There is no question that 2016-2017 has been a historic year for Ridley – with many remarkable accomplishments and memories to be proud of.  Although it was hard to narrow down, here are 10 highlights from this year at Ridley.

1. New Era for Sport at Ridley When Teams Joined OSBA & JWHL LeaguesRead more on OSBA.
Read more on JWHL.

2. Xavier West ’21 Accepts Youth Award During WE Day
Read more.

3. Fulford Cup Brought Home for First Time in 17 YearsRead more.

4. Board Chair Named One of Canada’s Most Powerful WomenRead more. 

5. Students Grow on Service & Experiential Learning TripsRead more about service-learning trips.
Read more about experiential-learning trips.

6. LS Scientists Win a Niagara Regional Science & Engineering FairRead more. 

7. Ridley Celebrates Importance of Creativity During Arts in AprilRead more.

8. First Cohort of MYP Students Complete Personal Project

9. Rowers Make Ridley History at National ChampionshipsRead more.

10. Graduates of the Class of 2017 Officially Become Old Ridleians

Each year, over 100 Grade 12 students walk across the stage to accept their diploma at Ridley’s Graduate Prize Day. They enter a Tiger and leave an Old Ridleian (OR). As an OR, you are connected to over 8,000 individuals, spanning the globe and travelling down many different career paths.

While each OR is entirely unique, there is one common element that binds them… Ridley College.

The campus, the people, the spirit: all leave an indelible mark on each student who attends Ridley.

Here are five reasons it’s incredible to be an OR:

1. You gain world-wide, life-long friends.

There’s no question that the community at Ridley is a diverse one, with students coming to campus from 44 countries around the world. With so much time spent on campus, in class and on the field, student connections become fortified.

2. Once a Tiger, always a Tiger.

Whether it’s a walk around campus – seeing the same red-brick buildings, hearing the chimes of the School House bells – or finding an old jersey in the closet evokes a feeling of nostalgia, it is a feeling that binds all Ridleians together.

3. You become a global citizen.

Whether a student spends one year at Ridley or ten, they have a culturally enriching experience. Upon graduation, each student leaves as a globally-minded and accepting individual.

4. The opportunities are endless.

The opportunities presented to Ridleians over the course of their education set them up for opportunities after Ridley. The lessons, the memories, the adventures all come together to prepare one for a lifetime of moments worth remembering.

5. You can always come home.

The best part about graduating, is coming back. Returning to campus and seeing what has changed is amazing, but chatting with current students is even better.

Cassandra Mitchell ’17 graduates from Ridley on May 27^th, ending one chapter of her story and beginning another. While Ridley will always be her home, come September, Cassandra will be packing her bags and travelling 11,121 km to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where she will attend New York University’s global campus.

Cassandra’s Ridley journey began three years ago and, in that short time, she fully has embodied what it means to be a Ridleian. She has been active in every aspect of a Ridley education – academics, arts, athletics and co-curricular programmes. With a strong passion for global change and human rights, Cassandra has led groups such as the Positive Space Group – which was just nominated for a Niagara UNITY Award – and Ridley’s environmental group, the Green Tigers. In her final year at Ridley, she has also led her peers as a school Prefect.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme has challenged Cassandra for the past two years; encouraging her to take risks, broaden her horizons and grow as a learner. However, academics were not the only valuable aspect of Ridley that Cassandra has benefitted from.

“Without a doubt I would not be going to my dream school next year without the amazing support I have received here at Ridley. I have been given the opportunity to grow as a learner through the IB programme, and grow as a leader through prefectship and the clubs I’m involved in. During my time at Ridley, I have been given so many opportunities to further my education. I have to, once again, mention the IB programme because it has helped me so much. I am a more intelligent, more thoughtful, and just a better person because of the programme. I am so grateful for that privilege, but I think the most valuable thing that Ridley has given me has nothing to do with being a student. Through the amazing people I’ve met, I have learned how to listen, and have developed some of the most meaningful relationships of my life.” – Cassandra Mitchell ’17

The network of students that spans campus is so vast, connecting all aspects of Ridley life. Students have friends in their houses, in the studio, on the field and in the classroom, creating a web of support. That deep connectivity has given Cassandra many memories to look back upon as she prepares to walk across the stage on Prize Day 2017.

“I’m going to miss the maple tree outside of the Marriott Gates. I pass it on the way to school every day and in the fall, it turns the most spectacular shade of red. I’m going to miss trying to squish seven girls on a four-person couch in house meetings. I’m going to miss reading all the plaques around the school and imagining faces to all the names I don’t recognize and imagining what the classrooms and the dining hall and the hallways looked like 100 years ago. This is a special place.” – Cassandra Mitchell ’17

High school graduation is a big step, but the promise of adventure and discovery has Cassandra eager for this next chapter. New York University’s global campus’ purpose is to foster the next generation of global leaders. Cassandra will be among likeminded individuals, who believe in the future and are prepared to dedicate their lives to changing the world. Beyond the invigorating academic and intellectual experience Cassandra is preparing for, she is also excited for the opportunities that await her in the Middle East.

“What attracted me most immediately was the ethos of the school. The vision of the institution is something that I am so excited to be a part of. The second, more superficial, selfish reason I am so attracted to the school is the location. I absolutely adore travelling and exploring places I’ve never been. The Middle East is an area of the world I have yet to explore, full of cultures I can’t wait to immerse myself in.” – Cassandra Mitchell ’17

On May 27^th, Cassandra will become an Old Ridleian, connecting her and her classmates to over 8,000 alumni spanning the globe. Cassandra will continue to grow during her journey abroad and is excited to see how Ridley transforms as well.

“I’m excited to watch Ridley grow. I’m excited to watch the plans I hear about now come to fruition. I can’t wait to come back here to visit and find that the school has grown to be even better than I remember it.”  –­ Cassandra Mitchell ’17

Congratulations to Cassandra and the Class of 2017 as they embark on their great journeys beyond the Marriott Gates.

This year, Ridley will graduate a total of 144 students, with one student in particular celebrating her impressive acceptance to Brown University – where, this year, only 9.2% of applicants were accepted. Megan Forrest ’17 will also be one of few Ridleians to complete the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, play on a First team and be accepted to an Ivy League school.

Megan began her Ridley career in 2015, when her and her family were seeking an educational institution that could challenge her, both academically and athletically.  Ridley was the perfect fit, so Megan spent the next two years becoming deeply involved in the Ridley community. She took on a full IB course load, played for the First Girls’ hockey team and was an active member in her boarding house. While her schedule was demanding, Megan took full advantage of Ridley’s evening tutorials and support from teachers to help her maintain strong grades, while still spending enough time on the ice to fine-tune her skills.

“Ridley has provided me with the solid education required to get into Brown but it has also taught me many lessons that I will take along with me.  Other than passing IB, my goal when I started at Ridley was to play DI hockey.  The Tiger Arena and other athletic facilities were a necessity for being able to improve my game and overall strength.  The combination of Ridley’s hockey program, guidance team and IB program were what allowed me to make my dream a reality for this coming year.“- Megan Forrest ’17

While practicing her passions, Megan made sure to enjoy time with her Ridley family; participating in Friday night house activities and even starting ‘Fondue Night’ in Leonard House.

Now that Graduate Prize Day has finally arrived, Megan has taken some time to reflect on her Ridley career.

“Other than the obvious answer being all of the amazing people I met at Ridley, I think I will miss the tight knit community.  With such a small school, I was able to get to know almost all of my grade as well as many students in other grades. Since a large number of us live on campus, we are constantly together and got to know each other really well. Another reason that the Ridley community is so tight knit is that our teachers are also our sports coaches and are sometimes even on duty in our houses.” – Megan Forrest ’17

In September, Megan will be heading to Rhode Island to study Neuroscience at Brown University. While she works towards completing her programme, Megan will be playing for the Brown Bears women’s hockey team and potentially the track team as well.

“Brown is the perfect school for me as it is small and rural but so welcoming and inclusive. With its many clubs and all of the amazing people I am sure I will enjoy the next four years of my educational journey.“ – Megan Forrest ’17

On May 27^th, Megan will join the ranks of all the Ridley graduates that have come before her, officially becoming an Old Ridleian.

“I am excited to come back to Ridley for HomeComing weekends to support future student athletes and reconnect with my classmates. I am looking forward to being able to connect with other Ridley alumni no matter where I am in the world. My time at Ridley was truly enjoyable and I am proud to be graduating from such an amazing school.” – Megan Forrest ’17

Congratulations to Megan and her accomplishments at Ridley. We wish her and her classmates good luck as they prepare for graduation and their journeys beyond the Marriott Gates.

Ridley inspires even its youngest students to consider critical global issues and enact change. Recently, our Grade 6 students demonstrated how the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) supports this mission with the PYP Personal Project Exhibition.

About PYP
Ridley is proud to implement the PYP into our Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum. The PYP curricular framework focuses on the whole child; developing their social, academic and emotional well-being. Incorporated into the framework are six transdisciplinary themes that focus on local and world issues and can be explored in each subject. The students are asked to explore these themes, find connections between them and determine how they relate to their course work.

Personal Project Exhibition
On May 10^th, 2017, our Grade 6 students lined the halls of Lower School for the Class of 2023 Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition. This annual exhibition challenges our students to explore global issues and culminates all the teachings from the PYP. Twenty-two students worked diligently on these group projects for six weeks, before presenting their final products to families, friends and members of the Ridley community.

Project topics ranged from inquiries into community relationships, natural resources, equal opportunities, conflict resolution and mental health issues. Each student group decided on a broad inquiry question and then focused their research to a topic within. Each of the nine groups were paired with a mentor, who helped them along their investigative process.

One group, in particular, focused on technology and the importance of responsible use in the community. Working closely with Mr. Clarke, Head of Lower School, each of the three students focused on a different aspect – distraction, cyber bullying and addiction.

“I chose to focus on technology distraction because it affects many people including myself, and the issue will continue to grow as technology advances our world.” – Ada O. ’23

“For my action, I interviewed an experienced counsellor, alongside my associate Ada. My lines of inquiry were – ‘How can we stop or prevent technology addition (Responsibility)’, ‘What are the factors of technology addiction (Function)’ and ‘Technology addictions compared to other addictions (Connection)’.” – Edgar L. ’23

Another group worked with Grade 3 teacher, Mrs. York-Ireland, to explore the negative effects that humanity has on the environment. The students focused on invasive species, over-hunting, deforestation and water pollution.

“I selected water pollution because it has been a global issue for many years and it seems like it doesn’t get the attention it should. One of my fondest memories of exhibition is when I helped to clean up at the beach.” Riley B. ’23

Enacting Change

Beyond the extensive research done by each group, the students were required to take action in their local community. This led the students to discover the issues that exist in their very own backyards and how they can help make an impact. Some students educated their peers, while others volunteered for organizations around St. Catharines.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023. We hope this is only the beginning of your service journey. Terar Dum Prosim.