A compilation of diverse student stories and voices from Sacred Heart CHS.

Tales from the Heart 2022

Grade 12 Title: Precious Description: During my experience at Tales from the Heart we had a very intriguing workshop with Nadine Williams. She explained to us her thought process behind her poems and how she writes her novels. During the activity she asked everyone to giver her random words. Amazingly she was somehow able to put together a beautiful poem that flowed smoothly with so much meaning behind it. I used the poem we created during the activity as inspiration for the song I made. Although the words were random, they had lots of potential to have a greater meaning. Nadine was able to find connections between all of them and bring out a meaningful message from each word. I used the valuable messages we created and incorporated it into a song. Using the poem as lyrics, I tried my best to make the music convey and properly reflect the meaning of the poem. My song "precious" is about keeping important things close and always remembering what makes up your identity. Never lose hope and always keep moving even when things get hard.

Beautiful is the word I use to describe you. I think of you especially when I am flying in the blue sky off to distant shores. Give and don’t look back, send it I tell myself when I allow the contents of my heart to spill onto paper crossing continents to get to you. Soccer is indeed my passion but so too are you. Staring at my phone, the connection to my family, One of the things that gives me the ability to share the&nbsp; Precious things all around me. Right now I’m drawing a blank. As the blank wall stares knowing that,&nbsp; As the day darkens my nightmare grows. But isn’t it great to know that he who holds our futures brings rainbows in the sky as a reminder that there is always hope.

Grade 9 Title: First time in Canada Description: My story is talking about my journey to Canada and my first day in Canada.

Ask your king. Then I heard something from my mom. The words that I hate the most I hear her say, "Goodbye, take care of yourself and your sister; we will see each other sooner than you can even think. I was silent for a few seconds because my voice was cut off, but after that, I was able to use my voice, so I said felan. Then I hugged my family and my mom again, and then I left. You know, my mom always tells me to be patient. Since then, I'm trying to be patient because my father also taught me that each lower end will have an upper end, so I'm just waiting for that upper end. That upper end is when I stand in front of all the Iranian people and tell them that Iran is back. Sometimes I also think that the whole thing is just a short dream that will end soon. I will wake up and I will be able to eat Masto mosir and watch movies with my grandparents, my sister, and my mother to forget about everything, and smell Ghormeh sabzi that my mother has made, and eat it with sabzi and sit and laugh because of funny things that my grandmother do, and talk about funny things with my family. I think that all of this is to get me ready for the future, like when you take a practice quiz to get ready for the main test, and I already went through the quiz, and now I am waiting for the real test, which is the golden key that can open the way to all of my dreams, which is to be a king in Iran.

Grade 11 Title: picturesque Description: We are constantly bombarded with idealistic expectations on how to act, look, and essentially, be. It has left me in an incessant cycle of questioning, 'Who am I? How do people see me? How do I want to be seen?" Inspired by the idea of looking into a mirror, I wrote the song 'picturesque' as a reflection of my own insecurities and the questioning of my identity beyond the philosophy of perfection.

Every morning when I wake up you will hear the roosters “tok toka ok” that rooster is ours, every morning I see my cousins already playing games outside with almost all kinds of games that we play, like in one side of the court there is basketball and other side there is this game called Cebu. You play Cebu with a squared shape and you play it 5 vs 5 the other team gets to kick it and the other team needs to throw it and if the other team kicks it they run to the other part of the square it's like baseball but using tsinelas. Some days we can’t play because they need to dry irik which is an unprocessed rice that they need to make it dry. When they are drying it up and you get close to it you will get itchy. As you also see on the right side of the house you will see the orange and two white towels, that’s where we hang our clothes to dry it up. At the back you will smell the pigs. My dad's brother owns the pigs. You will also hear the pigs in the morning or afternoon. When people play basketball everyone would sit in front of our house and watch the game. If no one is playing basketball we would find a tennis ball and sticks and we would play baseball using sticks and tennis balls. Every day we play different games, we also play tumbang preso which we use tsinela and a can one person would try to defend the can and if your tsinelas is beside the can and you try to get it but the person thats depending it touches you that means your now defending the can. You can also see my mom's sari - sari store . That's where she used to sell all kinds of snacks and some cooking recipes. We might not have a lot but at least we can compromise stuff so we don’t need to buy stuff to play. Outside at the front you could smell the halo - halo that my mom is selling. At the back of our house you will see my brothers pigeons and doves that he takes care of everyday.

Grade 9 Title: Where I Grew Up As A Kid Description: My story is about my home and what would always happen. Also, I explain what the stone path was and where it leads to. I describe what we would do every morning and what we played.

     Red door, stone path; going further and further at the back you will see my cousins and grandparents house. At the front of my grandparents house you will see a mango tree that my grandpa planted. In the afternoon my cousins and I would go to my grandparents because our grandpa and grandma would make us snacks. Snacks like my grandma's specialty are called sapin sapin and you can put cheese on top or not. It tastes like pudding but it's cheesy. And for dinner my grandma would cook my favorite food. It's called chicken adobo. The house you see in this picture is the front of our house, you will also see the basketball court in front of our house that everyone helped with to be able to build it.

Nora Gonzalez Villalobos (she/her, he/him)

Grade 9 Title: MIND THE GAP Description: MIND THE GAP is a short story that breaks down the shame and insecurities that we harbour towards parts of our cultural identity. These doubts are felt worldwide especially by children of immigrants as they don't always feel connected to their roots. Sometimes they feel shame about partaking in cultural events or traditions for fear of judgment by both, the people of their culture and the people of their new country. Inspired by a dream, this story follows a girl on a train rushing towards acceptance of herself while battling her own doubts that manifest themselves as an evil gap between the train and the platform.

On the train with the faded map, Stands a girl unsure of where she is headed With only the terminal labelled TRUTH on the map to guide her She seems to be headed to that station Sacred of what she'll find, She braces as the doors open to a platform. On this first stop she notes The lively chatter of people Dressed in bright embroidered dresses With children running around Loving and living She notes the smells in the air Of spicy chiles and grilled meats Of sweet fruits and fried tortillas Of dances that compliment The music that blares And she sees herself in them And her heart longs to be on that platform.

Michael Denino Erica Gismondi Kyla King Lisa Loffredi

Jennifer Sellecchia Jamal Warda Theresa Wighton

We are proud to share with you our first 'Tales from the Heart' compilation of student stories. This is a grassroots initiative to empower students to think critically and creatively in telling their own story. The aim is to help students to become more globally-minded and more aware of the diverse people around them. Ultimately, we hope they will learn there isn't just one single story. This year's theme is "This is Who I Am". Stories connect us. They remind us who we are, where we came from, and how our values and beliefs came to be. We have challenged our students to reflect on their own identities and experiences to tell their story. We hope you enjoy the stories that are shared with you here and we hope you know that you are not alone, and that you are inspired to, one day, tell your own story. Everyone has a story and every story matters.

Frida Daniela Vazquez Rivero (she/her)

Grade 11 Title: Te Ilevo hasta la raiz Description: My poem is going to talk about the things I remember about Mexico. It will also talk about Mexico that reminds me of the Mexican one I am. The sunset background in the painting represents the colours that are in the poem and some of the colours that are in the poem and some of those colours that represent Mexico for its strong and colourful tones.

I want them to stay in their country. I don't want them to restart their business again in another country. I want them to be happy because I have already experienced those scary things before.&nbsp; If I were the King of Iran, I would not have to leave Iran with a broken heart. I left Iran with half of my heart still in Iran. That half of my heart could be anything that I can't have in Canada. My friends were part of that heart. I have been friends with them for 8 years, and I am only 14. We know each other very well. It was like we could read each other’s feelings and thoughts like we were reading some text on each other's faces. I still remember how I met Sina and Amirsam. I met them in kindergarten. One person that had red hair and was big and tall broke my friend's toy. My friend got that toy from a tournament, so I saw my friends crying, and then I went to that tall guy named Arshia and hit him with my fist to his stomach, even though I was thin and way shorter than him. Then I proudly raised my head and told him not to dare even touch my friend. It didn't even take him a minute to punch me, but this time they were the ones who stood against him. I remember that day. We talked a lot and we laughed a lot. I can never forget these things because they are always in my heart.&nbsp; If I were the king of Iran, I'd be living with my mother. If i were the king of Iran, I wouldn’t have to see and talk to my mother through FaceTime. My mother is the most important part of my heart since leaving Iran. I still remember our last hug. I was hugging her tight. For some moments, everything was in slow motion. As usual, I was asking myself, "Why am I here?" Then I whispered to myself, "I have no idea."

A place that the criticisms of others held refuge And it was one of assumptions They hungry gap beckoned her To dwell on her insecurities and to consume her hopes You are not them and you will never be People like them, people like you, cannot be They are not beautiful Scared by the gaps' threats, She retreats to the safety of the train As the train leaves the outpose, she longs to return to that platform. Finally at the last stop before the terminal TRUTH, Her heart full of longing and pity and sadness, She notes the sweet sounds of soothing voices Like morning dew rolling down a rose petal Like the cool, gentle wind on a warm day From afar, she strains to listen to these familiar cadences, Melodic speech like a long awaited embrace The people on the platform all speak this intricate language A language that she once knew, but has not spoken for sometime She strains to listen from afar but cannot hear well enough. Above them hangs a sign: MIND THE GAP She prays that when she looks down to step onto that platform, There is not a hungry gap calling her To dwell on her insecurities and to consume her hopes But the large gap she saw was one full of pity A place that her shame held refuge And it was one of sympathetic glances

Grade 12 Title: My Travel Description: My story will be told in a short poem where I will explain my journey from Mexico to Canada.

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." Maya Angelou

May the God who created a world of diversity and vibrancy, Go with us as we embrace the stories of our ancestors and learn about where we came from and who we truly are. May the Son who teaches us to care for strangers and foreigners, Go with us as we empathize with the stories of alienation, injustice, oppression, and rejoice with the stories of hope, resiliency, and courage told by those in our communities and in the world. May the Spirit who breaks down our barriers and celebrates community, Go with us as we find the courage to tell our own stories to create a place of welcome for all.

Adapted from 'Diversity Blessing' written by Clare McBeath and Tim Presswood (<a href="http://www.jesuitresource.org">www.jesuitresource.org</a>)

1. Precious by Audric Ventura Baguio 14 2. My Travel by Anahis Ruiz Lopez 16 3. My Life by Eylul Ceylan 17 4. The Gap by Emma Jade Regis 18 5. I am a Mountain by Natasha Abor-Gabriel 20 6. picturesque by Janelle Marie Serote 22 7. Te Ilevo hasta la raiz by Frida D. Vazquez Rivero 23 8. Mind the Gap by Nora Gonzalez Villalobos 24 9. Chen Family Secrets Zine #2 by Alex Bugeja 30 10. A Golden Key by Ramtin KarimKhani 32 11. First Time in Canada by Erxiao Feng 36 12. My Journey Coming to Canada by Imran Anwari 37 13. Where I Grew Up as a Kid by Victor M. Quinton II 38 14. My Life Coming to Canada by Tamkin Anwari 40 15. Top 5 of Being a Female by Ameli Kishkimbayeva 41

Grade 9 Title: My Life Coming to Canada Description: I spoke about my life in Afghanistan and came to Canada and the things I like it and the things I don't like. I explore my relationship with my friend and how my life changed and how it hurts to leave Afghanistan and come to Canada.

Grade 9 Title: I Am A Mountain Description: I've written a poem that appreciates the main people and place that makes me the person I am today. It highlights the experiences, and the things I was taught based on the experiences of my grandmother, my mother, and my country. The message is that all these factors have made me strong, humbled me, and have given me values and pride. This I will never forget-even when I am away from home.

My life was built on several lies Tales told from my grandmother's eyes But with burden in her tongue With weary age in all her songs I see who I used to be; The forgotten tortoise, the friend in need, The girl with two hundred magic beads. And then my own mother Of a loner's spirit, Wisdom as infinite as scars Foreign elegance on her skin; Of eloquence in her benin And as if that all did mold a child, I am my mother's humble pride.

This digital compilation wouldn't have been possible without the support and contributions of the following individuals.

Todd Jamieson Mim Harder Nadine Williams Justine Yu Rob Cannone Shannon Ulgiati Daniel Talamo Catharine West Danny DiLallo Olga Ferro

Again the hungry gap preyed on her fears You will never make this wonderful sound Your accent will make you different And the world will judge you for the words you cannot form. The gap now resembled a chasm. But this time, the gaps' threats did not shake her, Her heart could only take so much longing She simply had to pay the gap no mind With a running start to ensure she made it across, She leapt over the chasm of her doubts and insecurities And her feet landed on solid ground Suddenly on the platform She approached a man to ask about the language she longed to speak again The one that spills like gold from the mouths of those that speak it Time passed and she got better, her words flowing like water The longing in her heart dulled a little She set out to return to the platforms her heart longed to return to. Walking towards the train headed to the other terminal She forgets to mind the gap And she enters the train car without trouble, In disbelief at how miniscule the gap seems now Now that it is no longer trying to scare her In fact, it is so small that she can simply step over it.

Grade 9 Title: A Golden Key Description: I'm telling a story about my life and about my dreams. My dream is that I want to be a king in Iran so I can fix things in Iran, and I'm basically explaining, "If I was the king in Iran, these things that have happened to me wouldn't happen." I also made a collage and put some pictures that are related to my story.

Every day when I wake up, I question how and why I ended up here. Then I will put on some music and read about the things that have happened in Iran. The news gets worse every day. At that moment, I usually think about my dreams. See Ramtin Karimkhani in regular dress walking in the streets as a king in Iran; see happy people; see that people like him; see that people really want him. Then the next question I will always ask is, what if I was actually a king in Iran?&nbsp; That would be dangerous and impossible for an Iranian to be a king, but that's why I like it. I want to show people that I can make an impossible thing into a possible thing, and I also want to do it for the people in my country. You know, migration is scary. Staying away from your family and friends is scary. Leaving your country is scary. Leaving your parents is scary. The Iranian government has done a horrible thing to the people that all of these scary things are people’s dreams.

Grade 10 Title: My journey about coming to Canada Description: In my story, I talk about my experience arriving to Canada and travelling to other nations.

Above them hands a sign: MIND THE GAP. She looks down to see what the sign referred to, It couldn't be that bad Surely it's just a small space between the surfaces. The gap she saw was one full of fear A place that her doubts held refuge And it was one of shame The hungry gap invited her To dwell on her insecurities and to consume her hopes The people on the platform would never invite you What do you know about their traditions? You don't belong Scared by the gap's threats, She retreats to the safety of the train As the train leaves the outpost, she longs to return to that platform. On the second stop she notes A different type of people Their skin glowing of different shades Despite that, they hold their chins high Ones with skin the colour of a springtime fawn Ones with skin the colour of honey in the sun people she was not used to seeing Their eyes the colour of rich chocolate Their hair the colour of obsidian They deserve to be seen And she sees herself in them And her heart longs to be on that platform. Above them hangs a sign: MIND THE GAP She looks down again, This time hoping the gap does not threaten her To see it and not feel the doubt it imposes on her But the gap she saw was one full of hate

Grade 10 Title: Top 5 of Being a Female Description: Maybe the world is almost equal in the ratio of males to females but society does not treat them the same way. Although there are many struggles that people generally go through and not every female goes through this specific list, this piece is meant to shine a light on some struggles that females experience. Told through the perspective of a female, myself.

All contents in this digital book are the rights and property of Sacred Heart CHS, Newmarket and the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB).

On the train heading the opposite direction, she gains confidence She had payed the gap no mind And the gap no longer preys on her insecurities In efforts to consume her dreams Hopeful, she arrives at the second stop. On the second stop, she steps off And tries to forget about the gap Although it still beckoned her, She knows she belongs She knows the people like her deserve to be seen With their chins held high And their skin glowing of different shades The gap curses her as she embraces Her chocolate eyes She goes back to the train Set on arriving at the first stop. Rushing towards the first stop With her newfound love for herself She gains pride She feels like she can hold her chin up high Without fear of the gap It has tortured her for long enough It was feeling that she felt even before She boarded this train, on this road They were feeling she resigned herself to having Since she was young Before she saw herself in others. On the first stop, she hesitates The lively chatter still ongoing The people she sees herself in are still there The gap is also still there Now only a small crack in the concrete Simply the absence of material between the train and platform And now she minds it

Our Community Partners &amp; Diverse Storytellers

She minds that it tried to make her reject herself To doubt who she was She thanks it For making her face the insecurities that held her back Grateful, she steps onto the platform The gap cries out in agony as she spends her day Laughing and loving. Later, after engaging with the people of the platform Sampling the dishes she longed for Learning to dance to the rhythms that swayed her And understanding she was welcome, She headed back to the train. As she stepped onto the train Over the gap that she forgot to mind, She looked at the map again On this map, the terminals were labelled as TRUTH And ACCEPTANCE And she thought it was fitting. She recognizes that the road to ACCEPTANCE is an important one The lesson is not in the destination but the journey she takes TRUTH and ACCEPTANCE gude here in opposite directions Both helped in her understanding of who she is, But one cannot happen without the other When she knew the truth, she had to accept herself And she could only live her truth when she accepted herself.

Grade 10 Title: My Life Description: Before I came to Canada and in the first days I came to Canada, I told about my experiences. I talked about Turkish people and Turkish history. Now I have a new life in Canada and I'm happy with it.

Grade 12 Title: Chen Family Secrets Zine #2 Description: After an unexpected turn of events, Jay Chen finds themselves in their social worker's office. The rest of it speaks for itself, in a comedic tone.

The Sacred Heart 'Tales from the Heart' team wishes to commend our students for having courage and for embracing vulnerability to share their stories in this compilation. We are so very proud of everyone's contributions and for being the pioneers of this initiative at our school. As you read through and view the different student stories here, we ask that you please do so with the highest level of respect, empathy, and sensitivity for their stories. We hope you enjoy the diverse student voices and perspectives shared.

Grade 10 Title: The Gap Description: This sculpture tells the story of what it's like to grow up in the modern world. The modern world is a time of extensive change that many people struggle to adapt to, and end up being left behind in 'The Gap'. Watching the world around you flip upside down is unnerving, and hard to comprehend considering we have almost nothing to compare it to.

I am Nigeria's scorching sun, I am her 500 dialects Oh nairaland! O green white green, of cultural magnificence I am your growing currency. I am Erhumwunse, I am Sapele Road I am the product of my mother's home. An across borders, as familiarity dims As privilege begins to thin I still grow upon the stories, the parables from pain, true beauty, true blackness, the values maintained. I am a heavy sacrifice , The fruit of woman's labor And where stars align, Where rivers meet, I am the mountain in between.

Name

Safari may block some audio or video from playing automatically and ‘read to me’ will skip these. You can configure this in Safari’s preferences.