Downsview Secondary School
Student of the Week
Week of May 25, 2020

Cameron D., Gifford G. & Joey H.

Downsview, for the week of May 25, the Student of the Week title is shared by three students, all in the twelfth grade. We congratulate Cameron D., Gifford G. and Joey H. as they earn this honour.

It seems appropriate to round out the praise with words from Mr. Syal, their first nominator, and perhaps their greatest fan: “I had the pleasure of teaching these young gentlemen for the past four years.  I saw growth in these gentlemen from silly boys to responsible, caring adults. The proudest moment of my teaching career happened at Humber College when, as we headed towards a competition, they saw an injured person in the parking lot and they ran to provide him with First Aid.

They work very hard to build a competitive robot. Each one of them has dedicated over 1000 hours to robotics. They volunteered at every Grade 8 Parents Night, regular Parent Nights and they led workshops for our feeder schools., They are ambassadors of our school. They were available before and after school and they came in on the weekends to help out. Gifford was the captain of the team. He trained the younger members. Cameron was the spokesperson of the team, who negotiated the team to many successful playoffs.  And Joey, helped the team with his smooth driving skills. I wish these boys many successes in life. Thank you for being part of Downsview.”

These young men are also known for their successes inside the classroom. Hear this, from Ms. Persaud: “I have had the pleasure of teaching both Gifford and Cameron in grade twelve English class. Gifford and Cameron have been exemplary students, always punctual for class and completing all assignments in a timely manner. Gifford and Cameron are also both friendly and helpful and thus, students can always count on them for assistance. As determined and goal-oriented individuals, I am confident they will be successful at whatever they aspire to achieve. Best of luck to you both!”

And, from Mr. Brown: “Gifford is a conscientious student who applies himself to his work 150% of the time, and you don't even know that he is there in the classroom. He takes initiative from the moment he enters the classroom until the last bit of dust is swept up in the shop. He says good day and good-bye when entering and leaving the classroom. He has achieved the highest mark in Construction Technology in Semester 1 in my course. His willingness to learn and participate in the course is ongoing. He gets along with his classmates and he makes teamwork a joy to be a part of. I could go on and on. He was and is a pleasure to guide through this educational journey.

Cameron is in my Semester 2 Construction Technology class. I allowed him to go back and forth from construction to robotics, as the rooms were connected. This allowed him to work diligently on the robots for competition. Cameron is polite and communicates well. He has passed safety in the shop and was well on his way to developing construction skills. He's a great team player and gets along well with his peers. A pleasure to teach.”

And, from Ms. de Jersey: “Joey brings a smile to my face, every time we talk. He is smart, and he has the biggest heart. If these Co-Vid days have taught us anything, it's that heart matters. Heart keeps us connected, feeling and thriving. Joey is a person who connects and gives. I am better for knowing Joey.”

That's a wrap for this week, Downsview staff and students, join together in celebrating three wonderful young men. Joey, Gifford and Cameron, you are each richly deserving of the title: Student of the Week.