crlt alumni newsletter

CRLT ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
Dawson College
Winter 2014
CRLT ALUMNI HOLIDAY SUPPER
Honouring Holly Bockus On Friday December 6th, alumni gathered at the Centre Greene to celebrate the holidays at the first ever Alumni Holiday Supper. Members of the alumni committee, with vice-­‐
president Patrice Turcotte as head chef, prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner. There was representation of alumni from the 80’s right up until 2013. Attendees had a fun time socializing, as well as taking silly photos with props provided by graduate Edna-­‐May MacKenzie. The event was a huge success offering alumni the chance to re-­‐connect and network, while also enjoying a fun party atmosphere. CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
The holiday supper was also an opportunity to celebrate the life of Holly Bockus. Two surprise announcements were made during the evening. Firstly, with the help of Santa Claus, a plaque was revealed that will be placed over the doorway to the multi-­‐purpose room in the CRLT department thus renaming the room in Holly’s honour. Secondly, the Alumni Committee has decided to create an award in Holly’s name. A gift certificate to DeSerres store will be awarded to a CRLT student who demonstrates creativity each year. Two great ways to remember and honour a great woman! The Alumni Committee would like to thank everyone who helped decorate and prepare the meal, the graduates in attendance who made the event extra special, Edna-­‐May for lending us the props, and the Centre Greene for generously allowing us to use their space! 2 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
CRLT Accomplishment Night
Accomplishments
Group Leadership nd
Last year, the 2 years held two events to support local charities. One group held an awareness campaign with speakers and an interactive presentation for Dans la Rue. The other group held a school supply drive for a low-­‐income elementary school. Fundraising Class Students in the fundraising class raised over $6,000 for 4 charities through a candy carnival, a Comedy for a Cause night, a bar night at Brutopia, and by teaming up with Sustainable Dawson to make Dawson College carbon neutral. UN Visit In September, 14 CRLT students had the opportunity to attend the UN’s International Day of Peace celebrations in New York. Guest speakers included Jane Goodall and Ban Ki-­‐Moon Fieldwork Orientation Session rd
In the fall, 3 year students in the public relations class organized the Fieldwork Orientation Session (formerly Market Day) for students to meet potential fieldwork placement supervisors. An evening to celebrate CRLT’s many achievements On November 28th, past and present CRLT students, faculty, family, and friends gathered at Dawson College in room 5B.16 at 6:30pm for the first ever CRLT Accomplishment Night. Robyn, Ben, Taylor, Ashley, Fiona, Gillan, Adriana, Emily, Melissa and Melanie, 3rd year students in the public relations class, organized the event with help from their classmates. There was wine, cheese, hors d’ouevres, presentations, speakers, and time for socializing over the course of the night. The goal of the event was to highlight and celebrate the many accomplishments of CRLT students and faculty over the last year. The evening was very well attended with an almost full room of new and familiar faces to the department. Family members of the students had the opportunity to see what their sons and daughters have been up to at school and to meet the CRLT faculty. Alumni in attendance were able to catch up with old classmates and teachers, and current students were able to show off their work. The CRLT department accomplishes a large number of events and special projects each year. Finally there has been an event that celebrates and acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the students and faculty. Open House rd
3 year students in public relations implemented the annual Open House and helped recruit new CRLT students. Veterans Day rd
3 year students in public relations also planned the Veterans’ Day event th
on November 6 . The event consisted of a ceremony, poem readings, and the release of 5 doves. 3 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
Alumni Announcements
Congratulations to Marcelo Rojo on his marriage to Nancy Ramos in August 2012. Marcelo and Nancy are also expecting a baby boy in March 2014! Best of luck to the happy couple! Volunteer Opportunities
The NDG YMCA (4335 Hampton, corner Monkland) is recruiting volunteers for weekday mornings to provide recreational activities for seniors; for Monday and Wednesday afternoons to do homework help with children; and for any weekday afternoon to tutor high school subjects (especially math or French) to teens. Contact Lindsey if interested at 514-­‐486-­‐3273 ext. 3119 or [email protected]. At WIAIH we know that volunteering can change YOUR world because so many volunteers have told us so. People with disabilities sometimes need help with activities of daily living and they flourish when the right volunteer is there to support them. We have a myriad of opportunities in recreation, at our residence, at the Pat Roberts Developmental Centre, at our fund raising or information events or in our office. Everyone can find a rewarding volunteer placement at WIAIH. All we ask is a basic commitment to fit your circumstances and your energy and enthusiasm. Discover your strengths – play a role in making someone's life happier – learn about people with different abilities -­‐ gain new skills. Volunteering is good for you! To volunteer for a WIAIH special event, or for more information, please contact Franca, the Volunteer Relations Coordinator at (514) 694-­‐7090 ext. 214, or by email at [email protected]. 4 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
Job Postings
Continued on page 6 5 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
Camp Massawippi is also looking for a female and male section head coodinator, a programs coordinator, a waterfront coordinator, 5 program specialists (woodshop, academics, arts and crafts, music and drama, and sports), 6 team leaders, and 14 camp counselors. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to receive a copy of a job description. 6 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
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The Play Revolution
by Edna-­‐May MacKenzie class of `81 and owner of Ednamation st
Play will be to the 21 century what work was to the industrial age – our dominant way of knowing, doing and creating value. ~Pat Kane The Play Ethic (2004) Hooray for the play revolution! Our neglect of free play and outdoor play has reached its crisis point welcoming the “Play Revolution”. The field of Human Play is now a credited discipline in the scientific community. The scientific community supports the healing power and necessity of human play. Physical scientists have proven that neurons connect and the brain grows when we play. The fast paced performance oriented industrial and corporate world who shunned the word play is now investing in play. Edna-­‐May and staff playing at Ednamation events Continued on page 9 This new era has increased the market value for the education and profession of Community Recreation and Leadership Training. A demand for play programs, outdoor play and play professionals is on the rise. The market value of the word “play” is a new buzz word recognised in current marketing campaigns: Canadian Tire , “Get out and Play”, ParticipACTION, “Bring back play”, Disney Parks “Laugh, Let Loose, Play Together”, Montreal Casino “We’re all Play”, IPad “Power of Play”, Kinder eggs “Did you play today?”. The January 2014 issue of Oprah magazine features a front cover headline and story “The case for goofing off, Why play really pays”. In recent decades, outdoor play and free play has been replaced by; carefully framed and sketched playgrounds, plastic playing fields, over-­‐scheduled free time, performance oriented leisure, adult restraining rules and boundaries, adult fear for safe play, 3rd generation screen play, 3rd generation indoor play. We now walk, jog, cycle, and row indoors. In recent years depression, mental illness, bullying and school violence have become a main cultural concern. The Canadian mental health Association reports that 8% of adults, 5% male youth (12-­‐19), 10% female youth (12-­‐19) have experienced a depression episode and 3.2 million young Canadians are at risk. Suicide is now the leading cause of death among Canadians 15-­‐
24year olds. 8 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
“The opposite of play is not work it is depression. Work is adult play”. Dr. Brian Sutton-­‐Smith leading psychologist of play and Dean of Play Studies at the University of Pennsylvania is the author of this new quote and theory. This new theory credits the clinical healing power of play in curing depression. The Canadian Association for Child Play Therapy is growing as a world leader in the value, training and intervention of play therapy. The corporate workplace is incorporating strategies to assure work is playful. Community Recreation and Leadership Training has been leading play since 1970. Schoolyards, playgrounds, and screen play are plagued with bullying. For 18 years, the University of Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom has been a leader in higher education “Play Work”. Play coaching and schoolyard designs provided by organisations like “Peaceful Playgrounds” and “Playworks” are proven successful solutions and a new trend for getting kids active and reducing bullying across the USA. My company Ednamation, is now providing play coaching for schools and is preparing to market a “Playful Playgrounds” program. Recently I have been deeply inspired by the book: play How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul (2009). The author, Dr. Stuart Brown, medical doctor, psychiatrist and clinical researcher is also the founder of the National Institute for Play, USA (2006). Dr. Brown is recognised as one of the world’s foremost practical champions of the knowledge of play. It is The National Institute for Play’s (NIFP) vision to gather all existing scientific knowledge related to human play to integrate human play as a credited discipline in the scientific community. Thanks to Dr. Brown and the Institute, the importance of play advocated by Community Recreation Leaders for years is now supported by the scientific and medical community. The NIFP’s vision also reads, “...We envision a longer term future in which the science of Human play enables individuals, parents, teachers, leaders, and organisations to harness the power of play to create transformational differences in their individual, family, school and organisational lives....create organisations capable of producing innovative products and services.” Edna-­‐May and school children making a peace sign. Continued on page 10 9 CRLT Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014
To this vision I would add the word Community. As a graduate of Community Recreation and Leadership Training and independent entrepreneur in the field of play for 25 years, I embrace the “Play Revolution”. I am thankful for my training and reinforce the importance of those dances, games, sports, creative and artistic expression, nature and outdoor education classes combined with the human, group and business theories. I encourage students and alumni of Community Recreation and Leadership Training to join the “Play Revolution” and market ourselves as experienced leaders in the science of Human play. Make everyday a playful one, Edna-­‐May Dedicated to Holly Bockus, Maureen McBride and my father Malcolm MacKenzie advocates of Human play “Take time to Play”. To submit an Alumni announcement, job opportunity or volunteer position, please send us an email at [email protected]. We would also love to receive your old CRLT photos and other submissions for the newsletter! Contributors
Editor in Chief
Kristen Whitelaw
Edna-May MacKenzie
Accomplishment night information and
photos from Robyn Beaver
Holiday Supper photos from Julie Paquette
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