Category Archives: Alumni News

Stories about NT graduates.

Alumni Events, Alumni News, Fundraising

NT’s Class Rep Program

In October 2016, the NT Foundation held an informative and beneficial workshop on running a class rep program, attended by alumni from various years and led by Martha Drake, Executive Director of Advancement, University of Toronto Schools.

As the Foundation strives to increase participation in the alumni community through new events like the upcoming inaugural NT Homecoming Weekend, we continue to look for new Class Reps— individuals who take the lead in locating members of their year and liaise with them regarding Foundation events or year-specific ones. Here are some examples of what current Class Reps are doing:

  • The Class of ’62 meets monthly at a local restaurant for lunch. Members know the date in advance and whoever can make it does. Get-togethers are organized by Sheila Moscoe and Stan Pearl.
  • A combined group of ’79–’82 alumni get together a couple of times a year at Gabby’s on Yonge north of Lawrence. Don Ross (’80) is the organizer. The date is circulated via email and there is always a large turnout.
  • A 40th reunion for members of the ’76 football team took place in November 2016.

If you would like to get involved in the Class Rep program, please contact Stan Pearl (’62) or Lisa Cain (’82) . To ensure you are included in upcoming events or get-togethers, contact your Class Rep. In the list below, the highlighted years indicate special anniversaries in 2017.

  • 1957
    • Looking for a rep
  • Facebook – NTCI alumni of the 50s (4 members)
  • 1962
    • Sheila Moscoe: moscoe-ntci62″at”rogers.com
    • Stan Pearl: stanpearl”at”rogers.com
  • 1964
    • Ron Wakelin: rwakelin”at”utschools.ca
  • 1965
    • Janice Gillespie: janiceigillespie”at”rogers.com
  • 1967
    • Susan Norwich: susannorwich1″at”gmail.com
  • 1968
    • Laurie Pascoe: lauriepascoe”at”gmail.com
  • 1970
    • Nancy McFadden: nancyanddoug.mcfadden”at”gmail.com
    • Alan Fairweather: afairwea”at”rogers.com
  • 1971
    • Lorraine Clarkson: wasagabeacher”at”gmail.com
    • Brian Maltman: bmaltman”at”ca.inter.net
  • 1972
    • Looking for a rep
  • 1976
    • Facebook – NTCI ’76 (2 members)
  • 1977
    • Looking for a rep
  • 1978
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’78 (28 members)
  • 1979
    • Katherine Smith: katherinegsmith.smith”at”gmail.com
    • Facebook – NTCI 1979 friends (125 members)
  • 1980
    • Don Ross: sales”at”universityfirewood.ca
  • 1981
    • Phil White: pleblanc997″at”gmail.com
    • Mike Clarry: michael”at”clarry.net
  • 1982
    • Lisa Cain: lisa-ian”at”rogers.com
    • Barbara Szelinger: barbara.szelinger”at”rogers.com
    • Mark Kinoshita: mark.kinoshita”at”tdsb.on.ca
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’82 (126 members)
  • 1983
    • Kirsten Sixt: ksixt”at”hullandhull.com
    • Andrea Fairweather: fairweatherandrea”at”gmail.com
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’83 (54 members)
  • 1984
    • Marc Jamieson: marc.jamieson”at”gmail.com
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’84 (48 members)
  • 1987
    • Jennifer Hellen Baldachin: jbaldachin”at”rogers.com
    • Jamie Farr: jamescolinfarr”at”gmail.com
  • 1988
    • Debbie Gray: d3bgray”at”gmail.com
    • Suzie Anderson: suzie”at”rogers.com
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’88 (83 members)
  • 1989
    • Facebook – NTCI ’89 – 25th anniversary (70 members)
  • 1990
    • Facebook – NTCI ’90 (5 members)
  • 1991
    • Facebook – NTCI class of 1991 (110 members)
  • 1992
    • Catherine Trueman: catherinetrueman”at”telus.net
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’92 (96 members)
  • 1997
    • Looking for a rep
  • 2002
    • Looking for a rep
  • 2003
    • Facebook – NTCI ’03 (5 members)
    • Facebook – NTCI class of 2003 (4 members)
  • 2007
    • Bogdan Tudose: bogdan.a.tudose”at”gmail.com
    • Facebook – NTCI class of ’07 (93 members)
  • 2008
    • Lyndsey Gott: gott.lyndsey”at”gmail.com
    • Lora Kikuchi: meiflower.932″at”gmail.com
    • Facebook – NTCI grads ’08 (70 members)
  • 2014
    • Facebook – NTCI grads 2014 (277 members)
  • 2015
    • Facebook – NT grads 2015 (296 members)

As we have new year reps, we will be listing them here.

Alumni Events, Alumni News

Hey NT’08 Grads!

We have a new Facebook group named NTCI Grads ’08.  Please add yourselves and fellow classmates.  Next year it will be 10 years since our graduation.  This is a good opportunity to meet up (next year spring/summer, 2018) and catch up with fellow NT grads and teachers.  We hope to include tours of the new NT building and a meet up at the Granite Brewery for an evening of food, drinks, and memories. We are also open to suggestions!

Lora Kikuchi & Lyndsey Gott

Alumni News, Fundraising

NEW: Sports Parents Council

We all know that NTCI has a very successful Music Program, supported by a fabulous Music Parents Council. But while NT has also excelled in many City & OFSAA Championships, there has until now never been a Sports Parents Council.

A group of interested NTCI alumni and parents, with the support of current students, staff and the NTCI Foundation, have begun creating an NTCI Sports Parents Council. This council will support ALL sports occurring at North Toronto and raise much-needed funds for tournaments, uniforms, equipment, new locker rooms and so much more.

We need your help! Get involved! Learn more about how you can make a difference and be involved, even in a small way, in improving the already amazing sports at NTCI!

For more information, please contact Kirsten Sixt: ksixt@hullandhull.com.

Alumni News

Midnight Madness – Graduating art show

The Midnight Madness art show is a culmination of the year’s work for the AVI and AWD grade 12 art courses. It represents the hard work we have put in and advances we have made as artists throughout our high school career, and is an expression of our creativity as the class of 2017. The exhibition was designed and executed by the students collaboratively under the leadership of Ms. Marquis. This includes the theme, logo, catalogue, publicity, set up, and opening night itself, which were all completed with great success and coverage by many news outlets including the Toronto Star.

The theme of Midnight Madness was inspired by late nights full of studying, and cramming, and the madness that sets in as deadlines approach. As grade 12 students we endure the constant pressure of reaching our post-secondary goals, but amidst these academic stresses art class continues to be a creative outlet for our anxieties. This show allowed us first hand experience of putting on a professional art exhibition, and taught us not only what goes into these events, but how to do each task. As a student involved in the show I found having our work displayed and appreciated in a show that we organized to be an extremely fulfilling experience. I am very proud of our teamwork, and individual commitment, that allowed for a beautiful final product, and successful opening night. On behalf of all students I am also very thankful for everything the art department at North Toronto and alumni have provided for us students that allowed for this amazing experience.

Eva Boghosian (NT’17)
Alumni News

Principal Joel Gorenkoff Leaves NTCI

NT’s (now former) principal Joel Gorenkoff and his wife, Leeanne, at the Foundation’s farewell party in February.

On a snowy night in February, past and present members of the Foundation came together to celebrate Joel Gorenkoff, principal of North Toronto from 2007 to January 2017. His time at NT ended abruptly when he received notification of a transfer to Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute. Always positive, Joel understood that he was needed at Lawrence; at the same time, he was certainly disappointed to say goodbye to the school he has called home for the past ten years. Equally disappointed were the Foundation members, who had come to rely on his dedication, dependability and genuine passion for the improvement of NTCI.

During his time at North Toronto, Joel oversaw the transition from the old building to the current school, making an effort to ensure that the many Heritage pieces valued by alumni, such as the Heritage Court and the award walls, were preserved. He was also instrumental in organizing the 100th anniversary, working closely with the Foundation to ensure a celebration that brought together current students and alumni. But perhaps Joel’s greatest contribution to the Foundation has been his appreciation of the positive value the Foundation brings to the school community. He encouraged the placement of two student reps on the Foundation Board and has worked closely with the Board on newer endeavours, such as Homecoming Weekend and alumni events at Red and Grey Day.

While we are certainly going to miss Joel’s presence on the Foundation, we are grateful for the many contributions he made while at North Toronto. These contributions will continue to impact NT students for years to come. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours at Lawrence Park.

Alumni News

Business Is Booming at the Dragons’ Den

At our most recent Dragons’ Den, where the Foundation listens to a variety of presentations from clubs and teams in need of funds, the Foundation was interested to learn that many of the newer clubs at North Toronto have a business bent. It appears that North Toronto students are becoming astute businesspeople even before they graduate and head off to Rotman or Ivey.

One club with a business focus was DECA, associated with DECA Ontario, where members compete at regional, provincial and international case study competitions for awards and scholarships. While competition is a major part of the club, students also have a chance to network with other business students and business leaders around the province.

Another club that requested funds was the NT Business Club, which host events at which successful businesspeople speak to students about the realities of business and what it looks like in the real world. Both these clubs are indicative of where NT students are planning to go when move on to post-secondary studies. The Foundation is happy to support these clubs, and we encourage the learning and experience that can come from them. We also recognize that there are many NT alumni in the business and finance sectors, and we hope to play a role in building connections between them and these clubs.

Alumni Events, Alumni News

40th Anniversary of 1977 Senior Football City Championship

On November 5th a reunion took place to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the amazing Norsemen victory in the city championship for Senior Football. The reunion was planned by team members Andy Maize. Hugh Murray and Geoff Reeves, who conjured up the idea during their regularly scheduled “guys nights” over beers in a local pub.geoff-reeves-football-reunion_v7

The reunion was 40 years and 1 day after the championship game.  On November 4th 1976, the Norsemen defeated arch-rival Lawrence Park Collegiate at CNE Stadium, on the all-new “AstroTurf”.  The score was a resounding 63-22 for the NT victors. Ironically, the game took place a few days before the Ottawa Roughriders won their last Grey Cup – also 40 years ago this year.

The reunion was attended by 30 team players, and was also honoured by the presence of team coaches Brock Cromwell, Dave (‘One Knee’) Grace, and Danny Russell.  The evening featured cocktails and dinner, accompanied by original game films and heartfelt speeches. Dinner was followed by an open party of NT friends and colleagues from school year 1974-1980 (a format once known by this crowd as a “Hoedown”) and the festivities went until the wee hours of the morning .

1977champ-team-reunionBefore the party started the team took the attached picture and burst into a rendition of the NT school song. The event was a “Yuge” success and there was some discussion about the 1977 championship win as well…Stay tuned on that one.

Geoff  Reeves

Alumni News

NTCI’s Own Dragons’ Den

As part of its mission to support current students through scholarships and grants, the North Toronto Foundation recently invited students from interested clubs, teams and initiatives to apply for funds from the Foundation. Dubbed the Dragons’ Den by Foundation members, events such as these give alumni board members a chance to meet with current students and get a better sense of what it is that NT students are doing when they aren’t in the classroom. After the evening, Foundation members were left with a sense of amazement and pride, Continue reading NTCI’s Own Dragons’ Den →

Alumni News, Archives

Don Wright’s Legacy Finds a New Home

25 Bright Red Binders

When I took over the care of the NT Archives in the 1990s, they were situated in a former kitchen in the basement of the old school. At the time, I noticed a stack of binders piled high amid the rafters of the storage room. There were 25 of these bright red books, with gold lettering on the spines declaring that they were the Don Wright Collection. I had a huge job just trying to identify and organize the Archives, and so I left the binders to sleep where they were and focused on more immediate tasks.

Who Was Don Wright?

However, I did enquire of the Music Department, Just who was this Don Wright? Continue reading Don Wright’s Legacy Finds a New Home →