We are gearing up for Opening Day! This Tuesday we are welcoming our new students and on Wednesday we will welcome back returning students. We are so excited to meet everyone. We hope you have enjoyed getting to know the Prefects for the 2015-16 year.

Today on the blog we are profiling Prefect Harrison R. He is a day student from St. Catharines.

1. Why did you choose Ridley?

I chose Ridley mainly because I was too focused on the athletic aspect of the public high school system. While at my old school, I participated in +5 different school sport teams as well as a club team outside of school. Because of this I missed a lot of class and did not dedicate enough time to my studies, and consequently my grades fell. Ridley provided me with a more balanced high school career and the structured school day gave me enough time to participate in the sport teams that I wanted to as well as enough time for school work and added study time.

2. Did you feel prepared coming to Ridley?

Before coming to Ridley, I didn’t know what to expect. The daily schedule at Ridley is significantly different than any public high school in the sense that it is much more structured so it did take some time to get used to but I found the switch to be relatively easy.

3. What are your plans after graduation? (ie. University, College, Gap year… degree of study, city you plan to live in, extracurricular pursuits)

Upon graduation, I plan on pursuing a liberal arts program, and more specifically history or psychology, hopefully at the University of British Colombia. These specific subjects particularly have been a great interest of mine and I plan on pursuing them as far as possible. I also plan on playing soccer or running cross-country throughout University.

4. Who is your favourite faculty member and why?

My favourite faculty member is Señor Gerardo Martínez. Señor has been my Spanish teacher for the past two years as well as an active adult figure in the boy’s soccer team. He is a good teacher as well as an extremely funny individual. I have always looked forward to Spanish class as well as around campus as he is an easy person to connect to. In terms of the faulty, Señor is the one who I can go to with problems or simply just to talk to.

5. What has been your greatest challenge thus far at Ridley?

The biggest challenge for me has been managing my time. The IB program as well as being on multiple sports teams per term has provided me with no shortage of schoolwork and little time to do it. I missed a lot of classes and had to make up that time lost and the structure of Ridley life has allowed me to practice my time management skills. At the beginning it was a struggle however as time went on I became increasingly better at managing my time and my schoolwork became easier to handle.

6. What has been your greatest accomplishment thus far at Ridley?

I believe my greatest accomplishment at Ridley has been achieving what I had set out to do since coming to Ridley; to become an all-round student. Ridley offers a number of opportunities in all aspects of a high school education. Through academics, athletics, cadets, community service, and extracurricular activities I feel as if I have adapted from a student who was too focused on athletics to the all-round student I am today.

7. How has Ridley prepared you for the future?

Ridley has taught me valuable skills in organization and time management that will definitely give me an advantage when entering the workforce. The structure and toughness of Ridley and the IB program have prepared myself for the workload in University.

8. What has been your favourite Ridley experience (thus far) and your favorite part of Ridley (chapel, rowing, your house).

My favourite Ridley experience or favourite part of Ridley is the different relationships I’ve made with other students and faculty. Being around the same people for so much time everyday forces you, in a sense, to be active in the Ridley community. It is very easy to make friends and the friends you make here will stick with you. Ridley as a community allows for little room for isolation. Even for those who, like me, are shy at first and do not like the feeling of being around strangers, Ridley makes it easy for everyone to make friends.

9. What are the most important things you have learned from your time at Ridley?

My time at Ridley has taught me that there is more to life than sports. As an athlete I used to spend all of my time doing some sport, and this has always taken priority over everything else. I did not have a social life outside of sports and I missed a lot of school because of it. Ridley has opened my mind to all aspects of life and has given me the ability to live life to the fullest.

10. What advice would you give prospective students about Ridley?

For prospective students, my advice would be to be open-minded and be willing to try different things. Ridley provides so much opportunity and being open-minded will allow for students to get the most out of their time here and to have the best high school and elementary school experience possible.  

Cassidy is a bording student from Canada. She is on the rowing team at Ridley and is a member of Gooderham West House.

1. Why did you choose Ridley?

I was looking for a school that would be able to accommodate both my rowing and academic interests, which I was struggling to achieve with at home. After taking a tour at Ridley, I knew it was where I wanted to go.

2. Did you feel prepared coming to Ridley?

Not really! I had never left home or lived somewhere else without my parents for long periods of time – not even to an overnight summer camp! Needless to say, I was really nervous about becoming a full boarder. After my first year, I realized there was nothing to worry about. The girls in my house have become my family – you can always count on them and the adults in our house (Housemaster, Assistant Housemaster, etc.) to always be there for you. The houses are very welcoming and friendly; the homesickness doesn’t last too long here, so there’s nothing to be worried about.

3. What are your plans after graduation? (i.e. university, college, gap year…degree of study, city you plan to live in, extracurricular pursuits)

After graduation I plan to attend university. Right now I would like to stay in Canada for post-secondary education. I’m really interested in going to either the East or West coast for schooling. As for which program I want to take, I’m still not certain, but I am interested in pursuing an education that involves Law and History.

4. Who is your favourite faculty member and why?

There have been so many different faculty members that have positively affected my experience at Ridley thus far. Many teachers have inspired and encouraged me to push my limits, explore new ideas, and stick with things even when it’s something that I struggle with. However, I would have to say that my favourites would be the residential faculty members in my house. They are always there for you, support you, and help you out with whatever you need. They do so much for you and I have personally become very close with them.

5. What has been your greatest challenge thus far at Ridley?

I think that my greatest challenge has been adjusting to the fast-paced lifestyle here at the school. Coming from a semestered high school, it was quite different to switch to eight yearlong classes. Managing schoolwork with sports, activities, and a social life has been quite the adjustment, but it has really taught me how to prioritize and balance many things effectively.

6. What has been your greatest accomplishment thus far at Ridley?

Adjusting to the whole Ridley lifestyle has been my greatest challenge, which is why it has subsequently become my greatest accomplishment. The culture and vibe at the school is very different from what I was used to and it took longer to become accustomed to it. The schedule is quite full (with academics, athletics, activities, volunteer work, meetings, socializing, etc.) and adjusting to the fast pace is challenging at first, but becomes very rewarding in the end. It becomes easy to absorb everything you want out of the Ridley experience and feel like you’ve achieved something great by the end of the year.

7. What has been your favourite Ridley experience (thus far) and your favourite part of Ridley?

My favourite part of Ridley so far has been my house. Initially, being a full time boarder was difficult; I wasn’t able to see my parents as often, and it was the first time I was living away from home. However the girls and residential members in my house have literally become my family away from home. Living in G-West has been one of the most amazing parts of being at the school.

8. What are the most important things you have learned from your time at Ridley?

Ridley has taught me so many different things. It’s funny because I’ll get these moments here and there where I realize, “That’s definitely something I’ve learned from being at Ridley.” In so many ways, Ridley has taught me to be a better person. It’s taught me to push myself and not put limits on what I can do. It’s showed me how to be a better leader and a friend to everyone. Being at Ridley has made me realize the potential I have and inspires me to be a better person.

9. What advice would you give prospective students about Ridley?

Challenge yourself, take the chance, and immerse yourself into the life here at Ridley. It’s a decision you won’t regret.