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Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School (St. Catharines)
Encyclopedia
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School is a secondary school in St. Catharines, Ontario
, Canada
. It is one of 8 public high schools in St. Catharines, and is located in the Glenridge
area of the city. It is administered by the District School Board of Niagara
.
, known mainly for his leadership of the United Kingdom
during World War II
. Since its founding, it has been known in the region for its unusually large number of affluent, accademically inclined students, who matriculate from across the city by taking advantage of several loopholes in the Niagara District School Board's highschool application process.
and cross country running
team.
team with a respectable record within OFSAA cross country
.
In 2008 3rd in Midget Boys at OFSAA cross country
., and 4th in Senior Boys. Additionally, In 2007 the team placed 3rd in Senior Boys at OFSAA cross country
.
Other rankings include first in Junior Boys in 2004, 1st in Midget Boys in 2003 and 1st in Senior Girls in 2002.
/soccer/lacrosse
field
, a track, a parking lot
, and a two-story building. The building includes a gymnasium
with multiple changing rooms
for boys and girls as well as showers
, a weight room
, and an auditorium
. Construction has been underway in the school for a long time, and the result (unveiled in the 2011-2012 school year) is a brand new two-level cafeteria
. The old cafeteria has been converted into a larger library
, the old library has been converted into two classrooms and there are now elevator
s available for the use of injured or handicapped students. The school's colours are navy blue and gold, and its mascot
is the Bulldog
.
The school is one of the most technology-based schools in the area, having classes such as Communications Technology (Com-Tech) and hosting a Specialist High Skills Major program in Film and Television Production. The school recently opened a new broadcast studio on the main floor, outfitted with studio lighting and high definition video cameras, that is used to broadcast the morning announcements - a student-run program called SWC NEWS.
The school is also built on the same plans as another school in the city, Laura Secord Secondary School, located only 6.3 km away.
(2007-2009) and the VEX robotics competitions (2009 - Present), and has competed in the world championships every year for the past 4 years. They have taken 3rd place in both 2009 and 2010, and they did not get picked for the elimination stages during the 2011 championship . This club is run by Mr. Michael Diramio and various teachers, with the added help of parent volunteers and previous SWC Students.
to compete in a music festival. Sir Winston's Concert Choir has performed at the St Catharines Civic Carol Sing, a prestigious local event.
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is one of 8 public high schools in St. Catharines, and is located in the Glenridge
Glenridge, Ontario
Glenridge is a community in the city of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south part of the city, spanning the downtown in the north to Glendale Avenue in the south. On the east side, it is bounded by Highway 406 and the 12 Mile Creek on the west.Old Glen Ridge, in the Northern...
area of the city. It is administered by the District School Board of Niagara
District School Board of Niagara
District School Board of Niagara is a school board in the public school system of Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Its head office is in St. Catharines. The DSBN operates schools in each of the twelve municipalities in the region. It employs close to 2,500 instructional...
.
History
Sir Winston was founded in 1959, and named after the British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, known mainly for his leadership of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Since its founding, it has been known in the region for its unusually large number of affluent, accademically inclined students, who matriculate from across the city by taking advantage of several loopholes in the Niagara District School Board's highschool application process.
Sports
Sir Winston Churchill has several teams, including a footballCanadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team.
Cross Country
Sir Winston Churchill maintains a cross country runningCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team with a respectable record within OFSAA cross country
OFSAA cross country
The OFSAA cross country championships are the Ontario high school cross country championships, held annually in varying locations around Ontario, usually on the first Saturday of November. Approximately 1600 runners compete in six races, making it the largest OFSAA meet of any sport.- Participation...
.
Notable Rankings
In 2009 the team placed 2nd in Junior Boys.In 2008 3rd in Midget Boys at OFSAA cross country
OFSAA cross country
The OFSAA cross country championships are the Ontario high school cross country championships, held annually in varying locations around Ontario, usually on the first Saturday of November. Approximately 1600 runners compete in six races, making it the largest OFSAA meet of any sport.- Participation...
., and 4th in Senior Boys. Additionally, In 2007 the team placed 3rd in Senior Boys at OFSAA cross country
OFSAA cross country
The OFSAA cross country championships are the Ontario high school cross country championships, held annually in varying locations around Ontario, usually on the first Saturday of November. Approximately 1600 runners compete in six races, making it the largest OFSAA meet of any sport.- Participation...
.
Other rankings include first in Junior Boys in 2004, 1st in Midget Boys in 2003 and 1st in Senior Girls in 2002.
Football
Sir Winston Churchill won the St. Catharines City Championship 3 years in a row (2007,2008,2009).Facilities
Its campus contains a footballCanadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
/soccer/lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
field
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
, a track, a parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
, and a two-story building. The building includes a gymnasium
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
with multiple changing rooms
Changeroom
A changing room, locker room, dressing room or changeroom is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes...
for boys and girls as well as showers
Shower
A shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :...
, a weight room
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
, and an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. Construction has been underway in the school for a long time, and the result (unveiled in the 2011-2012 school year) is a brand new two-level cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
. The old cafeteria has been converted into a larger library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, the old library has been converted into two classrooms and there are now elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s available for the use of injured or handicapped students. The school's colours are navy blue and gold, and its mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the Bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
.
The school is one of the most technology-based schools in the area, having classes such as Communications Technology (Com-Tech) and hosting a Specialist High Skills Major program in Film and Television Production. The school recently opened a new broadcast studio on the main floor, outfitted with studio lighting and high definition video cameras, that is used to broadcast the morning announcements - a student-run program called SWC NEWS.
The school is also built on the same plans as another school in the city, Laura Secord Secondary School, located only 6.3 km away.
Robotics
The Sir Winston Churchill Robodogs have been competing in the First Technology ChallengeFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
(2007-2009) and the VEX robotics competitions (2009 - Present), and has competed in the world championships every year for the past 4 years. They have taken 3rd place in both 2009 and 2010, and they did not get picked for the elimination stages during the 2011 championship . This club is run by Mr. Michael Diramio and various teachers, with the added help of parent volunteers and previous SWC Students.
Schoolreach
Schoolreach is a competition between schools based on knowledge of trivia. Sir Winston Churchill's Reach team has been very successful in years past.Concert Choir
The Sir Winston Concert Choir has been flourishing for many years under the direction of Mr. Cliff Sayliss. In May 2011, the concert choir went on a school trip to Cleveland, OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
to compete in a music festival. Sir Winston's Concert Choir has performed at the St Catharines Civic Carol Sing, a prestigious local event.
Notable alumni
- Malin ÅkermanMalin AkermanMalin Maria Åkerman is a Swedish–Canadian actress and model. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden and moved to Canada at the age of two. As a child, she appeared in several television commercials before going on to win a modelling contract at age sixteen...
(1995), Swedish-Canadian actress and model - Janis A. Barlow (1973), theater consultant, recipient of the League of Historic American Theaters 2008 award for individual contributions in the preservation, restoration and sustainable operation of historic theaters
- Barry E.C. Boothman (1968), business historian and authority on corporate failure, Professor and Associate Dean at the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Business AdministrationUniversity of New Brunswick Faculty of Business AdministrationEstablished in 1952, the Faculty of Business Administration is one of 10 faculties located at UNB's campus in Fredericton, New Brunswick. It is the flagship supplier of management education programs by the University. It has the largest undergraduate and graduate business student enrollments in New...
- Allan Cain (1968), architect, recipient of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
Award for his humanitarian work in Angola and other developing nations - Doug FavellDoug FavellDouglas Robert Favell is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, most notably for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. He was also a box lacrosse player.-Playing career:...
(1965), NHL goalie. Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - Leslie J. M. Green (1973), authority on jurisprudence and political theory, Professor of Law, Balliol College University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
- Karla HomolkaKarla HomolkaKarla Leanne Homolka, also known as Karla Leanne Teale , is a Canadian serial killer. She attracted worldwide media attention when she was convicted of manslaughter following a plea bargain in the 1991 and 1992 rape-murders of two Ontario teenage girls, Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, as well as...
(1989), Serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification... - Paul JenkinsPaul Jenkins (economist)Paul Jenkins is a Canadian economist and Distinguished Fellow at The Centre for International Governance Innovation. He was most recently the Senior Deputy Governor and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank of Canada, the number two position in that institution....
(1965), Senior Deputy Governor and Chief Operating Officer, Bank of CanadaBank of CanadaThe Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
(his signature is on the right-hand side of all Canadian paper money) - Daniel Livermore (1965), retired, Government of Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, headed the Human Rights Division, the Peacekeeping Operations Division and the Policy Planning Staff for the International Security Affairs
- Wade MacNeilWade MacNeilWade MacNeil is a Canadian musician currently active as the singer of the English hardcore band Gallows, and the singer/guitarist/founder of the Canadian punk band Black Lungs...
(2000), one of the guitarists, vocalists and founding members of the post-hardcore band AlexisonfireAlexisonfireAlexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls... - John Moffat (1965), visual artist, Curator of the Canadian Art Collection for Foreign Affairs
- Roger Smith (1969), reporter, CTV NewsCTV NewsCTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name CTV News is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations , which are closely tied to the national news division...
- Keith MakubuyaKeith MakubuyaKeith Makubuya is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth:Makubuya began his youth career with St.Catharines Concord soccer club...
(2009), Canadian Professional Soccer Player for Toronto FCToronto FCToronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.... - Mark SteenhuisMark SteenhuisMark Steenhuis is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Buffalo Bandits in the National Lacrosse League and formerly of the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse ....
(1996), National Lacrosse League (Buffalo Bandits) and Major League Lacrosse Player (Hamilton Nationals)