A few weeks ago, I went back to 371 Bloor Street West to collect old tiles from the Periodic Table for installation up at Humbert the following day. A lady approached me and said “can you leave some of them still up? It reminds me that you all still exist over there.”

She’s right, each of these flimsy little paper squares represents a corner of the community we now have over here. From Best Buddies, Animal Justice Society, Science Club to Classics, UTS students are torn between all the activities and extracurriculars they long to pursue. Reflecting on my time at UTS, this is what I value most about our community. I love that my peers are unafraid of delving into areas outside of their comfort zone and willing to pursue knowledge outside of a traditional classroom environment. To me, the Periodic Table embodies this spirit, existing as a microcosm of UTS students: eclectic, vibrant, nerdy, charmingly funky, and not so easily distilled...

As I write this, it is so hard to believe that it is already mid-November. The first months of school have gone by in the blink of an eye, and I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that by the time spring rolls around, I will be leaving this home-away-from-home. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of homework, deadlines, meetings, but sometimes, I need to remember to slow down and take the time to appreciate everything going on around the school.

For me, my last year means my last time going to a Holiday Breakfast, my last time chanting soh cah toa, my last year calling extra help sessions ‘math parties’, the last time decorating the Commons together… This school has been my home for the formative years of my life, and I am so honoured and grateful to have the opportunity to recreate these traditions for the next generation and add my own contributions. That said, I still want to make the most out of the time we have left!

When Andrei and I began the year, we were tasked with a massive brainstorming session of our goals for the 2019-2020 school year. We talked about how we wanted to reinvigorate UTS community spirit through school events, to foster a lasting sense of togetherness. Treasured traditions like Fajita Fiesta and Club-O-Rama have already whizzed by, and we can’t wait to get started with Holiday Breakfast and Candy-Grams in the upcoming few weeks.

While continuing with these, we’ve also started up a few of our own initiatives that will hopefully carry on in the future. Who needs the Wall Street Journal when you have the Stall Street? Hopefully, your trips to the washroom have been a little more joyful with the addition of riddles and Why are you lates? We sure hope that House-O-Scopes have been providing some soulful insights into your life. But we aren’t done yet, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for announcements about school-wide speed-friendship sessions and other fun surprises coming up soon :)

Another top priority was fostering a stronger connection to student government. Walking down the jam-packed hallways of 30 Humbert, I often hear people asking, “What does StudCow actually do?” or “Do student leaders actually have any power at UTS?” Ensuring accountability and transparency with StudCow is incredibly important, and this year we want to make sure that the work of student leaders feels relevant and impactful in everyday life at UTS beyond the buzzwords.

Already, in the most recent Student Council election, we’ve broken records with the greatest number of applicants and voter turnout in every single grade. We are continually impressed by the great ideas presented at Townhalls and Q&As, and more than ever, we want to put the emphasis on student advocacy and representation. By turning to new ways of distributing meeting minutes from social media to Stall Street, we hope to make the issues we talk about more accessible and to increase the student body’s engagement in the matter. After all, our job is to represent the Student Body, so please don’t hesitate to show up to StudCow meetings (Thursdays at lunch!) to pitch your own ideas. We are welcome to hear any ideas and value your insights. Have a great year UTS!

Much love, Mia :)

Hey UTS!

It’s been a very busy and exciting start to the school year for me, as I’m sure it’s been for you. I hope that you’ve enjoyed our initiatives like the StallStreet Journal and the Periodic Table, as well as our work to update the Summative Scheduling Guidelines and lead Climate Action at the school. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Mia and I!

For me, UTS has become my second home. I love walking around the building, hearing the music classes practicing in the stairwell, the Latin classes shouting out declensions, the gym classes cheering on each other. The energy of our school is something I dearly treasure, and it’s what helps me get through those tough, work-heavy days. I thank each and every one of you for contributing to our community, and making it a place where each of us can feel supported and inspired.

Mia and I care deeply about nurturing this community spirit and finding ways to connect both within and across grades. That’s why Community and Inclusion is one of our two main areas of focus this year. At the start of the year, we established panels on Summative Scheduling, School Communication, Mental Health, and Extracurricular Life, made up of students from M4, S5 and S6. Each panel is working hard to find ways to make our school a better place. For example, the Mental Health Panel has been working with Dr. Dawe to publicize school policies around Mental Health, and ensure your questions are getting answered and addressed. Our Extracurricular Life panel helped put on Club-O-Rama, which had a record number of attendees this year. Looking forward, the Panels and Captains will collaborate to make sure our student experience is as enjoyable and welcoming as possible.

Mia and I also want to make sure that our learning at UTS builds to something bigger than ourselves. That’s our second main area of focus, Global Citizenship. I know that this phrase—global citizenship—can seem like a meaningless buzzword. For me, global citizenship comes down to a very simple question: are the things we’re doing at school empowering us to have an impact on our world? The Climate Action Week in September, and the Climate Strike (attended by almost 100 UTS students!) were just the first components of this. We’ve also been investigating activities that we can do during class, to get us thinking about what our impact on the world could be.

It’s scary to think how little time I have left at UTS. Back in M3 (when I entered the school) I thought I had an unending expanse of years ahead of me. Looking back, that time was far shorter than I anticipated it to be. With my final months at the school, I want to make sure I leave UTS a better place than I found it. And I want to take every opportunity to learn and be inspired by the wonderful community we have.

Wishing you lots of love, rest and as little stress as possible,

Andrei

You know the name: the Althouse Gators. You know the legacy: three-time champions and recipients of the prestigious House Cup. Now, it is up to you to carry the weight of this title into the 2019-2020 year.

It is simply a fact that Althouse is a house made up of the most skilled, talented, and spirited individuals at UTS, and it is a harsh truth that with such great power comes great responsibility. In the words of an unknown scholar, “they hate us ‘cause they ain’t us”. Yet the purpose of this message is not to put down our competitors— one who must lift themselves up by putting down others will achieve nothing that they can be proud of. The ability of our competitors is not to be understated, but that simply means that victory against them is that much sweeter.

Each and every Althouse Gator has a responsibility to uphold, and that is to know your worth. Know that you are a part of a collective that has proven itself superior for three years in a row, and countless years before that. Remember that you have your fellow Gators standing behind you and supporting you all the way through this year, and that working together is what makes us successful. The reason we have come this far is because we work together and share our talents.

This year’s exec, different but complementary to each other, are the perfect example. Hannah Joo, our athletic rep, is extremely hardworking, determined, and decorated. Sophie Lynn, the deputy prefect, is deeply spirited, persevering, and motivated. And Shriya Shah, our literary rep, is highly analytical, organized, and intelligent. Each Althouse Gator represents each of these traits and more, and I have complete faith in these wonderful ladies.

Yet in spite of all this, perhaps the most important thing to remember is what the House system is based on. It is a way to bring students together outside of the classroom. In such a competitive environment, it is important to remember that winning is not the end-all and be-all, and falling behind does not mean you are lesser than anyone else. What is important is to find the fun in house events, and to realize that if you enjoyed yourself, you come out on top. Hopefully, this idea carries over into every part of your life. If you find that it doesn’t, remember that your fellow Gators, and your exec, are here for you.

Beat ‘em. Bite ‘em. And (I cannot stress this enough), Althouse fight ‘em.

With love,

Althouse prefect Sadie Coelho

C-O-U-G-A-R-S,

THAT IS HOW YOU SPELL THE BEST,

ALL THE OTHERS STAND IN AWE,

CODY COUGARS EAT EM RAW!

GO CODY!

Cody cougars,

I hope you spent the past several months sharpening your claws because we’re not here to play around. In this House, we take the House Cup seriously. Right here, right now, I am offering you a chance to scream, “EAT EM RAW” whilst we celebrate our victory at the end of the year like the true victors we are.

We are fierce and passionate, never afraid to back down even while bleeding blue. We are determined and courageous, driven by the lack of fear because we know that we will emerge victorious after a lengthy battle. Like a predator pouncing on prey, don’t be afraid to be the clear winner in the room.

Introducing the Cody executives, we have Hank Kohn, Sanjna Puri, Andrea Ma, and me! In charge of making sure the Cody Cougars stay in shape, Hank is your Athletic-rep. You might remember him from House Track with the Cody banner wrapped around his shoulders like a majestic cape. Our Lit-rep is Sanjna Puri, who is extremely organized and caring but most importantly, takes care of all the litty stuff. Last, but not the least, Andrea Ma is our Deputy Prefect, showing dedication and bringing great spirit wherever she goes.

As your Prefect, I will lead our House to victory. With your spirit and great strength, I know that we can win the House Cup this year, and many more years to come. I have complete trust in all of you.

Jennifer Chung,

Cody Prefect

PS. Don’t forget to eat em raw

Brave. Daring. Passionate.

These are the qualities a Knight of the Crawford House possesses. The gold colour we represent radiates during our various victories. We, the Knights, are never afraid to offer a helping hand to others, never afraid to do the right thing — and most importantly, never afraid to give it our all to win. This integrity means that Crawford Knights shine in the midst of all the other houses.

Founded from the first headmaster of UTS, H.J. “Bull” Crawford, we are built on the same courage, honor, and virtue of knights in medieval times. Our triumphs are written all over our past, with winning the House Cup three years in a row just in recent times.

With such history and valour backing our righteous House, let’s take back what is ours this year!

The House Cup has been ours many times before, and it is rightfully our time to reclaim it. I have personally seen the potential in our newly knighted F1s, brazen in character, and our old-time knights, strong and resilient. I know this is the year we start our next legacy of unwavering victory!

I hope that with your Crawford executive team, consisting of myself, Alexander Pei, Layla Kazerouni, and Shuruthi Sivadas, we can guide and support you in your journey through the House System — and more importantly, UTS. To the fresh blood in our Knighthood, welcome. Do not stand wary, as we Crawford Knights will win the House Cup together, as a legion on our steeds of gold!

I’ll see you around the school this year! LET’S SHOW THE OTHER HOUSES WHAT WE’RE MADE OF! GO CRAWFORD KNIGHTS!

Sincerely,

Alison Xie

Prefect of the Crawford House

Crawford Knights on steeds of gold,

We’re strong and fierce and brave and bold,

Do what we want, not what we’re told,

We’ll win those fights so all behold,

GOOOO CRAWFORD!

Blessed by the Nordic gods, Vikings are famed for dominating all the seas and conquering all the lands. Strong, resourceful, spirited, and heroic; we are the complete package. With this strength and power, how can Gators, Cougars, or Knights even be a match for us?

However, a single Viking is not strong enough to ward off the other houses. Vikings are most powerful when they are together, and only as a family can they bash and destroy the enemies before them. We need ALL Vikings to stand up to the challenge, whether it’s a battle of strength or a battle of cake decorating, we need ALL of you to come out!

We are the Lewis Vikings!

This name with pride we bear!

We plunder, We pillage, We conquer!

And garb of green we wear!

Upon the call of Odin,

there is no quest too tough.

For we are the Lewis Vikings!

Of brains and brawny stuff!

It’s time to stand and claim what’s rightfully ours: THE HOUSE CUP

Welcome back Vikings!

Odin, Thor, Britta & Ragnarok

Prefect

Name: Odin (Candice)

Favourite Viking Activity: Concocting Grog

Favourite House Event: Geneva Park

Athletic Rep

Name: Thor (Jaden)

Favourite Viking Activity: Showing supremacy over all other houses through the use of niceties and honour.

Favourite House Event: HOUSE TRACK MEET

Lit Rep

Name: Britta (Meghna)

Favourite Viking Activity: All Vikings (even non-Vikings) wearing our merch and dressed the best B)))

Favourite House Event: Cake Boss

Deputy Prefect

Name: Ragnarok (Naveed)

Favourite Viking Activity: SCREAMING OUR CREED

Favourite House Event: Spirit Weeks