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Category: Student Achievement

Together in Service: St. Benedict, Holy Cross, and St. David Schools Raise Over $28,000 for the Sudbury Food Bank 

Posted on by Erin Kendall

In partnership with the Sudbury Food Bank, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is proud to celebrate the success of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School’s second annual Food Drive. This year, the school community, with help from Holy Cross and St. David Elementary Schools raised $28,056.70 and collected 2,100 cans to support individuals and families in need across the Sudbury region. This marks an increase of $6,552.83 from last year’s total of $21,503.95, highlighting the school’s continued dedication to giving back to the community.

The Food Drive, a cornerstone of St. Benedict’s holiday initiatives, reflects the school’s strong commitment to social justice. The Christmas season provides an opportunity to support local food banks, particularly during a time when the need is greater than ever. According to Food Banks Canada, March 2024 saw over 2 million visits to food banks nationwide, a record high underscoring the urgency of addressing food insecurity.

The Food Drive campaign ran from November 25 to December 11, featuring several impactful initiatives that brought the community together: 

  • St. Benedict students prepared and served pasta dinners for families, students, and community members at St. Benedict and Holy Cross.
  • St. Benedict students collected donations at Chris’ Your Independent Grocer and Messier’s Your Independent Grocer.
  • St. Benedict’s fundraising team organized a class competition to raise funds, fostering teamwork and school spirit.
  • Representative St. Benedict Bears also attended both Holy Cross and St. David Elementary schools for a pep rally, that energized their school partners to join forces in collecting monetary donations and non-perishable food items. 

“This initiative has given our students a chance to reflect on their blessings, connect with their community, and develop leadership skills through community service,” said Principal Beverley Belanger. “We are deeply grateful to all our contributors; this includes our students, staff, families, elementary schools, and, of course, our local partners, including Messier’s Your Independent Grocer, Chris’ Your Independent Grocer, Caruso Club, and Vito Brand Meats, whose support made this achievement possible.”

“I’m truly inspired by the way our school community came together to support those in need this year,” said David Akero, St. Benedict student and Sudbury Catholic District School Board Student Trustee. “The Food Drive showed us the importance of food banks and the meaningful accomplishments we can achieve by coming together as a community.”

Bishop Student Appointed to Student Trustee at Sudbury Catholic Schools 

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Grade 10 Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S. student Julia Parenteau has been appointed as the newest Sudbury Catholic District School Board Student Trustee for the 2023-2025 terms. The appointment took place at the April 18, 2023 Board meeting. Julia will join fellow Student Trustee Catena Hayden beginning August 1, 2023. 

Julia is a devoted leader both on her school’s Student Council and on the Student Senate. Seen as an active member of the community, Julia spends much of her time volunteering at her local church and serving as a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Committee. She has also devoted time to serving food to veterans and their families and volunteering at various events for the Maison Sudbury Hospice. 

Julia is strong advocate for student voice and believes it is a necessary for student development and growth. She hopes to bring more attention to mental health and well-being within schools and create resources to help students and school environments navigate appropriate solutions. 

“I believe it’s important for students to be involved in their education because, with an absence of involvement, their lives and our school communities would lack growth. When a student is involved in their education, they ask questions and make a point to self-assess their progress and attitude towards school. It’s these kinds of students who not only better themselves but also their school environment because they set examples and show good habits that other students may feel they need to pick up on,” said Julia Parenteau. 

“Julia is a passionate and dedicated individual. Her commitment to bettering our school system and helping her fellow students is inspring not only to her peers but to us as well. We look forward to working alongside her, as we continue to champion Student Voice at the Board table ,” said Michael Bellmore, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. 

Sudbury Catholic Students Excel at Sudbury Regional Science Fair 

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 16 student projects from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board were on display during the Sudbury Regional Science Fair on April 1, 2023. Subjects ranged from engineering and coding to environmental initiatives and electricity. The following student projects received awards: 

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School 

  • Olaterere Awosik, “Klean” The Automatic Cleaning Robot
  • Award: Honourable Mention – Junior Engineering 
  • Constantinos Urso & Thomas Reich, EZ-Drain
  • Awards: Third Place – Junior Engineering and the Bharti School of Engineering and Computer Science Engineering Award 

Marymount Academy 

  • Victoria Leigh, Indoor Air Quality
  • Awards: First Place – Junior Physical Sciences, Sanofi Biogenius Canada Award and Canada Wide Science Fair Winner 
  • Maggie Polischuk, The Breakaway Steering Wheel
  • Awards: Bharti School of Engineering and Computer Science Engineering Award, Students’ Choice Award and Canada Wide Science Fair Winner 

Both Victoria Leigh and Maggie Polischuk will be moving on to the Canada Wide Science Fair which will take place in May 2023 in Edmonton. 

“Everyone who participated put in so much effort towards the Regional Fair – winning these awards at the fair was so unexpected. Receiving an invitation to attend the national fair is very exciting and I am looking forward to attending,” said Victoria Leigh. 

“For me it was more fun than work because I picked a topic that I enjoyed learning about. Meeting people that have the same interests as me has been amazing. I look forward to representing my school and the Board at the Canada wide Science Fair next month!” Maggie Polischuk. 

In addition, St. Benedict C.S.S Science teacher Loretta Cuda received the Ambassador of Science Award. This award is given to someone who has contributed to science programming over the years by facilitating and encouraging teachers and students to participate in project-based learning opportunities, including annual science fairs. 

“It is an honour to have been presented the Sudbury Regional Science Fair Ambassador of Science Award. I have been a member of the Sudbury Regional Science Fair for ten years as the Activities Chair and also a member of Teacher Resources. I have had the opportunity to attend four Canada Wide Science Fairs, which has taught me the importance of inquiry-based learning; something that I always implement into my classroom. I am a firm believer in allowing students to engage directly in their learning and explore the answers to their scientific inquiries through hands-on opportunities,” said Loretta Cuda. 

The Canada Wide Science Fair will take place from May 14-May 19, 2023, in Edmonton, Alberta. All Sudbury Catholic projects can be viewed at the following link: https://projectboard.world/ysc/sudbury-virtual-science-fair-en 

Maggie Polischuk
Victoria Leigh

Congratulations to St. Benedict Bear Emily Levesque on Joining the Cambrian Golden Shield

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Secondary student, Emily Levesque from St. Benedict CSS, has recently signed a commitment letter to join the Cambrian College soccer team, the Cambrian Golden Shield. This announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by Head Coach Evan Philips, who personally came to St. Benedict to welcome Emily to the team.

According to Coach Philips, Emily has already started training with the team during the winter months. He expressed excitement about working with Emily over the summer to further develop her skills.

“Emily has already begun training with us during the winter. I am excited to work with her more over the summer as we continue her development into the OCAA and beyond.” – Evan Phillips, Head Coach, Cambrian Golden Shield.

The St. Benedict Bears family is immensely proud of Emily’s accomplishments, and they wish her nothing but success on her new journey. They are confident that her hard work and dedication to the sport will serve her well as she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her athletic career.

As Emily prepares to take the field as part of the Cambrian Golden Shield soccer team, she can be sure that she has the support and encouragement of her St. Benedict Bears family behind her every step of the way. Way to go, Emily!

Sudbury Catholic Schools Host Annual Science Fair

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board held their annual Science Fair on February 28, 2023, at St. Charles College. The fair was open to Grade 7 and 8 students. 

The winners of this year’s Science Fair were as follows:

First Place/Best in Fair

  • Indoor Air Quality, Victoria Leigh, Marymount Academy
  • Do Different Music genres effect reading? Lila Ricker, Marymount Academy

Second Place

  • La Chaleur Contre le sol, Mila Kidd and Ayla Falcioni, Marymount Academy

Third Place

  • Klean Machine, Olaterere Awosika, St. Benedict C.S.S
  • EZ-Drain, Thomas Reich and Costantinos Urso, St. Benedict C.S.S
  • Sèche mains germé, Leah Serre et Paytyn Farmer, Marymount Academy
  • La croissance des plantes, Samantha Chow, Marymount Academy
  • Reveillez-vous, Leah Diotte, Marymount Academy

Most Creative

  • Steer Clear: The Breakaway Steering Wheel, Maggie Polischuk, Marymount Academy
  • Lequel est moin sale? Aven Thompson, Marymount Academy
  • Lumière sans électricité: Ampoule bouteille solaire, Megan Leclair, Marymount AcademySont les masques nos ennemis? Abigail Debruyn, Marymount Academy
  • 15 minutes de cardio, Kiana Smith et Fae Flanagan, Marymount Academy

Best Presentation

  • Can climate change ruin our ski hills for good? Annabelle Richardson et Isabella Palladino, Marymount Academy
  • Spherification, Lua Schiewek and Louisse Apilan, Marymount Academy
  • Tok Tok: Germes sur les portes… Mia Dufresne, Marymount Academy

All projects listed above will proceed to the Sudbury Regional Science Fair on April 1 and 2, 2023 at Laurentian University.

Louise Franklin, Superintendent of School Effectiveness with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board said that the Fair was a fantastic way to encourage students to participate in science-based activities on a large scale.  

“Our Science Fair offers students the opportunity to participate in a formal judging process alongside their peers. With an emphasis on innovation and scientific inquiry, the Science Fair allows students to develop projects through critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. A great deal of time and commitment went into these projects and all students should be extremely proud of their efforts. We would like to thank the members of the Science Fair Committee, Chris Polischuk, Martha Facchini, and Loretta Cuda, for their dedication to providing such opportunities for students at Sudbury Catholic. We are excited to see what the selected students will accomplish at the Regional Science Fair,” she said.

St. Benedict Student, Andrew Kilby, Signs Commitment Letter with University of Waterloo

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Coach Kim Labrosse and Andrew Kilby shake hands

Andrew Kilby, student at St. Benedict C.S.S is taking his love of football to the next level! The 18 year old student signed his letter of commitment to play football with the University of Waterloo. Andrew completed the signing alongside his coach, Kim Labrosse.

“It’s something I have been working toward for a really long time, and it feels amazing to be here in this moment!” said Andrew Kilby. “Coach Labrosse has helped me so much throughout the years. He has made me a better player.”

In addition to his passion and talent for football, Andrew will be completing an undergrad in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo. As a proud St. Benedict Bear, Andrew feels that the school helped prepare him for the future.

“St. Benedict is a school full of high achieving students – the teachers here really helped push me to the next level. I even had the opportunity to take a kinesiology course in Grade 11. I truly believe St. Benedict made me a better athlete and student and I feel very prepared for the next stage in both aspects” said Andrew.

Coach Kim Labrosse is very proud of everything that Andrew has accomplished.

“Academically, Andrew achieves what St. Benedict stands for. He will be an excellent addition to the University of Waterloo in that sense. When it comes to football, his work ethic is one of the best I have ever seen. He knows how to work hard, and he comes from a family that has taught him to be gracious and humble.”

“When we as coaching staff can help a student continue their dream, then we know we have done our job.” he adds.

2021-22 Director’s Annual Report

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We are very pleased to present the Director of Education’s Annual Report for the 2021-2022 school year. 

We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.

Click here to read our 2021-22 report!

SCDSB Launches Annual Christmas Card Artwork Contest

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Starting Nov. 1st, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be looking for submissions for our annual Christmas card artwork contest. 

Year after year, we have the pleasure of seeing the creativity and imagination of our students flourish through this annual tradition and we are excited to see what beautiful artwork 2022 will bring forward.

Submissions will be accepted until November 18, 2022 at 4:30 p.m.

Please see the attached poster for details.

Christmas Card Artwork Contest

Sudbury Catholic Schools Give Back to the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee

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Staff and students at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board raised $1,923.10 to support the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee. Leaves of Change: Binaakwe Giizis is a fundraiser which took place on October 14, 2022, to promote environmental stewardship.

The goal of the fundraiser is to engage in civic and environmental responsibility by bringing attention to climate change and better understand how we can protect the earth for future generations. Throughout the day and the month of October, students and staff are encouraged to make more sustainable efforts. This includes cleaning green spaces by picking up trash and litter, recycling, using a reusable water bottle and reducing day to day waste, where possible. 

In addition, October is known as Binaakwe Giizis – Moon of Falling Leaves. The fundraiser also served as an educational opportunity to understand, acknowledge, and respect Indigenous perspectives on caring for Mother Earth (Shkagamik Kwe). 

“As a school board, it is our responsibility to create opportunities that teach the importance of protecting the earth for future generations.Environmental degradation affects the health and well-being of all peoples of North America and the world in many ways. By participating in this fundraiser, and the many planned activities, we help our community engage in volunteerism and create hope through environmental restoration,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. 

Sudbury Catholic Schools Appoints Second Student Trustee for the 2022 – 2024 term

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Catena Hayden as a Student Trustee for the 2022-2024 term. Catena is a Grade 10 student at Marymount Academy and joins her fellow Student Trustee Jack Gouchie. Together, they will bring forward student voice at the Board table. 

Catena is an active community member at Marymount Academy. Since 2018, Catena has been a member of the Student Administrative Council (SAC) and enjoys collaborating with her peers and teachers to organize spirit days and fundraisers to enhance the educational experience for all.  She is passionate about helping others and wants to make a difference in her community by inspiring students to get involved in intiatives that deepen their learning and demonstrate service to others. This past year, Catena joined the Sudbury Catholic Student Senate to connect with fellow secondary students in SCDSB’s four secondary schools to help promote campaigns such as Toonies for Tuition, Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving, and the Can Tab Drive. Catena is eager to represent the voice of students at the board table. 

In addition to being a devoted student and committed to academic excellence, she is also proud to be in the French Immersion Program and appreciates diverse cultures. Upon her secondary graduation, she aspires to become an aerospace engineer and will start completing the Architecture and Engineering Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) offered through Marymount Academy in the Fall 2022. 

While away from school, Catena practices her faith as an active member of her Catholic Community at Our Lady of Hope Parish. In addition, Catena volunteers her time to help causes, like the fundraiser for Ukraine at Immaculate Conception.

“I am honoured that I was selected to serve as Student Trustee for the next two years. I am excited to use this opportunity to grow as a leader, share my ideas, and help represent students from all Sudbury Catholic schools at the Board table.” – Catena Hayden, Student Trustee.

“Sudbury Catholic District School Board welcomes Catena Haden as our second Student Trustee,” said Michael Bellmore, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “Catena is an exceptional student and has demonstrated an impressive commitment to her school and community. We have great faith she will make all voices heard and look forward to her many contributions throughout her term at the Board table.“

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