On Sunday,November 25th, 60 elementary students, 5 High school mentors, 11 teacher facilitators, and 11 teachers supervisors from across the Toronto Catholic District School Board along with 9 police officers from the Toronto Police Service trekked to Camp George in Parry Sound for the Students & Staff Maximizing Inter-Community Leadership Experience (SMILE). Through this camp experience students are able to network and build community with other like minded leaders while making connections with their high school mentors and police officers.
Students arrive at Camp George from TorontoStudents from St. Sylvester kick Operation Kindness into high gear!Michael Consul explains, “What you put into it, is what you get out of it.”Students, teachers, & police officers share I am, I love, I hate and I dreamMentors Twixx & Patrick perform an interpretive danceFather Vic celebrates mass with usOur first reflection preformed by teacher Leanne D’Souza, P.C. Marc Rainford and our highschool Mentors – The Cold WithinRope Orienteering — Students learn several leadership skills through 5 fun interactive activities1. Students learn to trust and depend on one another through “raccoon circles”2.Students learn to cooperate and share power through “helium stick”3.Students learn to work together to achieve a goal through “pass the squeeze”4. Students learn that they must use different strategies to complete a common goal through the “Conveyor Belt”5. Sometimes life throws balls at you. Students learned to catch them and keep life moving through “synergy toss”Everything we do is rooted in our FAITHSimon Says – “You must learn to be a good follower before you can learn to be a good leader”L stand for Leader…Cheese!Thinking Quick, Acting QuickPower your stomach, power your mind. – Night time snack.Merle encouraging students with a donut.Teacher Marc Bryce and students debriefing the day’s leadership lessons
We concluded the day with an amazing and meditation led by facilitator Merle Gonzalvez. Now off to bed… looking forward to another fun filled learning day at camp! Lights out 11:00 P.M
