Downsview Secondary School
Student of the Week
April 22, 2024
Marc D.
Downsview, for the week of April 22nd, your Student of the Week is Marc D.
Marc is in the tenth grade at Downsview.
The Student of the Week award is all about recognizing and honouring fine character and involvement. Staff members at DSS have a lot to say about Marc’s character. Let’s get right to the praise about our winner. First, hear this, from Ms Piro: “Marc is a very independent learner. He uses technology tools to enhance his understanding in math. He is a powerful thinker and always approaches new learning with confidence. Marc is a mature young man, calm and very polite. It's a great pleasure to have him in my math class and I appreciate all the efforts he puts forth to do better and better. Wishing him the best of luck.”
And, from Mr do Carmo: “I've had the pleasure of having Mark in my grade nine and ten classes in the last couple of years. He is a very strategic and matter-of-fact type of person. He likes to clarify the details of a task and then gets right to work on it. When he reaches a challenge on something, he troubleshoots it by trying different things to see the outcomes. He evaluates and adjusts. Truly the mind of an up-and-coming great engineer. Great work Marc, keep it up.”
From Mr Wallace: “Marc is an enthusiast. When he commits to something he is all in. I have had any number of conversations with Marc on many different topics and come away humbled by his knowledge. Another aspect of Marc's character is that he goes directly at a problem. He doesn't shy away from difficulty. He prefers to be a member of a group, but if needed, he will go it alone. People know this about him and find encouragement to push forward. As a result he has become a key member of the Robotics team. Marc has learned about himself in the past couple of years and he is able to share his best self with us. We are lucky.”
Hear this, from Mr Phillips: “Marc has a quiet fierceness about him. I had the pleasure to work with him in robotics. Marc was always one of the first to ask, "What can I do to help?" He was always there to lend a hand lifting and moving our 100+ pound bot! When in the robotics pit at competition, Marc was in charge of the batteries, pun intended. He had to make sure we had a fully charged battery for every match and he did it without fail. I was also pleased to learn that Marc is a voracious reader of sci fi, something I, too, am passionate about. When he wasn't in robot mode, he was tucked away stealing a peek at a few pages of his book. I know that wherever Marc goes, he is going to contribute because that is what he does. He gives without a second thought. Congrats Marc on Student of the Week!”
Ms D’Andrea notes: “I've never taught Marc but I'm really proud of him for representing Downsview well when he was selected to take part in a PC Building workshop at TMU last semester. He accepted the challenge with enthusiasm and maturity. I was so impressed that he learned to build a computer from scratch and he was our youngest student to attend the workshop. Way to go, Marc, and thank you for taking on new opportunities with an open mind, hard work and dedication!”
And, from Mr Hum: “I’ve only had the privilege of teaching Marc for the past couple of months but in that short time I’ve come to realize what a nice guy he is and how hard-working he is as well. As the phys Ed class takes breaks in between activities, you will often see Marc squeezing in some extra squats, some lunges, and sets of push ups. He’s always trying to improve on his muscular strength and also his cardio and stamina. He truly pushes himself to improve in all aspects of his life on a daily basis. Marc is off to Europe with his family next semester as his dad takes on a new position. I wish you all the best abroad and I will truly miss the interesting conversations we had on books, movies, robotics, and video games! Congratulations and keep up the great work!”
Let’s wrap things up with words from Dr Syal: “I had the pleasure of teaching Marc. He is a hardworking student who always completes his work and is ready to help his peers. Marc is also part of the Robotics Team. Last year, he was a quiet member who wanted to help but did not know how. This year, Marc has shown growth not only as a member but also as a leader. He has held many responsibilities, such as builder, technician, and safety inspector. He is not afraid to express his opinion. Marc has many friends on the team. He broke my heart by telling me he is not returning to Downsview next year. Marc, you will be missed by the team, but also know that you can not be replaced as a student at DSS. I wish Marc the best of luck with his future endeavours.”
Marc, it’s clear that you have a lot of fans here at Downsview, and it’s clear that you will be missed as you move on to new adventures. We know that you will continue in your dedicated work inside and outside the classroom; this dedication has earned you the title: Student of the Week.