It is often said that a picture tells a story of one thousand words. That old adage can be applied to the fourth annual Walk with Excellence event on Friday, May 27 at York University.
Some 400 students who are graduating from C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, Westview Centennial Secondary School, Downsview Secondary School and Emery Collegiate Institute were unfazed by the warm and humid weather as they walked to York University’s Keele campus.
The event, which is considered to be an annual rite of passage for the students as they move from high school into postsecondary education, represents a public demonstration of their achievement.
The high energy parade featured school cheers, song and dance as the students paraded from C. W. Jeffreys High School up Sentinel Road and onto the University campus. Cars stopped and passersby cheered the students on their journey. Once they arrived at the Keele campus, they were greeted by an energetic group of York U students, faculty and staff. Banners sporting “You got this!” and “Welcome to your future” were displayed by the group greeting the students.
Once at the Keele campus, the students gathered in Gowlings Hall in the Kaneff Building, home of Osgoode Hall Law School. There they listened to greetings from Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Lorne Sossin and Faculty of Education Professor Carl James, director of the York Centre for Education and Community and the Jean Augustine Chair in Education at York University.
As part of the event, bursaries were handed out to students and each school’s student leadership team spoke to the audience.
The Walk with Excellence is supported by York University's Division of Advancement, The TD Community Engagement Centre and Student Recruitment.