Community Spirit All across Canada and the United States there are schools, foundations, organizations and individuals that are taking an active role in making our communities more harmonious and tolerant of our differences. By doing their part, they are inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Photography by John Arnold

Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute - Toronto, Ontario The city of Scarborough, in Metro Toronto, is a multicultural community of approximately 550,000 people whose population represents 13% of all immigrants to Canada. Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute, situated in the heart of Scarborough, is a school of 1,250 students. Approximately 30% of the student body is made up of landed immigrants or refugee status students. Within the student body 47 different languages are spoken, 43 of which are first languages at home. Our students come from 57 countries of origin including Sri Lanka (12.3%), Iran (3.8%), Hong Kong (3.3%), China (1.4%), Somalia (1.1%), Pakistan (0.8%), and Greece (0.6%). W.C.C.I. is a virtual microcosm of the globe that is focusing school-wide initiatives that celebrate the similarities and differences of our students' various cultures. There are many wonderful activities that allow us to celebrate and participate as an integrated school community. One such event is the annual Multicultural Week, celebrating its tenth year this May. Throughout the week, there are workshops, guest speakers, presentations and sporting events. One can travel to the nooks and crannies of the school on any given day to hear exotic world music and to see frantic last minute rehearsals for the week's highlight - the Multicultural Assembly. Various student-led groups perform dances and music from their native lands. It is an electrically charged mosaic of energy, color, sound and movement. Neighboring junior schools are invited to join this celebration and are welcomed by our Principal. The week does not end there. After the festivities the school enjoys an extended lunch and a huge multicultural food extravaganza in the cafeteria. Various cultural groups organize themselves under the direction of teacher volunteers and prepare foods from all across the world. One can find anything from falafels to souvlaki, to samosas, to crêpes, to back bacon on a bun. The cafeteria is a frenzy for an hour-and-a-half as staff and students experience the world through their taste buds. Multicultural Week is but one of many initiatives at Winston Churchill that recognize and celebrate the cultural diversity of the school population. Churchill's outstanding contribution to the Scarborough community in the areas of anti-racism and ethnocultural equity education is exemplary. The efforts of our students and staff have been honored through a nomination for the Dr. Inez Elliston Award, a citywide award recognizing the promotion of intercultural understanding and harmonious relations among students, staff, and the community.

A student expresses his multicultural beliefs through this mural on racial equality.

Tamil students perform a dance depicting both the history and traditions of their culture.

A Caribbean student’s mural depicts the many and varied aspects of her culture.

Students from as far away as Sri Lanka support one another while awaiting their turn on stage.

Caribbean fashions are modeled by students during the annual Multicultural Day celebration.

The music dept. does its job of drumming up interest in other cultures by exposing students to percussion instruments and instruction from Africa.

A traditional dragon dance highlights the contribution of Churchill’s Chinese students.

Greek students perform a traditional Greek dance at the Multicultural assembly.