Interview with St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School Alum, Melanie Peck

I would say what St. Mildred's gave me was a platform to explore my interest in science that I didn't have at the previous schools that I was at before. So I think I've always been very interested in science, but definitely going to St. Mildred's and being surrounded by, especially in all-girls education with a lot of motivated girls, I definitely was more inclined to go into a rigorous program like Medical Sciences at Western.

so when I was in grade eight, I was actually at another independent school. It was a co-ed school. And my brother and I went there together. And I remember the reason why I ended up going to St. Mildred's was that I was with family friends of ours who had a daughter who was at St. Mildred's at the time. And I remember I always looked up to her, but this one specific day, she was talking about how much she loved her school and she was talking about how it was all girls, and she was just saying so many amazing things. And I remember looking at my mom and just being like, I want to try St. Mildred's. And was so random because I loved the school I was at, but there was just something about it and even, I guess now and while I was at the school, the all-girls environment is something that you never understand until you graduate, I think. But having that ability to explore your interests in a really comfortable setting was something that I was really grateful for. And I think it really helps me to be the person I am today.

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.

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.

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. 

So I think the most important thing for me to mention is that St. Mildred's has great co-op programs. A lot of my friends would travel to China for their co-op in grade ten or the Bahamas or wherever it was. I ended up staying in Oakville and that gave me the opportunity to reach out to a bunch of different physicians around my area. And I was lucky enough to actually get a position with a plastic surgeon in my area. And that gave me a huge leg up when I was applying to things. It really gave me that hands on environment to learn and see exactly how a surgeon kind of lived every day. And honestly, even in my program now, talking to students who didn't have those opportunities in high school, I think for me it really helps me validate exactly what I wanted, and motivated me and inspired me to keep working hard. 

The graduating classes are very small, which is one of the best parts. I think my graduating class was 42 girls, and so that really gives you that hands on one on one experience with your teachers. And I would say in my graduating class, there were a lot of STEM graduates who are going around Ontario and Canada and globally to study science related topics, but there were also a lot of people who pursued things in the arts and history and social sciences. But I would say that St. Mildred's has a really great STEM program. And that’s one of the reasons I was so motivated to go there. But we also definitely do have excellent art facilities and athletic facilities as well.

My experience at St. Mildred's was really one where I established my confidence and was given all of these opportunities in leadership to kind of become who I was. I always say this and it's so cliché, but I feel like when I was there, I didn't know who I was necessarily. But the thing St. Mildred gave me was the ability to kind of express myself without even knowing it in every way, just kind of allowed me to explore everything and find out who I was. So when I left, I wasn't as overwhelmed and I kind of had a strong platform in a strong and confident approach to school, meeting people, whatever it was. So I would definitely say confident.

Looking back at it now I would say that the one thing that differentiates it the most is the ability to kind of give students that one-on-one learning and kind of tailor everything to an individual. So for me, I was always super interested in science and whether it be I was in their AP programs and teachers were never I was that kid who would go at the end of class and ask so many questions, and I always wanted to know more. I would stay with my teachers at lunch, I would meet with them after school, and every time they were so willing to sit with me and talk me through things that they weren't even teaching in class.

And so every time I talk about St. Mildred’s, I get so excited. But being an alumni now and kind of seeing it kind of continue to develop, I think what I would say I'm most proud of, especially in today's climate, is their ability to kind of continue to educate their students in a really safe way. I've had the pleasure of being a part of a few of their things this year, like events over Zoom. And I know for me, even in university, it's so hard doing online school, but I think the way St. Mildred’s has kind of approached it has been in a really respectful way, and I'm really pleased to see how they've been doing it.

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.

I don't want to use confident and leader again because I've already used them. So I would say empathetic. It definitely encourages students to not only be successful on their own, but to really help each other out and be there for each other during the toughest of times. I would say strong and independent. I think it's so important to raise girls and guys, but I think especially for girls to raise girls in an environment where they're always being told they can do anything they want. And I think that's been something that time and time again has proven to be something I learned at St. Mildred’s. And a lot of my friends and a lot of the people who I surround myself in my program with don't have that same mentality. And it's more like, oh, I'm a girl. It might be a little bit harder, but we always learned that was not the case, and I'm so grateful for that.

I think the first one would be supportive in all ways. Teachers are supportive, students are supportive. And I think kind of having that opportunity to be in an environment from preschool all the way to grade twelve, even if you were only there for a few years, kind of allows you to be nurturing and supportive and understanding of a lot of different situations. I know that they probably have specific things on their website, but I know that their slogan is Inspire Girls, Empower Women. And I remember when I was applying to St. Mildred's, even today, when I'm talking about it, that's always something I bring up. I think it holds true, because truly, every chapel, every class, even just walking in the halls, I honestly believe that I was always inspired and very empowered to do what I want to do without really any questions asked.

Okay, so I enrolled in a difficult time. At least I thought it was going to be a difficult time because it was kind of like grade eight to grade nine where you have all of your friends. And so I was really scared coming because I honestly just assumed everyone would have their own friend groups. And that was just so not the case. I remember walking into the school and being immediately greeted by my buddy, who I've been kind of attached to for that day, just so I knew where I was going. And I immediately felt so welcomed. And it's a feeling that I'll never really forget and a feeling that I think stayed with me my whole time at St. Mildred's. And even today when I walk through those doors, I just feel so safe and comfortable. And so when I talk to parents about St. Mildred’s, I also like to mention that I was really surprised about its lack of stuffiness. I feel like a lot of the time people kind of believe private schools are going to be very pretentious and entitled, and that was just so not the case. And being at other private schools beforehand, I definitely experienced more that side of it was always a competition with money. It was so not like that at all. It was very much everyone kind of realized how lucky they were to be there. And I think maybe it was the all-girls environment. I haven't really figured that one out, but it was never a conversation about anything other than how lucky we were to be there and how we wanted to. It kind of honestly motivated us to work even harder. And that environment was super important for me.

But what I've seen with all of my friends who did grow up from preschool all the way to grade twelve is they were confident enough that even though they didn't maybe have the same experience as in co-ed, as soon as they were in co-ed, it was totally fine. But yeah, I would say maybe that's the greatest drawback because other than that, I think all-girls learning is really the best way for girls to learn nowadays. If you have the ability to send your kid to private school, I really think that the all-girls environment is one that stands out compared to any other private school learning.

So honestly, I think the best way to describe how it has kind of impacted me is that my best friends are still the girls I grew up with at St. Mildred’s to this day. I've made a lot of great new friends, but I always find myself comparing my friends now to my friends at home. And I pick my friends based on the people that I met during my time at St. Mildred's. Looking back at my time there, I am so grateful for everything. And when I walk into those buildings, the buildings when I go home and I'm greeted by my teachers and by the students that were in the younger years when I was graduating, it's still such a sense of home. Honestly, when I walk back into St. Mildred’s, even if I'm having the worst day ever, I think that just shows me how much it shaped me and how much it's kind of changed my perspective on so many things. When I can enter those doors, everything seems so much better and brighter.

So I think what I would talk to parents about is I think that especially today, it's really important to raise girls with that mentality that they can do anything because everything is getting so much more competitive. And I think that that's one of the things that St. Mildred’s really provided me with. And I've said this and I'll say it again, when I walk into a room, I'm never questioning if I'm supposed to be there. I'm never scared to put up my hand. I'm never intimidated by the boys in my classes because I never was raised in an environment where I thought that I was any less than anyone else around me. And that’s how I think any parent who is fortunate enough to send their kids to a private school, I think that they want to raise their daughter to be that independent and be that confident leader that I'm so grateful that I was able to become. And so that's definitely probably the biggest thing that I keep talking about.

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.

St. Mildred’s is such a great school and such a great place to kind of build your foundations before you move on to real life and post secondary school. And so I would obviously just encourage them to get involved in everything. There's an opportunity for everyone. There's so many different options in every single realm of the school. And so I would say get involved, make good friends, Be kind to everyone and just walk around the hallways and say Hi to everyone Because everyone will say hi to you if you say hi to them.

I'd also like to say that one of the best parts about St. Mildred’s is that it’s rooted in tradition. The school in itself is so open to every religion and so diverse, And I think that's really important in any school, especially when you're sending your kid to a private school. I keep saying you're preparing your kid to go to post secondary school, and it's so important to send your daughter, in this case, to a school that's open to all religions and is very diverse. That's exactly what St. Mildred gave me, and I'm really grateful for that now Because obviously, in real life, that's exactly how life is. And so I was able to learn about every religion, and obviously it wasn't necessarily religious school, but we celebrated everything, and so I was very cultured leaving the school.