Extracurriculars at St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

There are diverse extracurricular opportunities.

Insights from students and parents highlight St. Mildred's broader approach to education by offering a wide array of extracurricular activities that encourage students to explore new interests and develop a diverse set of skills.

Especially the all-girls education at St. Mildred's, I found was that it wasn't just about academics ever. It was really giving you the ability to volunteer. I'm sure you've heard of the Duke of Edinburgh program. I know a lot of private schools utilize it. So I finished my goal, Duke of Ed, and that kind of required me to volunteer every week, do a skill every week, do a physical activity every week. And that really, I think, kind of motivated me to get involved in different aspects of the school. And so probably what I would say is I had a huge mixture of everything.

—Melanie Peck, alum (see full interview)

I played the trombone for eight years and so I was in the jazz band, I was in the concert band. I was also on the basketball team, the volleyball team, what else? We have a really great STEM program, so there's a great robotics team that I know a lot of girls were very involved in.

—Melanie Peck, alum (see full interview)

What you should be looking for is a school that encourages your daughter, in this case, to really try everything, figure out what they want, and then provide them with all the opportunities necessary to kind of ensure that that's what they want and kind of explore so many different opportunities. So for me, for instance, like I've said, I had a lot of exposure to medicine growing up because of the school. And to this day, I still have those same connections that I had because of St Mildred’s. They were able to kind of introduce me to a lot of people that I still interact with on a daily basis. And they give me so many opportunities to this day that they probably don't even know about, because the same surgeon that I worked with then has kind of given me so many opportunities that I still am utilizing now. And so that platform is really necessary in today's age, because it's all about connections. And I think that the alumni at St. Mildred’s and kind of the ability to push their students to try new things and get involved and meet new people is really essential in today's life, for sure.

—Melanie Peck, alum (see full interview)

In the extracurriculars, from the athletic teams to the arts to the STEM-based clubs, there are so many opportunities for girls to get involved and apply what they are learning. There's always a teacher who's willing to support a new initiative. If there's a girl who is really passionate about something and she wants to start a club, they can do it. Every single year at the club fair, there were always at least two or three new clubs that popped up.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

There's an emphasis on global citizenship.

Conversations with alumni and administrators emphasize the strength of St. Mildred's focus on global studies and experiential learning, providing students with valuable experiences that go beyond the classroom.

St. Mildred's-Lightbourn offers a wide range of global citizenship opportunities, including exchange programs and internships to offer valuable on-the-job experience. And I think it really complements the learning that students are doing within the classroom. The facilities at the school are incredible and contribute to enriching the education that the girls receive. There is the emphasis on the power of learning beyond the classroom.

—Sarah Turner, alum (see full interview)

So I would say with it being an all-girls school, the one other thing that's really unique is their global studies program. We did a lot of trips at the beginning of every year, whether it be portaging canoeing, and it was that kind of experiential learning and kind of leaving the classroom and doing things outside that I had never had an experience before at other schools doing.

—Melanie Peck, alum (see full interview)

The strength of the school lies in its global studies program and the work placement term. The global studies approach offered the girls opportunities to environments of different cultures and behaviors. I think their approach positions them well for integration into the real world.

—Samantha Cheung, parent (see full interview)

St. Mildred's is known for its strength of community, its excellent academics, and its outstanding global studies approach. Our girls had great experiences, such as a sailing trip in the Caribbean, and exploring marine biology.

—Samantha Cheung, parent (see full interview)

One aspect of the school that I’d really like to focus on was the Global Studies program. I felt like that was super unique to SMLS and from all of the opportunities from camping in Ontario to getting out-of-country travel experience, that was absolutely phenomenal. I was able to learn so many different skills through that from camping, learning how to start a fire, which is not something you get to do in a classroom. I got to learn more about the culture from the countries I visited, meet some of the locals there, pick up a few phrases in the local language, and in most of the countries I went to, there was a little bit of a service aspect. We got to apply a lot of what we were learning in the classroom to real-life situations, and that was definitely an extremely unique experience. I got to bond with my classmates outside of the classroom in a traditional aspect, and we got to know everyone on a more personal level, which helped bond those friendships and keep in touch as we all grow older.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

It's clear from our conversation today that the school nurtures leadership, academic excellence, and personal success, tailoring the experience to the needs and aspirations of the individual child. My daughter cherishes the Global Studies program at St. Mildred's-Lightbourn, having had the chance to travel to China and Argentina, among other places. The experiences, like bartering in Chinese markets due to her Mandarin classes, have deeply impacted her. These experiences were initially something I feared, but seeing her growth has eased my anxieties as she prepares to move to university. These adventures have been instrumental in her development, fostering a sense of confidence and self-reliance in her.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

The community is supportive and inclusive.

Insights from the school community reveal that St. Mildred's fosters a welcoming environment that embraces new students, encouraging them to participate actively in a variety of extracurricular activities and leadership roles.

St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School always had a really welcoming environment. Because of that, I felt I was really able to learn how to challenge myself. With that opportunity the teachers provided during my time there, I learned how to tackle problems head-on, take a different approach to them, look at them from different perspectives, as well as take breaks when needed. I definitely learned that through the various academic courses as well as some of the extracurriculars I participated in.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

The teachers there were really supportive and encouraging, helping with many of the problems that I felt I needed some help with. They would guide me to a solution that ultimately I myself would come up with. They would never give it to me straight out, which really helped with learning how to push myself. Now being away from the school for two years, I've definitely seen how I've been able to implement that through my academic coursework and the new extracurriculars I participate in. Learning how to overcome challenges and being able to push myself, or to reach out, or when I need to go to office hours, comes back to what I learned at SMLS and what those teachers taught me.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

There's a strong focus on confidence and leadership building.

Feedback from parents and alumni emphasizes St. Mildred's dedication to developing confidence and leadership skills in students by encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones through various challenges in academic and extracurricular settings.

I was actually head girl in my year, which was the best opportunity I've ever really been given. It allowed me to learn how to do public speaking and get to know a different side of the school that I think has really shaped my perspective and my gratitude towards St. Mildred’s over the years. St. Mildred's really allowed me to have a really broad resume that kind of gave me an opportunity to apply to a bunch of different things, not just science, which was great.

—Melanie Peck, alum (see full interview)

Our girls responded quite well to being at St. Mildred's. I saw them gaining the confidence to try things that they wouldn't otherwise try. Our girls have been there, since JK through Grade 12, and I really saw them step up to take on roles that they might not otherwise be thinking of doing. They participated in all kinds of things, from robotics to arts, to leadership councils, to global study experiences, to community experiences, and athletic roles. The school must be doing something right in terms of creating an environment for them to thrive.

—Samantha Cheung, parent (see full interview)

One value that I saw really evolve in the girls is the value of courage. My daughters tried out things such as art projects, leadership roles, and started new initiatives such as community organizations. The school encourages these types of initiatives.

—Samantha Cheung, parent (see full interview)

Global Studies is a significant part of the curriculum, and it promotes confidence, and it offers opportunities for leadership and growth from an early age. I appreciate the focus on project-based work, allowing children to develop critical skills that will benefit them in the future. The school takes initiatives to encourage students to step out of their comfort zones and experience new things. My daughter had her first experience of sleeping away from home during this trip, which was a hit.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

There are lots of real-world learning opportunities.

Observations from students and parents highlight the unique real-world learning opportunities at St. Mildred's, facilitated through global studies and signature programs, which connect classroom learning with practical experiences.

St. Mildred's offers a unique program in Grade 11 that places the girls in real-world environments with accounting firms, law firms, marketing firms, digital tech firms, and engineering firms. I was really pleasantly surprised by the global studies program and other opportunities that the school offered.

—Samantha Cheung, parent (see full interview)

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was pleasantly surprised that the co-op initiative continued to offer opportunities. Despite some of the initial plans being cancelled, the school arranged for a virtual placement with another company, where she gained invaluable experience. The unexpected change turned out to be fruitful, showing the school's commitment to providing enriching opportunities even in unprecedented times.

—Juliet Nishimura, parent (see full discussion)

One thing I thought that was very unique about St. Mildred’s is how we have a lot of signature programs and special global studies programs. But what I thought was very unique is how they're able to connect the classroom and the outdoor experiences. When we went on our Grade 10 block, there was a Bahamas trip and that was more biology-oriented. And for me, I really enjoyed that because I found it more interesting to have a real-world experience to keep in the back of my mind while I was doing my classroom work.

—Laiya Kamanga, alum (see full discussion)

Name
Email
Verify Code

	You can withdraw consent by unsubscribing anytime.

My Shortlist

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES

EXTRACURRICULARS

Page Contents

Facts and analysis

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Why it matters

CLUBS AND PROGRAMS

Why it matters

DISTINCT EXTRACURRICULAR FEATURES

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

Sign up to receive our exclusive eNews twice a month.

My Shortlist

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES

EXTRACURRICULARS

Page Contents

Facts and analysis

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Why it matters

CLUBS AND PROGRAMS

Why it matters

DISTINCT EXTRACURRICULAR FEATURES

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

Welcome to OUR KIDS

Tell us about yourself

Set your preferred school location(s)

Personalize school matches for your family

Stay in the loop

Get your School Expo family pass

Sign up to receive our exclusive eNews twice a month.