In Canada, education is a right that we are granted, allowing us to discover and pursue our passions and interests. We have a collective right to have a voice and be equitably represented in education. As this month comes to a close, it is pertinent that we realize the importance of Indigenous education, and more specifically, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation .
On Saturday, September 30th, people across the nation will be clad in orange to recognize the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. This day acknowledges the residential schools in Canada, honours the countless young lives taken and serves to uplift the voices of survivors, families and their communities. As a school community, we will recognize this important day on Friday, September 29th.
How can you participate?
Stay tuned to Student Council Instagram stories for a chance to win a free orange shirt to show your support!
Wear orange on Friday, September 29th, to commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with the TDSB!
Click here to access resources to learn more and get involved!
WLMAC will be hosting an Indigenous author, Karen Chaboyer. Click here to learn more about her and her story!
Wear your ORANGE Mac!
As July brings an adventurous summer ahead, let’s recall the past year just one more time. Exam week is over and I’m sure we can all look forward to a restful break. With big events such as the Semi Formal, Prom, the Athletic Ceremony and more, this year has been truly unforgettable! To sign off this school year, we say our goodbyes to Mr. Johnson and Mr. Morris, and we thank them for creating an amazing environment at Mackenzie!
Mr. Johnson. A name of this school. A name that echoes and resounds within the halls of this school and will go on to do so long after his physical presence departs us. A hard-working and ambitious principal who treated this school like his second home. His radiant smile and his sincerity toward students will never be forgotten. From spirited dances on SAC Tiktoks to his drive for spreading diversity in the school within clubs, councils and the student body, Mr. Johnson has been remarkable. Always willing to advise and guide students around him; the title of a supportive principal is just not enough to describe him. His outstanding dedication is present in the countless emails and phone calls he makes to keep families informed of the school environment as well as contacting important individuals to assure Mackenzie runs smoothly. Mr. Johnson has created incredible change at Mackenzie, and although his time here has come to an end, he has undoubtedly brought positivity to the lives of students around him. We thank you Mr. Johnson and wish you all the best for what's to come!
Words of Students:
“Mr. Johnson has been an outstanding principal, arguably the best I have encountered. Under his guidance, Mackenzie has become a place of equity and inclusivity where every student's voice is valued. He has never failed to greet students and is always willing to engage in conversations, even amidst a busy schedule. His passion for his work has been inspiring, and we are grateful for his contributions. We will miss you!” - Crystal Cai
“There’s no denying that it takes a great principal to run such a diverse, driven, and ambitious group of high school students at Mackenzie. Over the last 5 years, Mr. Johnson has done an incredible job at fostering a positive, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment for all. His care and attention to detail does not go unnoticed, as Mr. Johnson makes an effort to remember all the students names and faces, while working hard to ensure that student voices are amplified and well represented. Mr. Johnson has been nothing less than the most amazing principal a school could ask for, and will be missed dearly as he moves on to the next chapter. Best of luck Mr. Johnson, we love you!” - Nicole Poroshenko
“Mr. Johnson was a force to be reckoned with. He made sure every student felt included and he was never shy of taking measures to spread positivity. He created an environment where students were comfortable and happy to be at Mackenzie. He brought great energy to the school, and would always wave to students after school. He will be missed!” - Samia Khan
“At the helm of Mackenzie’s leadership for 5 whole years, Mr. Johnson has been an advocate, a mentor, and a great leader. Managing a whole high school with over 1000 students can be a grueling task, but Mr. Johnson does it with a smile, making sure he says “Good Morning” or “Hello” to students passing by in the halls. If you know him you would know, but he is a very open and approachable principal, and Mr. Johnson never shies away from participating in school events, such as Food Day, Mactoberfest, and other great events we have here at WLMAC. Let’s not forget that Mr. Johnson was the principal during the pandemic, and it is beyond me how he managed to manage and lead during those burdensome times. It is unfortunate to have someone like Mr. Johnson go, but I believe he will go on to do great things wherever life takes him. I sincerely thank Mr. Johnson on behalf of all WLMAC students, for an amazing 5 years full of high school!” - Daniel Park
Listen to this special episode of "A Day in a Life of" to get insight about Mr. Johnson's hobbies, amibitions, journey to our school and beyond.
Hey guys, new blog dude here. First post of the year so whether you’ll be seeing more of me later on or not will highly depend on how this one goes.
Recently I’ve been hired to produce a piece of writing about bubble tea for Project Metropolis. That's all they told me, “Just write something about bubble tea.” This is possibly more agonisingly open ended than those university application questions that are all essentially variations of, “Tell me about yourself.” But I digress, back to bubble tea.
Bubble tea is pretty awesome. As with most East Asian things, it comes in about fifty million different flavours. Now, as with many things, when you have way too many flavours, there’s going to be more that are not so good than ones that are actually good. In fact, that’s probably why bubble tea shops tend to have a maximum of five drinks that have images and 90-pt font descriptions, and then there’s the rest of the menu that's written in 3-pt font and you have no idea what any items are gonna look like. It’s basically their version of realising that they have to extend their one paragraph into a 3000 word essay.
Personally, I’m a pretty big fan of bubble tea. If this was supposed to be a promo for selling bubble tea, this is where I would start talking about how awesome it is and why everyone should try it. But I don't feel like doing that. What I will tell you is that I have tried at least five drinks from every bubble tea shop on Yonge Street (other than Machi Machi because I am not paying $20 for a bubble tea), and I have made a mental tier list that includes every single one. Is that concerning? Probably. Am I going to stop? Probably not. Yes, I know it’s not extremely healthy for me or my wallet, but what better experience could one ask for when commissioning another to “just write something about bubble tea”? With that in mind, I’m going to start talking about some notable bubble tea shops and my opinion on them. Before I begin, I would like to make clear that this is purely my personal opinion without intent to offend or shame anyone and especially everyone who is not in agreement.
Shuyi: one of the better bubble tea shops I have ever had, and I will fight to a reasonable extent about it. At my peak I knew the cashier on a first name basis.
Chatime: easily one of the most questionable because their seriously overpriced drinks taste like watered down juices to my tastebuds.
Real Fruit: I don’t like this place very much because their idea of ‘bubble tea’ sometimes seems to be putting tapioca pearls into every drink they serve (No, I do not like tapioca in my Mango Slush). Not as huge of a red flag as Chatime and I’ll deal with it because their slushies and smoothies do taste nice.
Kung Fu Tea and Yi Fang: their fruit teas are so good that they are the sole (or duo?) reason that fruit tea is at the top of my drinks tier list.
Coco: easily the best bubble tea shop I have ever had - I believe that everyone should definitely give it a sip. Project Metropolis also happens to be selling it for Food Day this Friday.
Remember when I said I’m not following other promos’ tactics? I meant it. I am not being threatened. This is my own opinion. Project Metropolis works for and shares with our community with love, and here’s a way you can interact with them person to person, a refreshing drink for a resourceful cause. Please h̸̺̲̫̬̤̠͔͋̇e̶̡̞͎̼̭᷂̙᷂̞̾᷁͜l̸̰͇̂᷉̄̉͘p̴̡̞̰̟̀͠ buy.