Hall’s top grad this year loves to learn

July 28, 2017 · 0 Comments

Victoria McArthur collected a lot of awards when she graduated from Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School.

By Bill Rea
Victoria McArthur has a flair for languages, especially French, and she has aspirations to be a lawyer.
She is also at the top of the Class of ‘17 at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School.
She completed her top six Grade 12 courses with a 96 per cent average. They included 93 in English, 96 in extended French, 97 in film studies, 97 in international law, 98 in family studies and 96 in religion. She has also acquired a DELF certification in French, having taken an advanced placement course, which is the equivalent of a first-year university credit.
McArthur will be travelling to London in the fall to attend Brescia University College, which is affiliated with Western University. She plans to major in dimensions of leadership with minors in French, as well as social justice and peace studies. Her long-term goals at this stage are to attend law school, and eventually own her own legal firm.
She has some legal background in her family. McArthur’s mother was a paralegal, and her sister has coupleted her second year at Osgoode Hall.
She also said she has an interest in politics, and might explore opportunities in that direction.
Academic success has always seemed to come McArthur’s way.
“I’ve always loved school,” she said. “I love to learn.”
There are also some secrets to her success.
“Definitely, hard work,” she said. “Pay attention in class, doing your homework.”
She also said it’s important for one to pick courses they will enjoy, and always be ready to ask questions.
Despite all the time she spent on academics, McArthur found time for other pursuits, including being president of the Student Council at Hall. She also captain of the school’s dance team for two years, and she appeared in this year’s school play Swinging at the Savoy.
While she’s hoping to find a job for the summer, McArthur is planning some travelling with her team from Annemarie’s Dance Academy in Orangeville to compete in the Legacy International Dance Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, later this month.
McArthur gives some of the credit for her success to the teachers at Hall, as well as the atmosphere at the school.
“It was really an amazing experience, for sure,” she declared. “Such a welcoming community! I’m going to miss it a lot. It’s been a really big part of my growth.”
But she’s also looking ahead to the university experience.
“I’m looking forward to making new friends, learning about things I’m interested in an experiencing more growth.
McArthur is also hoping to get involved in student government there.
She added that she has determined that Western has a dance team.