Taking part in Particle Physics
Two UTS students, Julia Pomerantz and Filip Geaman, were invited to participate in the inaugural Particle Physics master class at U of T. The participants connected with students across Canada via video and learned about the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research).

Left: Thanks to physics teacher Shawn Brooks for the pics and captions!

For more info on the masterclass and on CERN, see: 
http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~jkeung/masterclass.html 
http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/LHC-en.html

Structures for Structures - the final tally!
The grand total raised by the F1s in their Structures for Structures project was $492.66! Ms Evans was presented with a cheque at last week’s assembly. The students are donating the money to the UTS building fund.

UTS hosts Sam Rhine
Last week, UTS hosted 300 staff and students from 23 different Ontario high schools at a presentation by renowned educator Sam Rhine, from Indianapolis, on current issues in genetics. Sam speaks throughout North America during the school year and UTS was the first, and is the only regular Canadian school, on his tour. This year, he spoke about Stem Cells and Cancer. He brought the world of genetics to the students who exposed to key developments that were published electronically only 3 weeks ago!

Shad Valley alumni breakfast
The nine UTS students who attended the Shad Valley program this summer (at Laval, McMaster, Carleton, Lakehead, UBC, Waterloo, UNB and Memorial universities) gathered for an alumni breakfast on October 27. Shad Valley is a residential, four-week summer enrichment program with a focus on the sciences, technology and entrepreneurship. This summer's challenge was “Breaking down barriers for children with disabilities”. For more info go to: www.shad.ca   For a brief overview of the projects, go to: http://www.shad.ca/shad/myweb.php?hls=10353

Guest musicians
UTS was privileged to host German group Duonita as one stop on their cross-Canada tour. On Friday, October 28, they guided the S5 (gr. 11) music classes through some creative improvisation as well as performing a short concert during lunch. The band consists of two saxophones with a guest drummer and they performed music that ranged from a piece inspired by Goa in India to a Bach two part invention.

Structures for Structures
F1 (gr. 7) Science had its 2nd annual "Structures for Structures" fundraiser on October 28 in the Foyer. This year, the proceeds were donated to the UTS Building Fund.

Art and about on U of T campus
On October 18, the S5 (grade 11) Visual Arts class visited two distinctive buildings on U of T campus. Students researched the history, style and design of Graduate House and Robarts Library and presented their findings to their classmates, using their subject as a backdrop. 

UTS hosts conference
On October 14-15, UTS hosted over 60 German teachers from across Ontario at the annual Ontario Association of Teachers of German professional development conference. Presenters came in from across Canada and even as far afield as Los Angeles for this event, whose theme celebrated next year’s 200th anniversary of the publication of Grimms’ Fairy Tales. Ms Townened notes that, "Feedback from conference attendees was very complimentary" and that participants were particularly impressed with how well equipped our language classrooms are. In the pic: acting out a scene from the timeless German tale Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten.

Camp Kilcoo
Just before Thanksgiving, the S5 (grade 11) class travelled to Camp Kilcoo to participate in a Leadership Retreat. The weather was perfect, with calm sunny and warm days and cool nights. The ice on the diving board at 7:30am did not deter the forty or so Polar Bear dippers from enjoying an early morning jump from the high tower. The students had a chance to consider their role as mentors and leaders in the school as well as bond as a group, culminating in an a capella sing along around a beach-front campfire on the second night.

Action Day
On October 14, the F1 (grade 7) class, under the leadership of the UTS Action Committee (UACT), participated in Action Day. There were four activities planned - tree planting at Downsview Park, a workshop at Community Living Toronto, working in Ms O’Mahony’s community garden at the Huron Street entrance and working at Volunteer Toronto helping to complete a project for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR).

UTS and Nuit Blanche
UPDATE: click here to see video clips and pics!https://www.facebook.com/UTSatNuitBlanche

On Saturday evening, October 1, Toronto celebrated the sixth annual "Nuit Blanche" or ‘Sleepless Night’. This year, thanks to the energy and initiative of a team of more than twenty students working with the Visual Arts Department, UTS was one of 130 exhibits on view in the city. The theme of the UTS exhibit was "Intersection".  

UTS in the Toronto Star
UTS was featured in a Toronto Star article on Saturday, September 24. Click here to read it.  

UTS in the Globe and Mail
Here’s a link to the Globe and Mail article on UTS that appeared in the print edition last week.
https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/gam/20110914/SRPRIVATEUTSATL

Couchiching
The annual F1 (Grade 7) / S6 (Grade 12) trip to Couchiching last week was a great success!  

Best Buddies
The UTS Best Buddies Chapter spent an early-September weekend with over 300 other youth from secondary and university chapters in Central Ontario. They participated in sessions on Sensitivity Training, Using Social Media, Fundraising, to name a few. Ms O'Mahony says: "We’re going to have another awesome year with this group of incredible youth leaders!" UTS along with nine other GTA schools were originally asked to pilot the highschool program and this is now the10th Anniversary of our Chapter.Globe and Mail article
Here’s a link to the Globe and Mail article on UTS that appeared in the print edition last week.
https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/gam/20110914/SRPRIVATEUTSATL

Students busy during the summer!
Some exciting news from this summer: Soohyun Park ‘11 came 5th in the International Brain Bee competition in Florence. Also, the Canadian Team had its best results ever – with 3 silver medals and 1 gold – at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Ankara, Turkey in July. Team members Melody Guan and Richard Liu ‘11 (pictured left) both received silver medals. In addition, Adarsh Gupta and Samantha Pramanick were two of 47 students selected Canada-wide to go to the International Science Fair in Bratislava, Slovakia in July. 500 students from 65 countries attended. Our students (who were mentored by Prof. Mohini Sain from UofT’s Dept. of Forestry) presented a poster on their research on a flexible, organic, LED made entirely of cellulose. In the last two Sanofi-Avantis Biotechnology Challenges they were awarded the prize for the most commercially viable research.

Maximum City
UTS teacher Josh Fullan’s new program, Maximum City, was launched at UTS in August and attracted lots of media coverage (see links below). Maximum City is a research project that partners with local experts and professionals (some UTS alumni among them) in the fields of architecture, urban design, and civic sustainability in order to develop a series creative hands-on learning activities for students.
Hear the CBC Metro Morning interview: http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/episodes/2011/08/22/civic-engagement-for-high-school-students/
Read the Globe and Mail article:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/globe-to/maximum-city-course-has-teens-planning-tomorrows-toronto/article2144048/
More info: http://maximumcity.ca

Student support for UTS Bursary
Lots of energy went into mounting the Show and once the set was struck and the costumes hung up for another year, there was also careful consideration regarding where to direct the proceeds: UTS students made a donation of $7,573.30 to the UTS Bursary!  

Lauded for language
There is yet more great news from the Modern Languages department!
French: A UTS student won 1st place in the Extended category at the Concours Oratoire National in Ottawa at the end of May with her speech on Les produits de télé-achat. Meanwhile, two other UTSers won the Prix d’excellence in Core French and the Grand prix en Immersion at the OMLTA French Contest at Glendon College. German: Three UTS students have passed the DSD1, the second tested level of German language proficiency, resulting in a certificate of functional fluency recognized internationally. It is very rare that students taking German in high school reach this level after just 3 years.

Canadian Physics Olympiad
From May 16 to May 21, a UTS student was at UBC competing with national finalists  to earn a spot on the Canadian International Physics Olympiad Team. He was successful - and will be one of five students representing Canada at the International Physics Olympiad in Thailand this summer! 

Parks Canada Poster Contest Success
The M3 (Gr. 9) Geography classes participated in the Parks Canada Poster Contest this year and had some excellent results.  The contest takes into consideration the level of research, originality, design and artistry.  Close to 1000 posters were submitted from all over Ontario and a number of our students placed in the top 20 or received Honourable Mentions:
12th Place: http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm1-con/on/eco/2011/eco1b_e.asp?photo=12
Honourable Mentions:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm1-con/on/eco/2011/eco2b_e.asp?photo=1
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm1-con/on/eco/2011/eco2b_e.asp?photo=4
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm1-con/on/eco/2011/eco2b_e.asp?photo=8
  

16th consecutive classics clinch
From May 12-15, 45 students travelled to Brock University to take part in the XLIII Ontario Student Classics Conference and compete in a multitude of academic, athletic and creative events relating to the Classical world. A total of 18 schools – both public and private – from all over Ontario competed. The UTS contingent met with its sixteenth consecutive victory at the Conference, with team members reaching their highest point total to date (1281 points!), with the largest point difference between them and the second place team to date as well, UTS placed first for Top Academic school, third for Top Athletic school, third for most Creative school, fifth for athletic points per capita, and first for academic points per capita. (Above: loading classical architecture on to the bus!)

National Olympians
UTSstudents once again have outdone themselves. Selected from among the top Physics and Chemistry students nationally, four UTS students have been selected to attend the National Olympiad Camps.

Eclectic assembly
Assembly on May 18 featured the orchestra playing Jupiter from The Planets, by Gustave Holst and Theme from The Magnificent Seven, by Elmer Bernstein. Dr Julie Mehta (top left), who teaches Asian Cultures in Canada at UofT’s University College, spoke in honour of Asian Heritage month. The UTS Classics contingent (see above!) shared a few performance highlights from their recent Conference success. And John Geiger (bottom left) (Editorial Board Editor at The Globe and Mail, and a Senior Fellow at Massey College, UofT (and also husband of Marina Jimenez ‘82!)) stopped by in his capacity as President of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society to present the National Great Canadian Geography Challenge 2nd place award to a UTS student.

On the right track & terrific tennis
Great news from UTS athletics: At the Metro Toronto Track and Field Championships UTS won gold in the senior girls’ long jump competition and silver in the junior girls’ 800 metre event. UTS also had a fantastic showing at the Toronto District OFSAA qualifier for tennis coming first in the open boys singles category, first in the high school mixed doubles category, and second in the high school boys singles category in a repeat of the South region final from last week.  As a result, four UTS players will be heading to OFSAA! 

Give a hand for Wellness Wednesdays
The Wellness team students were committed to making May 18 - our last Wellness Wednesday of the year - memorable! Wellness tips (hands) were posted up around the school each one highlighting various elements of wellness (physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental and occupational). UTS students and staff were invited to come to “Speaker’s Corner” in the lobby to share their thoughts and ideas about their own wellness practices and also about what they’d like to see UTS do to promote wellness in the school community. Lastly, healthy, nutritious fruit snacks were available for the taking.    

Ontario High School chess
From May 13–15, the UTS Chess team participated in the Ontario High School Chess Championship in Kingston. UTS came first in the beginners category, third in the intermediate category, second place in the Championship and won the Combined Team Trophy!

Senior Reach going to Nationals
In the recent Provincial competition, 40 teams participated and the UTS Senior team placed second. This earned them a berth at Nationals to be held at Royal St. George’s College in early June.

Canada-wide science success
Two UTS students recently competed in the Canada-wide Science Fair.   Their project, The Use of Nanocellulose in the Production of a Flexible Organic Light Emitting Diode was awarded a Bronze Medal.  The Canada-wide Science Fair brings together students from across the country as they share their ideas and receive valuable input from judges as well – aand have the opoortunity to mingle with people from industry. 

Concours Oratoire
On Saturday, May 7, UTS students competed in the Concours Oratoire Provincial at Glendon College, garnering 2nd in Immersion - Grades 9/10), and 1st place in Core - Grades 11/12! Our first-place winner is off to Ottawa on the week-end of May 21st, to compete at the National level. (1st prize at that level is a $20,000.00 scholarship to the University of Ottawa!) This is a great accomplishment for all, especially considering that our students get a lot less exposure to French than students enrolled in Extended or Immersion French.

UTS student film in HotDocs 2011 
Wesley Chu’s English class documentary, which he submitted to the HotDocs 2011 film festival, was one of eight student films selected to be presented at Doc It! 2011. Doc It! films are selected with input from a jury of educators and programmers and are eligible for juried prizes. The Doc It! showcase was screened on May 7 at the ROM Theatre and Wesley received a ton of positive response from the audience! Here are the details:
DOWNLOADED –D: Wesley Chu | Canada | 10 min
Since the inception of the internet, media piracy has grown exponentially. Although various methods of pirating have been a problem for years, illegal downloading has become the main culprit. Why do people do it? How can it be stopped? This documentary answers those questions and more.