Vanguard School’s 50th anniversary evening: a resounding success!

Last night marked the 50th anniversary of École Vanguard. The evening was an exceptional way to close the festivities that began last year, at the same time as the 50th school year.

Two hundred and fifteen guests gathered to celebrate all the incredible achievements that have taken place over the past decade.

The evening kicked off with a cocktail reception, where families, alumni, administrators, past and present staff and others with a stake in our mission met and exchanged ideas. Some guests took part in a vox pop about Vanguard, which will be broadcast in the coming weeks, and also enjoyed an immersive experience with the​Deepsight company, where augmented reality questions and answers appeared when the glasses were worn.

But the real show began when the curtains opened, revealing a dining room where a central stage reigned and projections surrounded the guests, so it was hard to know where to lay your eyes. The Cirque Éloize artists presented their interpretation of what a student with learning disabilities might experience before arriving at Vanguard School.

In fact, just a few minutes before the partnership was announced, we introduced VANGUARD+, our promise to always do more and better for our students.We also took the opportunity to announce an historic agreement between Centech and École Vanguard, a collaboration that will enable us to benefit from the expertise of both institutions to test innovative solutions aimed at better meeting the needs of our students and teachers. A promising partnership that paves the way for new opportunities and the continuous improvement of our educational environment.

Throughout the evening, testimonials and speeches – some touching, some inspiring – were shared, leaving no one indifferent. A video retrospective of the last 50 years was shown, tracing the school’s various moves, but also the arrival of Project School, the creation of the Interval program, the teachers’ innovative pedagogical vision, the integration of technology, and Vanguard’s role in obtaining authorization to use certain tools to pass Ministry exams. You can view this video, as well as that of our MP, Ms. Marwah Rizqy, by visiting our event page.

We also honored staff members past and present, by presenting honorary plaques to administrators of the past, as well as to those who have been involved for many years. These people have carried out remarkable fund-raising campaigns, enabling the realization of major projects that have marked the school’s history. As our principal, Madame Lamarre, so aptly put it, “École Vanguard, it was your turn to let the love talk!”

In fact, those present were directed to a dedicated web page, where they could consult a wealth of information on the past 50 years: timeline, list of directors over the years, major donors over the past 50 years, etc.We’d like to thank our Honorary Chairman, Martin Énault, who gave an inspiring account of the depression and anxiety he experienced when he didn’t receive the right support, as École Vanguard knows how to do with its students, to enable him to succeed in the school system.

We would like to thank our event sponsors: Desjardins, KPMG, Berger-Levrault, Brasswater, Divco, and Vamcorp, for their support. We would also like to thank Gazebo Penguin, thanks to whom two people walked away with a $500 credit, and Ms. Stéphanie Goulet, painter, who also testified that she would have liked to have been told when she was younger that her hyperactivity was not only a challenge, but also an overflowing creativity that could serve her well in her career. The latter unveiled a white canvas put up for auction during the evening. A gift worth over $4,000. 

Thank you to one and all for a successful evening. We wish Vanguard School another decade of great achievements.