St. Laurent Adult Centre’s Got Talent: event unites school

At what they hope will become an annual event, the St. Laurent Adult Education Center held an incredible talent show  that united the school community and its many cultures.  Two shows were performed on February 3, to Common Core Basic Education (CCBE),  Social Integration Services (SIS) and academic students.

Emceed  by Christian Puga Garcia, the shows featured dancers and singers, many of which displayed songs and dances from their native countries. Performances included a belly dancer from Libya,  a group Armenian dance called Ess Kisher, a Bandari dance from Iran, and a rapper from Syria who rapped about his experiences growing up in the war torn country.

"I'm just so proud of them!" said a beaming Anne Lacrocce, Counsellor in Re-education, who spearheaded the show, "They've come out of their shells, and they formed this amazing bond amongst each other and with us as well. It's an opportunity that they may not have had anywhere else." 

Vice Principal Maria Savignano agreed: "It's a bond that moved them to the next level of maturity!" 

Not only did the talent show bring together the CCBE, Academic side, and Special Needs group, it also brought together artists, dancers, and musicians of the many cultures that make up the the fabric of the St. Laurent Adult Education Center.  Mission accomplished, said the school's Acting Principal, Demetrios (Jimmy) Giannacopoulos.  "It's so important that we united the CCBE and our academic community,” he commented. “It's important because the cultural richness in our school is incredible. We want to accentuate the commonalities of all our students"