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Accomplishments

Record of Achievements: 2009-2010

August 2009
  • Yearbook editors attend “Yearbook Camp” to help prepare them for their year’s work on the publication.
  • Student Council organized Welcome Day Activities for new Secondary I students
September 2009
  • The Environmental Club launches their annual year-long ink cartridge/cell phone recycling initiative
  • Secondary 1 Retreat Day
  • Class Council Elections held in each homeroom for class President, Secretary, Athletic Rep, Publicity Rep and Pastoral Rep
  • Secondary 5 annual Stratford Theatre Trip
  • Girls for the Cure 14th annual walk – fundraising for research & treatment into women related cancers
  • Encounters with Canada – throughout the year Secondary 5 students attend the 1 week program in Ottawa
  • The Student Council launches their theme for the year entitled “Dare to be a Villa Girl” encouraging all students to strive to reach their potential in their areas of passion.
October 2009
  • The Class of 2009 returned for a special “Yearbook Reunion”
  • Secondary 5 guides give Historical Tours to the new Secondary 1 classes
  • Student Council organizes Halloween festivities – costume contest, scavenger hunt, lunchtime movies and class decoration contest. 
  • Community Police Officers visit the Secondary I classes to discuss metro safety.
  • Breast Cancer Walk Committee and Class Reps attend the Annual Breast Cancer Breakfast hosted by the Quebec Breast Cancer Society at the Sheraton Centre
  • Secondary 3 students organize a new cultural appreciation club called “Mondo Italia”
  • Collection of food for local food banks during the “Thanksgiving Can Drive”
  • Secondary 3 Retreat - overnight
November 2009
  • Remembrance Day Ceremony commemorates the 65th anniversary of the D Day landings and pays homage to soldiers lost in the past year in Afghanistan
    • funds raised from the sale of poppies is given to the local NDG Legion for their Scholarship program
  • The Secondary 3 Book Club forms and holds their first meeting
  • The Counseling Department holds their “Drug Awareness Week”
  • Secondary 3 Visual Arts classes visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
  • Secondary 4 students attend the play “Inherit the Wind”
  • Arts + raffle raises money to support the bursary fund
  • Secondary 4 & 5 students attend the University and CEGEP evening planned by the Guidance Counselor
December 2009
  • Amnesty International group commemorates Human Rights Day at a special school assembly
  • Environmental Club holds a “Tab Wars” competition – metal collected was donated to Mount Sinai Hospital to build medical equipment.
  • Student Council organizes “Christmas Week” activities -  Christmas Karaoke, classroom decorations, candy cane & Christmas card deliveries
  • 40 + Christmas Baskets are prepared and distributed to needy families in Montreal
  • Annual Christmas Band Concerts for students and parents – all levels participate by playing several pieces each
  • The Villa Maria Ski Club participates in ski outings with Loyola High School throughout the winter months.
January 2010
  • Students from both the English and French sector of the school raise funds to support Oxfam Quebec’s relief efforts in Haiti after the country was hit by a devastating earthquake.
  • Villa Maria hosts the QAIS Basketball Tournament
  • The Mothers’ Guild spearheads a collection of soup, socks and hot packs for “Dans la Rue”.  Their campaign is called the “Warm Your Hearts” campaign.
  • Career Day organized for Secondary 4-5 students by the PTA
      • Keynote address by the Associate Dean, McGill Faculty of Science
      • Over 20 panelists are Villa Maria alumnae
  • Secondary 1 students present their end of session Band Concert for parents & friends
  • The Royal 22e Régiment Concert Band performed for the students in the Thérèse Casgrain Hall
February 2010
  • The first edition of the newly re-launched school newspaper “The Villa Voice” is published
  • Amnesty International held a special “Human Rights” Seminar featuring the President of EQUITAS as their guest speaker
  • The Secondary 5 World History classes organize a school supply drive to help support of the WISER school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya.  Over 22 boxes of supplies were collected!
  • Secondary 3 student is a semi-finalist in the Montreal Regional CanWest Spelling Bee held at McGill University
  • Student Council organizes and runs the annual Carnival along with Sacred Heart, QAA and Loyola
      • events include Opening Ceremony
      • Carnival banner & cheer competitions
      • Mountain Day (skiing and tubing) at Mont St. Sauveur & Mont Avila-
      • Junior & Senior Carnival Balls
  • Annual Science Fair & Art Vernissage is held at Villa Maria
  • Secondary 3 & 4 students participate in the “Brain Bee” competition held at the Montreal Neurological Institute.  Over 20 students trained for the competition and a team of 6 Villa students participated.  Of the 6 Villa participants, 3 made it to the finals!
  • Secondary 4 & 5 students depart for Europe
March 2010
  • The Grad Ball Committee held a fundraising comedy night in support of the end of the year Grad Ball
  • Secondary 2 Visual Arts classes visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
  • Secondary 5 students participate in their overnight retreat
  • The Student Council organizes a “Cook-Off” challenging students and faculty to show off their best pasta recipes
  • Secondary 3 student Kelsey Davis spreads awareness by promoting “Purple Day” for epilepsy
  • Secondary 1-2 students see an in-school professional production of “Romeo & Juliet” by the Montreal Shakespeare Company
  • Ski Trip to Mont Saint Anne
April 2010
  • Villa students from Secondary 1 to 5 participate in Visitors’ Day – welcoming prospective Secondary I students to the school for a day.
  • The “Walking Club” is formed – each Tuesday students and teachers enjoy a “power-walk” during the lunch hour.
  • Villa Maria presents it annual Talent Show entitled “Stranded Talent”, in support of the bursary fund
  • Secondary 2 Band students perform for their parents
  • Guest speakers from the National Society of Black Engineers visit Secondary 3 & 5 classes
  • Villa mothers and daughters attend the “Girls for the Cure Educational Forum” organized by the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation.  The forum was held at Marianopolis and featured Robyn Dalton (Class of 2000) as one of the plenary speakers
  • “Shakespeare Day” in the Thérèse Casgrain Hall:   Secondary 1 & 2 students see a performance of “Midsummer’s Night Dream” and the Secondary 5 students see “Hamlet”
  • The Secondary 4 Drama group presents “The Good Man of Szechwan”
  •  “Thinkfast” – an overnight fundraising campaign – is held to raise funds for Development & Peace
  • Student Council organizes a “Sports Jersey Day” in support of the Montreal Canadiens’ playoff run
  • The Environmental Club organizes “Earth Week”.  Activities included
      • Villa Maria Earth Hour – all non-essential lights were turned off
      • An organic salad bar
May 2010
  • Secondary 5 World History students visit the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Center
  • Villa Maria participates in “Walkathon 2010” and raising funds for the West Island Palliative Care Residence
  • Secondary 1 & 2 students participate in the “All-Science Challenge” held at McGill University.  Participating Villa students placed highest in each of the preliminary rounds of the competition.
  • Students from Secondary 4 participate in the LCC “Destiny Quebec” Conference
  • 9 student athletes are honored as MVP’s in their sports at the Greater Montreal Athletic Organization Banquet (I can give you their names if you need them).  Villa Maria is awarded the prestigious GMAA Sportsmanship banner in honor of the good conduct of all our athlete ambassadors.
  • Secondary 3 Drama Class presents “Alice in Wonderland”
  • Students from Secondary 1 to 5 participate in the Interfaith Celebration highlighting various faiths from around the world.
  • The Villa Maria Literary Magazine is published highlighting our students’ writing, artistic and photographic talents.
  • Elections are held for the 2010-2011 Student Council
June 2010
  • The Student Council holds a summer BBQ on the front lawn
  • Secondary 5 students participate in their “Grads ‘10” Sleepover”
  • End of year Band Concerts for students and parents
  • Graduation Activities
      • Grad Assembly – slideshow retrospective of their 5 years at Villa
      • Grad Breakfast – organized by the Alumnae Association
      • Grad Mass - prepared by the Pastoral Department along with the Secondary 4 class
      • Grad Tea –  prepared by the Mothers’ Guild
      • Grad Ball – Marriott Chateau Champlain
  • Convocation
      • prizes and certificates awarded for each subject
      • special awards (i.e. from outside the school):
            • McGill University Science Award
            • University of Toronto Book Award
            • Lieutenant Governor’s Award
            • Governor General’s Academic Medal
  • Awards Banquet honors academic and activity achievements throughout the year
ACHIEVEMENTS NOT CATEGORIZED BY MONTH:
  • Tartan Troop act as hostesses and ambassadors for the school at various events throughout the year.
  • Students participate in ongoing volunteer activities through the CSP Program
  • Two delegates are selected to participate in the Forum for Young Canadians in Ottawa 
  • Amnesty International Committee has ongoing letter writing campaigns throughout the year