Castle News

Veritas, Virtus, Venustas: May Day, 2012 Speeches

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:16:28 GMT

by Sharon Magor.

“Truth” May Queen Speech- Meghan Toswell

In order to have a successful relationship with your family, friends, coaches and teachers you must be honest with them. In order to be honest, you must be able to tell the truth. Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

As you grow up, there will be times in your life where you will wonder if the truth is the right thing to say. You will wonder what the consequences of telling the truth are and you will wonder about what others will think of you if you take that extra step. I want you to know that you have nothing to lose. If all of those people truly care for you then they will have a greater respect for you because of your honesty. It is better to tell the truth when you are in a sticky situation then to lie and cover up what your real feelings are. If you tell the truth when you know you’ve done your best and you have given it your all, then you should be happy with what you have accomplished. You should be happy with what you have done.

Sometimes it is hard to tell someone close to you the truth about what is going on in your life. It is hard to expose your integrity and your feelings to them in words. This is not the time when you should be scared. You must dig down deep into your heart, take a deep breath and tell them the truth about how you really feel. If you tell them the truth, you have changed yourself for the better. It is not worth remembering all of the pointless other information if you get straight to the heart of the problem and address it with honesty. I encourage you not to wait, what is really holding you back from telling someone the truth? It will make you a better person and it is most likely to have a positive effect on the other person.

Truth is all about integrity and sincerity; it is knowing when it is the right time to reveal your true feelings. You are important and what you have to say could be beneficial to more than one person. If there is one thing that I have learned in my seven years at Trafalgar Castle School, it’s that every single student and staff member is here for you. They are here to encourage you to tell the truth and to shape you to become extraordinary young women.

In your life you will be faced with many different challenges. Honesty is always the best policy. I want you to know that there is no other option. Telling the truth when you are under pressure will remove stress and make life easier for you. The real and honest answer is that there is no reason why we should tell the truth. You can lie all you want but living with yourself will be that much harder. If you tell the truth, no matter how hard it is and how much strength it takes, you will feel better. Lies can lead to danger but the truth can straighten out problems. You will know in your heart it was the right thing to do. Too often, we are afraid to tell the truth, too often we feel demoted by the truth but we shouldn’t. You should be able to say what you want to say anytime. So next time you are in a situation, tell the truth and remember that people will respect you for it!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very honoured to have had the opportunity to present this speech as your May Queen. I want to leave you with a quote by William James, “True ideas are those that we can Assimilate. Validate. Corroborate, and Verify. False ideas are those that we cannot.”

"Virtue" – Chelsea Danakas – Head Girl 2012

Virtue is a very complex idea. It is not easy to practice, nor is it easy to define. The search for a definition is sure to end in a convoluted web of thoughts – trust me, I’ve tried. Virtue is widely accepted to mean moral excellence. But then, what is moral excellence and who is to say what constitutes morality. Virtue is so complex because its meaning is ever-changing. It varies from era to era, from culture to culture, and from person to person. Not only does virtue have a multitude of meanings, but it encompasses a multitude of qualities. Virtue is faith, hope, and love. It is integrity, courage, and honesty.

But the one definition of virtue which is steadfast – the one which we must stay true to – is our own. Each of us must decide what we believe to be right – not what is popular, easy, or generally accepted – but what we know in our hearts and minds to be good. When I was a little girl, my parents used to tell me about the little voice which lives inside me – the voice which whispers the right answer when I am lost in a sea of wrong ones. Each of us has this little voice inside of us. It tells us what is right, even when we don’t want to hear it. It asks us to be kind when harsh words are brimming, to be honest when a lie is in the making, and to stand strong when the world seems to be crumbling around us.

I believe that true virtue is listening to that voice. Virtue is making the right decision – doing what is good – not just when it suits us, but more importantly, when that little voice leads us far off the path of least resistance. One of my favourite movies, Kingdom of Heaven, is about the Crusades of the 12th century – a time of religious wars when virtue was highly regarded, but hard to come by. The very wise King Baldwin of Jerusalem says something which I will always carry with me. He says: “When you stand before God, you cannot say, ‘But I was told by others to do thus,’ or that virtue was not convenient at the time. This will not suffice.”

Perhaps in this age more than ever, virtue is rarely convenient. It often requires courage, effort, and thought. It sometimes means standing out, it means defending your position, and often it means going against the grain. Not easy to do. But while inconvenience is only temporary, the result of virtue is everlasting. Because if each of us were to choose love over hatred, truth over falsehoods, and courage over fear the world would be a beautiful place. Ambrose Redmoon said that “courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear”. Making that decision, to conquer our fear or anger for something more important – that is virtue.

The decisions will not get easier as life goes on – I have learned that in my 18 years so far. But once we choose to take on the challenge, to listen to that voice – it will become easier to hear. Perhaps no longer just a whisper, but a clear, steady voice pointing us in the right direction. It’s not hard to find – the virtuous path – the path to kindness, love, courage, and honesty. It’s always there, stretching out before us, we just need to find the courage to follow it. We just have to listen to the voice inside and take the first step.

“Loveliness” – Genevive Lukow
Loveliness has always been a complicated topic for me; the constant struggle to ensure myself that loveliness is spiritual rather than corporeal, and feeling the pressure to submit to the conventions of the media’s orthodox beauty. Growing up with a baroque body type, I continually felt pressured to look a certain way, especially while I was in the public school system. I was pressured into believing that my physical appearance governed how others perceived me, and was therefore, the sole basis for their judgments. This ceaseless struggle distracted my thoughts from concentrating on what was really of importance. In addition to focusing on my homework for tomorrow, I was also burdened to think upon what I should wear in order to appear thinner, consequently being judged by my peers in a favorable way. If I went shopping for clothes, I would never look at myself in the mirror because I was afraid of what I would see. All the clothes looked so alluring and flattering on the models, yet when I would put them on, a feeling of disgust and hopelessness wrapped itself into whatever I was trying on, ensuring that the only thing I would see, dare I hazard a glance into the mirror, was something faulted: it wasn’t the real me I saw. Even now as I stand here today, some small part of my mind is asking, “What do they think of me? Was my weight the first thing that they noticed about me?
The media tells us what loveliness is, but in reality the Hollywood version of loveliness goes against what should really be considered true loveliness. According to the media, in order to even be considered “normal” you must conceal your face, line and shade you eyes, and dress the way everyone else does. Many articles in magazines feature tips on how to “dress 10 pounds lighter” or “ways to look ten years younger”– in reality, the real message we get from the media is that loveliness is something you fabricate; their version of loveliness is false and fleeting. However, as John Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever; its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness” Therefore true loveliness will not grow old; it is not ephemeral, like physical beauty is. Instead, as Keats also said, “ Beauty is truth, truth beauty- that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know”. In this way, veritable loveliness is not something you can fabricate; it is the pureness of one’s spirit that creates this loveliness we seek to emulate.
Over time I have learned to quiet that small part of my mind that tells me to question my worth and to be ashamed of my body, as I know better than to give it any attention. True loveliness, my loveliness included, comes not from my form, but from within, and is something timeless and individual.

Thank you.

Trafalgar Castle School - Lights, Camera, Action!

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:08:11 GMT

by Sarah Harries-Taylor.

Trafalgar Castle School goes HOLLYWOOD!

Currently playing at a theatre near you is the movie, Dark Shadows, starring Johnny Depp. Our castle was used as one of the locations to shoot this hollywood blockbuster.

If you get to check out this movie, watch for scenes that are filmed here at the school. Our main staircase is used for one of the scenes and can also be viewed online in the movie trailer.

Building a classroom in Kenya - Parent Information Session

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:11:22 GMT

by Sarah Harries-Taylor.

Build a classroom in Kenya! An experience of a lifetime

Our Prefects have taken on an ambitious goal - fundraising to build a classroom in Kenya. Their tremendous efforts have yielded an impressive result that will allow us to achieve this goal. With a group of students and staff it is our goal to build this classroom with our own two hands in the village of Schule Ya Bogani, Kenya.

Who can go? Any Alumnae or students over the age of 13 by March 2013
Where? Travel from Toronto to the Maasai Mara, Kenya
When? 11 days over March Break 2013

If you are interested in more information please attend our PARENTS INFORMATION SESSION on MAY 22nd at 6:30 pm.

Regards,

Sharon Magor

(Edited by Sharon Magor - original submission Tuesday, 15 May 2012, 03:12 PM)

Trafalgar Castle student Meghan Toswell feature article

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:58:42 GMT

by Sarah Harries-Taylor.

In the News; our Grade 12 student Meghan Toswell was featured this past weekend in an article in the local paper. It is a wonderful article that highlights all of Meghan's swimming accomplishments and her plans for the Fall to attend Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scota. We are very proud of Meghan and wish her well as she graduates. Good Luck Meghan.

Read the wonderful article here: http://www.durhamregion.com/sports/article/1352968--pickering-s-meghan-toswell-joins-dalhousie-tigers

Arts Week at Trafalgar - Be Inspired

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:21:14 GMT

by Andrew Price.

ARTS WEEK Find Out What’s Happening & Get Involved!

Arts Week 2012	Chapel	Lunch	P.M Activity
Monday, May 7^th Day 1	Grade 12 Visual Arts and Writer’s Craft Class Open the Week	Music Monday All school to the heart for filmed activity	Grade 12 Art Show & Writers Craft Class Opening Reception @ 3:30 Main Hall & Common Room
Tuesday, May 8^th Day 2	Tempest Performance Grade Grade 5/6	May Day Processional Practice	Karaoke – Sing Off TAA House Event Concert Hall 4 pm – 5 pm
Wednesday, May 9^th Day 3	Drama 9/10 Class Performance	Art Trivia Day	ZAP – Art Making / Installation Activity in Art & Personalize your Arts Week T-Shirt Art Room
Thursday, May 10^th Day 4	Vocal Performances	May Day Processional Practice	ZAP – Art Making / Installation Activity Personalize your Arts Week T-Shirt Art Room
Friday, May 11^th “Dress Down Friday- Dress as a Famous Artist or in ARTSWEEK T’s” Day 5	Band Performance	Videos from the Grade 11/12 Drama Class Documentaries	Arts Night Performance Concert Hall 7pm
Saturday, May 12^th Day 6	MAY DAY COURT FESTIVAL	New Festival of Banners for 2012-13 installed and announced

In the news - Trafalgar's recent Open House

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:32:25 GMT

by Sharon Magor.

Our recent Open house was featured in SNAP Whitby, May issue.
The event attracted families and their children who were taken around the castle by students volunteers. What a wonderful way to be introduced to our school by the students themselves!

To read the article click HERE

Remembering Three Whitby Students

Tue, 01 May 2012 12:54:09 GMT

by Sharon Magor.

Trafalgar Castle School observed a moment of silence in honour of the three young students who died during a fire on Sunday morning.

The three students were identified as Ben Twiddy, 19, Holly Harrison, 18, and Holly Towie, 17.

Fire officials say a deadly blaze that claimed the lives of three Durham Region teenagers was not suspicious in nature, but it is still unclear whether the smoke detectors in the building where they died were working.

Our thoughts are with their families and the Whitby community as a whole.

CBC article

DurhamRegion.com article

Whitby's 'Doors Open' Event at Trafalgar

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:10:48 GMT

by Sarah Harries-Taylor.

We will be opening our doors from 10:00am to 2:30pm on Saturday, May 5th as part of Whitby's Doors Open event.

Looking forward to welcoming everyone to our wonderful & historic Castle.

(Edited by Sharon Magor - original submission Monday, 30 April 2012, 11:12 AM)

TRAFALGAR CASTLE SCHOOL HOSTS CONCERT EVENT TO “BUILD A DREAM”

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:45:58 GMT

by Sharon Magor.

The Prefects of Trafalgar Castle School are organizing an initiative that will result in the construction of a school in the African country of Kenya.
In partnership with the “Me to We” Club, the group of eight Prefects are holding a concert and carnival event on Friday, May 4th, 2012 from 1p.m. until 3p.m. The prefects are: Hend Ali, Malvika Chowdhry, Chelsea Danakas, Genevieve Lukow, Khadijah Plummer, Alexis Poliacik, Holly Shi, and Meghan Toswell.
Over the last three months, the girls have been working tirelessly to organize and promote the event. The event is the finale in the “Five Days for Freedom,” which is an annual phenomenon that the “Free the Children” organization started to raise awareness and get people excited in helping others. They have designed t-shirts and a custom logo, reached out to local grocery stores for food donations, learned about the technical aspects of a concert, worked with marketing representatives, and made presentations all for the common goal of giving the gift of education to a group of children halfway around the world.
The students and faculty of the school will purchase tickets and t-shirts to enjoy two hours of music and carnival mayhem at the School. From classic fair games to raffles, everyone will have the opportunity to take action and see what a group of people working towards one common goal can accomplish.
The result of this unique effort will benefit the local children in Kenya for years and years to come.

An award winning Kiwanis Festival for Trafalgar Castle School

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:01:35 GMT

by Sarah Harries-Taylor.

Congratulations to the more than 50 students who participated in the Oshawa-Whitby Kiwanis Festival yesterday. Everyone played brilliantly! Here are the results: Grade 6/7 Band a Silver Award...Grade 9/10 Class a Gold Award and the Trafalgar Bank a Gold Award!! Well done girls.