Toronto, ON – June 05, 2026  – Imagine transforming a quiet high school library into a high-stakes, bustling live marketplace.

Over the course of two days, our Grade 10 Business students stepped out of their roles as teenagers and into their roles as CEOs. They were actively managing rapid foot traffic, adjusting marketing strategies on the fly, and handling real-world sales pressure with total professionalism.

The journey didn't end with a successful market simulation. These young entrepreneurs wanted to prove that their skills met true, globally recognized industry standards.

After weeks of rigorous preparation, 34 of our students successfully challenged the formal examination to earn their Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) Certifications, sponsored by Intuit. A huge thank you to CCI Learning for providing the testing platform that allowed us to bring this professional microcredential directly into our secondary classroom. Earning this certification gives these students a massive competitive advantage and a distinct resume highlight before they even graduate high school.

Fueled by their classroom success, the students took their talents to the provincial stage, competing head-to-head with peers across Ontario in three prestigious business challenges:

• The Ontario Business Educators' Association (OBEA) Contest - Challenged to build a comprehensive business plan and investor pitch deck from scratch, our students completely swept the podium, taking home both 1st and 3rd place in Ontario!

• Waterloo University’s Financial Literacy Competition - The class tackled complex, real-world corporate finance problems under tight time constraints, proving their sharp analytical skills.

• The RIPYL Ultimate Camp Challenge - Teams stepped into the shoes of camp founders, navigating rigorous solution ideation, mapping complex stakeholder logistics, and calculating cost-per-attendee metrics for a professional pitch video.

This entire month has been a powerful reminder of what happens when we elevate secondary education. When we design curriculum around experiential learning, integrate cutting-edge EdTech, and embed professional microcredentials into the high school experience, students start to lead.

Congratulations to all of our incredible future business leaders! 

The workshop kicked off with an exploration of Personal Branding. In today’s digital age, your "brand" is the unique combination of skills, experiences, and personality that you want the world to see. It’s the intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual. A strong personal brand builds credibility and helps students differentiate themselves when applying for internships, scholarships, and first-time jobs.

The final leg of the workshop delved into the technicalities of Resume Building. Students learned that a resume is a living document that must evolve alongside their career development.

A special thank you to the RBC team for investing their time and expertise into the students of David & Mary Thomson CI. 

Toronto, ON – November 19, 2025  – We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our DECA chapter following the recent Regional Competition! The hard work, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit of our students were on full display, earning our chapter remarkable success.

A massive congratulations to the following students who have qualified to represent David & Mary Thomson C.I. at the upcoming DECA Provincial Competition! We wish them the very best of luck as they prepare for the next level of competition.

• Kalpana Acharya

• Ishana Mayreddy

• Yasir Mandalawi

• Afrah Rahman

• Zoha Aleem

• Zakera Shaikh

• Sai Swaran Gunda

• Dhakshesh Sayee Kannan

In addition to our Provincial Qualifiers, we would like to recognize all students who achieved exceptional performance and placed among the top finalists in their competitive categories at the Regional level:

• Afrah Rahman, who achieved Top 10 Exam and Top 10 Overall in the Restaurant & Food Service Management Series

• Zoha Aleem and Zakera Shaikh, who achieved Top 10 Role-Play in Sports & Entertainment Marketing Team Decision-Making Series

• Parvati Nair, who achieved Top 10 Role-Play in Principles of Finance, scoring a whopping 100%.

Congratulations to all DECA delegates! Your commitment to excellence is a source of immense pride for our school community.

Toronto, ON – November 13, 2025  – International Business (BBB4M) and Retail and Service Marketing (BMX3E) students traded the classroom for the downtown core, embarking on a dynamic field trip to the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

Sixty students successfully navigated the complex TTC route, demonstrating exceptional organizational skills and professionalism—a huge thank you to our 10 dedicated student Group Leaders who managed logistics and ensured a seamless experience!

The trip was designed to connect high school theory directly to high-level university application.

Students were graciously hosted by the TRSM faculty, including Dr. Donna Smith, for a specialized Retail Strategy session. This session centered on the concept of the Pop-Up Shop—a modern example of low-risk Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and market testing. Students analyzed the Pop-Up's strategy, considering how it minimizes risk while maximizing brand exposure.

The learning continued at the bustling Toronto Eaton Centre. Students completed a comparative analysis, contrasting the temporary Pop-Up with large, established Multinational Corporations (MNCs) like Zara and Nike. This allowed them to observe firsthand the strategies behind product standardization versus cultural adaptation in global retail.

A key highlight of the day was the unparalleled opportunity for our students to network with TMU faculty and gain crucial insights into their future careers.

A select group met with the Finance department for an interactive lecture by Professor Daniel Tut and a Q&A session with Professor Sergiy Rakhmayil. They discussed career preparedness, industry technology, and the future of financial analysis.

The entire group connected with the TRSM Recruitment and Community Outreach team (Celeste Saddler and Katherine Hollis) to learn about admission pathways and explore programs like Human Resources Management.

This direct interaction provided our students with practical answers regarding the real-world business environment and the specific skills required to lead in the next 5–10 years.