Grade 12 Economics students attended a Lunch and Learn today in the Ellen Knox Library, where special guests Rachel Megitt and Marissa Siegal from RBC Capital Markets spoke about being a woman in the field of finance and shared advice on how to be successful.

A longstanding Havergal tradition is for the Grade 6 class to present the Junior School with a  gift at the end of the school year. It's their way of saying thank you to the Junior School for many years of learning, laughter, and joy. The goal of this year’s gift was to connect outdoor learning and play with our new Outdoor Learning PlaySpace, and it was revealed at Prayers this morning. The gift is a garden kaleidoscope!

A garden kaleidoscope allows students to create their very own geometric patterns with items found in the Outdoor Learning PlaySpace. The kaleidoscope is made from individual pieces of metal and was built by Bob, an artist from the US who specializes in this type of art. The kaleidoscope will be mounted in the Outdoor Learning PlaySpace once the ground has finished thawing from the winter. We look forward to seeing it in action!

On April 23, 1926, Havergal celebrated the laying of the corner stone of the present school building. Thus began the tradition of Founders' Day, when the school community gathers at St. Paul's Bloor Street to remember our history.

This year's service included a welcome from our new Principal Helen-Kay Davy, a reading from School Captain Rachelle Li, a greeting from our Board Chair, Ann Kerwin, and an address from Brenda Robson, Former Dean of Students. A part of this tradition includes singing the school hymn, Unto the Hills and the school song, Vitai Lampada Tradens, as well as listening to the beautiful voices of the Senior, Middle School, and Junior Choirs.

The daisy boutonnieres worn by our Grads were a gift from the Havergal College Old Girls Association to mark their passage from students to Old Girls, and to share with the Havergal community the significance of Founders' Day.

This morning, two members from Bboyizm, a Ottawa-based dance company, came to Havergal to share their expertise in street dance. Julie "Julie Rock" Benoit and Melissa "Melly Mel" Flerangile had our Grade 10 Dance Course students hip hopping, high topping, and breaking to Kriss Kross' "Jump". On Thursday, students will travel to Harbourfront to watch the company perform one of their energetic works "Music Creates Opportunity".

Happy Earth Day! We hope you enjoy today's special lunch made with local ingredients. While you're in the lunch line, you can grab a free Nonsense Notepad, which are being given out in Temerty Commons. The Junior School will be celebrating with environment-themed events all week.

We encourage you to something today that will positively impact the Earth. Unplug your appliances, turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, or turn off the lights when you leave the room. Remember, every little thing makes a difference!

Select videos from last night's Spring Music Night are now on YouTube! This is one of our favourites, from the Havergal String Quartet. View the playlist here: http://bit.ly/1eEUNbf

This morning, the results of the student election were announced at Upper School Prayers. Congrats to the student leaders of the 2014-2015 school year! We're pleased to announce that our new School Captain is Tessa Buchan. The complete list of leadership positions can be found here: http://bit.ly/1fvgp58

Shop at our Appletree Farmers' Market: Wednesday, May 7!
On Wednesday, May 7, the Appletree Farmers' Market student group will host an outdoor farmers' market in the South Quad at the Upper School (rain location: Temerty Commons). Shopping hours are from 2:30 to 5 pm.

Appletree Market is a non-profit organization, dedicated to promoting a local, community shopping experience. At Havergal’s event, vendors will have a wide variety of foods for purchase including organic produce, cheese, bread, chocolate, soups, and more! At the market, you can also learn more about eating locally grown foods.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Market on May 7! For the latest info, join our Facebook event at: http://on.fb.me/1rmQG4e

If you're interested in our upcoming excursions for the 2014-2015 school year, come to the GEP Excursion Information Evening on May 5 at 6 pm in the Ellen Knox Library.

Kwame Appiah, author of "Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers" urges young people to become informed of the practices and beliefs of others through means as simple as subtitled movies. Another way to inform yourself that has a bit more fun and adventure involved is to travel with one of the Institute at Havergal’s global excursions! Next year alone you can travel to Costa Rica (if you’re in the Middle School), South Africa, Ghana, Jamaica, China, or the Northwest Territories of Canada.

On each of these incredible excursions you will be in the company of fellow Havergal students and teachers. This way, you can bring your learning home and share it with people who understand just how mind-blowing it is to inhabit the spaces of others.

The Art Department is pleased to invite the Havergal community, and their family and friends, to join us at the opening celebration of an exhibition of stone carving created by Zimbabwean artist Simon Chidharara on Tuesday, May 6 from 7 to 9 pm in the Temerty Commons and Labatt North Quad! Event details: http://on.fb.me/QCBmVs

Mr. Chidharara, whose home is in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, will be Artist-in-Residence at Havergal from May 1 to 13, working with Dr. Davidson and her Grade 9 Art students. He will share his expertise with members of the Havergal community through a series of carving workshops, classroom/exhibit visits, and sculpture demonstrations.