Jonathan Rosenhek

We have made it to the end of the year in ICE. Wow. It has been a roller coaster of a year to say the least! From winter camping in the middle of February, to learning about the history of the Second World War in just a month, this year has been full of unexpected twists and turns (now we are going through a pandemic!). However, it has been through these moments, these unexpected, challenging times, that I have learned so much about myself as a person, student and Canadian. This blog will look back on the year in ICE, explore how I have changed, what I have learned, and how the ICE programme has had a major impact on my life.

I have always been a cautious and careful person. Throughout all of my life, I never did things that challenged me, or pushed me outside of my comfort zone. No risky activities, no scary choices, and definitely no extreme trips into the wilderness! That is until February 3, 2020. I had heard about the ICE winter camping trip since the start of the year. Poor reviews from the grade 10’s along with the constant fear of sleeping outside in the winter, made it something I was not looking forward to. I actually thought it was going to be the worst week of my life! In many ways, this was true. But in other ways, it was the finest, most extraordinary experience I have ever had.

I learned that I am able to push myself and persevere through challenging moments. I was able to pull my sled up and down the endless hills, cook my own meals over the fire, and sleep in a quinzee without a problem. Even though there were moments that felt nerve wracking and scary, it was not as bad as I originally thought. I learned to see the positive side to every unfamiliar situation. There is no doubt in my mind that I will carry this experience for the rest of my life. I will carry the knowledge that when I challenge myself and push myself outside of my comfort zone, I can step up to the plate, overcome that obstacle, and emerge as a stronger person in the end. For further reading, here is a Link to my Winter Camping Blog.

Stepping into the classroom, I have learned many things about myself as a student. Throughout the entire year in ICE, we did many different projects that showcased our learning. We wrote photo essays about the city of Toronto, designed manual book reports discussing the novel Indian Horse, and constructed documentaries on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. By completing all of these different tasks I learned that I can adapt and show my knowledge in different ways.

As a student, I never enjoyed projects that were very open ended. I usually liked to have a concrete set of lists and expectations that we needed to write about or research. In ICE this year, we had a lot more choice as to what we could create, and through the year, I found that I enjoyed these creative projects more than just the plain cut essay. The wide variety of options made it so that I could talk about something I was interested in. For example, when we were introduced to the manual book report project for Indian Horse, I was intimidated. I could pick any topic, discuss any theme, or create any object. At first it was tough, but through the process I learned that if I picked something I was interested in, the project was much more enjoyable overall. Here is a Link to my blog about Indian Horse if you're interested.

Lastly, the ICE programme has helped me become a more knowledgeable Canadian. Looking back on the beginning of the ICE year, we went on three or four trips in the first month of the school. We travelled across the city investigating many different topics facing our city and country. In December, we even travelled to Ottawa to learn more about parliament and the structure of government. All of these moments have helped me become a more knowledgeable and informed Canadian. By studying the history of Canada, I now know how this country came to be and what actions shaped the world we live in today. From being in ICE, I know that as a Canadian, I can make a difference as an engaged citizen.

Being involved in the ICE programme has changed my character as a person, student, and a Canadian. From being more open-minded, to changing the way I think as a student, ICE has had a major impact on my life. Acquiring knowledge, skills, and experience outside of the traditional classroom setting is an integral part of ICE, and I feel that this has had the most impact on me. The direct experiences that we took part in have allowed me to see what we have studied first hand. Before this year I never thought I would learn about gentrification by visiting Alexandra Park in person. I didn’t think that we would have the opportunity to go to Ottawa and hear from Minister Carolyn Bennett on the lives of Inuit in the North! In prior years, I would gather this evidence in a textbook, not in the field.

That’s the beauty of ICE. Experience truly is the greatest teacher.

Here is my mini-documentary: It explores the topic of rent relief, and how the landlord and tenant must cooperate if we want our mainstreets to come out of this crisis alive.