The Hook
STUDENT SUCCESS Viktor Maksimowicz
Sophia Okunsky
Students, parents, and teachers gathered to recognize those who
best exemplified Catholic values at the 30th Annual Father Patrick
Fogarty Awards dinner at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel on
October 26th. The individual that receives the Catholic Student of
the Year Award during their graduation ceremony is invited to the
annual banquet.
Congratulations to Philip Pocock's recipient and class of 2013
graduate, Julia Taormina! Throughout her high school years she
was involved in school and community activities while conducting
the values of the Catholic school. She, along with Mrs. Fisher, Mr.
Smalridge, and Mr. Schmidt, attended the dinner and ceremony
where they listened to guest speakers and witnessed Noel Martin,
the Director of Education for the Ontario Catholic School Trustee's
Association, receive a medal of honour. The dinner is named after
Father Patrick Fogarty, a teacher, an administrator, and a priest
who championed Catholic
education in Canada. The
award was created as a
tribute to the hard work and
positivity that occurs in the
provincial community.
Philip Pocock’s Academic Awards night took
th
place the night of October 17 , 2013, and a large majority
of the school was present to accept their awards from our
principal, Mr. Schmidt, and our two Vice-Principals, Mr.
Malta and Ms. Terra. Pococks’ best and brightest
graciously accepted their awards and enjoyed
refreshments afterwards, courtesy of Mr. Scerni’s
Hospitality Class. The Top Honour Awards for Highest
Academic Achievement for
grade nine students went to
Victoria Bodnitski, grade ten
students went to Tetyana
Murdza, and grade eleven
students went to Julia Kim.
The winner of the Academic
Achievement Award for
grade ten students, Tetyana
Murdza, was also the
winner of the Joe Hugel
award. This award is given
to the grade ten student
with the highest overall final
average. Also present at the
Academic Awards night
were Ms. Brozo’s Vocal
Class, who performed a
rendition of “O Canada”, Mr.
Smalridge, who led the opening prayer, and Anna
Balagtas, Katrina Flahat, Tarik Henry, and Justin Do,
who contributed musical performances to the night. It
was an outstanding event, and it couldn’t have been
possible without the help of the teacher, student, and
parent volunteers.
T H E
H O O K
Sophia Okunsky
Starting a new school year is never easy, especially transitioning from
elementary to secondary. Luckily, our passionate and enthusiastic Link
Crew leaders are here to guide the grade nines. They have organized
various events to bring the students out of their comfort zone, meet their
peers, and succeed in their first year at Philip Pocock.
The grade nine orientation was filled with cheerful music, ice-breaker
games, group activities, and discussions to break the students out of their
shells and get to know who they will be spending the next four years with.
It was a fantastic welcome to the Pocock community.
During their mega-retreat at St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, they listened
to guest speakers talk about the importance of love and friendship and
saw the Christian band, Fair Child, perform before they indulged in team
building activities and a debrief.
The saying is true: food brings people together by creating
conversations and bonds. The Link leaders and staff hosted a
breakfast while playing Link Feud, Pocock's parody of Family Feud to
help the grade nines adjust. The cafeteria was full of smiles and
cheers as the students showed off their wits and bonded over the
delicious bacon.
Karolina Jalowska
We did it again! Pocock held yet another great Pep
Rally thanks to Ms. Corsetti and Ms. Alvero. On
st
October 31 , our school celebrated the athletes of the
fall, winter, and all-year long sports. What a great turn
out! The cross-country, tennis, cheerleading,
swimming, volleyball, basketball, hockey, and football
teams worked hard this season and did a great job
representing the Pocock athletic department. And, of
course, our pep rally’s success would have not been
the same without the hilarious, entertaining games
played by our athletes and coaches. From Hot Potato
with pom-poms to racing down a mat with a paper bag
in your mouth all of the games truly showed what it is
like to be a sporty Pocock pirate. And the crowd’s
support was incredible. We can’t wait to see what next
year has in store.
The students jumped from their seats during Pocock's Scary Movie Night
where they watched The Others. During the Girls Night In, Link leaders
and grade nines got their nails done, played games, and had a deep
discussion about bullying and relationships. On the other hand, the boys
had a chance to play various sports and indulge in some pizza and pop
during the Boys Night In. These were amazing opportunities for them to
bond with their new peers and we look forward to seeing more events
from this crew throughout the year. Welcome, Class of 2017!
Christmas Baskets by Deon Sikat
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Time for giving and time for cheer! For our act of giving,
Pocock will be collecting Christmas baskets for families that need our help. Last year, many generous students went a long way to fill their assigned family’s shelves. Giving money and nonperishable food like peanut butter or jam can make all of the difference. So, this month, keep the
gift of giving in mind, Pirates.
Girl’s Night In! by Sophia Okunsky
Link Leaders, staff, and volunteers organized a Girls Night In for the
grade nines to bond while baking cookies and getting their nails
done. Thanks to the hospitality class, the ladies indulged in some appetizing pasta and salad. During the
evening, the girls went to seven stations where they participated in activities including dance, fitness, drama, baking, girl talk, hair and aesthetics, and yoga. At the end of the night, the ladies had a blast
dancing to the girls night anthem, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."
End Bullying One Kick at a Time by Candice Scopa
Bullying lurks in our hallways, our classrooms, and even in the comfort of our own homes. During
Pocock’s Anti-Bullying week, Student Wellness decided to take action to eliminate bullying. On
November 21st, Pocock’s juniors had the privilege of witnessing Freestyle Soccer’s engaging
presentation. The representatives shared their battles with bullying and provided the audience
with tips on how to turn our school into a bully-free zone. The audience participated in activities
that aimed to develop a positive attitude and promote a healthy lifestyle. Student Wellness also
provided the juniors with a Bullying Prevention Guide. Thanks to Ms. Pogson, Student Wellness,
and Freestyle Soccer, Pocock’s youth is now ready to fight against bullying and make a difference.
#POCOCK by Shaun Wickham
Do you want to be more social and keep up with the latest news? If so, then you should sign up for
a Twitter account today! With all of the events and excitement going on, both in and out of school,
Twitter is the best way to keep up with the commotion. At Pocock, we strive to be an engaged and
connected community and the Twitter sphere is just another outlet for that community to grow.
Keep up with your friends, your favorite clubs and teams, and our Principal, Mr. Schmidt, by following these twitter accounts.
@pocockathletics
@pocockchaplain
@RomeroJustice @linkcrewpocock
@ppdramadance
@PaulSch50428406