Notre Dame Goes Proudly Pink
By Rachel Heaney
On the cold Wednesday morning of October 3rd, Notre Dame's Annual Pink Day got underway.
Picture this, you walk through those front doors to see pink streamers hanging from the walls, and ribbons galore. You turn to your left and walk up the stairs to see students left and right, showing their 'pink pride' and smiling from ear to ear. Pink shirts, skirts, boas, jumpsuits and hats are everywhere, everyone wearing pink to show that we care about this cause and won’t stop spreading awareness until something is done. A couple hours later, the bell rings from your second period class and you run out the doors, rush down the stairs and get in line for pizza. After lunch, your heartbeat is racing as you rush out the back doors and onto the field. You see your friends and make sure to get some photos and videos along the way to capture Pink Day in full motion. The football game is about to start so, you get settled on the bleachers and wait for the kickoff. From the eyes of an ND students this is one of the most exciting days of the year..
On the cold Wednesday morning of October 3rd, Notre Dame's Annual Pink Day got underway.
Picture this, you walk through those front doors to see pink streamers hanging from the walls, and ribbons galore. You turn to your left and walk up the stairs to see students left and right, showing their 'pink pride' and smiling from ear to ear. Pink shirts, skirts, boas, jumpsuits and hats are everywhere, everyone wearing pink to show that we care about this cause and won’t stop spreading awareness until something is done. A couple hours later, the bell rings from your second period class and you run out the doors, rush down the stairs and get in line for pizza. After lunch, your heartbeat is racing as you rush out the back doors and onto the field. You see your friends and make sure to get some photos and videos along the way to capture Pink Day in full motion. The football game is about to start so, you get settled on the bleachers and wait for the kickoff. From the eyes of an ND students this is one of the most exciting days of the year..
Every year, Notre Dame is proud to host an annual Pink Day in honor, and support, of the Terry Fox Foundation. The day is filled with fun, from bake sales, pink shirts, decorations, face paint, pizza, a football game and a fun civvies day in which students can show their creativity by adorning themselves in everything pink. Although it is a day filled with excitement, the staff and students at ND cannot forget this days charitable roots as we show our support and awareness of this great cause, yet deadly disease. On this day, we are no longer green and blue, we are proudly pink.
Pink Day has been a very popular event that Notre Dame has held for numerous years. It has held a lot of significance within the Notre Dame community as it supports and spreads awareness towards a great cause. This year, Student Council wanted to make sure that Pink Day 2019 was an event that would never be forgotten. Student Council's planning in the lead up to Pink Day was an important and exciting component of the whole process. Weeks before, ND Student Council began to sell Pink Day shirts, buy-out tickets and pizza tickets to redeem on Pink Day. This year, the Pink Day shirts were made of cotton with a navy-blue Notre Dame logo that reflects hope as a silhouette of Terry Fox runs through it. In the end, Student Council sold over 720 buyout tickets and over 270 shirts! Student Council had prepared for
Pink Day has been a very popular event that Notre Dame has held for numerous years. It has held a lot of significance within the Notre Dame community as it supports and spreads awareness towards a great cause. This year, Student Council wanted to make sure that Pink Day 2019 was an event that would never be forgotten. Student Council's planning in the lead up to Pink Day was an important and exciting component of the whole process. Weeks before, ND Student Council began to sell Pink Day shirts, buy-out tickets and pizza tickets to redeem on Pink Day. This year, the Pink Day shirts were made of cotton with a navy-blue Notre Dame logo that reflects hope as a silhouette of Terry Fox runs through it. In the end, Student Council sold over 720 buyout tickets and over 270 shirts! Student Council had prepared for
this day for several weeks, down to the last detail, they sought to leave an everlasting mark on the Notre Dame community forever, and they did.
This year, although the football game had slight complications, as always, the Notre Dame community and students rallied and pulled it off, radiating positive energy. Overall, it was another successful Pink Day raising over $3000 for the Terry Fox Foundation. Although we were cheering and supporting the Junior Boys on the football team, we were doing the same to the angels in heaven who died from this horrible disease. On this day, we were no longer ordinary high school students, pink flowed through our veins, heart and bodies and we were proudly pink!
This year, although the football game had slight complications, as always, the Notre Dame community and students rallied and pulled it off, radiating positive energy. Overall, it was another successful Pink Day raising over $3000 for the Terry Fox Foundation. Although we were cheering and supporting the Junior Boys on the football team, we were doing the same to the angels in heaven who died from this horrible disease. On this day, we were no longer ordinary high school students, pink flowed through our veins, heart and bodies and we were proudly pink!
Meet Kenna Smallegange: ND Swimming Sensation
How old were you when you learned to swim?
My parents took me to the Y pool starting at 4 months and it took quickly as I loved playing in the water. By 2 years, I was jumping off floaties and swimming to the wall.
How old were you when you started swimming competitively?
I joined the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays at the age of 6 in the FUNdamentals group, following in my sister’s footsteps, and began competing in small competitions when I was 7.
Tell us a bit about your swimming career, for example, clubs you belong to, teams you have swam for, events you have taken part in.
Swimming has provided me with so many opportunities, especially in the last few years. I have swum my entire career with the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays, going on 10 years now. However, I have also had the opportunity to represent both Ontario and Canada at international meets and exciting events. While my swimming career began in the pool, I have been exploring open water events as well and believe that the two sports run parallel with benefit to each other. In the pool, I have attended Provincial, Eastern National, Junior National, Senior National and Canadian Trials events, as well as
My parents took me to the Y pool starting at 4 months and it took quickly as I loved playing in the water. By 2 years, I was jumping off floaties and swimming to the wall.
How old were you when you started swimming competitively?
I joined the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays at the age of 6 in the FUNdamentals group, following in my sister’s footsteps, and began competing in small competitions when I was 7.
Tell us a bit about your swimming career, for example, clubs you belong to, teams you have swam for, events you have taken part in.
Swimming has provided me with so many opportunities, especially in the last few years. I have swum my entire career with the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays, going on 10 years now. However, I have also had the opportunity to represent both Ontario and Canada at international meets and exciting events. While my swimming career began in the pool, I have been exploring open water events as well and believe that the two sports run parallel with benefit to each other. In the pool, I have attended Provincial, Eastern National, Junior National, Senior National and Canadian Trials events, as well as
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the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg. In open water, I represented Canada at the 2018 World Junior Open Water Championships in Israel, and the 2019 UANA championships in Wisconsin. I also have participated in travel training camps such as to Italy, California and Curacao, as well as with Team Canada at Best Fest in Mallorca Spain.
Summarize the year 2018/2019 in your swimming career! The 2018/19 season was an exciting and action packed season. I was able to compete in various competitions and be a part of some exciting travel teams with Swimming Canada as well as with my own club. Starting off my grade 10 year, I spent the first 2 weeks staging in Cyprus to prepare for the World Junior Open Water Championships which was held in Israel where I |
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competed in the 5km race finishing 9th, and the 4 x 1.25m relay where our relay placed 5th. I spent the winter competing in Canada before a spring training Camp in Curacao in March kicking it into high gear for a busy spring of competitions. In April, I raced at Canadian Swimming Trials, Canadian Eastern Championships and also the Canadian Open Water Swimming Trials in Cayman Islands where I placed fourth in a 10km race by a slim 5 seconds. In May I went with Team Canada to a distance open water camp in Mallorca Spain. In the summer I also competed at FINA’s Lac Saint Jean’s World Series Open Water 10km race, Junior and Senior Nationals, before representing Canada at UANA Open Water Championships where I placed first in the 7.5km race and our relay came second.
What are your goals & plans for 2020?
I am looking forward to another exciting season of competing and travelling. This season will be a busy year but I am super excited for all of the opportunities up incoming.
What are your long range goals in swimming?
It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to go to the Olympics and would love the opportunity to reach that level of excellence and compete against the best swimmers in the world on the world’s biggest stage.
Who would you say has helped you most in your swimming career?
I think that everybody involved in my swimming career including my family, friends, coaches, teammates, medical staff and teachers, have contributed to my success this far and will continue to push and drive me to achieve my goals in the future. I am so grateful to be surrounded by a circle of people who support me and believe in me. My family have always been my biggest fans, driving me to practice at 5:30 am and sitting at the pool for hours at swim meets and cheering me on all the time. I couldn’t be here today without them.
What are your goals & plans for 2020?
I am looking forward to another exciting season of competing and travelling. This season will be a busy year but I am super excited for all of the opportunities up incoming.
What are your long range goals in swimming?
It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to go to the Olympics and would love the opportunity to reach that level of excellence and compete against the best swimmers in the world on the world’s biggest stage.
Who would you say has helped you most in your swimming career?
I think that everybody involved in my swimming career including my family, friends, coaches, teammates, medical staff and teachers, have contributed to my success this far and will continue to push and drive me to achieve my goals in the future. I am so grateful to be surrounded by a circle of people who support me and believe in me. My family have always been my biggest fans, driving me to practice at 5:30 am and sitting at the pool for hours at swim meets and cheering me on all the time. I couldn’t be here today without them.
What is your most memorable moment in swimming thus far?
I can’t choose! I have had so much fun, made so many great memories and there have been so many inspiring and amazing moments throughout the years in swimming. A particular favourite memory of mine was on my first team at the 2017 Canada Summer Games when my Ontario teammates were lined the pool cheering as I swam a 1500 m race, winning a silver medal from the outside lane., I’ll never forget the energy and support that I felt during that race.
How often do you practice?
I currently train 20 hours per week: 9 pool sessions and 3 land sessions.
How has your swimming career impacted your life inside and outside of school?
Swimming has provided me with a lot of opportunities that have allowed me to travel, train, make new friends and improve my swimming. At home, swimming is definitely still a big part my life. I spend most of my time with wet hair in a messy bun and spend a little bit less time sleeping than I would like. Swimming takes up a lot of my time, but I still try to get involved with the life of the school as much as possible and particularly love spending time with my friends and family and friends. Swimming definitely makes me busy and I have a lot going on but I love it and definitely never get bored.
I can’t choose! I have had so much fun, made so many great memories and there have been so many inspiring and amazing moments throughout the years in swimming. A particular favourite memory of mine was on my first team at the 2017 Canada Summer Games when my Ontario teammates were lined the pool cheering as I swam a 1500 m race, winning a silver medal from the outside lane., I’ll never forget the energy and support that I felt during that race.
How often do you practice?
I currently train 20 hours per week: 9 pool sessions and 3 land sessions.
How has your swimming career impacted your life inside and outside of school?
Swimming has provided me with a lot of opportunities that have allowed me to travel, train, make new friends and improve my swimming. At home, swimming is definitely still a big part my life. I spend most of my time with wet hair in a messy bun and spend a little bit less time sleeping than I would like. Swimming takes up a lot of my time, but I still try to get involved with the life of the school as much as possible and particularly love spending time with my friends and family and friends. Swimming definitely makes me busy and I have a lot going on but I love it and definitely never get bored.