Last night at the HS Athletic Banquet, the theme was “Look How Far We Have Come”. I was able to pass along some anecdotes from the beginning of our sports history and compare and contrast them with the 2015-2016 school year. Other than the greater number of student-athletes participating, the main difference is the facilities our students now enjoy.

Our year-end musicals could also have a “Look How Far We Have Come” theme to them. In fact, the very first school musical held at the Main Campus in 1987 took place before the school was even open! Explanation: the school was entirely housed at the current TEAM School location that year and, as a way of creating some excitement for the move to Port Credit, the founders decided to get the Auditorium (and the hallways leading up to it) all ready for the show. The lighting and sound equipment was rented, there was no air conditioning and the rest of the building was in shambles after being vacant for 3 years. Nowadays, our lights are pre-mounted and programmed, the sound equipment includes wireless microphones and iPad controllers, and we have three shows at three campuses (all in air-conditioned comfort). What hasn’t changed is the sense of accomplishment from the students, the 100% participation behind-the-scenes of our teachers and the smiles on the faces of the audience members.

There is one unfortunate change with modern technology, however. Copyright rules and production agreements no longer make it possible for the school (via the school store, The MT Room) to offer DVD copies of the musical. If you plan on attending “The Lion King”, “Charlotte’s Web”, “Beauty and the Beast”, or all three (!) in the next few weeks, please keep this in mind.

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College / TEAM School