Lisgar Collegiate Institute facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lisgar Collegiate Institute |
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29 Lisgar Street
, Canada
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| Coordinates | 45°25′14.2″N 75°41′17.0″W / 45.420611°N 75.688056°W |
| Information | |
| Funding type | Public |
| Motto | Alere Flammam (Nourish the Flame) |
| Founded | 1843 |
| School board | Ottawa Carleton District School Board |
| Superintendent | Prince Duah |
| Area trustee | Justine Bell |
| Administrator | Mejd Elmahdi |
| Principal | Steven Spidell |
| Vice Principals | Babak Ghiri Janice Bernstein |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 909 (2021-2022) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Colour(s) | Blue, Silver |
| Team name | Lords |
| Newspaper | Lisgarwrite |
| Yearbook | Vox Lycei |
| Communities served | Sandy Hill, New Edinburgh, Centretown, Rockcliffe Park, Ontario |
| Public transit access | Line 1 station uOttawa. Also served by routes 5 and 14. |
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is a public secondary school (or high school) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located in downtown Ottawa, right next to the famous Rideau Canal. The school is part of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
Contents
The Story of Lisgar
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is one of the oldest schools in Ottawa. It first opened in 1843 as a grammar school with just 40 students. Back then, students had to pay to attend. In 1859, it became one of the first schools in Ontario to allow girls to enroll.
The school moved a few times before finding its permanent home in 1873. The school board bought a piece of land on Biddy Street for $3,200. The street was later renamed Lisgar Street in honor of Lord Lisgar, who was Canada's second Governor-General (the King or Queen's representative in Canada).
A Famous Building
The main school building was built in a style called Gothic Revival, which makes it look a bit like a historic castle. The first stone was laid by another Governor General, Lord Dufferin, and the school officially opened in its new building in 1874.
Over the years, the school has grown. In 1892, it became the first public high school in Ontario to hire a female teacher. New classrooms were added that same year. In 1908, an architect named Edgar Lewis Horwood added a new wing with science labs, an auditorium, and the main tower that you can still see today.
The school has survived a lot, including 23 fires! It was also one of the few buildings that wasn't destroyed in the Great Ottawa Fire of 1900.
Growing and Changing
In 1922, the school was split to create a new school, Glebe Collegiate Institute. Since then, Lisgar and Glebe have had a friendly rivalry. After the split, the school was renamed Lisgar Collegiate Institute.
In 1951, a new gym was built across the street. A tunnel was built to connect it to the main building, which students can use to get between classes. The area between the two buildings is called "The Mall."
In the 1970s, there was a plan to close the school, but former students and people in the community worked together to save it. Instead of being closed, the school was completely renovated.
Remembering the Past
Inside the school, there is a special area called Memorial Hall. It has plaques and displays that honor former students who served in wars.
- One plaque honors Sergeant Edward Holland, who received the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery, for his actions in the Boer War in 1900.
- Other memorials are dedicated to students who died in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
- There is also a plaque for Lieutenant Alexis Hannum Helmer, a former student whose death helped inspire the famous poem In Flanders Fields.
Learning at Lisgar
Lisgar is known for its strong academic programs. In the 2021-2022 school year, the Fraser Institute, an organization that ranks schools, called it the 12th best high school in all of Ontario and the best in Ottawa.
The school serves several neighborhoods, including Sandy Hill, New Edinburgh, and Centretown. It is so popular that in 2006, some parents camped out overnight just to get a spot for their children at the school!
Advanced Classes
Lisgar offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are special, university-level classes that high school students can take. If they do well on the final AP exam, they can sometimes earn a credit for university while still in high school.
Lisgar also has an AP Capstone Program. This is a special program where students learn advanced research and communication skills, which prepares them for university and future careers.
School Life
Life at Lisgar is more than just classes. Students can join many different clubs, sports teams, and music groups.
Music and Arts
The school has many musical groups, including a concert band, a symphonic winds group, an orchestra, and jazz bands. These groups perform in concerts and compete in music festivals.
The school's Improv Team, which performs comedy without a script, is very successful. They won the national championship at the Canadian Improv Games in 1999 and 2000.
Sports
Lisgar has many sports teams, called the Lisgar Lords. Students can play rugby, soccer, hockey, basketball, and other sports. The school even has an "Athletic Wall of Fame" to celebrate its best athletes from the past.
Clubs and Activities
There are many clubs for students to join, such as:
- Debate Club and Model United Nations
- Lisgar's Environmental Action Force (LEAF)
- Ottawa-Carleton Educational Space Simulation (Spacesim), where students run a simulated space mission.
- Lisgarwrite, the school newspaper, and Vox Lycei, the yearbook.
The school's Reach for the Top team, which competes in academic quizzes, is one of the best in the country. They won the Canadian national championship in 2008, 2015, and 2017.
Famous Former Students
Many famous people have graduated from Lisgar. Here are a few:
- Adrienne Clarkson – A well-known TV host and the 26th Governor General of Canada.
- Lorne Greene – A famous actor who starred in the classic TV show Bonanza.
- Peter Jennings – A famous news anchor for ABC News in the United States.
- Matthew Perry – An actor best known for playing Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends.
- Donald Jackson – A world champion figure skater who was the first to land a triple lutz jump in competition.
- Anne Heggtveit – A world and Olympic champion in skiing.
- King Clancy – A famous hockey player who won three Stanley Cups.
- Chamath Palihapitiya – A businessman and part-owner of the Golden State Warriors basketball team.
- Shelagh Rogers – A Canadian journalist and radio host.
- Shane Smith – The founder of the media company Vice.
See also
- Education in Ontario
- List of Ottawa, Ontario schools
- Ottawa-Carleton Educational Space Simulation
- List of designated heritage properties in Ottawa
- List of high schools in Ontario
