Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute
Encyclopedia
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. It is part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The school is located at 301 Charles St. E. Kitchener, Ontario. It is also part of the Waterloo Region District School Board
Waterloo Region District School Board
Waterloo Region District School Board is the public school board for the Region of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. It operates 103 elementary schools, 16 secondary schools, and other facilities, serving 60,000 students in the Region of Waterloo. It has approximately 5500 staff and a budget of $675...
. The school is also one of only two secondary schools in Ontario with its own campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
. The school is one of the most culturally diverse schools in Waterloo Region
Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is a regional municipality located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It consists of the cities of Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo, and the townships of Wellesley, Woolwich, Wilmot, and North Dumfries. It is often referred to as the Region of Waterloo or just...
. Cameron is also one of the most populous schools in the region, largely due to the popularity of the IB program.
IB program
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. The IB Diploma is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities. However, substantial quality and quantity of school work is required to retain an acceptable grade, thus leading to a high attrition rate among students. Students no longer in the full diploma program may choose to take only certain IB "certificates" or to drop the program entirely. One of the criticisms of Cameron's IB program is the restricted course offerings available to students. Higher level courses offered include Biology History and English. Standard level courses offered include Math a choice between French or Spanish, and a choice between Business, Art, Music or Chemistry.Sports and clubs
The school's facilities include a 25m swimming pool, triple gym, weight room, football field, soccer/field hockey field, tennis court, and baseball field. The school's teams are known as the Golden Gaels, and Cameron's mascot is Scotty, the Golden Gael. There is also a variety of clubs, including ballroom dancing, DECADECA (organization)
DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
Business club, and the Student Activities Council (SAC). The school also has a radio station known as "88.5 Gail FM", and provides radio shows daily for the school (morning, and lunch time). The CHCI Debate Team is particularly active, attending Nationals and North Americans four years running. The Multicultural Club also puts on a multi-cultural show every year that draws hundreds of spectators from around the KW area. The school has achieved many athletic accomplishments, including 6 straight WCSSAA track and field championships, 5 consecutive CWOSSA appearances for the senior boys curling team, 5 WCSSAA titles in 6 years for the cross country team, as well as OFSAA gold by badminton and tennis athletes. The Gael football team also has a reputation for strong results. Most recently, the senior Gaels' were WCSSAA finalists, being defeated 31-17 in the finals by Waterloo Collegiate Institute
Waterloo Collegiate Institute
Waterloo Collegiate Institute is a public high school in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.-General:Waterloo Collegiate Institute is a secondary school in Waterloo, Ontario. It normally has between 1200 and 1400 students, with an average class size of around 30. It has magnet programs including E.S.L.,...
, marking their second consecutive 2nd place finish.
Architecture
The school was built in 1967. At the time, it was the largest secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
built in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in one phase. At the front entrance to the school is a tall three-arch portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
constructed out of stainless steel. There are two datestone
Datestone
A datestone is typically an embedded stone with the date of engraving and other information carved into it. They are not considered a very reliable source for dating a house, as instances of old houses being destroyed and rebuilt have been reported.Specific locations have often been chosen for...
s by the entrance, one of which is inscribed "1867" (Canada's year of confederacy).
Location
The school is located near the Charles Street Transit Terminal, making commuting easy via intercity buses and regional Grand River TransitGrand River Transit
Grand River Transit, or GRT, is the public transport operator for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It operates daily bus services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge....
buses.
Notable alumni
- Lennox LewisLennox LewisLennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
, former heavyweight boxing champion - Bernie RuoffBernie RuoffBernie Ruoff is a former punter and placekicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1975-1979 and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1980-1987 of the Canadian Football League. He finished his CFL career in 1988, playing 5 games for the British Columbia Lions...
, CFL All-Star Football Player - Rich Beddoe, drummer for rock group Finger Eleven
- Liza FromerLiza FromerLiza Fromer is a former co-host of Breakfast Television at Citytv in Toronto.She graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in Radio and Television and is a Canadian broadcast journalist. Previously, she worked as a video game columnist for TV Guide Canada...
, journalist - Jonathon Pitman, founder of Applauz Media Solutions
- Dub J, famous record producer and founder of Q It Up Records
- Kimberly Joy Peters, author
- Andrew Kenneth MartinAndrew Kenneth MartinAndrew Kenneth Martin is a Canadian born actor, director, photographer, cinematographer and visual artist. A native of Waterloo, Ontario, he is perhaps best known for appearing in the series Train 48 as Charles Lucas West-Matheson ....
, actor, director, photographer, cinematographer and visual artist - Scott StevensScott StevensRonald Scott Stevens is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. Stevens played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and the New Jersey Devils...
, NHL All-Star Hockey Player - Aaron WilsonAaron WilsonAaron Wilson is a lacrosse player for the Edmonton Rush in the National Lacrosse League.Wilson began his career with the Toronto Rock. After six seasons with the Rock, including a Championship in 2005, Wilson was traded to the Rochester Knighthawks...
, lacrosse player for the NLL - Robbyn HermitageRobbyn HermitageRobbyn Hermitage is a female badminton player from Canada, who won the gold medal in the women's doubles competition at the 1999 Pan American Games alongside Milaine Cloutier. She also took away silver from that tournament, won in the mixed doubles competition partnering Brent Olynyk...
, badminton player - Colleen RusholmeColleen RusholmeColleen Rusholme is a Canadian radio and television broadcaster. Rusholme began her career as a news reporter in Toronto....
Radio Broadcaster