Congratulations OLA Alumni Chris Staykov – YCDSB Top Graduating Student in 2017
Chris Staykov from Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Aurora scored a near perfect, 99.67%, making him the York
Catholic District School Board’s top graduating student in 2017.
Chris was enrolled in Cardinal Carter’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program, which meets the Ontario curriculum and
also offers a rigorous, internationally-recognized curriculum. “My high school experience was great,” said Chris. “There’s a
great sense of community in the IB program. The students in the program faced the challenges together, along with our
teachers, who were very supportive.”
Chris indicated that time management was the key to his success. He schedules blocks of time to complete all of his
tasks, such as homework assignments, into the calendar on his mobile smart phone. This helped to keep him organized
and ensured that he could efficiently manage multiple projects.
At Cardinal Carter, Chris participated in several clubs and activities including the school’s Legacy Leadership Council,
OSAID Chapter (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving), Free the Children committee, and UN Assembly. His advice
for high school students is to not be afraid to try new things. “There are so many opportunities in high school for students
to get involved and learn new skills. You never know what might spark your interest, so try everything.”
This philosophy drove Chris to choose a co-op program for his post-secondary studies. In September, Chris will begin a
five-year Systems Design Engineering Program at the University of Waterloo. It is an interdisciplinary program that will
provide him with a chance to get work experience in different engineering fields before he decides which career path to
follow.
Outside of school Chris works as an Assistant Teacher for an organization that delivers math classes for high-performing
and gifted students.
Chris resides in Richmond Hill and attended elementary school at YCDSB’s Our Lady of the Annunciation CES in Oak Ridges.
The York Catholic District School Board congratulates Chris and wishes him much success in the future