THE SAINT THE MAGAZINE OF ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL | SPRING 2016 The DIFFERENCE MAKERSSTUDENTS | STAFF | GEORGIANS THE SAINT THE MAGAZINE OF ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR COPY EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Joe Santos Nancy Kudryk Richelle Akimow Photography > SAINTS’ life Head of Communications Chris Blackman PRESIDENT OF THE Adrienne Davidson GEORGIANS EDITOR GEORGIANS AND Bob Frid 03 NIGEL TOY RECEIVES TOP AWARD Chris Blackman THE ST. GEORGE’S St. George’s School Archives Head of Georgian Relations OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION Clement Woo Bruce Jackson '78 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Vancouver Tourism 04 HONOURING 25 YEARS OF SERVICE Bruce Elbeblawy 06 ARTSWEEK > COVER STory > CONTENTS 08 THE DIFFERENCE MAKERS 20 PAY IT FORWARD: ONE CAMPAIGN 28 LEAVING A LEGACY 36 THE PHILANTHROPY BROTHERS > THE GEORGIANS 40 SEVENS HEAVEN 44 WORDS MATTER ARTS WEEK COVER STORY 48 HONOURING OUR VERY BEST 06 Look Up! 08 The Difference Makers 52 GEORGIANS’ PHOTO ALBUM 58 SAINTS’ NOTES LEAVING A LEGACY GEORGIANS’ PHOTO ALBUM 28 What will yours look like? 52 All the Events! THE SAINT is published twice per year, expressly for Georgians, parents, and friends of St. George’s School. It is also distributed to other Canadian independent schools and selected public or private institutions. Comments about any of the articles are always welcome. 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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: St. George’s School Society | 3851 West 29th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6S 1T6 On a warm and sunny day at the end of March, a small private luncheon was organized to induct former Headmaster, TOP AWARD Nigel Toy, as a Builder of St. George’s Bestowed on Former Headmaster, School. Mr. Toy was a unanimous choice for the award this year, but was unable to Nigel Toy attend the formal dinner on May 16th, 2016. Instead, a small group of Board members, Principal), and current members of staff Dr. Matthews went on to say that faculty, and staff who had worked closely Greg Devenish, Brian Lee, Tony Mercer, St. George’s School is “marked by high with Mr. Toy joined him at the lunch Adrienne Davidson, Nancy Kudryk, and expectations, but it is also a school with a on March 31st to reminisce about his Betty Lo. heart—a school that understands boys, a time at the School and the changes he school that nurtures and supports them witnessed over the decades, as well as the Dr. Matthews explained to the group that he felt uniquely positioned to recognize in their development. All of this helps to things that remain constant. Along with constitute Nigel’s legacy at St. George’s, current Headmaster, Dr. Tom Matthews, Nigel Toy and his transformational contribution to St. George’s, because unlike as a direct consequence of his vision, his notable amongst the guests were Rob passion, and his determination.” Ellis ’67 (Board Chair 2000-2003), Peter the majority of other guests present, he Armstrong ’72 (Board Chair 2003-2008), never had the privilege of working with On Monday, May 16th 2016, Mr. Toy was Rob Cruickshank (Board Chair 2008-2012), Nigel. Instead, he had the “good fortune to officially inducted as a Builder of St. Lesley Bentley (Board Chair 2012-2015), follow him as Headmaster and to inherit George’s School, along with Georgian Ken Teskey (former Board and Trustee the extraordinary School that he helped to parents, Mr. Shek Kong Leung, Mr. John member), Bud Patel (former Senior School build between 1997 and 2010.” MacKay, and Mr. Ken Teskey. Since its founding in 1930, St. George’s School has benefitted from the selfless efforts of extraordinary individuals who have helped to build the great School that exists today. To ensure that these men and women are appropriately acknowledged, the Builders of St. George’s School Recognition Program has been created to formally recognize those volunteers, former faculty and staff members, and donors who have made truly extraordinary, transformational contributions over time to the building of the School. The Builders designation represents the highest award the School will confer in recognition of extraordinary support. (Please see the Fall 2016 issue of THE SAINT for the full story of this year’s Builders Dinner.) SPRING 2016 | 3 25 YEARS OF SERVICE: NANCY KUDRYK BEN GRIFFIN Nancy Kudryk grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta where she met her Ben Griffin was born and raised in Southern California, husband. They moved to Vancouver in 1978 and in early 1990, after across the street from Disneyland. He attended UCLA 17 years with Safeway, she and her husband spent a year travelling and later moved to Canada to finish his undergraduate across Canada and Europe. degree at SFU and complete a Masters of Arts in On their return to Vancouver, Nancy found St. George’s School. She Counselling Psychology at UBC. After working for was hired at the Junior School as Assistant to the Principal, then the YMCA and the Workers Compensation Board as Mr. Stephen Hutchison. Nancy took on a number of tasks: she was a counsellor, Ben joined St. George’s School in 1990 involved in Boarding, she helped develop the layout of offices during as its first counsellor. In this role he oversaw the initial the seismic upgrade, she ran a ‘school store’ supplying stationery development of the counselling department, and was items for students, and she was involved with Admissions. After seven both personal counsellor and university counsellor to years, she was ‘graduated’ to the Senior School by Headmaster Nigel the entire student body. Toy and became the Senior Executive Assistant to the Headmaster, In his time at St. George’s, Ben has coached water- where she has worked tirelessly ever since. When asked about the polo and taught guidance and planning, but has highlights of her work at St. George’s, Nancy cited a number of come to find his passion in teaching psychology and examples, including planning the CAIS Heads and Chairs Conference working with students in university counselling. Ben’s in 2002, working with the Board, having her own advisor group, and, other passion is the student-run Vancouver Model most recently, touring with the Senior Concert Band through Europe. UN conference, which he has overseen for the past She has worked with three wonderful bosses and considers herself ten years. lucky. “Each of them encouraged my professional growth and let me Ben, his wife, Robin Nelson, and their retriever, pursue my interests.” Ottobaker, divide their time between their homes in Nancy loves the strong sense of community at the School and looks Vancouver and Portland. forward to many more years of interesting and meaningful work here. At our St. George’s Day celebrations each year, employees who have reached 25 years of service to the School are honoured at a special Assembly and Luncheon. Retired long-standing faculty and staff are invited to join back to the School, and many stories and fond memories are shared. Honouring 25 YEARS OF SERVICE 4 | THE SAINT QUANG TRAN FLORENCE LEBLANC JOHN OLIVEIRA Mr. Quang Tran joined St. George’s School Ms. LeBlanc was born in Montreal, Quebec, John Oliveira was born in 1957 on as the Laboratory Supervisor 25 years ago but lived the early part of her life in Inverness, the island of San Miguel—one of after completing his studies in Chemical Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Ms. LeBlanc took the Azores Islands belonging to Sciences at BCIT and SFU. night school courses at McGill for Medical Portugal. In April of 1990, John was and Legal Secretary and received Diplomas sponsored by his brother-in-law to Since then, he has been an integral part for both. While in Montreal she worked at come to Canada; later that year he of the Science Department, and our ability Sun Life Insurance, the Bank of Montreal, started working at St. George’s as to provide the invaluable experimental and Montreal Neurological Institute. In 1976, a custodian, and he has been here experiences to a generation of Saints’ Ms. LeBlanc moved to Toronto and worked since. In 2012, after many years of graduates is in no small part due to the at numerous Insurance Companies and taking charge of all function set-ups, dedication and expertise of Mr. Tran. “QT” the Bank of Montreal. She then relocated John received the title of Function is always willing to accommodate the to Vancouver in 1989. After working in the Lead Hand. whims of the many science teachers and business environment for a number of his unwavering work ethic ensures that Always personable and willing to years, she wanted to transition to something the equipment is always ready and that help out staff and students alike, different, so when she saw the opportunity the experiment will be a success. John has been featured in various at St. George’s School she jumped at it and student videos and skits, and is a Mr.