Nov 21st, 2012 – Peace Week Ceremony 2012

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community

YMCA’s all around the world are celebrating peace this week in many different ways.  The Central Y in downtown Toronto hosted its annual Peace Medallion Ceremony on Tuesday where the St. Jamestown Youth Council was recognized for their peace-building initiatives.  The Academy’s own Keara and Dakota were the emcees for this prestigious event which drew quite a crowd to celebrate youth and peace.  Special thanks goes out to Tristan, Omar, Allora, Yasin and Mikaela for helping the event run smoothly.  Peace out!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Nov 13th, 2012 – Remembrance Day Ceremony

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community

Today members of The Academy gathered to observe Remembrance Day. Students and staff shared personal reflections on peace and remembering as well as quotes and poems of peace. We took two minutes of silence to honour and remember those that have lost their lives or had their lives impacted by violence and war. We screened The Academy Peace Week video highlighting those peace promoting activities that the Academy students have participated in this school year. To close, all in attendance took a moment to create a written statement of peace, outlining how each of us could contribute to peace within ourselves, within our circle of friends and within our communities.

As a staff I am always so impressed by our student’s level of insight and compassion towards the world around them.

Peace.

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page

Nov 2nd, 2012 – The Academy’s new Guitar Club

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom

Bad Moon Rising.  Redemption Song.  I Will Walk 500 miles.  These are a few of the songs that members of the Academy’s new Guitar Club have been working on lately.  We meet a couple of times each week and practice chords, strumming and technique.  We are very grateful to several YMCA of Greater Toronto employees, such as Gerry, Shayna, Brandon and Erin for donating and lending some guitars so that we can all enjoy the music.  Stay “tuned” for news about the holiday talent show!!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Oct 17th, 2012 – Pizza Lunch Fundraiser

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community

We Scare Hunger! Grade 11 Media Arts students launched a We Day initiative with a lunch time pizza party. Students gobbled up slices of yummy pizza with proceeds going to charity and listened to music to kick off a food drive for the Fort York Food Bank. The food drive runs from Oct 11 to Oct 31 and donations of non-perishable food can be brought to the reception area of the Academy.

 

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Oct 15th, 2012 – Feast of Thanks Photos & Blog

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community, Native Studies

Have you ever wondered where the traditions around Thanksgiving came from?  Have you ever considered the links between the American Columbus day and Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday, both occurring every year on the second Monday in October?  Students in the YMCA Academy’s World Religions and Native Studies classes decided to honour and celebrate Canada’s Indigenous people for Thanksgiving this year.  We hosted a huge feast in our cafeteria and made educational displays about topics like the origins of Thanksgiving, Aboriginal traditions and local foods as well as the truth behind Christopher Columbus’ intentions in “the new world.”  We were honoured to have guests from the YMCA of Greater Toronto, the Native Canadian Center of Toronto and volunteers in attendance and we thank everyone for contributing pumpkin pies, traditional fish cakes, roasted squash and homemade cookies!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!