Math Parent Workshop & Math Clinic

On Wednesday, October 21, Mr. Jackson, curriculum leader of the Math department at Danforth CTI, held a parent workshop. Sixteen parents with applied and academic level students attended. The different levels of math were reviewed including the supports that are available for students. Discussions focused on EQAO type questions embedded throughout our year long courses. An EQAO package was distributed and parents worked on some real math problems covering a rich list of relevant topics from the grade 9 academic/applied program. A second parent math workshop will be held on February 10th, 2016 to continue the conversation. All parents are welcome!  

Math Clinic happens every Tuesday and Thursday after school in Rm B53. Our students have a great advantage with tutoring by our math department teachers, former Danforth students and current OISE student teachers (below).

Volunteer Fair @ Danforth CTI

Danforth CTI hosted its annual Volunteer Fair for grade 9 and 10 students.  A number of different local organizations/agencies displayed information and educate students on a variety of different volunteer opportunities available.  Every student requires 40 volunteer hours in order to graduate, and our volunteer fair has proven year after year to motivate students in their efforts to complete this graduation requirement. 

Kudos to our Student Services department for organizing this engaging opportunity for students!

Danforth CTI Students Invent Wearable Heart-Monitoring Device

Kudos to Frank Nguyen and Andre Bertram, grade 12 students at Danforth CTI who captured the attention of the Premier and Prince Edward with their wearable heart-monitoring device. Thanks to the teachers, the programs and supports offered to students at Danforth CTI where fostering creativity, innovation and design is a primary focus.

Here is the CBC news article October 27th, 2015:

Two Grade 12 students from Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute have invented a watch that tracks vital signs and can summon help in an emergency.

Andre Bertram and Frank Nguyen created a health technology start-up for their watch-like device, called the HeartWatch. Bertram says their invention is different from other emergency devices.

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"Many people can dial 911 and hit talk. But sometimes you're in denial as to whether or not something's actually wrong, and that's the difference. Our system uses technology to show that you are in trouble so that it takes away that need for your medical knowledge," he said.

The 24/7 device monitors a user's blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and does ECG readings so that it can predict if someone will have a heart attack.

Nguyen's concern for his mother's heart condition inspired him to create the device.

Lan Nguyen's heart condition inspired her son Frank to create the device. (CBC)

"I don't know what she's doing at home and she is unwilling to call for EMS unless there is something that says you actually need help."

In her home in Toronto's Jane and Finch neighbourhood, Nguyen's mother Lan couldn't be more proud of her son's accomplishment.

"He said, 'this is very, very special. And when you have it and I am away, I'm not worried about you,'" she said.

They will show their creation to Premier Kathleen Wynne and Prince Edward on Tuesday as they meet with other technology founders at an event for young entrepreneurs.

Bertram and Nguyen are working with Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital to refine the tool and hope to see it around the world.

Roller Coaster Competition

The grade 12 Engineering Design students showed off their roller coasters at lunch on Oct.20. They had been working on these for the past month - using their knowledge of physics and developing construction skills. The room was packed with other Danforth students voting for their favourites. The clear favourite had a Spiderman theme and was so efficient, that the ball was able to keep moving through hills, loops and interweaving track for a record time of 25 s within the confined space. The two groups that tied for second place had a different winning strategy. One group had a conveyor belt that lifted balls up at the end and delivered them to the start so that the ride never ended! The other group had a the strongest theme presented - Disney! The loops had mouse ears and the funnel looked like Mickey's hat from Fantasia and included an amazing first-time-ever, triple-crossover track! The Engineering Design program is unique to Danforth, and former students say that the teamwork skills that they learnt in this program gives them a huge advantage in university programs  - especially in business and engineering.

'We Scare Hunger' at DanforthCTI

The Chequity club raises awareness and helps to support various causes in the Danforth community. Starting Tuesday, October 13th, the Danforth Chequity club "We Scare Hunger"  annual food drive will begin, and will continue on through to Friday, November 6th. On November 6th, members from the Chequity club will collect all donations and the class that has collected the most items will win a pizza party for their class. Once again this year, all of the food collected will be donated to Greenwood Towers.  We hope that you will take part in scaring hunger in our community. 

Chequity club members (below) selling popcorn to raise funds at a number of Danforth CTI community events.