La classe de droit de 11e année avec Me Marin Cojocaru

Posted on December 12, 2013 by admin

Réflexions sur le procès simulé R.c.Wai en présence de Me Marin Cojocaru du lundi 9 décembre 2013.

J’ai vraiment apprécié la visite de Me Cojocaru. Je crois qu’il nous a bien aidé durant le procès. J’ai apprécié ses corrections, car je crois que ce cours est là pour nous aider, et il nous a bien expliqué comment la cour fonctionne. – Luca Saputo ’14

C’était une très belle expérience et j’ai beaucoup aimé la façon dont Me Cojocaru nous donnait ses idées pendant le procès. Ces points de vue ont été appréciés et je vais les appliquer au prochain procès. – Eric Tellier ’14

Au cours du procès simulé, j’ai appris quand faire des objections. J’ai aussi appris quelles questions vous pouvez poser pendant le procès. Me Cojocaru m’a vraiment aidé à m’imaginer dans un vrai procès, j’ai adoré son implication et ses explications pour nous dire ce que nous ne faisions pas correctement. – Arianna Silla ’14

Je pensais que c’était une bonne expérience. Ça nous a aidé quand il nous interrompait quand nous faisions quelque chose d’une façon incorrecte. Il nous donnait des conseils que j’utiliserai la prochaine fois. Dans l’ensemble, j’ai beaucoup appris pendant ce procès. – Carina Bertoldi ’14

J’ai beaucoup aimé l’expérience du procès simulé. Comme l’année dernière, je trouve qu’à chaque fois, j’ai plus de connaissances en sortant de la classe. Je vous remercie M. Maurice et je suis content que Me Cojocaru puisse venir, ça a été un grand plaisir. – Matthew Filgiano ’14

Lundi quand Me Cojocaru est venu regarder notre procès simulé, il avait beaucoup d’informations précieuses à offrir. À certains moments, je me suis sentie très frustrée, car chaque fois que je posais des questions, il m’interrompait. Avec le recul, j’ai compris les raisons et j’ai appris beaucoup de choses pendant cette heure passée avec lui. – Lindsay Eiley ’14

Mon expérience pendant l’appel du procès de Jesse Wai était très enrichissante, et je l’ai beaucoup aimée. Comme juge stagiaire, j’avais beaucoup à apprendre pendant ce procès, Me Cojocaru et M. Maurice m’ont grandement aidé à décider quelles objections devraient être acceptées. Ils m’ont aussi expliqué le terme: “preuve close”. Je pense que je me suis bien amélioré depuis ma première expérience comme juge, et notre dernier procès m’a appris encore plus qu’avant. – Nicholas Tabet ’14

Comme c’est ma première année de droit, mon apprentissage est exponentiel, car chaque cours, je reçois une quantité énorme d’informations. Cependant, ma plus grande expérience est celle d’avoir eu la chance d’être un avocat. C’était une expérience très utile et j’ai appris comment poser les “bonnes” questions et comment formuler un argument cohérent et intelligent. – Elie Climan ’14

Mandela’s Legacy

Posted on December 11, 2013 by admin

The topic that has dominated discourse across the globe in recent days has been the passing of Nelson Mandela at age 95. He was a true giant among personalities in the past century, and his passing has had a phenomenal global response.

Out of respect, our school flags were lowered when we learned of Mandela’s death. Canada was a major supporter of Mandela and the ANC’s (Africa National Congress) quest for racial justice. Under different Canadian prime ministers we openly renounced the policy of Apartheid. While Mandela was imprisoned, a host of diplomatic initiatives were carried out, and we boycotted all South African products in an open effort to isolate and strangle the sustainability of the white-only government. After his release from prison in 1990, the first country Mandela visited was Canada. He was also named an honourary Canadian citizen. Interestingly, Mandela was a Patron of the Round Square and a supporter of the active learning and globalism that this association of schools embodies.

For inspiration I continue to turn to the life story of Nelson Mandela and his relentless struggle against the demeaning injustices of decades of apartheid in his country. After his release from 27 years in prison and eventual rise to the top political office in South Africa, we all learned from Mandela about the incredible power of forgiveness. Once free, with the snap of a finger, Mandela could have insisted on armed revolt to overwhelm the two million white South Africans whose governments had violently subjugated the black majority for decades. Mandela did not seek revenge; instead he sought reconciliation and forgiveness as the foundation for a new South Africa‑–a multicultural country he labeled the “Rainbow nation”.

Mandela insisted on peace, telling his followers that not a drop of blood should be shed. While in prison he took the extraordinary step of learning the language of his oppressors, the white Afrikaans. Once elected president, he immediately hired a white executive assistant, and out of respect, spoke to her mostly in Afrikaans.

So many had suffered under the violence of apartheid regimes. Mandela realized he needed to find a way to heal wounds that were generations deep. Most said it was impossible. He quickly established something called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission‑–a place where former state police would confess their vicious sins after decades of conflict in the South Africa of apartheid, a word and a philosophy that literally meant “Apartness.” Those who confessed were assured in advance that they would not be imprisoned. But for Mandela, allowing the truth to emerge was better than allowing the truth to remain buried forever. This was part of the long road to healing a nation that he envisioned for his citizens. As one can imagine, it was very difficult for families to hear the stories of how the secret police conducted their vile business. But Mandela convinced his people to accept this process as the best bridge that could be built to a new multiracial, peaceful, democratic South Africa. Forgiveness personified. The chairperson of the commission, the venerable Archbishop Desmond Tutu, underscored the miracle of hope as the foundation for South Africa’s renewal process. In those early days after Mandela took power as the first black president in South Africa, Archbishop Tutu said, “I hope I’m a prisoner of hope. However dark the past, it cannot overwhelm the light of the dawn of the future.”

In addition to forgiveness and the building blocks of peace, Mandela believed that the key to a prosperous South Africa would be education. I keep a card at my desk with a quote by Mandela: “Education is the greatest engine of personal development.” It’s on card I bought in Cape Town immediately after visiting Robben Island where he was imprisoned for more than 25 years. I stood in his former cell, saw where he broke rock in the searing sun, and was inspired by his capacity to overcome such suffering and neutralize a quest for revenge in himself and his people.

To begin the official remembrance ceremonies for Mandela within South Africa, close to 100-thousand people gathered in a Soweto soccer stadium to celebrate his life. Among them were many heads of state, including four Canadian prime ministers.

Mandela has taught us all about the magical power of forgiveness and reconciliation with our opponents. Our challenge is to implement just a fraction of what Mandela modeled in life. However, if we are to truly honour Mandela, I assert it is beyond that, it is our duty. —Christopher Shannon, Headmaster

Community Service: A Global Perspective

Posted on November 29, 2013 by admin

Throughout my high school experience, I had the opportunity to travel abroad multiple times. These travels included a student exchange to Australia, two Duke of Edinburgh Gold trips to Peru and an International Round Square Conference in South Africa. Each of my experiences gave me a new perspective in terms of community service, the diversity of people in the world and the challenges faced by those in developing countries. Not only have these experiences broadened my global awareness; they have also helped me grow and continue to grow into who I am.

When I arrived in Peru two years ago, it was my first exposure to a developing country. I thought I knew what to expect: barefoot hungry children, worn down houses and desperation. On my first day doing service at a shantytown called Las Palmas outside of the capital city, Lima, I found out my preconception was very wrong. The conditions were worse than I expected: stray dogs roamed all over, dust covered absolutely everything and a rotting stench filled the air. Fortunately, I was also wrong about the state of the people in the community. The children were happy and eager to play with us and each other, and the adults possessed a sense of pride in themselves and their community. The physical labour we performed was not enough. Upon our arrival home, a few friends and I decided we needed to do something more. We started fundraising in hopes of helping improve the community as much as we possibly could.

A few months later, along with other LCC representatives we set off to South Africa for an International Round Square conference. Besides partaking in the conference, we helped out at a daycare and school for kids who grew up in impoverished conditions. We only spent a few hours volunteering: taking care of the kids, painting a roof and playing soccer. I left the service days extremely upset. Between my experiences in Peru and South Africa, I noticed how happy the locals were in spite of their assumed “lack” of materials that we consider necessary for our happiness here in North America such as cell phones, cool shoes and ice cream desserts.

On the plane ride home I began to contemplate – why am I so lucky to have all that I do? What is the point of doing “service” for a few hours when at the end of the day these children’s lives are “unimproved”?

I returned home in a philosophical crisis. I wanted to help, Peru, South Africa, everywhere! I just didn’t know how to do it in a way that would actually help them, and improve their lives.

My friends and I who were already fundraising for the community in Peru decided we could start a micro-loan fund in the community, a lump sum of money that would go to starting businesses for women so they could be self-sufficient and help feed their families. After hours spent discussing how the fund would work with the mayor of Las Palmas, the town, and signing the necessary documents, we handed over the money to the mayor. While the money did end up in the community, we have yet to hear back on the happenings of the fund for the past eight months, so we do not know how it turned out. Unfortunately, all we can do is hope it ended up benefitting the community in some way. This is an example of why even though you may have good intentions, you have to be very careful when it comes to international service and make sure you trust the person dealing with your money.

Fortunately, we were more careful when we fundraised for the daycare we worked at in South Africa. The money was handed over to a woman who we had met and who worked to improve the day care, so she had already successfully dealt with donations like ours.

Ultimately, one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from these experiences is that it’s important to learn about the world, because exposure is the first step to help making it a better place. Although in my life I hope I discover the “best” way for me to do service, there is certainly no right answer. Once you are exposed to an issue, it is very difficult to simply forget about it. Whether it’s in the city of Montreal or some remote village in India, it is important to realize what matters locally and internationally, and to do your best to help. – Sarah Salzman (Pre-U ’14)

Student Exchange: Internationalism Changed My Life

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

I am born of Polish parents. I am an American citizen. I live in Canada, but I am a citizen of the world. It’s funny how things happen. Three years ago, I was introduced to the idea of a student exchange. I saw and heard so many things about students traveling abroad, and I made it my goal to experience an exchange on my own. I wanted to go somewhere completely foreign, someplace that no one I knew had gone before, so I chose Thailand.

From the very first moment I stepped onto Thai soil, Thailand became my home. I spent six weeks atThe Regents School in Pattayain boarding and I had the time of my life. I played basketball, did cross country running and played in their school band. I took weekend trips to pristine island resorts with my local friends and did a bicycle trip through the slums of Bangkok. Every weekend, I would get the opportunity to volunteer through different clubs in the school and help out at a local orphanage for handicapped children with my friends. In my boarding house alone, I met more people of diverse backgrounds than I could have imagined. I made friends from Bhutan, Lithuania, Armenia, South Africa and South Korea, just to mention a few. When it came time to leave, I felt like I was a movie character – as I looked out from the back window of the moving car on the way to the airport, all of my friends stood in a line, crying and waving goodbye. I, too, was in tears and didn’t want to leave.

Many people may say that their exchange was wonderful or enlightening, but my exchange experience changed my life. After having discovered a new exotic world and making unbroken friendships, I decided that my travel to Thailand would not stop there. I made it my goal to go back the next summer to see my friends, and on top of that I wanted to try something new and volunteer abroad. That’s when, with the help of my father, I found the Mercy Center and embarked on a four week independent volunteer trip to Bangkok’s biggest slum – Klong Toey, the “Slaughterhouse”.

I was extremely nervous because I was going to live by myself in a major city where crime and corruption was supposed to be very widespread. In the taxicab on the way to Mercy Center I obviously had thoughts racing through my head of, “Oh. Maybe I should turn around now. It’s not too late.” But chickening out was not the answer. I had traveled 26 hours and there was no turning back.

What really made me push forward, though, was the idea that I would be doing something useful and unique. The service I was going to do was not meant for me, but for the people in need. To turn back would be selfish and irresponsible.

Before I knew it, I was at the entrance of the Mercy Center, with a big purple suitcase in hand.The Mercy Centre, established by Father Joe Meier, is an emergency organization that takes care of families that have been exposed to human trafficking, rape, AIDs, sickness and any disaster. Many kids that live at the Mercy Centre are there because they have lost their families or were abandoned.

So I spent my summer working in the “Slaughterhouse”. The struggle started on my first day, when I was told that I would be teaching English to kids of all ages. Now imagine yourself in my position.This wasn’t a “read to your buddy for an hour” situation. I was a 15-year old girl that had to make a lesson plan before the next morning, get familiar with 20 students in my class and teach them. Oh yeah. I forgot to mention. None of them spoke a word of English and I had no idea how to speak Thai.

What made everything easier, though, was that all the kids were so sweet and wanted to help me do my best. They were super attentive and worked so hard in class – they really wanted to learn. After my first full day in the classroom, I was ecstatic. I loved my students and could not wait to see them the next day! When it was time for lunch for my pre-school students, I would go to the outdoor basketball court and play soccer on the smooth surface with the older local kids. I was really bad at soccer, but they still always let me play with them and taught me so many tricks.

Over my four weeks, I got the chance to work with kids from the ages of 6 to 18 and even worked on the organization’s farm outside of the city once a week.

There, I truly didn’t feel like I was doing community service, but living a normal life in a city that never sleeps.When I wasn’t working, I was spending time in the small alleyway home where I lived with eight Thai university students. I had only a tiny room with a bed and a fan, so with Thailand’s rainy season and 30+-degree weather, AC was something I had to learn to live without.

As you can imagine, it was truly a parallel world with a completely different culture, language and society rules but I soon blended in with the help of the locals’ open-mindedness and friendliness towards me.

In the end, my whole idea of this volunteer trip being only for the people in need was wrong. By the end of my trip I realized that the students I was teaching, helped me more that I could have imagined. They taught me responsibility, perseverance and acceptance. They accepted me as their teacher and they cared for me from day one.

I never imagined that going on an exchange would have done so much for me. Taking that chance three years ago helped me build a bond with the country and the people that I see myself revisiting for the rest of my life. I am going off to university next year, but I have promised myself that I will take at least six months of my four years in college and go back to the Mercy Center to live and volunteer full time.

The internationalism that I gained from going on exchange and volunteering abroad is immeasurable. Maybe you may never reach a stage in your life where you will visit a slum or go on an exchange, like I did. I feel at home in Thailand, but many people may not feel the same way. But I know that each and very one of you have the potential to do service in an environment that you feel comfortable in and grow to love.

I encourage all of you to step out of your comfort zone and take any opportunity you have to travel and help others while doing so. I can assure you that you won’t regret it, and it may just change your life. – Olga Jablonski (Pre-U ’14)

Environmental Fashion: Will.i.am Is Going Green!

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

All you fashion forward men, it’s time to take out your wallets because you are going shopping!

Famous rapper and member of the Black Eyed Peas has teamed up with Coca-Cola and the H Brothers to create fashionable and luxurious men’s suits out of recycled water bottles, what a genius concept!

We are always encouraged to recycle in order to protect our environment but not everyone seems to be completely motivated. Perhaps it is because it isn’t done in a very creative and enjoyable way. This concept is not only creative, but it is also a unique way to help save our environment.

Will.i.am wanted to raise greater awareness about recycling and decided to promote recycling in a fun and stylish way. The H brothers and the rapper collaborated on some funky and fabulous designs for menswear using recycled plastic bottles. Each suit is made up of approximately 25 bottles. The line will also include trendy neckties, pocket squares as well as bowties!

Guys, check out this fabulous line!

As the manager of the H brothers mentioned, “It’s truly the best of both worlds when you can use recycled materials to help keep guys looking fresh”. – Jennifer Ben-Menashe ’14