Some impressive academic averages at Caledon schools

August 7, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Nick Fernandes
The school year just ended produced a lot of high-performing students, and Caledon was well represented in that group.
The local high schools recently released the list of the top students in their respective Classes of ‘13.
Elise Huet was at the top of the class at Mayfield Secondary School with a 96.3 per cent average, and Ian Waudby Smith completed his program at Humberview Secondary School with 96.8 per cent.
As impressive as that sounds, the Peel District School Board reports five students have graduated this year from Turner Fenton Secondary School with 100 per cent averages.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board also recently released the names of the top scholars at their various high schools. Caledon’s own winners were Romeo Segota, who finished Grade 12 with an average of 93.50 per cent at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Bolton, and Julia McArthur competed her program at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School with an average of 93 per cent.
Gaining the accolade was exciting for all the students.
“Towards the end of my schedule, I got really busy” Huet commented. “But I was working hard and it’s exciting to see that pay off.”
Hard work, of course, is the key to success according to these bright students, but other things can be just as critical to academic performance. Smith spoke about enjoying the work he was given, and choosing subjects that interested him personally, such as mathematics and physics.
“Basically, I never intended to over work myself” he said, never fearing doing that when working at subjects in which he was interested. “I took the courses I liked and enjoyed what I was doing. It was a lot easier to work hard.”
For herself, Huet said she relied on organization to help her stay on top.
“Keeping a balanced schedule, good time management, make everything fit into a busy schedule,” she said.
She identified regular extra-curriculars as an obstacle to this approach, and thanked her teachers for letting her work around it.
“With ski trips, I missed a lot of school, so I warned them beforehand so they can give me the work.”
“It’s an honor” said Segota. “It finally makes me feel like my hard work has paid off and it’s being recognized.”
McArthur, for her part, was thrilled, not having expected to finish at the top of her class.
Both of these students attribute their success to hard work and focus. “I worked really hard,” McArthur said. “Just putting forth my best effort in everything.”
She advised future students not to “settle for less than what you’re capable of and you’ll start getting the grades you want.”
Segota gave special thanks to his friends and family, voicing how important it is to have a good support network to back up one’s work ethic. He also stressed confidence as an asset.
“Don’t second guess yourself,” he said, advising others to be “confident and you know what you want you want” as a way to lessen the stress of heavy schoolwork.
Huet said she plans to go to the University of Guelph for engineering to get training and find out what she wants to do with her talents. While Smith plans to study at Waterloo in a systems design course that will give him training in software, mechanical, and electrical design. He wishes to do something entrepreneurial with his life. “I want to get involved in things that are new and emerging.” he said, aspiring to be involved in coming technological changes. McArthur plans to go to the Brescia College of Leadership at Western University to pursue her interests in law and politics. Segota simply wants to work for the summer, before attending the Schulich School of Business at York, although he also wants to do something different with life eventually. A trip to Europe is on his mind.