Just a Regular Student
By Dickson Liong, Grade 10
Whether you like it or not, education is an essential part of living. People have to go to school at one point or another in their life. This is the case for almost every Canadians, even for Evander Kane, a former student of John Oliver Secondary and a current team member of the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg.
David Stary is a student support worker currently working for the Vancouver School Board. He once spent 14 years at John Oliver Secondary School working with students with disabilities and was fortunate enough to work in some of the classes that Kane was in.
The 19-year Vancouver School Board employee remembers Kane as no more than a regular high school student.
“I was working in a classroom [Kane] was in and I heard that he played hockey, but that was about it. He certainly wasn’t a really big guy back in grade 8. In fact, he was whom I would consider – you know – a regular guy,” said Stary.
Similarly to me and many other male high school teenagers, Kane had shown interest in girls.
“He liked talking to girls a lot, as though it was a big part of ‘being in class’,” said Stary, jokingly.
In grade 11, Kane ended up transferring from John Oliver Secondary School to South Delta Secondary School, which was at the time attended by every member of the Vancouver Giants (the junior hockey team that Kane played for in the Western Hockey League before moving on to the National Hockey League). However, the current Winnipeg Jets player returned to John Oliver in his grade-12 year to have a chance of getting taught by Mr. Ron Turner, one of the best and most well-liked teachers at the school.
Stary says it is “quite amazing” to know that he once worked in the same classroom as a National Hockey League hockey player.
Everything proves that those who want to be successful in life must receive basic education in order to pursue their dreams – whatever they may be. So, don’t be a fool! Go to school.
