Every Monday in our after school program at Bala Avenue Community School, our mentors Davida and Matthew facilitate a weekly art project exploring a variety of media and methods. Let’s take a look at some of our beautiful artwork.
As you are aware, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that its members will take further job action on Monday, October 7, 2019.
In the event that there is a strike and the school board closes, we will be offering full day programming at St. Alban’s main clubhouse (843 Palmerston Ave.).
Program will run from 8am-6pm. The cost will be $80/day for current members. An additional membership fee will apply to all non-members. Space is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis.
We encourage you to pre-register if you know that you will need the program. You will not be charged if there is no strike and the schools are open.
Please contact Ikram at Ikram@stalbansclub.ca for more information. Or front desk 416-534-8461 to register.
Alyah is a recent graduate from the RBC Raise the Grade program and is now attending post-secondary at Queens University!
Raise the Grade has helped me tremendously with my homework, staying on track with my grades, and figuring out my career aspirations. I’m so thankful for a program like RBC Raise the Grade, because I know I can count on my mentors when I need help in any aspect of my life. I graduated high-school in June 2019 and just started the Kinesiology program at Queens University! I got into my dream university and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of my mentors in RBC Raise the Grade. Thank you Lauren and Olivia for all your help over the last three years and St. Alban’s for providing this program for youth!
Alyah Opel
About the RBC Raise the Grade program
The RBC Raise the Grade program is an educational program of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and supported by RBC Future Launch. You will be matched 1-on-1 with a mentor volunteer who will help you discover your own interests, work on your homework, study tips, and figure out your career path! The RBC Raise the Grade program at St. Alban’s Boys and Girl’ Club happens every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Program participants can register by contacting our Raise the Grade coordinator, Cindy Nguyen at cindy@stalbansclub.ca
Our INC Studio held a two day beat competition this August. Eight participants from INC Studio and visiting faction Loop Sessions challenged each other in a friendly display of musical innovation and beat production, with the audience choosing their winner for the final prize! We would like to especially thank Pizzaville and Loops Sessions for their partnership and support during these events!
Congratulations to Selah Beats for taking home top prize! Selah Beats is a 16 year old beatmaker based out of the west end of Toronto, who first developed a taste for beat production two years ago. Selah has a love for pop centric and out there styles which has been improved on working with Loop Sessions staff and participants. Congrats again and enjoy your new Playstation Mini.
The Youth Adventure campers and staff had the honour of being the first group to stay at the newly opened Camp Howland Lake. The only structure on the grounds is the dining hall – so we set up bunk beds and stayed there for a week from July 22-26.
There were so many great memories and experiences from the week. Here are some of the best (or most memorable!) moments from the group!
Some of my favourite moments were when we went fishing and kayaking and I like how we all did things together in a group and the most hilarious moment was when Fabian was saying the scary story – it was so much fun.
~Layla S.S.
My Favourite memory was when I went fishing
~Adam S.
My favourite thing from camping was swimming and jumping off the dock.
~Olivia D
My favourite memory was teaching the youth how to fish! I loved seeing how excited they got about fishing. I love that the girls were more excited about fishing then the boys and that everyone had a chance to catch at least one fish. The funniest moment for me was when Karol was trying to take the fish she just caught off the hook.
~Kat (youth staff)
My funniest memory was when I fell trying to climb up my bunk bed and when I pushed Fabian into the water.
~Karol
I had a blast at the first week of Camp Howland! My favourite memory was when all the staff planned a scary story walk for the campers; we went when it was pitch black. I WAS SO SCARED OUT OF MY MIND…in such a fun way.
~Savaiya
My funniest memory was when Fabian tried to push me in the water, when I was on the kayak and I tipped over into the lake.
~Sam M.
Congratulations to Leann Hughes for winning the 2019 St. Alban’s song writing contest with her track, Taking Me Higher.
Leann has been active in the Toronto music community for a 5 years, starting when she first found her voice on her church’s choir. From there, Leann started exploring jazz and RnB. She recently started writing her own songs as she felt limited by the songs provided to her and felt she could create her own. With the help of INC studio, Leann creates amazing songs both for herself and for music lovers!
Listen to the winning track, Taking Me Higher.
In part 1, we described the wonderful time we had when the students of Sunchild School came to visit us here in Toronto. Now on to Part 2 – our turn to visit them! On our trip to Sunchild First Nations School in Alberta we were pushed out of our comfort zones. We camped in Tipis for the day, went mountain biking, went to a PowWow, went for a hike in the mountains and learned about the community, helped the elders and painted a mural during our community engagement day.
This youth exchange trip was a really great experience for me. We got along really well with the students of Sunchild school. I have some really amazing memories with my friends from Toronto and my new friends in Sunchild. Even though we will probably never see them again, it was an extraordinary experience I will never forget. If we had the choice again I’d do it in a heartbeat. Also I learned “Paskwaw mostos” – this means buffalo/bison in Cree.
Lily
My favourite thing that we did was when we went to the mountains and then went to the pow wow at the school.
RiRi
The day we saw the pow wow was amazing! Many of us had never been to a Pow Wow. Just to see how the community comes to together to celebrate is awesome. For us this pow wow was a little extra special as one of our “twins” was a dancer in the celebration.
As a staff I love participating in this program. The YMCA Youth Exchange program teaches the youth about culture, to step out of their comfort zones and try new things that they would never otherwise have the chance to do.
Kat Bonnell
Where will next year’s Youth Exchange take us? Stay tuned!
Favourite summer memory:
Wet ‘n’ wild water park, my little friend Maya was afraid of water slides but with a little encouragement she faced her fears and we ended up having a great time going down that slide together
Favourite summer activities:
Rock climbing, soccer baseball, capture the flag, and Friday Field Trips!!
What I’m looking forward to this summer:
To the new groups of superstars I’ll be meeting soon and making long lasting memories together
What I’m nervous about:
I’m on the less nervous and more excited side of the spectrum
If I had one superpower:
Definitely wish I could teleport! St. Albans by day, world traveler by night!
The Power Youth Showcase took place at Harbourfront in June and gave the youth a chance to show off everything they have been working on this year in the program.
Showcase took place at Harbourfront in June and gave the youth a chance to show off everything they have been working on this year in the program.
On Monday and Wednesday evenings from January to April, youth at the Humber Clubhouse, Boys & Girls Clubs of Weston-Mount Dennis, and 155 Neptune Drive, Boys and Girls Clubs of Lawrence Heights, worked with their selected Artist-in-Residence, Hip Hop artist, Grivanni Binger, aka Gene One. With his multi-talented background, Gene One helped youth learn two aspects of Hip Hop culture: beat-production and graffiti. Youth gained practical skills in design and production, while also engaging in discussion about the politics of art.
From September through December, Humber youth worked with Lee Pham, artist, producer and break dancer, known in the breaking community as Lethal. Fifth generation member of world renowned b-boy crew, SuperNaturalz.
