The 2011 Lions Bay Graduates

"A bird in a cage may flutter its wings but will never fly". Fourteen of our Grade 12 students - Isabelle Akerhielm, Chantelle Ashcroft, Tyler Gregson, Sidney Link, Mitchell Lyons-Stevenson, Laura Matthias, Sawyer O'Dwyer, Quinn Proudfoot, Samantha Schaffner, Robert Simpson, Samuel Spencer, Rigel Sun, Nikolas Von Krosigk, Nevin Welch - graduated from their High Schools this year  - Rockridge, Sentinel, West Van Secondary. They are ready or getting ready to take to the flyways of their choice, to enjoy a freedom, no doubt constrained by personal circumstances, but nevertheless a freedom denied to many.  We of the LBCSF wish all of them well as they set forth on the next paths of future careers, like the doves taking flight from the Tree of Knowledge emblem of our Foundation. What follows are short "vignettes" about the recipients of the Curly Stewart, the Norman Kirby, and the Lions Bay Community Scholarships. And "B & B in LB" means "born & bred in Lions Bay"!

Isabelle Akerhielm receives the Norman Kirby Scholarship, and will soon set off to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, to study for a degree in Business. Meantime she works at Starbucks to provide much needed income. Beginning playschool in Lions Bay and West Vancouver, Isabelle fondly remembers, "peanut and honey sandwiches for lunch - I was a picky eater", a sustenance that has nurtured someone who would become a strong, and physically talented tennis player. Then followed Pauline Johnson for eight years of rigorous French immersion classes, "even in the corridors", where latent interests in maths and music developed. Isabelle learned the guitar, playing mostly as a soloist. She participated in Music Theatre Festivals, and, for a month or so in the summer holidays she was part of a group of a hundred or so singers, dancers and actors performing in "Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!" - public shows at the nationally acclaimed Perry Ehrlich Jewish Centre in Vancouver. A highlight for the Grade 7 class (50-60 students) was a teacher-led cultural tour of Quebec, where, probably unbeknownst to the teachers, an impromptu midnight 'rain dance' was necessary in order to ensure sunshine the following day.

At Sentinel (grades 8-12), in a school of "great teachers", there were many "funner" activities, academic and otherwise, to enjoy.  Isabelle excelled in the sciences, in arts, and in sports. In several classes she was in the Advanced Placement level. The Parisian French teacher was "such a character", the English teacher was "a pinnacle among teachers", and Physics, Maths and Calculus, "so logical", were among her favourites, perhaps revealing a paternal gene? The maternal gene emerged in Languages and Music. For Choir, she was "not allowed to sing, I was too loud!"  Having started voice lessons outside of school while in Grade 10, her strong voice was ideal for stellar solo performances. Her writing skills gained her a Medallion and Certificate from the North Shore Optimists Club for an essay on the "Value of Education", a story about her grandfather.

Outdoor and sporting activities, both recreational and competitive, are important to Isabelle. Once seen regularly with Isabelle, the walking of her "Topaz-the-fuzz-dog" seems to be taken over by parents! After learning horse riding locally, French immersion was complemented by horse riding camps in Quebec. Tennis is her sport of choice, playing for Sentinel on the 2011 Team that won the Provincial Seniors Tennis Tournament Championship. "It is too bad that Kingston has no indoor tennis courts!"

Tyler Gregson: When I arrive early at the cafe, Tyler is already there, University papers in hand, overflowing with thoughts and words as we set out to "paint his portrait". Tomorrow he sets off to establish his home-away-from-home in residence at Simon Fraser University - "several days early, because we are going camping as a family for the long weekend".  A "B & B in LB" student, he speaks of the ambience of growing up and going to school in the Village, an ambience that was recalled fondly for its sense of "togetherness", blending together with more distinct memories of friends and activities - racing toy pedal cars in pre-school, Mrs Dembicki in kindergarten, and in grades 1-3, Mrs Wright's impeccably distinctive hand printing of Hallowe'en and other school posters, and "I could even ask Barrie MacLeod (phys ed and music teacher) to tie my shoe laces". Tyler speaks appreciatively of his "support network of friends of the highest character, Sam Spencer among them, developed in Lions Bay all the way from preschool to grades 12".

Moving to Collingwood in grade 4 from "homely Lions Bay" was a hard transition, compensated by the valuable experience of "re-uniting with Lions Bay students and friends" in grades 5-7 at Gleneagles  - "bonds are important, as is camping with family".   At Gleneagles and Rockridge (grades 8-12), Tyler found that although his path is in the Social Sciences, with a passion for History and English, he "did manage to scrape by in Maths but did well in the Sciences".  Family tell him "above all else, get an education", a message that Tyler clearly intends to follow. In books, for example, he finds recreation as well as the intellectual challenge of moral messaging. Working during the summer at Indigo Books was a perfect fit! His Bachelor of Arts program at SFU toward a History degree begins "immediately after Labour Day", with classes in Critical Thinking, World History, and International Studies. Tyler is ready to embrace the World, but at SFU he is never too far away from "a quick trip home to enjoy Mom's excellent dinners".

Laura Matthias: August 28, 2011, 9:55 am. Laura arrives at the cafe, out of breath. "I'm almost late! We collect our drinks and repair to a sunny table on the lawn. "I haven't been to the cafe in years and years. My Dad would bring us here when we were little and it was his turn to cook. We'd have pizza". Laura is a "b & b in LB" student, recipient of the Curly Stewart Memorial Award, filled with memories - joyous memories, of growing up in Lions Bay. Pre-school was at St Monica's - "We walked to every beach near Horseshoe Bay, accompanied by two huge great big dogs, Beethoven in the lead, Sebastian bringing up the rear". One day at kindergarten in Lions Bay, it was her turn to follow a trail of sparkles that led to a hidden brown box - "I still have it". Inside is the little tooth that the tooth fairy had returned to Laura. Bless Mrs Dembicki.

Primary school (Grades 1-3) was also in Lions Bay, "The best School of its kind in Canada, on the edge of a great forest where mud pie factories and other important activities took place". The playing field was another outdoors space for endless soccer games, but surely the great honour was to be chosen as the "special helper" for the day and allowed to toll the big bell, calling the students back to their classes!

Going to Gleneagles (grades 4-7) on the school bus was wonderfully exciting and Laura loved it (but not so cool during high school years!). While there was more regimentation that at open plan Lions Bay, Laura quickly adapted, making new friends, playing volleyball and basket ball (she is not 6-foot tall!), the violin (grade 4) and flute (grade 5) in the school band, and enjoying "new ways to learn things". For a project - a character book about an animal, she chose the turtle, a curious choice for the very active Laura!

It seems that Laura found all of her teachers at Rockridge (grades 8-12) to be inspiring and motivating. She appreciated the greater freedom, the variety of sports and the choices of electives. One highlight was the Sewing Class in Home Economics, leading to a Fashion Show in Grade 9. Another was serving as Vice President and as a committed organizer of Rockridge Interact, the largest of the BC school clubs sponsored by the Rotary Foundation. The "24-hour Famine" was an event that raised a substantial sum for famine relief, and attending a Rotary Breakfast with a friend to hear adult members speak of local charity work was a valuable extra curricular experience.  Also among her favourites were Maths, Science, playing school volleyball and soccer at gold level in the West Vancouver Girls team, with games in Langley, Semiahmoo and Squamish, all catering to a well-rounded competitive spirit. Having enjoyed school immensely, would he like to be a teacher? "Oh no, I don't have anything like the patience of Mom!" Kudos to Mom. For three summers Laura has worked at the Lions Bay Marina, learning a great deal about a small business operation, and enjoying being so close to our wonderful beach for after work swims!

Laura is now entering the four-year Richard Ivey School of Business program at Western University, beginning with Management and Organization but perhaps specialising later in Finance and Accounting. She is glad to have her own single room in residence, to be able to pursue her studies as she pleases.

Sawyer O'Dwyer, a "B & B in LB" scholar, has pleasant memories of early schooldays and friendships in Lions Bay, attending daycare and then K-3 with Mrs Rowley. At Gleneagles (grades 4-7), she liked the creativity of the Arts classes and she began a commitment that has led to excellence in athletics and several sports. At Rockridge (grades 8-12) she continued to play soccer, volleyball, tennis, and basketball, sometimes as Team Captain, often coaching younger boys and girls teams in these sports and refereeing when time allowed (she is a member of the BC Association of Referees). No wonder Sawyer was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) several times over!  In the classroom she achieved Honors with Distinction every year for her academic abilities in all her subjects. Outside of class she actively participated in socially commendable volunteer activities designed to help those who are less fortunate: the Interact Club (for third world schools), "We Day for Free the Children" (fundraising), "Cyclebetes" (funds for juvenile diabetes research), and the Umoyo Club (for a girls' school in Zambia). Sawyer is conversant in French, and "loves the outdoors" - skiing, snowboarding, slalom water skiing, windsurfing, kayaking, rock climbing, gardening (even "familiar with mechanical and electrical tools"). She now heads off to Queens University in Ontario to enter the four-year undergraduate Kinesiology Program.

Samantha Schaffner has lived in Victoria for pre-school, West Vancouver for kindergarten to grade 9, going to Cypress Park Primary for grades K-3 and Caulfield Elementary for grades 4-7, and most recently in Lions Bay for most of High School at Rockridge (grades 8-12). Quietly spoken, Samantha said she tended to be quite shy at first, hence she liked the small size of Cypress Park (maybe 50 students), where she knew everybody. "We did a giant Mural that included the names of all the children and our 'portraits' of each other. Around the border were all the words of value that we could think of - responsibility, kindness, empathy ... It was shown in the North Shore News". Samantha did a drawing of her friend who was in a wheelchair. The transition to Caulfield Elementary where she knew only two other kids at first was a bit disconcerting -  "there were hundreds of kids, all seeming so big and so much older!" Soon she made new friends, joining the "Dirty Bombers" at recess times to slide off a huge rock on a very muddy field - a practice that was eventually banned, no doubt to the satisfaction of many mothers. One of her passions at school was Art (drawing, painting, imagining ...), supplemented by extra-curicular classes at the Silk Purse where she volunteered while in grade 6 as a Summer helper and games guide for younger kids. Trips to the beaches at Ambleside and Dundarave were favorites for her charges, where (she noticed) the water was much less clear than in Lions Bay. Samantha cautiously admits to being in the School Choir, participating in Christmas events at Park Royal and at an ICBC building downtown, where (her words) "luckily my voice was drowned out by those who could sing!"

At Rockridge (grades 8-12), making new friends again! It was in grade 10 that Samantha felt happiest, finding a sense of direction and becoming more involved in many activities and several clubs. Among such activities that Samantha enjoyed were: Free the Children Club, raising money to build a school in Ecuador; the Kanata Club, a welcoming group for international students from Germany, Japan, Brazil and Mexico; and the Interact Club that held a "shoe drive" for downtown eastsiders, a "spread the net" campaign to provide anti-mosquito nets to Ethiopia, a fund drive to build wells for potable water in Sierra Leone, and also the "24-hour famine" to raise money to support the needy elsewhere in the world.

In school, Samantha rose into the Advanced Placement level in many classes - pre-AP Art, and AP in English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, resulting in "much stress at Exam time!" For relaxation she and her mother took Yoga classes in Lions Bay, and for years she has enjoyed skiing with her Dad at Big White - "very fast skiing" she says. "We even got tickets to see the Men's Aerial Finals at the Olympics!"   She plans to pursue a career path in Science with Biology and Genetics as her special interests of the moment, perhaps leading to research in health related matters. "which genes gave me my red hair?" Although she is also passionate about Art, this she will keep as a hobby.  Today she is packing in preparation for her move into residence at UBC, where she is registered in the highly selective Science One Program - no doubt providing the demanding challenges that Samantha will thrive on. But in case of stress please set time aside for Yoga, Skiing, Snowboarding ...

Samuel Spencer is a third generation "B & B in LB" student, his aunt and his mother being the first and second children born in the Village of Lions Bay to the pioneering Alex and Sharon Dalrymple. There are deep roots here in Lions Bay, "I live in homes that Grandad built!" Like others, he recalls "from a dim and seemingly distant past" the competition of racing toy pedal cars endlessly around a foam pyramid in the gym in Mrs Rowley's pre-school class, the fun of kindergarten and grades 1-3 with Mrs Wright, and PE with Barrie MacLeod. Favourite "educational" activities were the Playscape and a portioned section of the forest where he and his friends could feel safe from "scary things" outside the well-defined boundary. From as early as "knee-high to a (very tall) grasshopper", Sam has played soccer, all through school and most likely when he goes to University.

While elementary school may have been "a bit boring", this was certainly not the case in high school (Rockridge, grades 8-12). His interests expanded and blossomed, both in and out of school. On the basis of his exceptionally good marks, three local universities to which he applied offered admission and entrance scholarships. In sports he was co-captain of the school soccer team. He also participated in track & field and he ventured into tennis. In rugby a knee injury "frustatingly" kept him off the field for two months, but fortunately he was able to return in time for his team to win the Grade 11 Provincial Championship versus Collingwood School. He captained the West Vancouver Junior Soccer Team and helped coach younger players. He played in the school's Jazz and Concert Bands

Sam was, and will almost certainly continue to be a helping hand to others He helped raise funds for projects such as youth diabetes (a 24-hour "cyclebetes Cyclathon"); building a school for girls in Zambia (Umoyo Club); canvassing for the Heart & Stroke and Kidney Foundations, and assisting in the broadly charitable missions of the Interact Club.

"There are so many interesting challenges and possible goals that it is difficult at this stage to choose what to do. And I would like to travel the world!". In the immediate future Sam will be studying Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University, a choice dictated by his overall interests in sport, body movement and health, possibly leading into sports Medicine. Keep on pedaling that great toy car away into the future!.

Rigel Sun, also a "B & B in LB" scholar, has good memories of his early playschool/K/grade 3 days at our primary school, the "academics" being studies in the sand box, racing toy cars and riding trikes in the playground. He has a charming recollection of the grade 1 sessions always closing with the refrain, led by the teacher, of:

"So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu,
Adieu, Adieu, Adieu,
To you, and You, and You"

Going into Grade 4 at Gleneagles was "scary, big classes, more strict regimentation" (fond memories of cozy Lions Bay maybe?).  Here Rigel's curiosity led to an interest in the sciences and he also found an outlet for his obvious energies in PE, basketball, soccer, field hockey ... "Ben and Rick were excellent soccer coaches". He describes his musical involvement as playing the trumpet in the school band where "it was a miracle to hit the occasional right note". This class was apparently relegated to a (remote) portable, for reasons that may be guessed at. "The teachers were great!" Grade 7 happened when there was a teachers' strike. "Mum and Dad took on home schooling for the year, Dad doing Maths and Science, and Mum doing English". Gregarious Rigel did say he missed his school friends.

Grades 8-12 were spent at Rockridge. Music and band continued to feature until grade 10. Throughout high school Rigel modestly got good marks in biology, chemistry, physics, history, and social studies while continuing a very active role in rugby, soccer, field hockey, track & field, sprinting, shot putting ... Playing at Gold Level for the undefeated West Van Soccer Team to become District Champions was a worthy sport achievement. Rigel also found time for school volunteer activities, to raise funds for charitable causes such as  'Kids in Africa'  and juvenile diabetes. Examples include the UMOYO club, "Toonie Tuesday bake sales". a World Food Simulation 24-hour Famine (sleep over at school), and a pledged 'cyclothon' event.

Rigel, who spent some time at a summer biotechnology program at BCIT will be staying in residence at UBC this Fall, registering in 1st year Science.  He plans to advance into the medical field with a particular interest in pursuing studies biomechanical technology.

Lions Bay Community News wishes all Graduates of Lions Bay the best of luck on their new endeavors!

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