Interview with Greenwood College School Alum, Daniel Martin

I think I appreciated the opportunities that were there for me, and what I mean by that is, I think it was in part because it was a small school. There were just so many things you could be involved in at Greenwood. I participated in three different sports teams—I played basketball, volleyball, and tennis. I was in the school play, I volunteered to help out with other plays that I wasn't participating in, and I joined clubs like Model UN and Model Parliament. Some of those things I had never tried before; for instance, I had never played volleyball before trying out for the Greenwood team. That’s something I ended up playing in university and still play now. At other schools, I might have been intimidated to try something I wasn’t already good at. At Greenwood, there was this energy and a sense of “hey, just go for it.” That atmosphere let me get really involved, and those extracurriculars were a huge part of how I bonded with other students.

Greenwood was really committed to making learning work for everybody. Some schools expect students to fit into a set mold, but Greenwood met you where you were. It recognized that everyone’s needs and learning styles are different and created ways for all kinds of learners to succeed with the right nurturing. That commitment showed not just in academics, but in social life, extracurriculars, and outdoor education as well. It gave people more space to be themselves.

The school embraces different kinds of passion and encouraged people to be unapologetically enthusiastic about what they loved. Greenwood has a sense of humour. I think Greenwood would be the kind of person who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. That kind of attitude—being able to laugh at yourself and have fun—is a big part of the school’s culture. Greenwood would also be a loyal friend, someone who’s there for you through good times and bad. I think Greenwood would be quirky in their interests too—doing things that might seem odd at first but are really fun once you get to know them.

I think Greenwood attracted people who felt a little different. When I joined, the school was in its second year, and that felt like a risk—but it also felt like an opportunity. The people who took that leap were maybe a little different themselves and looking for a place that was different too. It did feel like a different educational experience compared to what others had, and that was a good thing. There was a shared sense of quirkiness among the students, which helped create a strong sense of community.

Greenwood is flexible and adaptable. It can be different things to different people, and I think that’s what it encourages its students to be, too. Life is unpredictable, and Greenwood helped us be ready for that—helping us build confidence and showing us how to roll with the punches. It emphasized each person’s strengths while also preparing us to face adversity and unfamiliar environments. Greenwood gave students the tools to succeed and the reassurance that someone would be there to support them through hard times.

One of the biggest surprises was how casual the environment felt. Greenwood didn’t enforce rigid hierarchies between students and staff. Teachers were clearly there to educate, but they also knew how to have fun. I remember a physics project where we had to build a catapult to try and hit our teacher with a water balloon. Activities like that made learning more engaging and fun.

It’s hard to picture myself without Greenwood—it played a huge role in who I became. I gained so much confidence, especially socially. I used to be more nervous and anxious about talking to people, but over time, I grew into someone who brings people together. I’ve even been called a ‘friend captain.’ Being part of teams, going on outdoor trips, and doing plays helped me build strong friendships and leadership skills, and that has served me well ever since.

When I’ve toured Greenwood since graduating, I’ve seen how much it’s expanded. The facilities are incredible now—a blackbox theatre, for example, would have been amazing when I was there. Back then, we put on plays by the climbing wall in the cafeteria. The gym wasn’t finished when I started, so we had phys-ed across the street in the park. It’s great to see how far the school has come. Looking back, I also wish I had branched out a bit more academically. I focused on science and math because I knew I’d get good grades, but I think I could have explored the arts more, even if it meant lower marks.

I think the school has done a great job balancing academic challenge with flexible, student-centered learning. When I started, Greenwood was very new, and not necessarily known for being highly competitive. But I’ve seen how it’s grown in academics and athletics without losing what made it special. I made it to OFSAA with the volleyball team in Grade 12, and now I hear stories about Greenwood sports on CBC. 

Greenwood gave me incredible opportunities. I talked about extracurriculars, but what stood out was the integration with outdoor education and camp-like experiences. Some students were used to summer camps; others weren’t. But we all got to step out of the academic world together—dog sledding, sea kayaking in BC, white-water rafting in Costa Rica. These were amazing life experiences, not just school trips.