Alumni Reflection
by:  Rebecca Titman
Graduating Class 2000

Greetings parents, teachers, fellow Hazel alumni and present day Hazel students. My name is Rebecca Titman and I am proud to say that I will be going into Grade 11 at Clarkson Secondary school in September. As a Frenchie, I only attended Hazel for two years but I’m happy to admit that I was one of those privileged few that was part of the graduating class of 2000.

Although it’s only been two years since I graduated from HMC, it seems like ages ago.  I don’t think I have ever changed so much in such a short period of time.  I entered Hazel as a timid and extremely shy student but after graduation, I had so much more confidence.  I think the different activities that we had, the clubs, the teachers and the students all contributed to how I grew as a person.

When I first got to Hazel McCallion, I was probably the quietest person you’d ever meet.  I’m sure some of the teachers thought I was mute.  But eventually, I was forced to start talking.  That has got to be the biggest change that Hazel made in me.  Everyone, teachers and peers, encouraged me to start sharing my ideas and to speak up when I had something to say.  This year for the first time in my life, a teacher actually told me I talk too much!  The encouragement from the teachers and the friendships from the students all helped build my confidence and change me for the better.

For the little time that I spent at Hazel, there were so many memories.  One of the best things at Hazel was the athletics.  With the teams, the clubs and the house leagues, everyone was able to participate.  In grade seven, I didn’t get involved until the end of the year, at the Centennial track meet.  I was so proud of myself!  I wasn’t bad at sports, but just average, I never stood out.  To be a part of that team, and to win the meet for the third year in a row, was the best feeling in the world!  In grade eight, I started going to house league games, joined more clubs and again, tried out for track.  Unfortunately, that was the year that Hillside finally beat us.  I am now friends with some of the people that took that trophy away from us and they never let me forget it!  It might have been a disappointment at the time, but we had done the best we could and had a lot of fun. 

So many people were a part of what made Hazel what it was for me.  Ms. Glaholm helped keep me interested in both flute and clarinet.  She truly believed I was talented and always encouraged me to push myself.  Mrs. Crofoot’s enthusiasm for math always made it enjoyable.  I think it was her goal to challenge me, she definitely did.  And of course Mr. Riddell, who taught me so much about being a good writer.  He always bugged me about not leaving things to the last minute, and even though that lesson hasn’t quite sunk in yet- as usual, I’m writing this the night before it’s due- it was a good one! Since Hazel, I haven’t had teachers who cared so much about their students.  It may have been annoying that I always had more work than my friends at other schools, but it paid off.  Our marks in secondary schools prove it.

To anyone going to Hazel in the future, my best advice would be to get involved.  There are so many opportunities that you will have that others won’t.  After talking to people who went to different schools, I realized what a great school HMC was, even though I might not have realized it at the time.  To all of you that are going into Hazel in the fall, take advantage of everything, Tawingo, the ski trips (hopefully they let you guys snowboard by now) and anything and everything that interests you.  You only have two or three short years there and they pass by quickly, so make the most of them!