An eighteen year-old student, world traveler and ambassador visited St. Charles College this week to share stories about her work and travels in Africa.
Laura Limarzi is a graduate of Assumption High School in Windsor, Ontario. During her years there, she was the student council president and got involved with many social justice issues and initiatives including HOBEY International and Craig Kielberger’s Me to We program. During her last year in high school she got the chance to travel to Africa with Me to We to learn about life in Kenya, and helped with the foundations projects, focusing on clean water and education.
Upon graduation, Limarzi was awarded the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, which is a full scholarship to attend University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Currently she is taking a ‘gap’ year, which has led her to work with the oraganization Determined to Develop. Through this organization, she travelled to Malawi where she lived for four months working with children. Upon her return, she was invited to Mozambique to work with The United States Military AIDS Research Program.
Limarzi was in town to visit family, and was invited by her aunt, a teacher, to SCC to share her experiences with our students. The goal of Limarzi’s visit was to inspire others to get involved in their school, their country and the world in which they live, always remembering that no matter where we live, our daily struggles are similar. We are united through the human experience.
Throughout the day spent at SCC, Limarzi made two presentations. One to Leadership students and the students who had just returned from Guatemala, and one to the Life Skills students. Her message in each presentation was simple. Get involved! Together we can make this world a better place, whether through local or global causes. Laura also visited Holy Cross Elementary School, and The Soup Kitchen while in Sudbury.
Category: Faith
St. Charles College gets All Dressed Up in Preparation for Graduation Festivities
On April 15, 2013 St. Charles College held a graduation gown giveaway event for girls in grade twelve.
The project, put on by the Guidance Department in collaboration with the Sudbury District Health Unit, aims to ease the financial burdens of graduation gown costs and builds self esteem for girls.
The event was held in the Student Success Center and allowed the soon-to-be graduates a selection of over two hundred gowns in varying sizes, colours and styles.
Student Success Teacher Anastasia Rioux organized the first-time event at the school. Rioux says “There is so much for a girl to think about in their graduating year. Applications to university and college cost money. Then there is the hair, the dress and the shoes to contend with as well. Anything we can do to help kids cut costs, we are willing to do. The student council also got involved in putting up posters and making announcements to raise awareness about the event.”
Rioux got involved with the All Dressed Up program a couple years ago after conducting a dress drive of her own and raising twenty-one dresses that were donated to the worthy cause.
A number of students in their graduating year ended up coming into the Student Success Center to browse and take one home. A couple of students even stopped by from neighbouring schools who had heard about the invite through social media and decided to check it out.
The school plans to hold a similar event again next year.
Harlem Ambassadors Deliver Messages of Confidence, B+ and Set Goals to High School Students
The Official Harlem Ambassadors athletes dribbled their way into the gym of Sudbury’s largest high school to show off their bag of basketball tricks and share their success stories on Monday, April 8th.
The athletes wanted the grades nine and ten students from St. Charles, Lo Ellen and Lasalle to know that they will have to overcome obstacles in life but they should do it with the confidence to say “no” to drugs and alcohol.
The adrenaline filled show was hosted by Sudbury’s Crimestoppers and featured personal stories from each Ambassador who was personally touched by drugs and alcohol addiction.
On Your Mark, Get Set… Let the Winter Outdoor Adventure Race Begin!
The scene was set for a perfect Winter Outdoor Adventure Race on Tuesday, February 26, 2013. The sky was clear, the temperature was above zero – and most importantly, there was a lot of snow in Killarney. Compared to past years, this year’s event had more than enough snow for organizer and outdoor education teacher for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Brad Blackwell, to really focus the adventure race activities on true Northern Ontario winter activities.
“This was our third year running the Winter Outdoor adventure race – and, as compared to year’s past, the abundance of snow allowed us to set up some true northern outdoor programming as part of the race,” Blackwell said. “We wanted to ensure that all of the students taking part got a real feel for adventures in the snow, and how to not only survive it, but excel and have fun in it!”
This year’s race participants included secondary students from St. Charles College, St. Benedict and Marymount Academy. There were fifteen teams of three and each team had to take part in every leg of the race. Upon arrival in Killarney, the students were given race packets and instructions, and were quickly directed to the outdoor start location. Once the rules were established and all safety aspects reviewed, the students lined up to begin the first part of a seven-part challenge. The entire race included a strategic stick toss, a snow-pile build (a scaled-down version of a quinzee), a 1.13 km sprint, a 750 run in snowshoes, a Frisbee target toss, a strategic orienteering challenge and a fire-lighting trial.
The snowshoe run, the orienteering challenge and the fire-lighting components proved to be the most difficult part of the race for the participants. The orienteering section was tricky as any wrong answers on their check sheet resulted in penalties of an additional five minutes added on to their final time at the finish line. Once the snowshoes were on, they had to stay on throughout the orienteering section of the race and the students were only able to remove them once they began their fire challenge. With the fire challenge, the students were given minimal materials to start their fire, and the ultimate goal was to get a metal can of water to come to a complete boil before sprinting to the finish line. In order to get additional materials for the fire, the students had to do a different number of laps around a section of the forest depending on what materials were needed – whether it be more kindling, extra matches, etc.
In the end, one of the teams from St. Benedict was the first to cross the finish line and, despite some errors during the orienteering challenge, they beat the next team by a mere 25 seconds. This team consisted of Kyle Herbert (grade 10), Doug Pitfield (grade 12) and Kayla Huchenski (grade 12). Not only did the first place team take home the banner for their school, but were also each awarded a brand new set of Tubbs snowshoes that were generously donated to the race by the Tubbs Snowshoe Company. What happened after the team was presented with their prize, speaks volumes about the outstanding character of the Sudbury Catholic students. Both Kyle Herbert and Doug Pitfield thanked the organizers for their prize, but as their families are fortunate to already own several pairs, decided to donate the snowshoes back to their school to support the outdoor education program at St. Benedict. “This most generous gesture by these two students really capped off what was already a truly exceptional day,” Blackwell stated. “These students poured their heart and soul into this competition, and in the end they proudly represented their school both during and after the race! All of the students that competed today truly represent the positive Sudbury Catholic spirit and I congratulate each and every one of them for an outstanding job! As well, I thank all of the teachers and volunteers who helped made today such a success!”
After a hearty lunch provided by the organizers, students began to get ready for departure, but were overheard by the teachers and volunteers already strategizing for the next outdoor adventure race in the spring.
St. Charles Cardinal Receives Prestigious Young Leaders Award
Students and staff at St. Charles College are confident that when David DiBrina leaves the school doors, it won’t be the last they hear of him.
Grade 12 Cardinal David DiBrina is the recipient of the 2013 Sudbury Community Builders Young Leader Award.
David, who is serving his second term as the Student President graciously accepted his award at the Community Builders Awards Gala February 21st.
David headed up the school’s annual food drive this school year which raised 125, 000 cans to combat hunger in the city. It was the largest single contribution in history of the Sudbury Food Bank.
David also serves as the student trustee for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. He is involved in theatre, as well as community projects like the Gift of Life organ donation campaign while maintaining an average of 95 percent at school.
David graduates from St. Charles College this year and hopes to attend Western University in the fall and get accepted to its prestigious Richard Ivey School of Business.
S.C.C. Students Show Support for Student a World Away
Students in St. Charles College teacher Rick Emond’s Grade 12 French Immersion Canadian and World Politics class got very frustrated when the class’ discussion focused on Malāla Yūsafzay, the young Pakistani student who was recently shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. Malālah is known for her education and women’s rights activism in the Swat Valley and most especially her outspoken views on promoting education for girls. When they began discussing this outrageous act of violence againstt a girl who was simply standing up for what she believed in for herself and others experiencing similar discrimination, the class felt compelled to do something. Cassandra Schlosser, a student in the class described her frustration. “What good would it do to just sit around in class and complain? We all felt that we needed to do more than just talk about it.” The rest of her classmates agreed. After discussing several ideas, the class landed on a letter. The decided to write a letter to the Pakistani High Commissioner expressing their concern and voicing their beliefs.
An excerpt from the letter reads:
“As proud Canadians, we understand the importance of a good education and we value equal rights. We decided to reach out to you because we want to express our concern for the young girl who took a stand for what she believed in.
Malala Yousafzai was simply defending her rights and the rights of females everywhere to an education. We admire her bravery and commitment, and commend her actions. Without education, we would not be able to move forward as a civilization. Equal access to that education should be easily accessible to anyone who desires it. Furthermore, one should not feel threatened or harmed, be it physically or emotionally while attending school.
We commend the Pakistani government for their efforts so far in dealing with the matter, and encourage them to continue their search in bringing those responsible to justice. We believe the message should be sent to those who try to curtail human rights, that their deed will not go unpunished and will not be tolerated by governments that value their children.”
The students then urge the High Commisioner to share this letter with all those who may be encouraged by it, most especially Malāla. It is their hope that this letter will reach her so that she knows she is not alone. The last line in their letter reads “Please pass on our message to Malala, her family and friends and relay that our thoughts and well wishes are with them during this difficult time. She is not alone in this battle.”
Knowing that the situation in their own community is very different, the students feel blessed to live in a country that believes in human rights and equality for all. “As a class, I am proud that my students have decided to use their voice,” teacher Rick Emond stated. “They have realized that they too can make a difference in their own way as well, and this letter voices their beliefs and shows support from across the globe for a girl who is very courageous and brave. They want her to know that they believe in her and are proud of her strength.” Emond hopes that they receive a response from the High Commissioner, and ultimately that their letter reaches Malāla.
Cardinals Share Their ‘Goodness’ with the Sudbury Food Bank
The line ‘Teach me goodness’ is an integral part of the St. Charles College motto. This week, the students at the school learned about goodness and shared the fruits of their labour.
The secondary school students, coupled with children in the feeder schools canvassed together for the largest school food drive in the city. The goal was to raise 60 000 cans for the Sudbury Food Bank and the Cardinals surpassed that goal with a new all-time total of 125 080 cans. This is the single biggest contribution in history to the Sudbury Food Bank.
The secondary school has hosted a food drive for twenty-seven years. It is supported by students at St. Bernadette, St. Raphael, Pius XII, St. Andrew, St. David and St Paul and St. John.
St. Raphael Student Supports S.C.C. Annual Food Drive Challenge
Sara Perry, Grade 3 student from St. Raphael School, poses with the 27 non-perishable food items she collected all by herself to kickoff the Annual Food Drive with St. Charles College. Sara says “I collected them from some of the people on my street for the Sudbury Food Bank”. Students from St. Charles College visited the elementary school on September 21 to get the students excited about this industrious challenge. The goal this year is to collect 60,000 food items, in order for Mr. Jim Silva to be let out of the bus he will be on for a week. The St. Raphael Royals are ready and eager to help with the challenge!
St. Charles College Thinks Pink
Recently, St. Charles College had a fundraiser for the Breast cancer equipment fund and raised $500 in one day. The students dress in Red and Pink and donated a loonie to support this cause. The ladies of Angels in Pink also made cupcakes which they sold at lunch time and more more money for the cause. Organizer and S.C.C. teacher Paola Gutcher felt that this was a great opportunity to show students how important it is to give back to the community and was proud of the support shown by the school.