Graduation Stories- June 2016

Newton's Grove School's graduating class of 2016 has made a significant impact on our school. Here are just a few of their stories...

EMILY

Emily received the Governor General’s Award, given to the top graduating student, as well as the Michele Temple award, given to a student who makes outstanding contributions to all aspects of the school: academically, athletically and artistically. Emily was also the top performer in this year’s Optimist Public Speaking Contest, and she is a past scholarship winner in the regional competition.

Emily received over $40,000 in scholarship offers, and she could have chosen a program in any field she wished. She has decided to follow her passion and study Political Science at Victoria College in the University of Toronto, with an $8,000 scholarship.

LAURA

Laura was the head of the Athletic Council, a key player on the volleyball and ball hockey teams, and an emcee at this year’s Athletic Banquet. She was also the First Prize winner in the Alpha Short Story Contest, winning publication of her story in the Claremont Review, a Canadian journal for creative writing. Laura demonstrated a real flair for writing, as she showed in her impressive speech for the Optimist Public Speaking Contest, which earned her a chance to represent the school at the District Finals. It was no surprise that Laura was one of the first prefects chosen by the senior staff this year.

Laura was accepted into every program she applied to, with scholarships totaling $59,000. She has chosen to pursue a career in commerce, and has accepted a placement at the Schulich School of Business where she will be studying Business Administration.

SAM

Sam is a multi-talented individual who has brought showmanship, panache and an engaging personality to his years at Newton’s Grove, all the while maintaining a first-class academic record. Sam made an impression on all of us in his many performances at Arts and Music Night, playing the classical guitar, soloing on the saxophone, and enlivening the Jazz Band with his singing. Similarly, he was a stand-out lead in the school productions, bringing the respective characters to life. Sam was given the Special Dramatic Performance Award at graduation, an award given out only in those years in which a student has made exceptional contributions to the performing arts.

Sam received several scholarship offers, and decided on acceptance to the History and Political Science program at the University of Toronto, Mississauga campus.

NATASHA

Natasha's acting talents have made her a past Dramatic Arts Award winner, and this year she was awarded the Graydon Foster Scholarship Award. This award acknowledged her contributions to all the performing arts, including her solo singing, dancing, and flute playing that were highlights of our annual Arts and Music Night. Outside of the spotlight, Natasha has been a prefect and an integral part of Newton's Grove's charitable organization, WINGS. Natasha was the head of this organization for the past year, and spearheaded fund-raising initiatives for women’s shelters, relief in Syria, the I Am a Girl campaign, the Michele Temple Cancer Fund, and schools in Ghana. She is certainly a young woman who has made a real difference in our community.

She was accepted to every school she applied to, with thousands of dollars in scholarship offers. She has decided to enroll in the Honours Bachelor of Arts program at Queens University, with a $2000 scholarship.

YOUSSEF

Youssef was a dedicated student with a quiet determination that allowed him to conquer the toughest problems in calculus, physics and chemistry. He was generous with his time, and always supported his classmates if they needed help or a little guidance. He was the individual who always volunteered to do the unpopular tasks, and so he was often working behind the scenes in the music program, in student council, and anywhere he was needed. His generous spirit earned him the role of valedictorian and prefect, and he won both the Senor Music Award and the Eva Duncan Citizenship Award. The criteria for this award is someone who is “unselfish, helpful and reliable, and usually the first to volunteer for jobs that are unglamorous, under-acknowledged and essential.” This description fits Youssef completely.

Yousef received scholarship offers of over $12,000. He has chosen to attend the McMaster School of Engineering with a $1000 scholarship.

WELL DONE AND CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016!

Newton's Grove School quite certainly has an amazing student body population who leaves our doors with confidence, knowledge, a strong sense of self, acceptances into the institutions of their choice and a preparedness for post-secondary education.