YPI Brings Volunteerism to Life for LCC Students

Posted on September 27, 2010 by admin

The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative is a great opportunity for grade 10 students to reach out into the community and make an impact in so many ways. Over the course of the school year, students divide themselves into small teams and choose a small, local, grassroots organization. Each team must prepare a presentation that outlines the organization’s mission, programs, impact on the community, and they must try to prove why their organization is worthy of the $5,000 prize offered by the Toskan Foundation. Although it may not seem that significant, the prize money can make a huge difference for these organizations. Event though they are all worthy of receiving the financial assistance, only one can be chosen as the winner in May.

However, money is not the only factor that determines the impact that students can have on the organization that they choose. In fact, the simple act of volunteerism—only five required hours of service to each organization—makes such a difference because they can always use a helping hand. Year after year though, students make the personal choice to spend more than just the minimum required hours volunteering at their organization because they realize how much their efforts mean.

My personal YPI experience was so rewarding, not only because my group won the prize, but also because we developed such a great relationship with the Executive Director Adrian Bercovici and his wife Natalie from Generations Foundation. They appreciated our help so much, and supported us every step of the way through the preparation of our presentation, offering all of the information and resources that we needed to demonstrate their organization’s importance.

YPI is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that teaches students the importance of volunteerism, and will certainly remain an important aspect of the grade 10 curriculum for many years to come.—Cory Oringer ’11 (grade 11)

The Harper Legacy @ LCC

Posted on May 19, 2010 by admin

Independent schools are nurtured and supported by many different groups: current students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, board members, volunteers and members of the local community. However, one of the most important constituent groups is legacy families whose contribution over several generations is one of the strongest ties that bind us together. Perhaps the most notable legacy family at LCC is the Harper family who were recognized at our school assembly yesterday for decades of support and involvement at LCC.

The patriarch of the Harper family was Ralph Harper. He, graduated from LCC in 1947 and eventually sent all five of his sons to the school. Mr. Harper was a Board member and eventually rose to become Chairman of the Board, overseeing a major capital campaign that built our Junior School. Harper House was named after him with the re-launch of the House system in 2002.

Yesterday, at our school assembly we celebrated the contributions of Ralph’s eldest son, Gary Harper from the class of 1973. Gary picked up where his father left off, and within a decade of graduating from LCC, he was active as an alumnus volunteer. Since the early 1980s, Gary Harper has been a selfless volunteer for our school – a true leader. He worked as a fundraiser on two major capital campaigns, chairing the recent initiative that built the new arena/athletic complex in 2008.

Gary was a member of the Board of Governors for a decade, from 1994-2004 and like his father, Chairman of the Board during his final term. Gary also sent his four children to LCC, with the youngest graduating in 2007. In recognition of his extraordinary contribution, Gary’s photo is being placed beside his father’s in our historic dining hall, so that all will know that Harper House is named after these two dedicated community builders. Also in attendance at the assembly were Gary’s mother, his wife, three of his four brothers and his four children.

Gary Harper and the extended Harper family live and breath LCC’s ethos of Non Nobis Solum – Not for Ourselves Alone. We are fortunate to have in our midst legacy families such as the Harpers for they bring us strength, dedication and continuity.—Chris Shannon, Headmaster

Living Non Nobis Solum Post LCC

Posted on April 14, 2010 by admin

In recent years, service learning opportunities have evolved exponentially at LCC. The ethos of “Non Nobis Solum – Not for Ourselves Alone” is a founding principle of our school. In early years, school service was largely seen as an extension of commitment to king and country through participation in mandatory cadets. Indeed, boys from LCC took that training and served their nation in great numbers in both WWI and WWII.

In the 1960s and 70s service at LCC was a club activity for a select group of students who wanted to reach out and connect with the local community. Yet, not all students participated.

Today, every LCC student from K-12 is involved in service at some level. Kindergarten students begin by helping out with special chores at home and in their neighborhoods. Middle School students visit local community agencies in small groups and meet Montreal citizens who are making a difference in our city. Senior School and Pre-U students choose from a broad range of agencies and activities and complete a minimum of 15-20 hours of service during the school year. It’s clear that experience and exposure are great teachers.

Last week I was in New York City to meet with LCC alumni. What impressed me is that several of our former students at this particular event are currently focused on giving back, both to this school and to their local communities. One group of gentlemen from the class of 1982 has initiated a new scholarship at LCC for a needy and worthy Montrealer. Another graduate was recently chosen by a local television station as “New Yorker of the Week,” because of his special work with youth in the “Hockey in Harlem” program that he initiated. Like so many LCC alumni, after graduation he has gone into the world and is making a notable difference in his community. Earlier this week I shared a video clip of his work with LCC staff and students. It’s an impressive reminder that service learning at LCC helps develop important personal priorities. It’s certainly satisfying to know that the learning which occurs here can lead to a lifetime of service with incalculable benefits.

Bravo LCC! –Chris Shannon, Headmaster

Community Pride

Posted on January 27, 2010 by admin

I was recently at an education conference in New York City and had the opportunity to meet with two LCC graduates from the class of 1982. Along with two other classmates, two years ago they initiated a significant fundraising drive with members of their graduating class for the creation of an endowed student bursary at LCC. These men are supportive of our programs and vision for the future and feel proud that their donations to LCC will have a significant impact on future students. After two years they have gathered close to $200,000, with an objective of raising a total of $400,000 so an endowed bursary will cover the cost of a full tuition forever. As the first class to band together to initiate such a bursary at LCC, these gentlemen are now challenging all graduating classes to match them—to create more endowed bursaries that will pave the way for students of merit from all walks of life to come to LCC. It was so great to meet with them and feel their excitement and desire to give back to their school. When they asked me to present a short update on life at LCC, one story immediately came to mind—Haiti relief.

I explained that last week we decided to dedicate our monthly free dress day funds to Haiti relief—usually an amount of about $800. Noting the extreme devastation of the earthquake and its terrible aftermath on people in Haiti, students were urged by administrators, teachers and peers to dig deeper into their pockets, to demonstrate true compassion and care in a special way beyond our borders. I had confidence in our student and staff response, but I was truly shocked by the outpouring of concern demonstrated. Parents even got into the mix with several individuals offering to match funds raised by specific groups in the school. Across the school everyone dug deeply into their pockets, raising an astonishing $18,000 for the people of Haiti. Moreover, student leaders have not stopped and continue to discuss ways to support the relief initiatives even further.

So it warms my heart to know that a deep spirit of generosity and empathy is alive at LCC. I am so proud of our community!

Non Nobis Solum,
Christopher Shannon, Headmaster

Hardships Make You Realize Your Good Fortune

Posted on January 20, 2010 by admin

The drama of the real world came crashing into our living rooms this past week with the earthquake that occurred in Haiti. The human calamity we have all witnessed on our TV’s as people have desperately tried to cope with the aftermath of such a devastating natural disaster hardly seems believable.

The scenes of devastation have moved Canadians, and citizens of the world are responding to what is both an infrastructure and human crisis. It’s almost impossible to fully appreciate the breadth of the challenges that poor, small island nation is currently facing.

My personal connection to, and appreciation for, large scale human tragedy came in the winter of 1980. As a young university graduate I travelled to Southeast Asia a few years after the end of the Vietnam War. After that terrible conflict, a civil war erupted in Cambodia.

In the late 1970s a vicious dictator by the name of Pol Pot initiated a holocaust against all educated Cambodians with a bizarre quest to erase all western influences and return to year zero (i.e., a return to a completely agricultural society). A civil war erupted and some two million Cambodians perished in one of the worst holocausts of the 20th century. Unfortunately, Pol Pot intentionally and systematically tried to eliminate anyone with education or who represented imported western or European values.

I was amazed by what I had read and travelled with a friend to see the aftermath of this with my own eyes. In a massive UN refugee camp on the Thailand/Cambodia border, I saw tens of thousands of displaced people—teachers, artists, scientists, engineers, children—all seeking sanctuary and safety. What a shock and a challenge for a young Canadian who had only known a life of safety, opportunity and order.

I will never forget the extraordinary deprivation those people faced. There were thousands living under plastic tarps, seeking shelter from the burning mid-day sun. They had nowhere to go and were powerless. In fact, I have kept a photo of a special feeding centre for new mothers from the camp in my office for the past 25 years—a concrete reminder of coming face-to-face with disaster for the first time.

But it was the hope, optimism and creativity in the Cambodian refugees that surprised me and impressed me the most. Picture this: a number of dancers from the Royal Cambodian ballet had survived the Pol Pot holocaust. To fend off crushing boredom, they practiced their skills every day in the UN refugee camp.

I ended up there under the guise of being a young Canadian journalist. The dancers insisted that my friend and I watch them perform. They simply wanted an audience… so they got us—two young Canadians wondering how we could ease their frustration.

As we watched them perform I have never felt more humble. It taught me about the power of talent, community and hope displayed by all the Cambodians, even in the face of desperation. As I left the camp I reflected on the many privileges we all share as Canadians.

Today again I am again reminded that Canadians are some of the most fortunate people in the world. It’s time to look to our brothers and sisters in Haiti and share our compassion and generosity. Reach out and help today. People are desperate and you have the power to help. Don’t miss the opportunity. — Headmaster Chris Shannon