Lady Irish Reflect on a Hard Fought Season
|
By Olivia Muhar & Jenna Maclean
The Notre Dame Irish Varsity Girls Hockey Team have much to be proud of with their accomplishments this season. The Lady Irish have made history by winning the Inaugural Halton Catholic Athletic Association Championship... But this was just the beginning for the team. Through all the obstacles thrown their way, the girls played with passion and drive to qualify for OFSAA, by defeating St Mary’s for the GHAC title. On March 20th, the ladies woke up bright and early and headed to Timmins to begin their last stretch of the season. The arrived as underdogs at OFSAA, ranked 13th out of all AA schools in Ontario. Our Lady Irish did not let the numbers intimidate them, instead the girls remained calm and confident heading into their first game vs the 2nd ranked team, St Anne’s. It was a tight game and the girls fought hard until the last buzzer sounded… unfortunately they didn’t come out with the result they wanted, losing 3-1… But the girls didn’t let the loss set the tone for that tournament. The Lady Irish bounced back with a 5-1 win against the crowd favoured team, Timmins High. |
|
The ladies showed their mental toughness, drive to succeed and character in order to come on top. Afterwards the team changed their attire from hockey skates to dresses and high heels as they attended the annual OFSAA banquet with an amazing dinner and excellent entertainment.
The next morning, the ladies played St Mark's and had to win or tie to place top 2 in their pool and advance to the quarterfinals. The ladies came out strong and peaked at the right time, playing to a 2-2 tie thanks to another strong performance from goaltender, Elizabeth Madden. In the quarterfinal game the Irish faced the defending champs, L’escale. The ladies gave it their all and left their heart on the ice in hopes of extending their season one more day; Unfortunately, coming up short by a score of 4-3. Even though they didn’t win, the ladies had every reason to be proud as L’escale ended up being OFSAA Champs once again. A tight game against the eventual champs showed us that the Irish could compete with anyone in the Province.
The team shared many tears and laughs when their season came to end, but the close knit group were all proud and excited to have made history at Notre Dame. “We all got super close and it made it more memorable” says ND forward, Gabby Condello, when reflecting on the season.
The Lady Irish consisted of predominantly young players at all different skill sets and positions, leaving a strong core (with room for improvement) for years to come. The girls adapted to each other well, it was a slow process but they always rose at the right time, like any good team. “It was a good run, we started off slow but really came together at the end of the season” said Sara Boucher.
The Irish would like to thank all who have helped them progress this season playing a huge role in what the team accomplished. Special thanks to Adam Syring, Jeff Schwoob, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Cordeiro, and Ms. Giardina.
The ladies are really excited to get it going again next year and to continue to make a name for ND Hockey for many years to come.
The next morning, the ladies played St Mark's and had to win or tie to place top 2 in their pool and advance to the quarterfinals. The ladies came out strong and peaked at the right time, playing to a 2-2 tie thanks to another strong performance from goaltender, Elizabeth Madden. In the quarterfinal game the Irish faced the defending champs, L’escale. The ladies gave it their all and left their heart on the ice in hopes of extending their season one more day; Unfortunately, coming up short by a score of 4-3. Even though they didn’t win, the ladies had every reason to be proud as L’escale ended up being OFSAA Champs once again. A tight game against the eventual champs showed us that the Irish could compete with anyone in the Province.
The team shared many tears and laughs when their season came to end, but the close knit group were all proud and excited to have made history at Notre Dame. “We all got super close and it made it more memorable” says ND forward, Gabby Condello, when reflecting on the season.
The Lady Irish consisted of predominantly young players at all different skill sets and positions, leaving a strong core (with room for improvement) for years to come. The girls adapted to each other well, it was a slow process but they always rose at the right time, like any good team. “It was a good run, we started off slow but really came together at the end of the season” said Sara Boucher.
The Irish would like to thank all who have helped them progress this season playing a huge role in what the team accomplished. Special thanks to Adam Syring, Jeff Schwoob, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Cordeiro, and Ms. Giardina.
The ladies are really excited to get it going again next year and to continue to make a name for ND Hockey for many years to come.
Easter Feature: Reflection on Lent
By Julianna Marr
Mark 1:12-15 “At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” Happy Easter everyone! What I hope to achieve in this Easter Feature, is to remind us all about the true meaning of Easter, and just how important it is in our Catholic faith. Lent covers a span of forty days and forty nights, starting on Ash Wednesday (which, funnily enough, was on Valentine’s Day this year!), and ending on Holy Thursday which is the day on which Jesus and His disciples shared The Last Supper. The purpose of Lent is to acknowledge our flaws and our shortcomings—our sins. And to try and better ourselves, not only for the sake of our friends and family, but for Jesus. If we are preparing our hearts for His Passion, it is so important that we recognize exactly what it is Jesus died for. He died for you, He died for me, and for our sins…. and there are so many. But Lent is a chance to come to terms with our failures and to learn from them. Many people go to confession during the Lenten season for this very reason. I chose these specific verses because they reflect what we are going through, not only during the Lenten season, but throughout our entire lives. These verses are taken from the Gospel of Mark. To give these verses some context, Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Jesus was then sent into the wilderness for forty days. When I think of wilderness, I first think literally of trees and animals. But when I think a bit deeper, words like vulnerability and uncertainty come to mind. When we live openly, we expose ourselves to everything, both good and bad. While Jesus experienced this wilderness for forty days before His Passion, we as humans live this every day of our lives: being tempted, challenged, tried. We make countless mistakes, but what Christ’s Passion practically screams out is that we are forgiven. And, boy, do we need constant reminding of this. While we may think we are beyond mercy or forgiveness, Jesus died for us to prove just how much he loves us, regardless of our pasts. The Easter season never ceases to give me a revitalized perspective on life; the spring is almost here, and all of the death and decay of the winter is washed away with new sprouts of green. Likewise, we can finally be rid of all the yucky stuff in our lives, and enter a new chapter of our lives with zeal! So let your past come to a close and enjoy the brilliance of this Easter Season! Vertical Divider
|
Have You Met Lily?By: Daniella Lopez
Dogs, don’t we all just love them? Big and small, furry and hairy, at home and at school. Wait at school? If you didn’t know Notre Dame has a therapy dog that comes to visit our school every two weeks on Wednesdays! Lily and her owner Raquel come visit the Mountaineer group of students every other week on Wednesdays for about 45 minutes. Lily who is 7, has been visiting for almost 3 years now. But don’t worry if you think you won’t be able to see Lily, you can always try and visit her in the spectrum for a little bit before she leaves. If you are scared or intimidated by the sound of Lily don’t be! She is a very friendly dog. The best thing to do if you see Lily, rub her stomach, she loves it so much. Speaking of things Lily loves if you ever have peanut butter on you and you happen to see Lily she will absolutely adore you as she loves peanut butter. Thus, if you ever see a dog at Notre Dame it will most likely be Lily alongside her owner Raquel. Don’t be shy to stop and ask to pet Lily. It just may make your day a bit brighter and better. 
|
MARCH MADNESS COMES TO NOTRE DAME!
By Gabriel Millar
"When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals."
- Michael Jordan
This March Break, kids from across the community gathered to learn the fundamentals of basketball in our very own Notre Dame gymnasium to participate in this year’s 'March Madness' Developmental Basketball Camp.
The camp, lead by Ms. Vaughan and Mr. Montoya, focused on introducing young athletes from grades 4-8, to the individual fundamentals and team concepts of basketball. The camp provided the kids with the opportunity to improve their skills in both a competitive and non-competitive environment. Players worked on specific basketball-related skills through a number of drills, as well as participating in realistic in-game situations.
In a typical morning at the 'March Madness' Basketball Camp, campers would split up into smaller groups led by Notre Dame coaches and varsity players. Players worked on individual skill development such as dribbling, shooting, rebounding and passing. In the afternoons, players had the opportunity to integrate their newly learned skills into realistic situations through scrimmages and game-like scenarios.
The coaches always made sure to include some fun camp games throughout the day as well.
In addition to providing campers the opportunity to grow and flourish as basketball players, the Development Basketball Camp allowed kids to form new relationships with each other.
A big thank you to the coaches and ND students who made this great week possible for the kids in our community!
"When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals."
- Michael Jordan
This March Break, kids from across the community gathered to learn the fundamentals of basketball in our very own Notre Dame gymnasium to participate in this year’s 'March Madness' Developmental Basketball Camp.
The camp, lead by Ms. Vaughan and Mr. Montoya, focused on introducing young athletes from grades 4-8, to the individual fundamentals and team concepts of basketball. The camp provided the kids with the opportunity to improve their skills in both a competitive and non-competitive environment. Players worked on specific basketball-related skills through a number of drills, as well as participating in realistic in-game situations.
In a typical morning at the 'March Madness' Basketball Camp, campers would split up into smaller groups led by Notre Dame coaches and varsity players. Players worked on individual skill development such as dribbling, shooting, rebounding and passing. In the afternoons, players had the opportunity to integrate their newly learned skills into realistic situations through scrimmages and game-like scenarios.
The coaches always made sure to include some fun camp games throughout the day as well.
In addition to providing campers the opportunity to grow and flourish as basketball players, the Development Basketball Camp allowed kids to form new relationships with each other.
A big thank you to the coaches and ND students who made this great week possible for the kids in our community!
Girl’s Night In 2018 - Getting Ready
By Emily Nobes
For the 6th year in a row, Notre Dame’s infamous Girl’s Night In is fast approaching, and preparations are heavily underway.
“There are a huge number of female staff helping out, educational assistants, teachers, office staff, and community volunteers. Many staff run workshops, others work with students to plan and execute decorations or food or raffle prizes. Many more will help out on the night of the event to set up and clean up, and to make sure the whole thing runs smoothly. This group wouldn’t function without the enormous contributions of Ms. Paradis, Ms. Barros, and Ms. Tambasco especially!” Says Ms.Gera, another key organizer of the event.
Just under a month ago, Girl’s Night In teacher organizers hand delivered invitations to carefully selected grade 10-12 girl’s who they hoped would help out to put together one of NDs most exciting nights. Since then, the girls have broken off into groups and begun working hard in tandem with teacher organizers to put together every little detail of the event and of the weeks leading up to the event.
“We invited 35 girls this year.” Continues Ms.Gera,”We try to recruit as many new leadership candidates as possible each year, to give many deserving students the opportunity to shine. We look for students who regularly demonstrate exceptional kindness, or courage, responsibility or enthusiasm... ideally all of the above!”
As the date draws nearer, the presence of Girls Night In grows more apparent in the school. Whether it be the beautiful poster hanging in the spectrum or the inspirational quotes that were attached to the lockers around the school that the marketing committee worked so hard on to put together, it’s hard to dispute the fact that this is one of ND's most anticipated events.
For the 6th year in a row, Notre Dame’s infamous Girl’s Night In is fast approaching, and preparations are heavily underway.
“There are a huge number of female staff helping out, educational assistants, teachers, office staff, and community volunteers. Many staff run workshops, others work with students to plan and execute decorations or food or raffle prizes. Many more will help out on the night of the event to set up and clean up, and to make sure the whole thing runs smoothly. This group wouldn’t function without the enormous contributions of Ms. Paradis, Ms. Barros, and Ms. Tambasco especially!” Says Ms.Gera, another key organizer of the event.
Just under a month ago, Girl’s Night In teacher organizers hand delivered invitations to carefully selected grade 10-12 girl’s who they hoped would help out to put together one of NDs most exciting nights. Since then, the girls have broken off into groups and begun working hard in tandem with teacher organizers to put together every little detail of the event and of the weeks leading up to the event.
“We invited 35 girls this year.” Continues Ms.Gera,”We try to recruit as many new leadership candidates as possible each year, to give many deserving students the opportunity to shine. We look for students who regularly demonstrate exceptional kindness, or courage, responsibility or enthusiasm... ideally all of the above!”
As the date draws nearer, the presence of Girls Night In grows more apparent in the school. Whether it be the beautiful poster hanging in the spectrum or the inspirational quotes that were attached to the lockers around the school that the marketing committee worked so hard on to put together, it’s hard to dispute the fact that this is one of ND's most anticipated events.
Girls Night In 2016/2017
On March 26th 2018, the committee made their first public appearance of 2018 at the traditional Girls Night In information session (hype presentation works too). Grade 9 and 10 girls were greeted by vibrantly dressed, cheering committee members as they gathered in the cafeteria to learn about the night, figure out how to register, and, of course, to get excited.
When asked about her favourite aspect of the night, Ms. Gera said “I love that for a whole night no one worries about what they’re wearing or how they look or feels self conscious having second helping of dessert… I love that there are so many great role models from our school community and beyond… and I just love how much fun the girls always have. It’s worth all the work to see so many of them literally not stop smiling from the beginning of the night until they are walking out the door with their swag bags.”
For anyone looking to attend, packages have been distributed in your period four classrooms, or to your teachers if you are among the elementary schools invited, containing permission forms, information about the night, and access to the google form that will allow you to select your 3 activity choices. Anyone who at ND who would like to pick up a form, you can find them outside workroom 22, and grade 11/12 girls can return them as well, The cost of the event is $10 per girl, which covers snacks, dinner, gift bags, raffle tickets, and, of course, the activities.
So, get ready for a night of fun, empowerment, and food ND, this is certainly an event that you do not want to miss.
Don’t forget to follow @girlsnightin.2018 on instagram for updates, information, and sneak peaks into past events, see you there!
When asked about her favourite aspect of the night, Ms. Gera said “I love that for a whole night no one worries about what they’re wearing or how they look or feels self conscious having second helping of dessert… I love that there are so many great role models from our school community and beyond… and I just love how much fun the girls always have. It’s worth all the work to see so many of them literally not stop smiling from the beginning of the night until they are walking out the door with their swag bags.”
For anyone looking to attend, packages have been distributed in your period four classrooms, or to your teachers if you are among the elementary schools invited, containing permission forms, information about the night, and access to the google form that will allow you to select your 3 activity choices. Anyone who at ND who would like to pick up a form, you can find them outside workroom 22, and grade 11/12 girls can return them as well, The cost of the event is $10 per girl, which covers snacks, dinner, gift bags, raffle tickets, and, of course, the activities.
So, get ready for a night of fun, empowerment, and food ND, this is certainly an event that you do not want to miss.
Don’t forget to follow @girlsnightin.2018 on instagram for updates, information, and sneak peaks into past events, see you there!
Ma vie passée Tous les élèves en 11e année prennent le cours Les grandes religions du monde. Ce cours a été élaboré afin d’amener les élèves à explorer des religions de toutes les parties du monde et afin de leur faire prendre conscience de la nature, de la place et de la fonction de la religion dans diverses sociétés.
Pour l’unité sur l’hindouisme, une religion qui croit en la réincarnation, les élèves ont eu donnés la tâche d’expliquer comment ils ont été réincarnés en leur forme actuelle (humaine). Ce travail n’est en aucune façon une croyance en la réincarnation des vies passées. Quand mon atman avait achevé sa première vie humaine, c’était sous forme d’un garçon shudra pour un roi important. Ce roi était un roi méchant qui avait traité son peuple de manière cruelle. Dans ma famille, j’avais trois frères et soeurs, alors il n’y avait pas beaucoup d’argent ou de nourriture pour tout le monde. Mais une chose qui m’avait aidé dans la vie était les livres. Même si le roi était horrible, son fils était un garçon généreux. Mais, il était interdit de donner de la nourriture à ma famille et il m’avait donné le cadeau de l’éducation. Avec la connaissance qu’il m’a aidé à obtenir, j’ai commencé sur la voie sagesse. Mon caste est interdit d’étudier les Védas, alors j’avais étudié les sciences et les mathématiques quand le fils du roi pouvait me donner des livres en secret. Ma connaissance des mathématiques et des sciences m’avait donnée la chance d’améliorer mon karma, alors j’ai partagé mes connaissances avec mes frères et soeurs. Plus tard dans la vie, il y a eu un coup d’état et le roi a perdu son pouvoir. Le peuple voulait le tuer avec toute sa famille. J’ai protégé le fils, mon ami d’enfance, et j’ai été tué pour l’avoir aidé. Pour avoir aidé mon ami et pour avoir été loyal à mon ami, j’ai beaucoup amélioré mon karma. Aujourd’hui, je suis dans le caste des Brahmanes et je donne mon temps pour aider les autres à apprendre les mathématiques. Je veux être plus généreux dans ma vie et je suis inspiré par le fils de l’ancien roi afin d’aider les autres. -Anonyme Vertical Divider
|
ND @ Women as Career Coaches
By Sierra Pearce
On Thursday, March 22nd, students selected from schools across Halton attended the Women as Career Coaches conference in Burlington. It featured many female speakers and coaches who discussed their career paths, hoping to inspire young women and inform them about the variety of work pathways available to them. The event is made possible each year with the help of a variety of sponsors. The 11th Annual Women as Career Coaches Conference took place from 5:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Burlington Convention centre. Registration and dinner began at 5:15 p.m., where a few of the female students were seated with several career coaches per table. Dinner came to an end at 6:00 p.m., and the students and mentors at each table were given conversational prompts to introduce themselves. A couple speakers at a time were featured, the time in between used for guided conversation between the mentors and students at each table, involving their career goals, interests, and experiences. The speakers were Stacy-Ann Buchanan, Shannon Cuciz, Shelley Davies, Elsa Hannaford, and Kim Melanson, with Tamara Lopez acting as emcee. The women spoke on their career paths to inspire students in knowing that they can live a successful, balanced life, and emphasizing that opportunities often exist where unexpected. The event is made possible by individuals who each sponsor a student for a small cost. There were generally two speakers featured at a time during the event, and the conversational events in between took an average of 10-20 minutes each. Tamara Lopez introduced herself and each speaker, also sharing some of her experiences with the audience. The speakers had a wide variety of careers, from Shelley Davies, welding apprentice, to Kim Melanson, owner of a Canadian Tire branch, to Elsa Hannaford, Banker, founding editor, and blogger. Towards the end of the event, the speaker sat in a panel and answered questions from the audience about their careers and life balancing skills. Both career opportunities and mental health were discussed, in an effort to encourage the students to find balance and happiness in their work. Sponsors paid $30 to sponsor a student, which has helped ensure the event for next year. To learn more about the event, or contact the organization, please visit: www.hiec.on.ca/wacc. |
My Thoughts on Cooperative Education: X-ray Clinic Assistant
By Jenna Jarvis
This year, I am a returning grade 12 student. I am a co-op student and am currently doing my placement at Wentworth-Halton X-ray and Ultrasound, which is a large company that offers Diagnostic Medical Imaging Services to the community in over 12 clinics in the greater Hamilton area. At my placement, my “job title” is a clinic assistant, so I am helping everyone in the clinic, which is nice because I get to see a bit of everything. In the first few weeks, they had me sitting at the reception desk with the receptionists so I could watch them as they arrived patients into the system, and they also had me shredding CD’s with patient files and reports on them to destroy the data.
After a few weeks, they had me instructing patients on getting changed for their exams – for example, if the patient is coming in for an x-ray, all metal has to come off of their body (depending on the targeted X-ray area), like pants with zippers, or jewelry – and have them put a gown on for their test. Shortly after, the technicians were asking me if I wanted to come watch them perform tests, so I have been able to watch a lot of x-rays as well as some ultrasounds, which has been very interesting.
This year, I am a returning grade 12 student. I am a co-op student and am currently doing my placement at Wentworth-Halton X-ray and Ultrasound, which is a large company that offers Diagnostic Medical Imaging Services to the community in over 12 clinics in the greater Hamilton area. At my placement, my “job title” is a clinic assistant, so I am helping everyone in the clinic, which is nice because I get to see a bit of everything. In the first few weeks, they had me sitting at the reception desk with the receptionists so I could watch them as they arrived patients into the system, and they also had me shredding CD’s with patient files and reports on them to destroy the data.
After a few weeks, they had me instructing patients on getting changed for their exams – for example, if the patient is coming in for an x-ray, all metal has to come off of their body (depending on the targeted X-ray area), like pants with zippers, or jewelry – and have them put a gown on for their test. Shortly after, the technicians were asking me if I wanted to come watch them perform tests, so I have been able to watch a lot of x-rays as well as some ultrasounds, which has been very interesting.
After ND, in September, I plan to go to University and take an Honours Science program at the University of Waterloo, which will allow me to further explore my interests in the science field since I have always been interested in my science courses here at ND. In the future, I would like to pursue a career in the medical field, but I have never been certain of what exactly I wanted to do in the medical field. Diagnostic Medical Imaging was something that had interested me for quite some time, but I had thought about other potential careers as well, such as a pharmacist or a dermatologist.
I decided to take a co-op so that I could get some work experience in a field that I am interested in and would maybe like to pursue a career in, and I also wanted to find a placement like this clinic that would help me make up my mind, or at least help me to decide what I do or do not like in the medical field, which would ultimately help me make a decision in my post-secondary studies. I have had a lot of fun at my placement because everyone is so nice to me and it’s nice to know that they want me to learn and they want to teach me things so that I have a good experience.
I would definitely recommend co-op to other students because I feel that it is another way to learn about something you might be passionate about and getting the hands-on experience rather than just reading about it from a textbook or online. Doing a co-op, I also get to hear stories from the technicians who have been doing this as a career for some time and I get to hear about and learn from their experiences, so it is nice to be able to learn and acquire knowledge and get a feel for the type of environment that I could be working in one day.
I decided to take a co-op so that I could get some work experience in a field that I am interested in and would maybe like to pursue a career in, and I also wanted to find a placement like this clinic that would help me make up my mind, or at least help me to decide what I do or do not like in the medical field, which would ultimately help me make a decision in my post-secondary studies. I have had a lot of fun at my placement because everyone is so nice to me and it’s nice to know that they want me to learn and they want to teach me things so that I have a good experience.
I would definitely recommend co-op to other students because I feel that it is another way to learn about something you might be passionate about and getting the hands-on experience rather than just reading about it from a textbook or online. Doing a co-op, I also get to hear stories from the technicians who have been doing this as a career for some time and I get to hear about and learn from their experiences, so it is nice to be able to learn and acquire knowledge and get a feel for the type of environment that I could be working in one day.