Rachel Santini

Rachel Santini is a natural born leader. She is captain of the field hockey, ice hockey, and soccer teams at Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School, and also wears the “C” with the Etobicoke Junior Dolphins of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, an organization she has been with for 12 years. Santini impresses her coaches and inspires her teammates with her work ethic, commitment, and dedication, as well as her positive mindset, humility, and compassion. The well-respected and self-motivated student-athlete balances her busy sports schedule—she also competes in dragon boating and track and field at Redmond, and plays with the Etobicoke Youth Soccer Association and Mimico Minor Lacrosse Club—while organizing school activities on Redmond’s leadership team, tutoring her peers, and holding down a high-90s grade average at the Advanced Placement and gifted levels. This is no small feat considering her course load is heavy on math and science. Next year, Santini plans to study engineering and play varsity hockey at McGill.

Josh Grimes

Josh Grimes of Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School and Regional Arts Centre has already built up an extensive sports résumé for himself. Josh, a Toronto native, says his primary athletic focus is golf, which he has been playing since he was six years old. He also has experience playing hockey and lacrosse, and through both skill and dedication has garnered praise and accolades in all three. During his time in high school, Josh placed sixth at the TDCAA Golf Championship, has competed in OFSAA twice for lacrosse, and played at the Ontario Hockey Federation Championships in 2014 and 2017. He has also racked up his fair share of individual honors as well, earning Senior Athlete of the Year and MVP acknowledgments in both golf and lacrosse. Josh presently plays Under 21 AAA hockey for the Toronto Aeros of the GTHL and has entered his first year at Humber College, attending the school’s Lakeshore campus, where he is studying Business Administration and Golf Management.

Daniel De Ponte

Daniel De Ponte, now enrolled at George Brown College in the Construction Trades Techniques program, hopes to work in the electrical trade one day. Graduating from Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School, Daniel has been an outstanding goaltender for various rep hockey teams. He previously played for the Etobicoke Bulldogs hockey team, also as a goaltender. As much time as Daniel puts into playing hockey, he dedicates an equal amount of time to his school studies. In grade 11, he received the Smodis-Martinez Award for Community Service. In grade 12, he received the Christian Athlete Award and the Father Fogarty Award from the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario for being the Catholic Student of the Year for Father John Redmond CSS. No longer playing any competitive sports, Daniel is focusing primarily on his studies.

Aleiah Torres

Aleiah Torres is proof positive that sport and service to the community can go hand in hand. Her commitment to volleyball is commendable, and her success to this point in her career is cause for celebration. She has accomplished much on the court, as her play has vaulted her into incredible team and individual success. To be a great athlete takes many factors, with confidence and leadership being at or near the top. These attributes are what have also allowed her to make a positive mark with her extracurricular efforts at school and within the community. Volleyball may have opened doors for her, including being recruited to play university ball, but it is her drive to be the best that will set her up for a successful career in the field of her choice.

Sabrina Pontello

Sabrina Pontello, a gifted athlete who has always been open to new challenges in all sports, including activities she was new to like lacrosse and hockey, settled on her first love of volleyball. It was here that she flourished, as first a player and then giving back as a coach. Many leadership and extra-curricular opportunities also came her way, and she embraced them all, finding a genuine love and passion for writing, drama, and all things media. The volleyball court may be secondary as she pursues her dream of a career in the film industry, but do not be surprised if she is on the side of the court as well, mentoring young volleyball players as a coach. In her own words: “If I was granted this scholarship it would help me pay for my tuition and fees. My parents are soon to be supporting both my brother and I in post-secondary education, and he is planning to go to medical school which is another great financial burden.”

Rita Audi

Rita Audi’s heavy commitment to community service and volunteer work saw her take a step back from competitive sport this past year as a high school cross-country athlete, but her desire to continue with individual fitness and growth was as evident as ever by way of her martial arts training. Although she accomplished much with her involvement in school and in the many club programs she joined, her involvement in the community went far beyond the walls of Father John Redmond. The Air Cadet Program has been a constant, where her love for flight has helped mold her into the person she is today. With her sheer drive to be the best she can be, it is certain that she will soar in the future.

Nicole Chateau

Basketball has always been Nicole Chateau’s first love, both by playing the game and instilling this love of the game to others by way of her commitment to supporting youth sport in the Etobicoke community. She has excelled at every level of play, including making significant contributions to the community-based Etobicoke Basketball Club and her school team at Father Redmond. Her accomplishments were recognized by a number of universities and colleges across Ontario, ultimately landing her a spot with the University of Toronto Blues. Moving forward, Nicole will continue to be a terrific role model and advocate for women in sport.

Tesse Kuhelj

Tesse Kuhelj participating on twelve different athletic teams around the school and community while being a full-time grade twelve student might seem like an all encompassing task on its own, but Tesse manages to still make plenty of time for community involvement and mentorship programs.

While competing competitively in hokey, soccer, volleyball, and cross-country—and finishing with a silver medal on the provincial level—she also spearheaded an anti-bullying team at her high school, Father John Redmond. The initiative, known as “Redmond Respects”, has had a strongly positive impact within the school and the greater community and is demonstrative of her leadership and organizational abilities.

After graduation Tesse plans on attending the concurrent education program at Queens University and becoming a teacher.

Christine Neatby

Christine Neatby has been a leader in athletics and academics. Her leadership skills have grown through mentoring younger students about her experiences in the Advanced Placement and Gifted/Enrichment program and writing for the program’s newsletter.

Neatby received high honours in this rigorous program in all four years and earned the highest mark in anthropology in grade 11. She was also a leader on the field and on the ice as the captain and MVP of the varsity girls’ hockey team, a force to be dealt with on the Burlington Junior Barracudas provincial hockey team and co-captain for the Mimico U-19 field lacrosse team. Despite her commitment to extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, Neatby took the time to mentor and coach the Mimico U-11 and U-13 field lacrosse teams.

She is currently studying life sciences at the University of Toronto to pave the way for a career in medicine.

Evan Foster

Evan Foster is an honour student, entrepreneur, coach and elite athlete. Throughout his high school career, Foster balanced his time around his studies in the Advanced Placement program while maintaining a 90 per cent average.

He also led the Redmond Respects anti-bullying committee and reached out to peers, teachers and parents about mental illness awareness. Athletics were another outlet where Foster excelled. He earned the male Physical Education Award for highest mark in grade nine and ten, and participated on the tennis, lacrosse and ski teams.

Outside of school, he competed in races and triathlons, and took part in baseball and soccer. But, his biggest love is playing hockey. Evan has been playing for the Humber Valley Sharks for nine years and quickly moved up the ranks as a goalie for the AA team last season.

Foster turned his love for hockey and coaching into a personal business and has been running private and team goalie training since grade nine. Foster is currently studying biomedical science at the University of Guelph where he plans to pursue a career as a doctor in rehabilitative medicine.