Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

 No CNN or CBC, But the new Jane and Finch Grads Got a Parade and an Airplane to Mark Their Passage  BY STEPHEN WEIR On Thursday, the annual Walk of Excellence took place, marking a significant celebration for over 500 graduating high school students from the Jane Finch/Black Creek community. The event, organized by the Blackhurst Cultural Centre, local high schools, York-TD Community Engagement Centre , and the Toronto District School Board, aimed to honour the achievements of students from CW Jefferys, Westview, Emery, Downsview, and James Cardinal McGuigan High Schools. The festivities kicked off at CW Jefferys High School at 10am with a series of vibrant student presentations on the front lawn. Following this, the students, filled with excitement and pride, marched, danced, and walked north along Sentinel Road toward York University. Along their route, a small plane soared above, pulling a banner with words of encouragement for the graduates. This unexpected sight was a t...

Taking their hopes and dreams on down that long York University road By Stephen Weir This past Wednesday, 500 graduate students with parents, teachers and principals cheering them on celebrated their last day in Grade 12 by walking up to gates of York University and marching right in. The students came from four high schools in the Jane Finch corridor district – C.W. Jeffreys, Westview, Emery and Downsview High. The point of the annual parade is to mark the graduation of the students and to encourage them not to end their studies after Grade 12.   Many of the students had probably never toured York – until Wednesday, and the university laid out the red carpet and red lion to ferociously make it a fun, memorable visit. I made that walk too for the Caribbean Camera. Olympus camera in had I marched with Itah Sadu, the MC and Ringmaster of this scholarly parade from C.W Jeffreys to York University. Here are four pictures from that Walk with Excellence. Pix 1. It All Started Here – T...