sr~r~3,wIlfl'FRE PRESS, WEDNESAY, MARCII7, 39 WhiIY Chamber of "Since 1928" Commerce Henry Council president chosen Whitby's top student To b. selectsd 'Student of the Year,' on. must naturally b. a leading student. This year's top WVhitby student is not only a leading student, but a student leader. Or more pre- cisely, she is presiâent of the students' councîl>. Cindy Mudg, 17, a grade 12 situdent of Henr Street High School is the Wiby Chamber of Commerce student of the year for 1990. She received ber award last week at the chamber's annual student of the year dinner. Cindy is the daughter of Jim and Anne Mudge of S t. Lawrence Street. Her grandfatber lu John Dryden of Brooklin, for many yeahs ayenshipof the former Whitb towshipcouncil. In presenting the award, chamber president Bob Stanley said, «Cind4y isaevryeserving winner, she not on y its the mold of an ideal' student at school, but an ideal employes in the workplace.» Stanley was referring to the two years Mudge spent orkin at the Ontario Ministry of ]Revenue office in Oshawa as a co-operative education student for which she rsceivsd top honora. (Co-operative education is a prograr which gives students actua on-the-job traiing.) Ini addition to ber student council activities, Mudge spent two yeare on the school yearbook commnittee. She has also performed volun- teer work with the Oshawa- Whitby-Newcastle United Way and beéen active in the Junior Achievementprogram. She continues to work part- time in a dress shop at the Oshawa Centre and bas main- tained a B average in her courses. Ini an emotional speech, Mudgs sad she was «surprised, pleased and honored» to be chosen for the award. She gave thanks to ber family, teachers and revenue ministr officiais who were on hand to witness the presentation. Mudge said later that she will b. returning to Henry next year - for grade 13 and is considerig enrolhing in a umiversity or com- munity college business program after completing high achool. CDY MUDGE wau lbut week named as the Wbitby Chamber of Commerce Student of the Year. Quality doesn't corne without a pioe: Laing- By Mike Kowalski A future with unlimited poten- tial awaits students of Ontario's public sehool system, predicta the dî*ietr of the Durhamn Board of Education. But the cost of preparing tornorrow's leaders todiay, does not corne without a significant price tag attachsd, says Pauline Laing. The board's education director offered an asseasment of public education in the 1990'9 wbile addressing last wesk's Whitby Chamber of Commerce 'Student of the Year' dinner. «We are in an era of environ- mental, ecological and social challenges and werhave to pin There are only two more days left until DOlC students get another week off school. The March Break is definitely giong to be welcomed withope arme as l've heard several studentd complaints about how hard they have been bit with this second semester. Since the rest of our PA days have been cancelled because of the strike, I know that al students will talcs advantage of the week of rest next week. For a group of senior history students, the March Break promises to be a unique learning experience. They will be viitingt Cairo and Luxor, Egypt, to gain a better understanding of the ancient civilization that once existed. It should definitely be an interesting trip. Bon voyaga! In sports, DOUC hockey tearn won the LOSSA B division championship, defsating Aax High School by a score of 3-2. Way to go, guys! Congratulations are also in order to our curling tsam. They were in Huntsville from Feb. 22 to the 24 competing in the provincial school boys tournament. Out of 180 teams, our achool team came in fourth place. Tlheir successbas made oeir sebool ommunity vsry proud. As a part of the. Lent eason, DO'C's nvironmental club iu asking for donations to save the Amazon rainfoeest. Every Thursday, moeey will b. collected on ail thre lunches in the. cafeteria. The funds raiued will be uu.d to buy land in the Amazon so that it will b. preservsd. our future hopes on our young people,» said Laing., CNo on. can honestly say tbey care about the future of our country without caring about education.» She took umbrage with those who dlaim today's education sys- tem does not adteuaely prepare students for the real world "I wouldn't be in public educa- tion if I didn't tlunk we were educating more people and bet- ter. We're educating 0pr cent more Peple than when 1 went to school intÎhe50Ss. "Our product stands up well, but that s not to say there s room for complacency.» To ensure, that the Durhamn board continues to produce qua- lity students,Lag outlined a en.a of guidelie local edu- cators must follow. «We bave to provide prograrns that will challenge and stimulate our students, we can't allow their creativity to wither. "We muet also be aware of the needs of the worýkplace. We have to build the asirtins of our young peopl that they will have rewarding careers.» Cognizant of the fact she was addressing a predominently busi- ness-onisnted audience, Laing supported dloser ties between employers and educators. "If I had the chance te man- date one program. for aIl students it would b. co-operative educa- tion. Co-operative education isaa relatively new concept that allows a student te expenience the workplace flrt-band. ITe student spends a poton of hie or ber day atul1 work- ing at a place of buiness. Based on the employer's report, hefshe may or mnay iot earn a credit towards the diplorna. Of !coure, any; discussion or education cannot exclude the rol. of teacbers. «W. bave to, b. a good employer, a boa!rd with -fair ernjpoyee practices,» usaid Laing. <'uteachers Qre of a hLugb standard ihexletqualif- cations wbich tl3ey are con- stantly up rading.'!pitofm But perhfs tepnofos concern teDUrhaný Reion rate- {ayers, that Laingad<iressed in "Whe to fnanialres- Wher thq cout.7 aingsaid the sebool. board's 'share of pro- perty tiaxes will ifievitably in- crease but she cautioned that this does not necegsarily mean more spending. «Up until this year we received approxixnately .75 pçr cent of the out for new schols from the Province. W. are exgecting only 60 per cent this year. Laing said local taxpayers will be foroed. te malce up the dif- ference, sither tbrough increased mill rates or lot 1eve* The Durham =oi~ prefers te go the lot levy route' said Laing, mnea.in that future homeownsrs willpickup the increased costs.' Laing noted that s.even capital ;psndinig projects are forecast for WhtbUyincluding ai $25-million high slooý =whi«ve'd like te ses open by> 1994." As for ongoing cosk such, as teacher salaries and, equipment, Laing uaxd the board's share ii; two per cent bigber than >ast year's. While basing most of lier r arson how educaters can better prre students te en ter society, Laing did mention how imodemn society impoe itsslf on students, often te their detri-. ment. Reflecigo absentesism in local scbools, hereferred to, stui- dents "who sleep in and slip out» of the uystem. Altbough careful te state that she was "not. attack ig parents for their choices," Laing won- dered about the effecta on chul- dren of both parents working meaning that Bornernay b e te fend for.themselveu. "W. cant choose te b. further away from our childien and not Provde an alternative system.' 's for family- violence, wbile not saying it is rising, Laing sad Durbam teachers are aware the problem exista. Sh. called for clouer co-ope- ration between the board and child cars agencies whenever in- cidents are reported. Oral language festival at sehools By Nicole Lylyk Students tbroughout Durham Region, from English French im- mersion and speciaâ education proprains, have been busily pre- parmg for the oral Ian uagfes- tival wbicb will take plface teda (Wednesday) at vairious schoolsj in DurharnRegion.--I Last 'year im. the region, six festivals were held, on. of which was French immersion. More than 80 schoolu participated, po ducinig mors than 500 eager se dents. SeE PAGE 33 Denis O'Connor H.S. Tanya Trinkaus