BUILDING A LEADER

Dundas Valley Secondary School

2012-2016

GPP: Global CONNECT

BOH: Business Leadership

Personal Leadership Philosophy

Leadership Quotation

After GPP and BOH

- Graduating
- University
- Travelling
- Continue Relay for Life
- PETA
- Leadership Project
- Service Experience

Before GPP and BOH

- Halloween 4 Hunger
- Cancer Awareness Committee
- Relay For Life
- First Job
- Grandpa Passing Away
Heroes/ Role Models
- SPCA
- Coach Ridley
- Neighbour 2 Neighbour
- Toth
During GPP
- Ingrid Newkirk
- Leadership Camp
- Jordyn Usselman
- World Diabetes Day
- Mentoring
Personal Manifesto & Pathway Plan
- Hamilton Urban Core
- Coaching
Reflections
- Osfest Garage Sale
- True Colours
- Together We Create Change
Conference
During BOH
- Yearbook
- Dundas Community Bottle Drive
- Senior Year
- Dire Woofs
- Global CONNECT Program

My personal leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful. It has changed over time
and has molded along with me and my leadership style. My experiences, classes, skill
developments, and so much more has lead me to believe that my leadership
philosophy is simply to inspire, uplift, and motivate others.
Now, a leadership philosophy typically defines your theory, attitudes, principles, and
behaviour towards leadership. So to break it down within my philosophy, my theory
entails the simple idea of uplifting and empowering yourself and other people. The
idea of a Leader Breeder is a strong basis for this as I believe the best leaders
create more leaders.
Moving on to my attitudes towards leadership, I believe the characteristics of
leadership are applicable to everyone. Having a positive attitude towards leadership
can really make of break you as a leader. Those that accept challenges and face them
head on tend to be the most successful leaders. However, I believe being a successful
leader is attainable to everyone. The legendary Hall-of-Famer football coach Vince
Lombardi has always said leaders are built, not born.
My leadership principles are derived from various leadership articles, first hand
experiences, class projects, and volunteer/ extra-curricular experiences in and outside
of school. My principles are that leadership is a behaviour not a position, to always
lead by example, actions speaks louder than words, unity is strength, and there is
always room to learn and grow. With that, these principles correlate into my behaviour
within leadership. I enjoy being in a role model position, setting good examples, and
learning from others, all of which are key attributes within leadership. Ive always
seemed to be the person that wanted to do all the work in group settings but I
definitely learned how to delegate tasks and showcase strengths.
Overall leadership is such a key component with your success, character, and growth.
I strongly believe that those leaders that lift others, actually end up lifting themselves
as well.

You dont need a title to be a leader

- Mark Sanborn
As soon as I saw this quote, I knew it was the perfect summary of my
leadership experience throughout high school. Leadership is something that
can be achieved on a daily basis in the simplest forms. Leadership is
challenging yourself, taking action, inspiring change, and empowering others.
This cannot be defined under a title, they just simply need to be done. It is
proven that empathy is actually in human nature; we naturally can sense and
feel what others are and establish a connection. Acting upon this can easily be
classified as leadership.
These past years Ive learned that I do not need to attend a camp, run a
committee, join student council, or participate in every sports team to be
classified as a leader. Now, those definitely do contribute to the skills and
experience that assist who you are as a leader, but leadership isnt meant to
just stop there. I do not need an important, specified title to demonstrate what
Ive learned about leadership. I apply it every single day with my peers,
mentors, co-workers, friends, family, and even people I havent met! There is no
defining line or specification that determines whether one is a leader or not. It is
the small actions and the impact you have on yourself and others. Who are we
to put a title on that? Leadership is in everything.

Before
Project
Class

#1: Completed

Halloween for Hunger is an event Dundas Valley runs each year to collect cans for a
local food bank. Instead of going trick or treating for candy, students are asked to collect
cans for those who are less fortunate. I participated in Halloween for Hunger when I
was in grade 10 and I am not only proud that I did but incredibly grateful. It was a very
rewarding experience that allowed me to gain many skills. Just knowing that you are
doing something so simple but incredibly powerful for someone else is a priceless
feeling that I definitely gained from participating in Halloween for Hunger.
Myself and two others were given a specific route where we had to, first, drop off flyers
to inform residents in the neighbourhood of what was going on. A week later, on
Halloween night, we went back to those houses and collected cans for the food bank
and dropped them off at the school. The willingness of people in the neighbourhood was
something great to see. We would visit houses that would give about two or three
grocery bags full of food items!
I strongly believe that from this simple but powerful experience I
gained many useful, life-long skills. Not only did I realize the
true importance of giving back in the community, but also
teamwork, responsibility and organization. From this, I assisted
with Halloween for Hunger in my Global CONNECT class.
Although I did not go on a specific route, the whole class rallied
together to load up the enormous amount of packaged food
items.
The three of us really had to work
together as a team to finish our
route and collect all the food in time.
Moreover, responsibility and
organization was definitely involved;
we were all responsible for
completing our route and getting the
donations back to school and had to
do such in an organized manner.
Overall this is one contributing
experience that has shaped who I
am and I love seeing how it varies
each year!

Project #2: Completed

An experience that I definitely gained many things from would have to be

Cancer Awareness Committee. We ran many fundraisers and events, and
raised a ton of money towards cancer research and support. Some of the
events included; Bottle Drive, Kick the Bucket, Tee Shirt Sales, Bowl-a-thon and
Head shaving. One of the highlights for me was the success of the Cancer
Awareness Assembly. It was such a great experience to see what we, as a
team, can accomplish. Overall I believe it was a very empowering event that
inspired me to lead the committee the following year.
As for my role in this committee, I contributed to various things in the elapsed
time we had. During our main event of the assembly, I handed out cheques, and
took pictures of head shaving. For Kick The Bucket I had to bring in buckets and
help count money collected. I also had to assist with sweater design and tee
shirt sales. There were various things that had to be done but everyone worked
together well to accomplish our goals.
I really took a lot away from this
experience and am grateful for the
opportunity for me to make a
difference in my community. Cancer is
something that affects many people,
including myself with my grandpas
passing so it was very meaningful to
me. Something I definitely took away
from this was how precious life is and
how truly grateful I am for each and
every day. I could not even imagine
the hardships patients suffer every day
and just knowing I made a slight
difference made all the hard work
completely worth it in the end.

Project #3: Completed

Relay for Life is something Ive done for two

years now with a group of ten of my friends.
Held in June at the Ancaster Fairgrounds, each
one of us strongly looks forward to this event
each year. We pitch our tents and begin a long,
powerful, and beautiful night in the fight against
cancer. For the past two years everyone on my
team has raised between $100 - $300 each for
cancer. This event is so special to me and has
honestly changed my life. From talking to the
cancer survivors and their families to walking
around the track with the candles in honour of
those who lost their battle or are still fighting is
an overall incredibly moving experience. But
not only is this event incredibly emotional, it is
also a lot of fun! We order pizza, participate in
zumba, listen to live music from various local
bands and so much more!
With Relay for life I have a very key role as I am a co-captain with Paige
Carbonneau. Two years ago it was our initial idea to get a team of our friends
together for this important cause! Since then our team has grown and more of our
friends have gained an interest. This year we are even trying to start two teams
instead of just one. Before the event it is also my job to raise money and encourage
my other teammates to raise money in order to participate.
Overall this event has a great impact on my life. It made me incredibly grateful for the
life I have, and with my grandpa losing his battle to cancer makes me even more
motivated to continue this event and encourage others to get involved as well. It not
only unites us in the fight against cancer but also brings friendships and many long
lasting memories. Talking to all my friends after, we all agreed that it was a great start
to summer and should definitely be a continuing tradition. Relay for Life is a very
important experience for long lasting friendships and a good cause!

Before Class
Project #4:

Completed

The summer after grade 10 I started my first legitimate job at Ardene. I have
worked for my dads business (Tydan) here and there, however in the summer I
decided to add to my resume and apply for another part time position. I am now
very involved with customer service and work about 15 hours per week. I
thoroughly enjoyed my job and the experience I gained. I get along with all my coworkers and am really gaining important skills by working in retail.
My position specifically I was a part-time sales associate. I help customers and
ring through their purchases on the sales floor as well as put stock out on to the
floor for display. It is really interesting seeing how retail stores work and all the
behind work you dont notice when you are just simply shopping. The business
behind everything was exciting for me to learn and will definitely enhance my
career goals.
All in all, getting any type of job will bring many new lessons. I have learned about
independence, responsibility, and organization. These are all very important skills
that I believe I can keep with me throughout other jobs or careers paths as well as
my education choices. Not only have I developed skills by actually completing
specific tasks but I also have learned about budgeting and saving money by
having a consistent pay roll.

Before Class
Project #5:

Completed

Something that has definitely impacted my life drastically would have to be my

grandpa passing away October 2013. I experienced many mixed emotions and
learned how to deal with grieving, guilt and overall truly missing someone and having
to accept the fact that they will never be there again. It was a difficult time for my
family because he was very sick with pancreatic cancer and was also very old and
weak that we all had to watch him slowly slip away. I remember visiting him and not
even recognizing who he was because of all the weight he had lost and the
expression of his face.
I visited him as much as I could and as he passed I felt more and more guilty of not
having done that much sooner. He was a man who loved his grandkids and although
may have not been very active in his childrens/my dads life he made sure to be in
ours. He never failed to remind me of how beautiful I was or of how special he
thought each of my cousins and I were. As he passed he know that he was loved
and I truly believe that it was all he needed to die peacefully.
All in all, he was the first person I lost
that I have actually been close with and
it was not an easy experience. I learned
how to deal with many mixed emotions,
and the importance of love and support
from my incredible family and friends. It
made me grateful for the life I have and
not to take this life I am blessed to live
for granted. The last time holding his
hand is something I will never forget and
it is my only wish that he looks down and
is proud of each and every one of us. I
do many things involved in the fight
against cancer as it is something very
dear to my heart because it is all for him
and his struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Overall he was a hardworking man and
very special to many people and will
never be forgotten.

Before Class
Project #6:

Completed

A couple of years ago I had the privilege to give some of my time and volunteer with
the Hamilton- Burlington SPCA. When I was much younger I attended a junior
volunteer camp which really inspired me to get involved and make a difference for
those animals in need. I have discovered from this experience that animal rights is
definitely something I am passionate about and hope to be apart of finding justice to
animals who deserve it. Going there and seeing so many animals neglected or
abused broke my heart and even though I may have been young and did not quite
have a full understanding of the hardships, I knew I wanted to help make a difference.
Although I did not have a very specific
role in this experience, I personally made
it a goal for me to help and be a voice for
animals suffering. This experience
greatly changed me. I remember seeing
poor dogs who were blinded, had many
infections, were involved in dog fighting
and I promised myself that I would never
stand for such cruel treatment to any
innocent creature. I could never wrap my
head around how someone could abuse
animals, or force them to fight, or any
form of cruelty really.
From this, I expanded my research to
not only companion animals but all
animals. I researched factory farms and
animals used in the entertainment
industry or for tourist attractions and it
disgusted me. Since then I have donated
money to animals rights organizations,
signed many petitions, and volunteered
my time all because of this one
experience when I was a young girl.

Before Class
Project #7:

Completed

For my Civics YPI project, myself and three others decided to spend our time at
Neighbour 2 Neighbour located on the Hamilton Mountain. It was such a great
experience and we really got to see the hard work from volunteers there and the
effort needed to run a food bank for those in need. This was very rewarding and
did have an effect on my life as it made me want to volunteer more, help those in
need, and give back to my community.
My role in this experience was that I had to create a presentation in the hopes of
rewarding this organization with five thousand dollars. It became very personal to
me and I was really shown how much they needed the money and my group really
wanted to be the ones to help them out. Unfortunately we were the second runners
up so did not receive the money but another deserving charity took the lead, which
I was still very happy for. It was such a great thing to be a part of and knowing that
we had all of Neighbour 2 Neighbours support behind us was great. I met so many
great people and definitely would love to go back sometime.
This experience not only impacted me, but also taught me many things. I learned
that poverty is everywhere and help should be everywhere as well. Something the
people at Neighbour 2 Neighbour really demonstrated was endless support and
gratitude which was very much appreciated. This is definitely something that I think
I will always remember doing, and just making it to the finals for this great
organization was an accomplishment. The kindness everyone shared was
contagious and I think the YPI program is amazing and should be instilled in
schools everywhere.

During Class
Project #8:

Completed

I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen students to attend Everest Leadership
Camp 2014. This camp took place in September and was run by grade 12 student
leaders. There were various team building activities, workshops on how to be a
good leader, and an overall great opportunities to be built up as a person. I learned
so many new skills and instilled the confidence in me to really take on a student
leadership role.

Specifically, I went to learn how to be a leader in my school and plan for a charity
garage sale we hosted with the grade 7s from the feeder schools. This was such a
rewarding experience and I really gained the confidence I needed to not only be a
leader in my school, but also my community. I was pushed to step out of my comfort
zone and really challenged myself and I think I gained a lot of skills by doing so.
Evidently, I took a lot out of this experience and gained many important skills
needed to improve my skills and be a positive role model. In this short time, I
gained confidence, I learned how to challenge myself even more, and learned a lot
about teamwork and togetherness in our school. It was such a great couple of days
and I am truly grateful for this experience.

During Class
Project #9:

Completed

Planning and hosting the Osfest Garage sale was one of the many reasons I was
chosen to attend Student Leadership Camp (mentioned previously). This was a great
experience that made me put everything I learned at camp to the test. First we had to
host our own leadership seminars and give presentations to grade 7 students of our
feeder schools, then myself and fellow leaders went to these schools and started our
planning! I loved the idea of being a role model for these young students and just
talking to them alone was a fantastic experience. My team decided to make our table
toys and entertainment and our table was very successful at the garage sale.
Myself and three others were the high school leaders of about 5 seventh grade
students from Central Public. We had to help them brainstorm items they can bring in,
set up the table, help with the garage sale and assist them in any way needed. I
thoroughly enjoyed this experience and it made me realize that I want to take on more
leadership opportunities.
With this and Leadership Camp combined, I gained so many life long skills. Working
together and helping raise money for United Way (the chosen charity) was such a
good feeling and we all had so much fun doing it! This made me realize even more
that I love working with kids and being a role model, I improved on my presentation
skills and I also was able to help others and myself work together for a good cause.
Overall it was a great experience that had a huge impact on my leadership skills.

During Class
Project #10:

Completed

Something so evident throughout my leadership

experiences is when myself and six others ran
World Diabetes Day in Global CONNECT. I dont
even know where to begin with this experience
overall. I gained so many things and looking back I
am so proud of what we accomplished. We hosted
a school wide event that included a BBQ, zumba,
forming a big circle, and a photo booth. I am so
incredibly proud of what we pulled off and would
love to do it again.
I had various roles involved with organizing and
planning WDD. I had to keep track of the blue
binder, take notes, design tee shirts and sweaters,
get props for the photo booth, attend various
meetings with teachers and principals, and sell and
collect tee shirt money. Overall my role and many
others was very evident to the day and without all
this planning it would not have been as successful
as it was. As for the actual day, I had to make sure
everything was running smoothly, rally people
together, keep track of time, set up, and clean up.
This experience taught me a lot about myself and
the importance of efficient planning. I also learned
how to be a contributing team member and take
advantage of the strengths and weaknesses we all
posses and use those to our advantage. I gained
confidence in my organizational skills as well as my
leadership skills. I thought the day was very
rewarding and all though things may have been
stressful at times it was definitely all worth it in the
end.

During Class
Project #11:

Completed

For Global Connect one of our five main projects

was planning a five week mentoring session for
grade 10 students who were lacking motivation in
their careers class. I am truly glad I got to do this
and I really accomplished more than I thought I
would. At first I did not feel comfortable taking on an
planning this for students who did not really
consider me as a leader. I was quickly proven
wrong and I realized that I was being looked up to
as a mentor and had to do my best to set a good
example and plan age appropriate activities. This is
a key component I Learned about leadership,
someone is always looking up to you, even when it
may not be recognized or you may not have a
formal leadership title.
Week by week, a group of us had to plan mentoring
sessions including class time, group time, and
individual time. I really got along with my mentee
and I believe I really showed her the importance of
goal setting, planning, and decision making. Overall
I had to constantly be a leader for these students
no matter how close the ages are and the different
opinions we had.
By completing this project I learned the meaning of
a true leader, the importance of time management
and planning, and how to remain organized at all
times. Overall I had to be a role model even though
I was only a year older. I had to grasp the mentor
position and I am somewhat glad we got to do it
with this age group because I learned a lot from this
experience.

During Class
Project #12:

Completed

Volunteering at Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre

was something so simple, yet it impacted me in ways I cannot
describe. This was honestly an unforgettable experience and I
would not have had it any other way. Seeing the poverty first
hand just 15 minutes away from my own home was just
outstanding. For my excursion project, this is where myself and
four others decided to volunteer and I think we got way more out
of it than just a simple mark and presentation.
When we arrived we had to start wiping down the tables and
setting up tables and chairs. We then had to start cooking
breakfast but it was when breakfast was being served to those in
need that really changed me. My role was so simple yet not one
person failed to thank me and remind me of their appreciation. I
would love to go back and volunteer again at HUC because I
honestly fell in love with the people there. Not once in my life
have I ever experienced such gratitude over such a simple thing.
There are so many things I have learned
from this experience and Im so grateful to
have done such. I learned about
appreciating what you have and not taking
anything for granted, how a simple act of
kindness goes such a long way. I loved
every minute of volunteering and it
inspired me to volunteer even more and
really get out in my community. I realized
how much I want to help people and do
this more and more throughout my life.

During Class
Project #13:

Completed

Last year I decided to expand my volunteering

experience and assistant coach with a
younger team at my cheer gym for 2 hours
each and every week along with going to
competitions with them. Having fourteen
beautiful little girls absolutely look up to you
and are so thrilled to see you every week is a
reward within itself. I love taking the initiative
and teaching something that I personally love
to do to others that just strive to be in my
position.
I try and build a relationship with each and
every one on the team but these girls end up
teaching me things as I teach them. They are
such a unique group and I thoroughly enjoy
my role and am so grateful I get to see them
each and every week. Now whenever I think
about cheerleading I actually have a
completely different mindset. Im not so
focused on being the best team out there, or
winning every competition but simply being a
positive role model for these fourteen kids.
As I said, I not only teach them things, they
teach me. Being in this leadership role and
working with all these kids I have learned a lot
about patience and understanding. These little
girls have also showed me so much hard work
and dedication. They are all so focused and
mature and I envy their passion and
excitement to improve and learn each and
every week.

During Class
Project #14:

Completed

After completing the True Colours workshop in Global CONNECT I actually

discovered many traits about myself that prove to be true. My personality turned out
to be a mix of orange and gold and I actually strongly agree with this. After
discovering these traits about myself I have found that I seem to exaggerate them at
times such as my organizational skills. I think this was a great way to start off the
class so we can all learn about the different types of people and who we would be
best suited to work with.
Finding out what kind of person I am
allowed me to find out different people
I would work efficiently with and get
along with as well as take advantage
of the skills I have for this class and
the various projects. According to the
workshop, some attributes that I
possess include; spontaneous,
generous, dependable, organized and
stable. Finding this out I now use
these to my advantage and become
more confident in the person I am and
accept my different strengths and
weaknesses.
However, after completing the test again the next year I had a different outcome.
I got a three-way tie with blue, orange, and gold. Blues are sought out to be the
caring and compassionate ones, and after completing Global Connect more blue
was brought into my personality, which then became very evident. This simply
proves the impact volunteering and getting involved really has. I believe this test
to be very rewarding and useful as I learned things about myself that I would
never had even think of.

During Class
Project #15:

Completed

The Together We Create Change conference was a very eye opening and
motivating learning experience for myself. Six students were picked out of my entire
school and I had the privilege to be one of them. We were required to promote
student involvement, inquiry-based learning, and how students can make huge
differences. All of which I am very passionate about.
I absolutely loved talking to the elementary school students about what they are
doing around their school and community, and really learning what they are
passionate about in school. It truly inspired me to be a better, more active leader
and I could not believe how much I learned from such young kids. I was greatly
influenced and inspired by the positive atmosphere at this event. It was really great
to be apart of.
We had different roles throughout the course of the conference. I loved going
around to different schools, both elementary and secondary, and seeing the student
involvement there. HWDSB has a great branch of schools and excellent students. I
believe it is so important for students to learn from each other and that is definitely
something I got to do with this conference. No matter the age difference, each
individual had a passion for change that was so visible and this passion spread
throughout the entire time being there. I worked and bonded with students from both
my school and others and it is an experience that has definitely influenced my
leadership capabilities.
http://www.hwdsb.on.ca/blog/together-we-create-change/

After Class
Project #16:

In Progress

The Yearbook committee at DVSS is always something that has spiked my

interest but I had never really taken action towards it. Finally this year we had a
risk of not having a yearbook at all so I knew it was my time to contribute. I am
responsible for page designs, specifically the graduating class, which is definitely
something that excites me being a graduate myself.
So far the committee is coming along great and everyone seems to be working
efficiently. We all have the same goals and set deadlines therefore are able to
work well together. We have photographers as well and so far our plans and
processes have been very organized.
Although I am not the leader of the committee I definitely feel like I have taken a
leadership responsibility within the group. Being in grade 12 I believe leadership is
a given, whether we recognize it or not students in the school are looking up to
everything we do. Within the committee, it is a majority of grade 12s but there are
younger students as well looking up to what each one of us is doing. Hopefully
utilizing skills they learn to take on leadership roles in their future years, possibly
being yearbook.
All in all I am looking forward to
the end result of producing a
fantastic yearbook for the 2015/16
school year. Within this committee
I have not only been practicing but
utilizing skills such as time
management, organization,
planning, and communication.
All of which are applicable to
effective leadership.

After Class
Project #17:

In Progress

The Dundas Community Bottle Drive was such a fun

and rewarding experience for many others and myself!
It was great to see so many close friends of mine show
up and all work together for such a fantastic and
rewarding cause. With the bottle drive we were each
given a specific route of the Dundas community to,
first, handout letters, and then collect these bottles and
bring them back to the local beer store.
Two others and myself chose to take on three routes
when collecting the bottles. The entire process seemed
to be very organized as some people were collecting
from their routes, others were sorting the bottles at the
beer store, while others were bringing the bottles in to
collect the money. Through the entire process we
collected a total around $900 worth of bottles in just
one day. We decided to split our funds with some
going to Phoenix Women and Childrens Shelter in
Hamilton and the rest going back to our grad council
(the committee of students leading the event).
All in all I really felt a sense of teamwork with this
event. It was nice that it was just students from the
graduating class working together for such a great
cause. These charitable events seem to be more of
bonding activities before we part ways which is
definitely beneficial for us and the community. Id like to
thank grad council for running such a fantastic event
and all the students that made it all worth it!

After Class
Project #18:

In Progress

As I said, I truly believe that leadership naturally comes with being the oldest
student in the school. In really any atmosphere, job, team, etc. it is the veterans,
the seniors, that are typically looked up to, whether knowing it or not. I have
definitely found this to be true, coming from both sides of the spectrum. Initially
starting high school I constantly found myself looking up to the grade 12 students.
Now being one myself, and developing the leadership skills I have, I am fully
aware that students in the school are looking up to me and that is definitely not
something I want to take advantage of.
In my senior year I hope to make an impact, to set the bar for students and be an
example young grade 9s will want to follow. This natural leadership is definitely
something I will appreciate in my last year at DVSS. We have been blessed with
so many outstanding opportunities and it will be bitter sweet to have just one last
year.
With that being said, we need to make the most out of this last year and that is just
what I hope to do. I hope that myself and others along with me will really set a
high standard for what it
means to be a grade 12
student at Dundas Valley.
Whether its through our
friendships, skill sets,
learning opportunities, or
just simply enjoying our
final year, the Dundas
Valley Graduating Class of
2016 will definitely be
memorable.

After Class
Project #19:

In Progress

Something I did throughout a portion of November was volunteer with Dire Woofs
in Toronto. Animal justice has always been something that has hit close to home
with me so this experience was not only helpful but also enjoyable. Dire Woofs
Dog Rescues main goal is to find high-risk dogs who are moments away from
being euthanized, or are vulnerable to abuse a forever home where they will
receive the love they deserve.
Through my experience I met various rescue dogs and was able to find out where
they came from. A majority of the dogs were from high kill shelters in the United
States that were found by Dire Woofs many volunteers around the country. I
learned a lot about the difficulties of owning a non-profit organization from directly
speaking with the founder Carly Werle and from a backstage look on how these
events are put together.
During the events I helped with I was essentially dog-sitting so it really did not
feel like volunteering at all! One particular event hosted was a silent auction to
fundraise for the incredible work this organization does on a daily basis. It was an
incredible feeling seeing one of the dogs looked after, posted on the Facebook
page in their new home.
All in all, throughout this experience I was able to learn a lot from Carly and the
difficulties of founding an organization. However, he passion never stopped and
her leadership abilities are definitely something I aspire to be.
For more information about Dire Woofs please visit http://www.direwoofs.org

After Class
Project #20:

In Progress

The Global Connect program is something I have chosen to pursue after

completing the course first semester of eleventh grade and am so glad I chose to
do so. This program has definitely been shaping the person I am and who I am
becoming. To graduate as a Global Connect student there are certain
requirements entailed that must be completed and recorded in a booklet.
I have two teacher mentors that are signing for my completion and guiding me
through volunteer work and leadership roles in my school and community. They
sign off after I complete each requirement in my booklet. These include; service
trip/ volunteer experience, leadership project, a Global Connect based course, and
a portfolio such as this one. This program has definitely impacted who I am as a
person and leader.
With this program I have been able to learn firsthand the importance of leadership,
giving back, and kindness. The overall slogan of Global Connect is to choose the
difference you want to make and I have definitely been doing so and will continue
to do so. I highly recommend for upcoming students to get involved with this
course and program as it is truly a life lesson in itself. The skills and experiences
I've developed in Global Connect simply cannot be brought upon a student just
sitting in a classroom. It forces you to get out, learn for yourself, collaborate, and
make a huge difference not only in the school, but the community as a whole.
Leadership opportunities are endless for Global Connect students and it has really
instilled the confidence in me to continue taking on these opportunities in my
school, work, and community.

After Class
Project #21:

To Be Completed

I believe graduating high school to be a huge milestone in anyones life. It is

closing a new chapter but opening up thousands more; a very bitter sweet
experience. Its a time to reflect, express gratitude, but also move on, make life
decisions and mature; not only as a student but as a person. Graduating high
school will open my doors and push me even more to contribute to the world.
Honour my old friends as well as make new, but all in all really take a new step up
in life.
I like think of it as simply a bookmark. Taking what I've learned and bringing them
into new chapters, joining with true friendship and revisiting honourable mentors.
This bookmark represents all of which I have learned in these past four years at
Dundas Valley and the experiences that have shaped me as a student, leader,
and person.
In all honesty I would not have wanted to graduate from any other school. There is
definitely something special about DVSS and I believe any previous graduate
would say the same. Graduating this year I was thinking why Dundas is so
important to me and synthesized it down to simply two things; people and
opportunity. These two things are why I am graduating the person I am. The
people set an amazing atmosphere, for both staff and students, where everyone
has the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. Dundas Valley
was somewhere I could step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself every
single day. My graduation will resemble and reflect upon all of this.

After Class
Project #22:

To Be Completed

In life one of my goals is to find a program that I am interested in at

university for a career of my choice. I want to expand my horizons and get
the best possible education and achieve my full potential. The whole
process of choosing, applying, then actually going to university is a huge
experience that I wish to purse next year.
I have done some previous research as to where I want to go and what I
want to take. I am interested in being involved in business and taking over
and expanding a family business. I hope to do so and wish to receive
education needed to be successful as to where I want to go with my career
choices. I think going to university and choosing what you want to do shows
and exemplifies a great deal of independence and opening a new chapter in
your life.
From this experience that I hope to have in the future I think I will be taught
numerous valuable life lessons. I think I will learn about hard work and
chasing after things you want to achieve, independence and self discipline
are two key things I think will also be gained from the overall experience of
going to university. Overall I believe this is a great goal to achieve for post
secondary education and will give me and teach me the independence and
hard work I need to be able to achieve further goals.

After Class
Project #23:

To Be Completed

Something I definitely want to do more of is travel. I strongly believe that

travelling is an endless opportunity to learn new things first hand. I love
experiencing new cultures and customs, seeing the way others live,
experiencing new scenery, and so much more.
I have an endless amount of places I would love to go in my life and things I
wish to experience. Travelling really would allow me to gain a different
perspective on life and see how much is out their and what this world has to
offer. I have had travelling experiences so far that have impacted my life and
I really wish to continue more of this and experience new things.
Overall what I think I will learn through travelling would be just a new
perspective on life. There are so many different cultures and customs in this
world that I'm probably not even aware of yet and I would love to learn how
others live.

After Class
Project #24:

To Be Completed

Relay for Life is an event very dear to my heart as it has a strong correlation with
my grandpa and my best friends cousin both who have lost their battle to cancer.
One of my goals as a world changer is to continue this event and make it a
tradition for my friends and I. I love the morals it teaches and I hope to keep
getting more and more involved with this life changing event.
As of now I am a Relay for Life participant but I want to expand my participation to
volunteering and then maybe even becoming a council member to help organize
and coordinate the entire event. This is something I find so passionate and
relatable and I am so grateful I have wonderful friends to have had taken this
challenge with me and I'm sure we will all grow together in the hopes of improving
and increasing our participation with the event.
I have learned many things from my previous years throughout the event.
However, something I think I will learn with increased participation would be
togetherness, hope, and overall how powerful we can be when everyone rallies
together. I think I have seen that throughout the past but if I choose to step in to
volunteer and help plan for the event I think these will be so much more evident.

After Class
Project #25:

To Be Completed

I definitely want to get more involved with PETA and take more of a role as a
world changer especially for animals. I want to be a voice for those who
cannot help themselves and really take action to be an animal rights activist
to the best of my ability. Currently I sign many petitions and donate money
towards PETA but I want to get involved even more.
I have always had a passion and love for animals but I want to take this
passion farther in my near future. I want to be looked at as a voice for animals
in need. I want to raise money for animal rights and one day when I get my
own home I plan to foster animals who do not yet have a home.
However, I do not want to stop just here for helping animals. In my future I
want to volunteer at local shelters, post about PETA and spread the word of
their amazing efforts and the horrible problems going on in the world involving
animals. Overall this has always been a passion and something I want to be
involved with and it is my goal in the future to take this passion as far as I
possible can.

Project #26: Completed

Being the leader of the entire Cancer Awareness Committee was a huge learning
experience for me. Although I have participated in the committee every year since
grade 9 taking on smaller leadership roles within the committee, this year I
stepped up to the plate and took on the entire group while being at two different
campuses. We ran two assemblies, various fundraisers, bowling, and head
shaving just as we did previous years to carry on the great Highland traditions at
DVSS.
I learned an extensive amount about dealing with different personalities, adjusting
to different situations, looking at struggles with a positive attitude, and prioritizing
and organizing. Id like to thank my fellow leaders, Reilly Kunc, Jordan Boreland,
and Victoria Maximov for supporting myself and one another and developing a
great committee with me for such a great cause.
The Cancer Awareness Committee is something that is very close to my heart
because of losing my grandpa to pancreatic cancer. I am proud to have been
apart of this committee throughout my entire high school career and will hold
close the amazing accomplishments and things weve learned. I never thought
that the shy grade 9 student I was could take leadership over an entire committee
while dealing with two different school locations. I hope to continue having an
evident role in the Cancer Awareness Committee in my last year at DVSS.

Project #27: Completed

Although I displayed CITing/coaching previously in my portfolio, it is something that

has truly shaped the person I am. Stepping beside one of my own role models to
share my knowledge of the sport I love with so many great kids is something I had
the privilege of doing for just about a year. I dedicated my time and believe I ve
impacted many of those kids lives, even in the smallest way. Finishing my volunteer
experience and having their parents and some of them still message me saying how
they miss me or thanking me is something I will always appreciate.
Cheer Sport Sharks is a program I grew up in, Ive dedicated a huge majority of my
life to my family there and am the person I am today partly because of that.
Volunteering weekly enhanced my leadership skills, especially by being looked at as
a coach or role model to many kids. The passion in such young kids eyes when they
get to do something they love was very inspiring to me. Global CONNECT is a
program that pushes you to get out in your community and make a difference, and
although I may not have did it in a very common way, I believe I have impacted many
of the kids in a positively, just as they did for me.
Although I am not cheering anymore I still visit as much as I can and am greeted with
many hugs and many smiles. Seeing these kids reach their goals and go on to so
many amazing things, tell me how school is going, and truly look at me as a role
model is something I find truly amazing.

Be the kind of person

that you want
to meet

Someone who has definitely been a role model for me through thick and thin is my
cheerleading coach, Amy Ridley. She is not only a coach, but a loving mother, intelligent
business woman, and overall caring friend. She has had a very large impact on my life as
she is the reason I continue to do what I do. She inspires me beyond cheerleading and
reminds me every time I see her to not give up on my dreams and that I can accomplish
anything I put my mind to, just as she did.
Last year I decided to take the initiative to step up beside her and become an assistant
coach/CIT(coach in training) for a younger team in my gym. Seeing her in a whole new
light really inspired me to continue taking on leadership roles in life and to want to be a
role model for others. She is loved by everyone around her and continues to do good and
teach good somehow, even through the sport of high competitive cheerleading. At every
competition we are encouraged to wish every single team good luck and set an example
for good sportsmanship; but its not only that which does.
.

Having someone have unconditional love and

support, and be so incredibly proud of you
regardless of what you do is something I just
hope to ever be for someone. The way she
gives everything her all, and is so passionate
about what she does is inspiring. Seeing her
jumping up and down screaming for you at
competition, reminding you of how important you
are, and overall being such a genuine person
who only wants the best for those she coaches
makes me truly unable to express my
gratefulness. Next year I will be graduating and
no longer cheering with her, yet she always
reminds me Always come back home. To
conclude, she is not just a role model for me,
she has established four walls to be a second
home to hundreds of kids and has definitely
impacted my life in ways I cannot describe

Someone who I definitely view as not only a teacher but a role model is Mr.
Toth. The countless effort he gives and the love he has for his students is
definitely something I really appreciate and am grateful for as a student.
Taking this class I learned that he not only excels in the business aspect of
teaching but is also incredibly passionate about volunteer work and helping
others. This is definitely what makes him stand out and have such a positive
impact on my life.
I believe that Toth changes lives of students everyday through the hard work
he puts into everything he does. He is a teacher, father, and very influential
role model to those around him. The way he manages to balance everything
at once and still be so involved with each and every one of his students still
baffles me. He is a perfect example of simply loving what you do and
embracing each and every single day which is something I hope for for my
future.
With everything he puts on himself and all that he is involved with, he still
manages to have fun and is always smiling (or making fun of me). DVSS
would not be the same without him and he has definitely made himself
known throughout the school. Overall I consider myself very lucky to be
taught by someone so special and he definitely is very influential throughout
my high school career.

Ingrid Newkirk is the founder of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals) and definitely someone I look up to. I strive to possess the kindness
she shares to all living things and the courage she has to stand up for those
animals who cannot do so themselves. She has started a worldwide
organization for the fight against mistreatment of animals, something I strongly
believe in. Her organization has grown and is very well known for its infamous
protests, petitions, and funding to give justice to animals in need. Throughout
all her success, however, she remains completely humbled and down to earth
and continues to fight for what is right.
It is not only her ability to be such a caring, whole hearted woman, but also her
great success and drive to follow her dreams. She inspires me to never back
down for what I believe in and continue to fight for justice no matter the person
or creature. I see myself in the future either working with people or animals
because I really do want to get involved and make a difference in the world as
it is something I have discovered to be very passionate about.
Overall I believe she is such a influential women that
uses her powers for good. She has made PETA known
across North America for saving those animals who do not
have a voice. I respect all her hard work and values and
morals and she is truly a very good role model.

How can I be my own hero? How can I even be a role model for myself? Well,
in my opinion I think that everyone is their own hero, it just takes time to
discover that. It took me over four years! It was hard for me to do, I could not
look to myself to set an example, look for inspiration, or even motivation for
that matter, but why not?! It is said that you are your own worst critic but why
cant we be our best motivator or role model as well? This is a huge aspect of
what leadership taught me and I am not ashamed to say that I am my own role
model.
I honour the skills I've developed on my own, I look up to the fact that I will put
110% into something I am passionate about, and take action and set goals for
myself. I strongly encourage others to do the same. Take pride in who you are
and always appreciate the fact that everyone is still learning and growing.
I recognize that I am privileged with boundless opportunities and have
developed the skills and confidence that lead me to believe so. I want to
challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone to be a better me. I want to
not only improve myself but help others to improve. It is said that you can not
love someone until you love yourself and I believe it is the same with
inspiration. You cannot inspire others if you can not inspire yourself.

Breaking out of your

comfort zone is the
pathway to growth

Choose your own happiness

This is truly something I strive to live by each and every day. I believe we live by choice,
not by chance. True happiness does not come from simply being lucky, it comes from
making a choice to live life, accept the person you are, look at struggles and hardships as
learning opportunities and basically just take what life throws at you with a positive
attitude.
This manifesto definitely took me at least my time in high school to figure out and I am
very thankful for GPP, BOH, and the Global CONNECT program in allowing me to do so. I
have developed skills that will stick with me forever, confidence that I can take on my
future, and proof that happiness is a choice to be made, the best one youll ever make.
I've surrounded myself with amazing people in an amazing school and will never forget
what many of my peers and mentors have done for me when I think of this personal
manifesto.
I will forever look back on my high school years and how Ive matured, and will always be
proud to graduate as a Global CONNECT student. This manifesto will allow me to shape
my life, reach my goals, and give me the confidence and happiness to change the world!

Looking into the future is definitely something that both excites me and scares me, but
after completing the Global CONNECT program along with the course and Business
Leadership there is no doubt in my mind that I can change the world. A priority for my
future years is going to university. I have narrowed down my choices to Laurier, Guelph,
and McMaster for either business or communications. Toth, Global CONNECT, and
Business Leadership are very accountable for these discovered passions. Right now I
believe Laurier to be my number one school, having many study abroad programs and
being the number one school for student volunteering in the world is something that
definitely appeals to a Global CONNECT student like myself. A goal of mine is to spend
my second or third year of university in Australia. This is something I believed to only be
a dream but after looking at various universities and discovering all the possibilities, I
am thrilled to see this dream become attainable.
One thing I will continue to do, thanks to who Ive become, is volunteer. I want to always
be seen as someone who gives back as well as work hard for what I have. I will
approach life with open arms and a different attitude then the shy, nervous grade nine I
was years ago and I can honestly say that I owe it to Global CONNECT and Business
Leadership. A goal of mine to end with is very general but it is simply that whatever I
chose to do, I do with passion. I want to engage myself in what I want to study, continue
to grow and learn, meet new people, visit different places, and referring back to my
personal manifesto, choose to be happy and choose to give back.

Looking back so that the view

looking forward is
even clearer

We

dont learn by just doing,

we learn by reflecting on
what weve done

I can honestly say that Global Connect has not only changed me as a student, but also
as a person. I handle stress better, I empathize the thoughts and feelings of others, and
I feel like I have become a more understanding person as a whole. I have discovered
that helping others is a passion of mine and I dont think I would have been able to
discover this so evidently without taking this class. The leadership opportunities I was
faced with were countless but I enjoyed every minute of it and really learned how to
challenge myself. Another thing that was very evident to me was how much I learned
from my peers. It was such an effective teaching style and really encouraged all of us to
be independent and face problems with responsibility and respect. My views not only
changed on world issues but also on what it truly means to be a leader and encouraged
me to want to be a role model for others and live my life by treating people with nothing
but kindness and respect and overall just being a happy, grateful, and hard working
person.
However, thats simply just from completing the class, carrying on the program opened
my eyes and allowed me to gain so much more. I had certain requirements including: a
Leadership Project (running a committee in the school), Service Experience
(volunteering consecutively), incorporating the skills of Global Connect into others
courses, and so much more. This programed shaped a lot of who I am today. I learned
the value of others from all different walks of life, how to challenge myself and take
action in the world, and how one person can make the biggest difference. These are all
attributes I will hold very close and continue to grow on outside of high school.

This course was incredibly moving and developing as a person, student, and leader.
The structure and content made me feel prepared and ready to challenge myself in my
future studies and really take risks in the classroom. Our class seemed to develop as
more of a team breaking off into smaller ones for each round. The way everyone
uplifted, supported, and encouraged one another was something I never thought to
experience in a university level business course.
Mr. Toth acted as a mentor, not a teacher that simply stood in front of a chalkboard
each and every day. He encouraged us to learn from each other and gave us the
freedom, creativity, and skill sets to do so. I formed new friendships, strengthened
previous ones and really put my leadership to the test on a daily basis.
Business leadership also strengthened my skills not only used for other classes but life
in general. I am now very organized, able to manage my stress, and can pin point my
strengths and capabilities. None of which I thought I could learn and develop all in one
class. All in all, I had such a positive experience and strongly encourage future Dundas
Valley seniors to take this class, whether wanting to be involved with business or not.

I truly cannot even put into words how much I have developed as a leader and
the gratitude I have towards the people that helped to get me here. I used to
believe leadership was something so unattainable but have discovered first hand
that it can be demonstrated through the simplest of acts each and every day.
Leadership is everything and I am so thankful to learn the skills I need and
already have to be better and better each day. My leadership capabilities are
something I will take with me for the rest of my life and will truly never forget. I
love the fact that it can be applied to virtually anything and these skills contribute
to success. It is something I experienced first hand thanks to business leadership
and my volunteer experiences.
Comparing myself to the shy ninth grade girl I once was to who I am now there is
a world of a difference. My leadership qualities have strengthened and developed
to shape the person I am and will continue to do so. A huge part about leadership
is self awareness and that was something that was difficult for me to build up
throughout my experience. Understanding your personal values, I believe, is the
first step to self-awareness. A leaders personal values may be one of the most
important determinants of how your power is exercised or constrained. All in all I
would not have developed into the leader I am without having valuable mentors,
friends, and experiences that have molded my attitudes and efforts.

I chose to set the specific theme for my portfolio as Building a Leader. Doing so, I
noticed it becoming even more and more applicable to my developments and
experiences for the following reasons.
Firstly, leaders are constantly building or improving themselves and others.
Leadership is all about noticing what needs to be fixed, taking action, and fixing it. If
leadership did not include taking action to improve, nothing would be completed, let
alone succeed.
Secondly, each experiences acts as a building block or project to contribute to the
success of a leader. Leadership is not developed through just one situation or
experience. Leaders constantly challenge themselves and others to take on more
and develop as a person.
Lastly, leadership is a never ending construction zone. Techniques and skills are
always changing and improving. There are different skills needed in different
situations and nothing really stays constant. Leadership honours changes and
challenges.

Something I have learned firsthand to be extremely powerful in life is expressing gratitude

and simply saying thank you, so that is just what I will do. I would really like to thank Mr. Del
Sordo for being such an outstanding principal. Thank you for allowing all that we do in the
school to go on and always lend a helping hand no matter how busy you are. You are such
an inspiration and just talking to you, one can see how much of an advocate you are for
social change and that definitely impacted the work I did within the school. Whenever I saw
you and had the privilege to speak and meet with you to organize an event, assembly, or
attend a conference, your enthusiasm towards student involvement pushed so many kids
forward and it was so nice to see. I am so grateful I attended Dundas Valley and the
atmosphere you set there.
Moreover, Id like to thank each and everyone of my teachers. No matter what course, I
have always had a positive relationship with the Dundas Valley teachers and staff. Thank
you for the skills I have acquired, the lessons Ive learned, and the passions I've discovered.
Also, I really believe I owe a lot to Mr. Toth. Thank you for never giving up on me, and
always believing in me. Entering into high school scared and afraid with very little
confidence, I would never imagine to meet a teacher who saw such a spark in me that I did
not believe I had. I was treated as a friend rather than a student who simply just needs to
know the curriculum, and from that moment I knew I found a new role model. You saw
things in me I simply couldn't and from the minute I was in your class you immediately
empowered me. From then I was lucky enough to have many courses with you teaching
and can fairly say that you have shaped a huge part of the person I am today. You have not
only inspired me to get involved with your many contributions to the school and community
but you have also shaped me as a leader by consistently pushing me to challenge myself,
take action, and set examples for others. With all you have done for me I really dont ever
think I can thank you enough.
Thank you to each one of my friends and family. I would be no where without these positive
relationships. I truly believe that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself
with and I have been so blessed to surround myself with such great people. All in all, I
believe it is so important to acknowledge what those have done for you and show gratitude
to each individual. Thank you all for shaping my high school experience and influencing the
person I am today.

https://about.me/jordynusselman
http://cheersportsharks.com
http://convio.cancer.ca/site/PageServer?
pagename=RFL_CAN_NATL_homepage&s_locale=en_CA
http://www.direwoofs.org
http://future.mcmaster.ca
https://hbspca.com
http://www.hucchc.com
http://www.hwdsb.on.ca/blog/together-we-create-change/
http://www.n2ncentre.com
http://www.peta.org

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/leadership
http://www.uoguelph.ca
http://www.valuesbasedleader.com/meet-them-where-they-are/
http://www.wlu.ca

Great leaders build themselves up