunior – CISAA ChampionsSenior – 6th Place, CISAA

BadmintonU14 – CISAA ChampionsJunior – CISAA ChampionsSenior – 5th Place, CISAA

Baseball3rd Place, East

SoftballU12 – CISAA Semi-FinalistsU14 D1 – CISAA Semi-Finalists

Ultimate FrisbeeD1 – CISAA ChampionsD2 – CISAA Semi-Finalists

Track & FieldU10 – 2nd Place, CISAAU11 – 2nd Place, CISAAU12 – CISAA ChampionsU13 – 8th Place, CISAAU14 – 7th Place, CISAAMidget – 7th Place, CISAAJunior – 3rd Place, CISAASenior – 11th Place, CISAA

GolfJunior – 4th Place, CISAASenior – 2nd Place, CISAA

Spring Highlightstrack & Field

OFSAA Track & FieldJuniorDeen Choudhury – 5th Place at OFSAA Provincials, Triple Jump; 8th Place at OFSAA, Long JumpRyley Mehta – 14th Place at OFSAA

MidgetMatthew Lu – 18th Place at OFSAA

CISAA ChampionshipsU10Jacob Frankfort – 1st Place, DiscusJordan Corbett – 3rd Place, Long Jump; 4th Place, 200mJack Silverman – 4th Place, Shot PutAidan Walters – 4th Place, High JumpJack Lambert – 5th Place, Discus

U11Owen Coulter – 1st Place, 100m; 2nd Place, Long JumpMatthew Pirie – 1st Place, Long Jump; 3rd Place, 200m; 3rd Place, 400mBen Osborne – 2nd Place, JavelinWill Matthews – 2nd Place, DiscusConnor Colfer – 3rd Place, Shot PutJack Wallace – 4th Place, 400m; 5th Place, 800m

U12Matthew Lampard – 1st Place, 500m; 2nd Place, 800mRhys Holman – 1st Place, 800m; 3rd Place, 400mScott Robertson – 1st Place, Long Jump; 4th Place, High JumpCaleb Oravesv – 2nd Place, 1500m; 4th Place, Long JumpJack Bunker – 2nd Place, 400m; 3rd Place, 200mMatthew Bisset – 2nd Place, Long Jump; 5th Place, 200mIan McBurney – 4th Place, High JumpIan Devlin – 5th Place, 800m

U14Andy Mavroudis – 2nd Place, JavelinJackson Bere – 4th Place, Long Jump; 4th Place, Triple Jump

MidgetMatthew Lu – 1st Place, Shot Put; 2nd Place, DiscusErik Rimer – 5th Place, Shot Put

JuniorRyley Mehta – 1st Place, Pole Vault; 2nd Place, 800m; 3rd Place, 1500mDeen Choudhury – 1st Place, Triple Jump; 2nd Place, Long Jump; 3rd Place, 100mAbhinav Dhar – 3rd Place, 400mOmar Elmor – 5th Place, Triple JumpBrad Ashby – 3rd Place, Javelin; 5th Place, DiscusTrevor Reeson – 5th Place, Javelin

SeniorJason Kattan – 1st Place, Shot Put

BadMintOnU14Ivan Cheng – 1st Place, SinglesNathan Mills and Brendon Lai – 1st Place, DoublesChris Howard – 2nd Place, SinglesAndre Corona – 2nd Place, SinglesMarcel Lui and Ben Morin – 2nd Place, Doubles

JuniorRonald Chow – 1st Place, SinglesTyler Ferguson – 1st Place, SinglesWilbert Guo – 2nd Place, SinglesBenjamin Tse and Austin Xing – 2nd Place, DoublesCharles Lit and Charles Ju – 3rd Place, Doubles

tennisJuniorChris Overvelde – 1st Place, First SinglesJack Garrett – 1st Place, Second SinglesJake Erdman and Colsen Centner – 1st Place, First Doubles

SeniorAndrew Allen and Thomas Chapman – 3rd Place, First DoublesAsher Weiss – 4th Place, Second SinglesJason Liebovitz – 5th Place, Third Singles


Creating a Buzz: TEDxCrescentSchoolCrescent School’s premiere TEDx event showcased the School’s strengths

On June 20, Crescent School’s campus buzzed with inspiring speakers,

new ideas and stimulating conversations. TEDxCrescentSchool was in full swing.

TEDx events are locally organized conferences reflecting the principles of TED, a non-profit organization that shares “ideas worth spreading” by leading thinkers worldwide. This was Crescent School’s first-ever TEDx. By all accounts, the sold-out event was a tremendous success.

Open to the public, TEDxCrescentSchool reached beyond the School community, attracting people from across Toronto. The event introduced and showcased Crescent’s strengths to a wide audience.

TEDxCrescentSchool was spearheaded by incoming Headmaster Michael Fellin. After attending a TEDxToronto conference, he saw the potential of hosting a similar event at Crescent. By offering a day filled with thought-provoking speakers, Crescent could share diverse perspectives that reflect the School’s commitment to promoting insight and learning.

“To me, the spirit of TED is about ideas and conversation and shifting mindsets,” says Headmaster Fellin. “It’s good for us

to been seen as a school that wants to engage the larger community in critical conversation and reflection.”

TEDxCrescentSchool’s theme was “Sankofa” – a West African Akan word meaning “to return, to go, to look, to seek and take.” Each of the 13 speakers explored this theme in their talks. The speakers included CBC journalist Susan Ormiston, spoken word artist Eytan Millstone, mayoral candidate John Tory, sports commentator and mental health advocate Michael Landsberg, and child psychologist Dr. Alex Russell.

Journalist and Crescent alumnus Evan Solomon ’87 was also a presenter. His talk paid tribute to “the greatest leader I’ve ever known”: Crescent’s former Headmaster, Geoff Roberts. Directly after that, Mr. Roberts’ own talk explored his philosophy of education.

Together, these talks provided one of the most moving experiences of the day, says Myles Slocombe ’92, who was in the audience. “It was a very fitting way for Mr. Roberts to cap his career at Crescent.”

“I was really proud of Crescent,” says Myles. “I was proud to be there as an alumnus, because they did a really fantastic job.”

Martin Ritchie ’92, who attended with Myles, says TEDxCrescentSchool’s speakers were completely engaging.

“Myles and I sat in the front row – which we never did as students – and we hung on every word,” says Martin. “It was an exciting ambience, and the level of understanding sunk deep.”

Organizing TEDxCrescentSchool was an 18-month endeavour. Crescent’s planning team attended a TED training conference in California and consulted with other local TEDx hosts. The TEDxCrescentSchool budget was separate from the School’s operating budget and completely covered by sponsorship funding.

Chris White, Crescent’s Director of Admission and Financial Aid, was a member of the TEDx planning team. He says everyone involved should feel very proud of what they accomplished together.

“We took on something way bigger and way riskier than we ever had before,” says Chris. “The School showed that we can pull off something really big.”

“It was a very charging thing for our community,” says another planning team member, David Young, who is Crescent’s Deputy Headmaster, Teaching and Learning. “I think we were all quite proud that we could do it to that level.”

In the end, reviews from the participants show the hard work and attention to detail paid off.

“I think it was a brilliant move to bring TEDx in,” says Martin. “It’s a big, risk-taking move that went brilliantly.”

“TEDxCrescentSchool was world-class, in my opinion,” says Myles. “The event really confirmed for me what incredible facilities Crescent has, and what committed staff Crescent has to put something like this together.”

You can watch videos of Crescent’s TEDx speakers at tedxcrescentschool.com.

Evan Solomon ’87 and former Headmaster Geoff Roberts on stage at TEDxCrescentSchool last June.


Head Boy Naveen GuptaCommitted to strengthening the Crescent brotherhood

As the younger brother of Crescent students Vijay ’12 and Vinit ’11,

Naveen Gupta ’15, was part of the Crescent family even before he enrolled. He remembers the warm welcome and feeling of belonging on his first day in Grade 3 at Crescent. Now, as Head Boy, Naveen wants all Crescent boys to share his sense of brotherhood and pride.

“I have two brothers, but my brothers at Crescent are truly the same as the ones at home,” said Naveen in his speech to the School’s First Assembly in September. “Trust your brothers, share your experiences with them, cheer them on, learn from them and appreciate the relationships you build with them, because the relationships you build will last you a lifetime.”

Getting to know Naveen:

What is your idea of perfect happiness?Any time spent with family and/or friends.

What is your favourite thing to do on the weekend?I love watching movies. I end up almost always watching at least one movie on the weekends. To be quite honest, I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to movies.

What is your greatest extravagance?Movie memorabilia. Like I said, I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to that stuff

Which talent would you most like to have?To play the cello.

be where I am today, or who I am today, if it wasn’t for them. The amount of support they provide is impossible to put into words, and I am truly so thankful for them. I know it’s cheesy, but it really is true.

What is your favourite sport?Hockey. Period.

What is your motto?Work hard, play hard.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?The love of my life would not actually be an entity, but a feeling. The feeling you get when you step on the ice, when you step on stage, when you play your instrument, etc., where for the moment, nothing else is in your mind. That you are so concentrated, so involved, that you are able to forget everything that is around you. That feeling is the love of my life, that feeling is what I live every day trying to achieve.

What is your goal for this year?To ensure each student feels that they are surrounded by their brothers.

If you could give one sentence of advice to your Grade 3 self, what would you say?Don’t be in a hurry to “grow up” – take your time and enjoy every second.

What is your most treasured possession?My 25-year-old car that my parents passed down to me. It has a broken radio, broken gas tank cap, etc. but it still runs. I grew up with it, and so I love it.

What do you want to be “when you grow up”?A man of character.

Who are your heroes?As clichéd as it might be, I really believe my heroes are my parents. They do so much for me, and I really think I would not

Naveen Gupta, front row on right, on his first day at Crescent School


News from AdvancementMing Wai Lau ’97 welcomed back to Crescent

Crescent School proudly welcomed alumnus Ming Wai Lau ’97 back to

campus on October 10, showing him the incredible learning spaces that his family’s generosity made possible.

Ming Wai lives in Hong Kong, and this was his first visit back to Crescent since May 2010. That time, he participated in a sod-turning ceremony and announced his family’s transformational $5 million commitment to kick off the Great Boys campaign. The Lau Family Wing was named in honour of their extraordinary generosity.

There was no sod-turning required at Ming Wai’s recent visit. Instead, Ming Wai reconnected with two of his former teachers, Steve Davies and Dave Budden, and met current faculty, staff and students, including Headmaster Michael Fellin.

As a token of appreciation for his family’s generosity, the Middle School presented Ming Wai with a gift of artwork – a replica of a piece created by faculty member Harriet Wynne-Jones. The original piece was placed in the School’s Centennial Time Capsule, located in the Lau Family Wing, which is sealed until 2048.

The October visit was Ming Wai’s first opportunity to see the completed Lau Family Wing. His tour was given by four confident and articulate Middle School boys: Alex Kim, Cory Gill, Brock Mutic and Matthew Hutchison. They proudly guided Ming Wai through the Lau Family Wing, explaining why they “love it so much.” The bright areas for individual,

group and classroom learning give the boys space to stretch out and walk around, encouraging their creativity and productivity. In the Upper School areas, oval-shaped Harkness tables support collaborative learning and mentoring in a university seminar format. Throughout the Lau Family Wing, large windows let natural light pour in and reveal beautiful views of Crescent’s campus.

Ming Wai’s tour also introduced him to other spaces and programs that opened since his 2010 visit. He visited the Margaret Donnelly Lower School Library, named in memory of the librarian that he remembers fondly from his student days. He also saw a robotics demonstration, donned a hard hat to see the construction of the new Library, and toured the beautiful new Latifi Family Commons.

“You have done a tremendous job in constructing the beautiful facilities you have shown me today,” said Ming Wai during his visit. “But most importantly, you have assembled an amazing team of teachers, librarians and staff to work with the students to bring these great facilities to life. I congratulate you and it makes me very proud to be part of this effort.”

Ming Wai Lau ’97 reconnected with former teachers Steve Davies (left) and Dave Budden (right).


Message from the Chair of the Crescent Alumni Executive

Chair Rob Watt ’85, P’14Board Members Ryan Bell ’98 (School Representative)

Bruce Burgess ’57 (Dentonia Representative)Jamie Coulter ’87, P’21 (Co-Chair, Alumni Internship Program)Andrew Day ’80Hessam Ghadaki ’99 (Chair, Activities Committee)Jamie Lougheed ’87, P’18 (Chair, Class Representative Program)Jay Mansoor ’92 (Co-Chair, Alumni Internship Program)Myles Slocombe ’92 (Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee)Jason Steel ’93 (Chair, Alumni Mentoring Program)Tim Usher-Jones ’01 (Chair, Fundraising Program)Tim Watson ’01 (Chair, Governance & Nomination Committee)

CRESCENT ALUMNI EXECUTIVE 2014/2015

Relationships – the theme that Headmaster

Michael Fellin has set for this academic year – is at the core of the Alumni Executive’s work. It’s simply what we do. As the Chair of the Alumni Executive, I’m proud that our mission is to foster meaningful relationships for Crescent School alumni. We’ve structured our programming around opportunities and events that encourage all alumni to get involved, get connected and give back.

Our newest initiative, By Alumni, For Alumni, is particularly exciting. We have refocused our annual giving program, encouraging alumni to support needs-based student financial aid, with a preference for sons of alumni. As this initiative builds over the next year, we hope that the By Alumni, For Alumni,tagline will broaden and begin to encompass everything we are doing for our alumni.

Our programs, including the Alumni Internship Program, Alumni Mentoring Program and our social and networking events, function because of the Crescent

brotherhood that exists among the alumni. I’m always humbled by the positive response when we ask one our alumni mentors to work with a recent Crescent graduate, or when we canvas

our community for an internship opportunity. I’m humbled too by the popularity of our events, such as the recent reunion that welcomed 140 alumni back to campus.

My son, Jack, graduated with the Class of 2014. I’m confident that as Jack and his peers begin to navigate the world beyond Crescent, they will be fully supported by their fellow alumni in whatever paths they choose.

At the end of the day, our alumni network exists because of the friendships and bonds that have formed, not only within Crescent School, but beyond its walls. With the common thread of Crescent binding us all together, I look forward to working with the Alumni Executive and our community to build more relationships among our alumni, with one another, with the School and with the current students.

We are fortunate to have Mike at the helm, steering Crescent School. I look forward to working closely with him, as we

continue to build strong relationships among our alumni community.

— ROB WATT ’85, P’14, CHAIR, CRESCENT ALUMNI EXECUTIVE


ALUMNI

Reflecting Crescent Alumni PrideIntroducing our new mission statement and logo

To be a Crescent School alumnus is a privilege, and we want our alumni’s

experience to be as enriching as possible. The Alumni Executive conducted a thorough review of all alumni programs over the past year to ensure that the services we provide effectively support the pride we all feel in Crescent.

The review was undertaken by the Alumni Executive’s Marketing and Branding Committee, led by then Chair Chris Candy ’02. Former Headmaster Geoff Roberts and new Headmaster Michael Fellin provided input on the logo redesign. Many thanks to all involved for their hard work and dedication.

As a result of the review, we have refocused our work on our essential

purpose: connecting alumni with each other and with the School. We facilitate these connections in many ways, primarily through social and networking events. These include our annual Alumni Reunion and Downtown Networking event, fundraising through the By Alumni, For Alumni program, and through our two signature programs: the Alumni Internship Program and the Alumni Mentoring Program.

Our new mission statement reflects this updated focus: Our mission is to foster sustained and meaningful relationships for alumni with Crescent School and their fellow graduates through events, giving back and continuing education.Incorporating the Crescent School crest, the classic design of our new logo reflects Crescent’s traditions and its confident future. You will soon see this logo on all Alumni materials.


By Alumni, For AlumniHelping more sons of alumni share the Crescent experience

The success stories of our alumni are great testimonials to the exceptional

education these men received at Crescent. Many of our alumni wish for their sons to have the same Crescent experience they had. However, increased educational costs, family expenses and other financial constraints too often hinder some alumni from considering Crescent for their sons. To fulfill this parental aspiration and expand our current parent community with alumni, Crescent is very pleased to launch the By Alumni, For Alumni annual giving program.

With the launch of By Alumni, For Alumni, the Crescent Alumni Executive, along with the Class Representatives, will lead and educate their fellow Crescent brothers on what it means to give back, the benefits of supporting Student Financial Aid, and making a difference in the lives of great young men. One of the

key findings of the 2013 alumni survey was our alumni’s desire to support and increase financial aid with the preference given for the sons of alumni. It is our hope that this initiative will help sons of alumni benefit from the Crescent experience and bring more alumni back to the campus as dads.

The By Alumni, For Alumni program aims to• raisefundsforneeds-basedstudent

financial aid with the preference for the sons of alumni;

• increasethepercentageofalumniwhose sons attend Crescent School; and

• increaseouralumni’sfinancialcontributions to the School.

Alumni charitable giving is a very successful tradition at Crescent. Many classes have established class fund bursaries, which they

have been supporting since graduation. These classes will continue to support their established funds through the By Alumni, For Alumni program. Alumni who are not involved in a class fund are encouraged to give directly to the By Alumni, For Alumni bursary. The School can start drawing from this bursary immediately to offer financial assistance to current and prospective families, while promoting the Crescent brotherhood as a legacy to a new generation of boys.

Crescent School deeply appreciates the generous support of our dedicated alumni. There are several easy, tax-advantageous ways to make gifts to the By Alumni, For Alumni program. For more information about this exciting initiative, please contact Kathryn Rutherford, Alumni Relations Officer, at [email protected] or 416-449-2556 ext. 260.

greenroom.crescentschool.org/alumnigiving

You know how important Crescent School was to your life. Now you can help more boys benefit from the Crescent experience, and bring more alumni back to the campus as dads.

Your pledge will provide needs-based student financial aid with a preference for sons of alumni.

Donate today at

$10per month

you would provide significantfinancial aid

for 1 to 2 legacystudents

$20per month

you would provide significantfinancial aid

for 2 to 4 legacystudents

If 20% of Crescent alumni pledged

a gift of

Help share the Crescent experience


Remembering Walter Massey ’39

The Crescent School community was saddened by the death of alumnus

Walter Massey ’39 at age 85 on August 4.

Born in 1928, Walter Massey attended Crescent School until Grade 8 in 1939. (Crescent School did not offer higher grades until the 1970s.) He later attended the University of Western Ontario and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although he held a degree in mechanical engineering, he focused his career – with great success – in the theatre.

As an actor, Mr. Massey performed hundreds of roles in movies, television and live theatre. Most recently, he was the voice of Principal Haney in the children’s television show Arthur. He

was instrumental in founding several theatres and helped launch the Montreal Playwrights Workshop. For 20 years, he served on the executive committee of the Canadian Actors Equity Association.

Mr. Massey’s family had strong ties with Crescent School. He was one of six cousins who attended Crescent. His grandmother’s estate, Dentonia Park, was the School’s home from 1933 until Crescent moved to its current site on Bayview Avenue in 1975. The pillars currently located in Crescent’s Formal Garden are from the Dentonia Park house.

We extend our sympathies to Walter Massey’s wife, Sharman Yarnell, and to his extended family.

Alumnus Walter Massey is shown here with Deputy Headmaster Colin Lowndes on a visit to Crescent School in 2012. The pillars in the Formal Garden are from Mr. Massey’s grand-mother’s Dentonia Park estate, which was the School’s previous home.


Alumnus of the Year: David Thom ’92

David Thom ’92 was named the 2014 Alumnus of the Year for his outstanding

commitment to the Alumni Internship Program, and for his tremendous success as Vice President for Design and Development at LeFrak Organization, a real estate and development firm in New York City.

“Giving back helps Crescent to improve its opportunities for learning and discovery for all,” says Dave. “As any alumnus will realize the moment he steps foot in a modern classroom, education is constantly expanding and changing, and giving back either in the form of

donating time or funds helps the School to better meet its mission.”

The Thom Family Award, established in 1994 and presented annually to an Upper School student who demonstrates character and leadership, reflects Crescent’s deep roots in Dave’s family.

Dave’s grandfather, William Thom, was Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1960-1964, overseeing Crescent’s purchase of the School’s current Bayview campus. Dave’s father, Hugh Thom ’58, along with Hugh’s four brothers,

Alumni Profile

The Alumnus of the Year Award is given to Crescent alumni of whom the School is particularly proud. This award honours alumni for their exceptional personal and professional accomplishments and volunteer service to Crescent School.

attended Crescent School back in the Dentonia campus days. His father later served as Chairman from 1998 to 2000. Dave’s younger brother, Matthew, also attended Crescent School and graduated with the Class of 1995.

Although Dave lives in New York with his wife, Melissa, and their sons, Aden (age 6) and Christopher (age 4), he does everything he can to support Crescent School. He’s been a tremendous advocate of Crescent’s Alumni Internship Program since it launched four years ago. Four young alumni have benefitted from internships at LeFrak through the program, and he has committed to hosting another young alumnus this summer.

Dave says the Alumni Internship Program allows him to stay connected with Crescent in a meaningful way.

“Education does not stop after Grade 12, or even after university,” says Dave. “There is much that the alumni can do to help illustrate what their workplace experience is like and what skills will be needed to succeed. Crescent’s Alumni Internship Program can play a big part in this.”

Dave credits Alumni Internship Program founder Jay Mansoor ’92 for ensuring that the program provides valuable experiences for both the young alumni and the employers who hire them. At LeFrak, the interns work on a wide variety of architectural design and development projects.

“Jay has done an outstanding job of providing terrific candidates every year, and I can honestly say that each has contributed in real terms at a very high level,” says Dave. “I could not have asked for better interns.”

To get involved in Crescent’s Alumni Internship Program, visit alumni.crescentschool.org/AIP.


Crescent memories“I remember forming strong bonds with my classmates as we laughed at assembly at BJ Reinblatt’s Coyote skits, participated in House events, rebelled against our French teachers, sold pizza squares to the Lower School during recess breaks, manned the booths in the wonderful annual carnival, yelled at Mr. Davies during floor hockey games, and stood proud on Prize Day. It was a great place for a boy to grow up.”

— david thOM ’92

Crescent Alumni BookshelfLooking for a great read? Or a great gift? Here are some recent titles written by and about Crescent School alumni.

Tom Symons: A Canadian Life the many accomplishments of

Tom Symons ’39, human rights champion and founder of Trent University

(edited by Ralph Heintzman)

A study in leadership

Ellesmere Pickup a gripping novel about Canada’s naval reserves

during the Cold War by Fraser McKee ’38

For navy enthusiasts

A Father’s Son a heartbreaking

coming-of-age storyby Richard Harris ’92

Dads and hockey

Quantitative Trading and Algorithmic Trading

winning financial strategiesby Ernest Chan ’84

Master the markets

Crossing the Distance an edgy tale about

modern media, eco-terrorism and family ties

by Evan Solomon ’87

A provocative thriller

I Wish I Had Known practical advice for post-secondary

education and beyondby Blair Livingston ’07

For university students

Nathaniel McDaniel and the Magic Attic

a charming series for young readers

by Evan Solomon ’87

They’ll also enjoy

The Balloon is Doomed

by Christopher Eyton ’84, P’13

For children

Crescent School has had deep roots in the Thom family for three generations.


Mentorship is a Two-Way Street, says Ross Kerr ’91

Ross Kerr ’91, a management consultant at Deloitte, leads a busy

life in Toronto with his wife, Sarah, and their three children. Despite his full schedule, he also plays an integral role in Crescent’s Alumni Mentoring Program. By sharing his time and perspective with young alumni, he helps them navigate the early stages of their careers.

“As a Crescent graduate, I value the opportunity to speak with other alumni and parents of alumni who have interesting careers,” he says. “They’ve helped me focus my post-Crescent education and work pursuits, and shaped my career. I’m delighted to be able to stay connected with Crescent and to help others in the same way.”

Although he often plays the role of mentor now, Ross knows what it’s like to be the one seeking advice. Early in his career, a friend’s father who worked at the Bank of Montreal introduced Ross to a colleague at the bank. That connection sparked Ross’s interest in human resources management.

“I’ve since moved into management consulting,” says Ross, “but the lessons I learned from my roles in HR have helped shape my consulting practice today.”

Ross says mentoring is a two-way street. “While I might be helpful in shaping the career path of one alumnus, they could equally play a role in shaping my own career path…To be quite

honest, conversations with more recent graduates help me broaden my own perspective on where I might end up next!”

There are many paths on the journey to a successful and fulfilling career, says Ross.

“My advice to others would be to make choices based on what energizes you to get up in the morning. If you aren’t excited to get up in the morning to face another day of whatever you’re doing, then it might be time to consider making a change for the better.”

To get involved in Crescent’s Alumni Mentoring Program, visit alumni.crescentschool.org/AlumniMentoringProgram.

9AT CRESCENT SCHOOL

1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010

2015

Friday, May 8, 2015• Dentonia Luncheon 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.• Friday Night Lights: Rugby Crescent D1 vs. St. Michael’s College School 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, 2015• Class of 1990 25th Reunion Reception 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.• Alumni Reunion 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Alumni Reunion Weekend

Stay tuned for more details on the Alumni

Reunion Weekend

ALUMNI

HONOURING THE CLASSES OF

9AT CRESCENT SCHOOL

1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010

2015

Friday, May 8, 2015• Dentonia Luncheon 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.• Friday Night Lights: Rugby Crescent D1 vs. St. Michael’s College School 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, 2015• Class of 1990 25th Reunion Reception 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.• Alumni Reunion 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Alumni Reunion Weekend

Stay tuned for more details on the Alumni

Reunion Weekend

ALUMNI

HONOURING THE CLASSES OF


Alumni Events

Crescent and Bishop Strachan Networking EventOn June 25, Crescent School and The Bishop Strachan School hosted a young alumni panel and networking event at Norton Rose Fulbright. The theme was Always be Innovating. Crescent School alumnus David Suydam ’93, CEO & Founder of Architech, was the moderator. Andre Charoo ’99, Vice President, New Markets at Hired and Mike McDerment ’94, CEO & Co-Founder of FreshBooks, sat on the panel with BSS alumnae Jennifer Kaiser ’05 and Kate Whitelaw ’04.

Dentonia LuncheonHeld on May 9, the annual Dentonia Luncheon welcomed 33 alumni from the Classes of 1938 to 1975. They attended Crescent School when it was located at Dentonia Park.


2014 Alumni ReunionCrescent welcomed 140 alumni back to campus on September 20 for their reunion, honouring the Classes of 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009. We were delighted that 23 members of the Class of ’89 attended for the special celebration of their 25th Anniversary Reunion.

Western University Branch ReceptionMore than 30 alumni at Western University got together at the Lone Star Texas Grill on October 3. The alumni, from the Class of 2011 onward, enjoyed reconnecting with Headmaster Michael Fellin P’24 and other Crescent faculty: Don Haag ’86, Vince Volpe, Gavin Muranaka, David Grant P’14, Harriet Wynne-Jones and Greg Michalski.


New York City Branch ReceptionOn April 24, 20 Crescent alumni in New York met to wish Headmaster Geoff Roberts good luck in his retirement, and to meet new Headmaster, Michael Fellin. Many thanks to Michael Donnelly ’88 and Kitty Donnelly for generously hosting this event in their home.

London, UK Branch ReceptionCrescent alumni living abroad gathered on May 15 for a special reception that was generously hosted by Basil Demeroutis ’87 and Jon Tredgett ’89. Retiring Headmaster Geoff Roberts was a special guest. The group presented him with a personalized Liverpool Football Club jersey as a farewell gift.


Alumni Leadership DinnerThe Alumni Leadership Dinner on May 7 gave former Head Boys, current Alumni Executive members and past Alumni Executive Chairs the opportunity to thank retiring Headmaster Geoff Roberts for his service to Crescent School. The 14 Head Boys who served during Geoff’s tenure presented him with a signed Brazuca soccer ball, the official soccer ball for the 2014 World Cup.

Crescent School has joined the National Tracking Project, a research

initiative by Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) involving 42 independent schools. The project collects and analyzes data on young alumni in university, measuring their engagement in school activities, course selections, grades and graduating averages. This snapshot of alumni’s university experience will help Crescent enhance its programs to ensure boys receive the best possible educational, emotional and social support at Crescent, and are properly prepared for life after graduation.

Crescent’s participation in the National Tracking Project is led by Crescent’s University Counselling Team. The project was introduced at Crescent’s Welcome to the Grad BBQ in June, to a very positive response.

For more information about the National Tracking Project, contact Don Haag ’86, Director of University Counselling, at [email protected] or 416-449-2556 ext. 275.

This snapshot of alumni’s university experience will help Crescent enhance its programs to ensure boys receive the best possible educational, emotional and social support

Crescent joins national research project measuring alumni’s university experience

Andria & John Coppa, P’22

Life After Crescent


David Blodgett ’78 has been living and working in Regina, Saskatchewan since 2012.

Christopher Eyton ’84, P’13 was back at Crescent School for his 30-year reunion on September 20. He recently wrote and published The Balloon is Doomed, and generously donated a copy to Crescent’s Margaret Donnelly Library. The book is his first children’s story book, featuring a young boy and his hatred of balloons and how he overcomes it. It has been beautifully illustrated by Amanda Mundt. Chris now lives in Caledon and Toronto. The Balloon is Doomed is available for purchase through Amazon.com

s Patrick Blott ’87 and his wife Seema welcomed their baby girl, Ainsley Bala Catherine Blott, at 2:19 p.m. on June 3, 2014.

After being named a finalist in 2013 for Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers, Jason Leung ’90 opened his own law firm, Leung Law PC, which focuses on business and intellectual property law. He lives in Toronto with his wife Jennifer and their two daughters, Rachel (age 6) and Abigail (age 3).

s Richard Harris ’92 currently lives and works in Toronto as a writer, editor and translator. The author of two non-fiction books and four short stories, Richard published his first novel, A Father’s Son, in 2013. It received a Toronto Arts Council literary grant in 2012 and was a quarter-finalist for the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. In June 2014, it received a

s Sevag Yeghoyan ’92 and his wife Roubina welcomed their son, Tomas, into the world on September 10. Tomas weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Three-year-old Josephine is a proud big sister!

s Scott Cowan ’89 and his wife Tracey have four kids and currently live in Las Vegas. Scott has fully immersed himself in the golf business and is now working as the Director of Golf at DragonRidge Country Club, and as Regional Manager of Business Development for the parent company, Pacific Links.

five-star review on Goodreads.com from the site’s top reviewer, Aditi Saha, who called A Father’s Son a “very heart-touching story that will grasp you from the very beginning of the son’s painful journey.” In the fall of 2013, Richard spoke to Crescent’s Middle School students about life as a writer. To learn more about Richard, A Father’s Son, and his other literary efforts, you can visit his website at harrisrichard.com and follow him on Twitter: @harrisrh88.

s On August 22, a large group from the Class of 1996 gathered at the Miller Tavern for an unofficial 18-year reunion. In attendance were Patrick Osler, Michael Warner, David Cuthbert, Brendan Howe, Wallace Cheng, Derrick Lee-Shanok, Greg Athaide, Sacha Tehranchi, Ron Elfer, Edwin Fong, Ted Takounseun, Salmaan Alvi, Gabriel Lau, Aleem Janmohamed, Ed Tam, and David Hudson. A great time was had by all – proof that the Coyote Spirit still burns bright after long these many years.


Thomas Chenoweth ’95, former Senior Producer/Director at MTV, is creating a TV series for the Olympic Consortium, has directed The Bachelor Canada, and has run and written a number of other TV series for CityTV, OLN, Oprah’s OWN Network, CBC, and W. Thomas lives in Toronto with his wife and their nine-month-old daughter, Monroe.

Clarence Yap ’97 and his wife Michelle are living in San Francisco with their son Ethan and daughter Amanda. Clarence is the Director of Product Development at BioMarin Pharmaceutical and is currently working on developing a new drug for achondroplasia, which is the most common form of dwarfism. Clarence and his family were back in Toronto in April and stopped by the School to catch up with past teachers, including Mr. Wright, Mr. Jansen, Mr. Grant, Mr. Roberts and Mr. Cumner.

In September, Charlie Mills ’99 joined Crescent School as a Middle School teacher of History and Science/Geography. Charlie has been teaching for the past four years as a homeroom teacher at Market Lane, Dundas, Bruce and Lord Dufferin Public Schools (all TDSB Inner-City Model Schools). Charlie joins fellow Crescent alumni Don Haag ’86, Ryan Bell ’98, Jeff Barton ’91 and Tim Martin ’07 as a member of the faculty.

When not teaching, Charlie has been working on his music. He released his most recent album Work In Progress last spring and has been playing shows with his band around Toronto. The song “Lakes and Bays” was one of the 10 finalists for the nationwide 2013 CBC Indie Song of the Summer contest. His music can be found on iTunes and at http://charliemills.bandcamp.com.

s Ben Sokolowski ’02 and his wife Aviva welcomed their first son, Jerry Kent, on June 16. When he is not on parent duty, Ben is starting his third season as a writer/producer on the show Arrow, which can be watched on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CTV. Ben is also writing Green Arrow for DC COMICS. His first issue went on sale October 1.

s Scott Hurst ’01 has spent the past 10 years working in the broadcast industry as a reporter and anchor. He has worked at four Olympic games, including the most recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, as well as covered many of the top stories in North America over the past decade. He lived and worked in California for seven years before moving back to Canada in 2012. He is now on air at CTV Vancouver.

s On July 5, D.J. Lynde ’03 married Jenna Harild at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. His groomsmen were his brothers and fellow Crescent alumni Andrew Lynde ’99, Eddie Lynde ’00 and Jamie Lynde ’02.

do you want to be included in life after crescent?

Send us an update, and tell us your news!

Email Kathryn Rutherford at [email protected].

And please keep in touch! Update your contact information at

alumni.crescentschool.org.


s This past spring, George Tory ’06 graduated with a JD from the Western University Faculty of Law. At convocation, George had the privilege of speaking on behalf of his classmates as valedictorian. While at Western Law, he was an active

member of the community, chairing the Alumni Committee as well as being a dedicated volunteer caseworker at Community Legal Services and Pro Bono Students Canada, providing free legal advice and representation to those in need in the London area. This experience allowed him to independently conduct hearings and criminal trials. After moving back to Toronto, George began articling at Gardiner Roberts LLP in August, where he hopes to gain more litigation experience and pick up as little dry-cleaning for senior partners as possible. When not working at the law firm, George enjoys spending his time golfing, helping out on his Dad’s mayoral campaign and volunteering for Toronto East General Hospital.

Upon graduation from Crescent, Adam Kagan ’07 pursued a four-year Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Specialist in Accounting and a Major in Economics at the University of Toronto along with completing his CPA, CA designation. In 2009, he founded Deluge Water, a local brand of Natural Spring Water in which company proceeds are donated to local charities. Deluge Water has helped raise over $25,000 for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and has donated to other local charities, such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Movember Foundation and the Welcome Friends Association.

This past spring, Robbie Mitchnick ’09 became a Partner in a start-up craft brewery called the Gananoque Brewing Company. The company’s flagship product, Naughty Otter Lager, became an instant success and was recently picked up by the LCBO, with the Beer Store next on the horizon. Robbie continues to work in his full-time job at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board within its Public Markets Division. He remains an active member of the Crescent community, serving as a member of the Headmaster Selection Committee responsible for the appointment of Michael Fellin this past year. He was recently back on campus on September 20 for his five-year reunion with the rest of his Class of 2009 peers.

Lincoln Mak ’10 just completed his undergrad at Western University with a degree in Finance and Economics. Lincoln had the opportunity to work with Crescent School parents Jeff & Tara Borg P’18 at Summitt Energy as an Operations Assistant, a position he obtained through the Alumni Internship Program. His position requires him to support the day to day operations for both Canadian and US subsidiaries primarily dealing with electronic contract processing and process flow analysis. This internship has allowed Lincoln to gain exposure to a professional work environment and has allowed him to gain a better understanding of how an energy company operates.

s Daniel Lee ’09 graduated from McMaster University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Health Sciences. He is currently studying medicine at the University of Toronto and was working as a research student in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at University Health Network this past summer. In addition to his work, Daniel was able to attend a cancer care conference in Miami and not only learn a substantial amount from experts, but also enjoy the weather and scenery, thanks to the support and mentorship from Dr. Edward Chow P’16. He is planning to pursue a career in a surgical specialty in the future and looks forward to meeting a lot of Crescent alumni in the medical field!

Stephen Wyprsky ’04 moved to London, UK in August 2014 to pursue his MBA at London Business School. His goal is to live in London post-graduation and continue to work in the private equity sector, ideally with a growth equity fund focused on investing globally, including taking risks in emerging markets. Since completing his HBA from Richard Ivey School of Business, Stephen has been on the move. He lived in New York City for three years where he worked for Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Global Industrial Group. In 2011, he moved to Boston to work for TA Associates Management, L.P. as a Private Equity Associate in the fund’s Business Services investment team where he stayed for three years. This past summer, Stephen left TA Associates and spent the summer traveling in South America, which included exploring the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, skiing in the Andes at Ski Portillo and catching two World Cup quarterfinal matches in Brazil (France vs Germany and Argentina vs Belgium). Fellow Crescent School alumni Justin Manikas ’04 and Adam Wyprsky ’06 joined Stephen for part of this adventure.


s Will Christodoulou ’13 is in his second year at Western University studying engineering, with a plan to attend the Richard Ivey School of Business. Will has continued to pursue his interest in track and field and had some incredible success over the summer, winning the javelin at the Ontario Junior Provincials and at the Junior Nationals. Will was an active coach’s assistant last spring for Crescent’s Upper School Track and Field team.

s

Mitchell Golosky ’13 is in his second year at Western University studying Health Sciences. Mitchell had the opportunity to work with Dr. Greg Wells ’89 in his exercise physiology research lab at The University of Toronto Athletic Centre, a summer employment position he obtained through the Alumni Internship Program.

Scott So ’13 is in his second year at Waterloo University studying Computer Science. Scott had the opportunity to work with Alex Mihailidi ’92 at the IATSL lab at the University of Toronto, a summer employment position he obtained through the Alumni Internship Program. His position requires him to work alongside the research team to create a smart home environment for the elderly and to work with robots designed to help people with dementia. Scott has learned a lot during this internship.

through the Alumni Internship Program. His position required him to assist clients with the preparation of financial reports and forecasts.

Michael Poy ’10 recently graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Economics major. He is now attending Hult International Business School to pursue a Master’s in International Business in London, England.

Benjamin Ger ’12 is currently in his second year at McGill University. Ben had the opportunity to work with Crescent School parents Jeff & Tara Borg P’18 at Summitt Energy, a summer employment position he obtained through the Alumni Internship Program. As one of the two marketing interns, Ben has been assigned to help with the expansion of Summitt’s quickly growing US presence. From studying contracts, researching energy production, exploring green initiatives, and culminating with an earned presentation in front of the executive board on his research, Ben truly excelled in the unbelievable internship Summitt has provided.

s Ronny Ng ’10 completed his undergrad at the University of Toronto with a degree in accounting and finance. Ronny spent the summer working in Melbourne, Australia at The Blue Rock Group, an accounting firm co-founded by Crescent alumnus Peter Lalor ’92. Ronny obtained this summer position

s Jonathan Szwec ’10 finished his last year of the Ivey HBA undergraduate business program and spent two months during the summer travelling to Southeast Asia and writing the GMAT before commencing his full-time job at CIBC World Markets as an investment banking analyst in Toronto in August. Jonathan and Gaby Weitz ’10, who also just graduated from Ivey and is now working at Manulife Financial, have remained close friends.


United Kingdom

Canada

United States

University PlacementsWhere the 90 graduates of the Class of 2014 are now

STAY CONNECTEDAFTER GRADUATION!

@CrescentAlums

facebook.com/CrescentSchoolAlumni

Share your stories and follow the latest Crescent Alumni happenings

Denison College, OH 1American University, DC 1

King’s College Halifax, NS 3Dalhousie University, NS 3

McGill University, QC 9Concordia University, QC 1 Bishop’s University, QC 1

Gap year 1

New York University, NY 1

University of British Columbia, BC 1

Western University, ON 25

University of Waterloo, ON 6

University of Guelph, ON 1

Queen’s University, ON 22

McMaster University, ON 5

University of Southern California, CA 1

University of St Andrews, SCO 1

Duke University, NC 1

University of Miami, FL 1

Boston University, MA 1University of Rochester, NY 1

Claremont McKenna College, CA 1

University of Toronto, ON 2


Crescent Community Day 2014

We were thrilled to see more than 600 parents, students, faculty, alumni and friends at Crescent’s first annual Community Day on September 20. Thanks to everyone involved in making this event a success!


Lowndes’ Last WordCharacter at Crescent: The Deed’s Creature

As we re-engage our work on character this fall, I’ve

necessarily been thinking a lot about it, professionally and personally. It’s invigorating work and calls me back to the reason why I first came to Crescent. I’ve also been reminding myself again of the humility required to understand that it’s a lifetime journey and despite our very best efforts, we will not graduate our boys as fully fledged men of character. What is critical is that we engage them in the work and make it important to them; it needs to be work that they’re motivated to hold close and continue long after they leave our care.

This in turn has caused me to reflect on my own character journey. I have to admit that, on some days, I feel closer to being a man of character than on others (and I’ve been at it a little longer than our boys). The two powerful influences on my life were my father, from whom I learned almost everything important that I understand about character, responsibility and honour; and English literature, which provided so many rich and complex illustrations of character being forged and tested through crisis, disappointment and triumph.

In fact, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about some lines from a 17th century play called The Changeling, that haunting masterpiece written just a few years after Shakespeare’s death. I hope this isn’t too surprising; I was an English teacher for many years and I remain a devoted student of English literature. To oversimplify, the play deals with the dilemma faced by a noblewoman, Beatrice, who is being forced into an arranged marriage. In order to marry the man she loves, she plots with a servant, De Flores, to kill her husband to be. He successfully completes the job, and afterwards there is a defining confrontation between the servant, De Flores, and Beatrice, the noblewoman. She tries to wriggle out of responsibility for the murder by pointing out that it was his hands that actually performed the deed, and by reminding him of her

station in society in contrast to his. In response, he tells her:

...fly not to your birth, but settle you In what the act has made you; y’are no more now. … You’re the deed’s creature...

You are the deed’s creature. You are defined by the choices you make. Your character is the sum total of your deeds.

This is a very old-fashioned notion. (As I’ve said, The Changeling was written in 1622.) It’s as old-fashioned as notions of honour, of discipline, of personal responsibility, and of moral courage, all of which were so important to my Dad.

Doing the right thing is rarely easy, or without cost. If it were, we would all do the right thing all the time. Doing the right thing in sports can cost you a victory, perhaps a championship. Doing the right thing in business can cost you a deal or a client; doing the right thing at Crescent can also mean a difficult choice and unpleasant consequences. Character is a little like a precious

gemstone; you don’t get the diamond without the pressure.

Crescent is a school that takes matters of character seriously. It’s why I’m here. It’s why I love it almost as much as English literature. At Crescent, we understand the importance of choices and actions and how they contribute to defining who we are. We also understand that we all make mistakes; one mistake does not define anyone. Rather, what’s most important is not the mistake, but the quality of your response to it. Own what you’ve done without excuse; take your lumps like a man; do what you can to make it right; learn from it so that it doesn’t become a defining pattern. Do not allow the act to define you. Do not become the deed’s creature.

At the end of the day, there is only one reason that I know of for doing the right thing: so that when, at the end of your day, you look into that face looking back at you from the mirror, you see someone you can still respect.

This, I remind myself, is why our work together to make character matter to our boys is so important.

Recruit With UsAccess an outstanding pool of exceptional Crescent School alumni

alumni.crescentschool.org/AIP

When you hire a Crescent alumnus, you add creativity, confidence and character to your team. The Crescent School Alumni Internship Program partners with leading firms in the financial, law, engineering, medical, architecture sectors, and more. Add your company’s name to the list!

ALUMNIINTERNSHIP PROGRAM

To learn more, contact:

Kathryn Rutherford Alumni Relations OfficerCrescent School

416-449-2556 [email protected]

Recruit With UsAccess an outstanding pool of exceptional Crescent School alumni

alumni.crescentschool.org/AIP

When you hire a Crescent alumnus, you add creativity, confidence and character to your team. The Crescent School Alumni Internship Program partners with leading firms in the financial, law, engineering, medical, architecture sectors, and more. Add your company’s name to the list!

ALUMNIINTERNSHIP PROGRAM

To learn more, contact:

Kathryn Rutherford Alumni Relations OfficerCrescent School

416-449-2556 [email protected]

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I n t r o d u c i n g o u r N e w e s t A l u m n i

Class of 2014

Past & Present Fall 2014

Documents

Transcript of Past & Present Fall 2014