William Robertson

I came to The York School for grade 9 not really knowing what to expect. I wasn’t really sure how ICE (Integrated Canadian Experience) would work because I hadn’t been at a school that did anything like it. There aren’t many schools that have a course made up of many courses that are dedicated to teaching about what it means to be a Canadian and Canadian identity.

One thing I have learned about myself as a person in my ICE year is that things may not always go my way, but I am able to see the best in a bad situation. For a huge chunk of the year, we have been virtual learning and I assure you that it's harder than it would seem. I had to adapt the best that I could in order to continue to make the best out of the ICE program. When virtual learning started I had to reflect and realize that the ICE program is a once in a lifetime opportunity for that kind of learning. I had to take advantage of the program because if I didn’t I definitely wouldn’t be as knowledgable about Canada as I am right now.

As a student this year I have learned a lot about how far my drive to succeed can go. I’ve learned that for me it’s important to set little goals for myself to complete in a certain amount of time. I only started doing this after the holidays because I was really stressed about my workload before the break. I found that when I set these goals it was easier to gain motivation to complete assignments and do the very best I can. I find it easier to set many small goals for myself rather than one big goal even though by the end I would have done the same amount of work.

As a Canadian this year I have learned that one person’s voice is just as important as the voices of a thousand people. One thing that the ICE program has taught me about being a Canadian is that someone’s ability to speak their mind and stand up for what they think is right should be taken advantage of. With the ICE program, I was able to recognize that being able to have a voice is a right in Canada, but its a privilege on the world stage. Not all places in the world have that privilege to allow each person to stand up for what they believe is right. So, I have learned to jump at that opportunity.

In ICE this year there have been good moments and bad moments, but the difficult times have always yielded the best results and they have strengthened me as a person, student, and Canadian. I now recognize that the ICE program has to come to an end. Thank you to all the ICE teachers for a great year.