Wexford Collegiate Institute
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| Wexford Collegiate Institute | |
 Let him bear the palm who has deserved it |
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| Address | |
| 1176 Pharmacy Avenue Toronto, Ontario, M1R 2H7, Canada |
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| Information | |
| School board | Toronto District School Board |
| School type | secondary school |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Language | English |
| Mascot | Harry |
| Team name | Vikings |
| Colours | double green and white |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Enrolment | approx. 1200 |
| Homepage | http://www.wexfordcsa.ca/ |
Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, commonly known as Wexford Collegiate, or simply Wexford is a public secondary school constructed early in 1965 and is part of the Toronto District School Board.
The school is located in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, north of the intersection of Lawrence Avenue East and Pharmacy Avenue.
Along with instructing secondary level academics, the school also has a signature emphasis on both the Performing and Visual Arts aspects of education.
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[edit] Overview
Students at Wexford Collegiate take roughly six to eight courses each year and runs on a semestered schedule with each semester lasting four to five months.
[edit] Admissions
The admission policy for Wexford differs from the general admission policy set out by the Toronto District School Board. Students who plan on attending one of the 2 specialized arts programs must successfully audition to be enrolled at Wexford.
[edit] Programs
[edit] Visual Arts Program
The Art Centre at Wexford offers a Special Series Visual art program taught by professional friendly teachers, whose mission is to provide a great preparation for post secondary art at college or university or any future career involving or excluding art. The art staff consists of nine art-driven teachers, each a practicing artist, who provide expert instruction and sincere personal attention. The art centre has nine large studios, each specifically equipped to deliver a specialized course. The special series visual art program is the only public secondary school in Toronto to offer the highly in demand course known as lifedrawing; involving students from grade elven and up in an educational course of the human body. The course made up of a total of twelve credits over four years with the option to stay on for a portfolio year. Portfolio year students spend half to a full year constructing a portfolio for college, university, and/or career, with the supportive help of the special series art teachers.
Each year, the Special Series Visual art program staff and students put on a spectacular and original art show open to the public, generously offering it at free admission.
Wexford has had specialized art courses for over forty years.
[edit] Performing Arts
Because of their ties to the professional film, television, and theater community in Toronto, the Wexford staff arrange workshops for their students conducted by some of Toronto’s leading artists. This can only help to give the Wexford students the strongest background possible.
These ties to the professional community have also given professional opportunities to some Wexford students in film, television, musical theatre and radio jingles. We have established over the past three years a great relationship between our Music Theatre students and the Hospital for Sick Children’s Telethon produced by CFTO. We were invited back for a seventh year in 1997. In 1993 we had four "spots" on the telethon, including the final number which we shared with CoIm Wilkinson (The Phantom) and Michael Burgess (Les Miz, Man of La Mancha). The Music Theatre students also performed a video with Donny Osmond, (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat) and in 1994 shared the stage with Micheal Bell, (Showboat) now on Broadway.
In addition, the students have performed live both on CBC and TSN networks, live on stage at the New Yorker Theatre, recorded the original song "Keep the Spirit Alive" for the special Olympics, performed at the Celebrity Sports Auction, performed with Robert Pilon at Casa Loma for CEO’s from all over the world including the President of Sony, Jane Fonda and Ted Turner; along with the Leahy’s and Andre Philipe Gagnon; Wexford Music Theatre entertained 5,000 representatives from all over North America at the Metro Convention Centre, appeared along with the cast of Rent at Mel and Marilyn Lastman’s Inaugural Ball and most recently, in 2010, the Glee club at the school (The Wexford Gleeks) won the first ever Show Choir Nationals.
[edit] Notable alumni
The "Wexford Alumni" is a group of renowned former and current Wexford students who have managed to attain successful careers in the performing arts, visual arts or other significant professional aspects.
- Warren Hudson - CFL Running Back 1985-1989,1993 Toronto Argonauts. 1990-1992 Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian
1990. CFL East All-Star: 1990, 1992.
- Todd Claydon - Canadian Stipple Artist known for his work with Mötley Crüe as well as his work on Pierre Trudeau, Bill Clinton & Pope John Paul II .
- Fefe Dobson - Canadian Pop rock singer-songwriter, famous for her hit singles "Ghost" and "Stuttering".
- Wayne Dillon - A former Canadian professional hockey player for the National Hockey League.
- Nina Dobrev - Canadian actress, famous for her starring role in the television series "Vampire Diaries".
- Brent Townsend - Canadian wildlife artist. Designed the logo for the Royal Canadian Mint's "toonie".
- Craig Martin - Founder of Canadian concert series, "Classic Albums Live".
- Jahmil French - Canadian actor. Noted for his role in the television series, "Degrassi: the Next Generation.
- Dewshane Williams - Canadian actor, currently starring in the Family Channel television series "Baxter".
- Kathy Spence - Canadian actress. Noted for her role in the television series, "DLS". Also known for title as, "Canada's Fastest Texter" and founder of the non-profit organization, "Fly Away".
- Helen Mann - Canadian radio personality, currently featured in the CBC Radio program.
- Ansari Rahaman - Canadian Artist, featured in the Scarborough Fight Against Racism.
- Shanice Banton - Canadian actress. Noted for her role in the television series, "Degrassi: the Next Generation.
- Rajiv Surendra - Canadian actor. Noted for his role in the movie, "Mean Girls".
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 43°44′45″N 79°18′24″W / 43.745972°N 79.306601°W
