Student leader spearheads ‘A Knight at the Oscars’

Tori Carbone is a prime example of a young leader.

The St. Mary’s College Gr. 12 student is the school’s Student Council president.

Assisted by fellow council members and close friends Abby Macknight, Student Council vice president, Ava Provenzano, Student Council secretary, the rest of the council team and SMC teachers, Carbone was one of the top movers and shakers behind a special event held at the school Friday, Feb. 2.

The school held A Knight at the Oscars dinner and dance in the school’s commons area, all SMC students known as Knights.

“I proposed the idea of having a winter formal for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students at St. Mary’s. It was my initiative and now I’m following through on that with making it happen tonight,” she smiled when speaking to SooToday before the evening’s festivities.

The event was the first school-sanctioned dinner and dance held at the new St. Mary’s College that opened in 2015.

“It took a while but we got it. Our principal Mr. (Larry) Pezzutto is very supportive,” Carbone said.

The event was catered by Grand Gardens with desserts donated by Jeannette Orazietti, an SMC alumna and owner/operator of JCC Sugar.

The event was sold out, with 160 Gr. 11 and Gr. 12 students and staff chaperones having paid the $40 per person price to attend.

The event included a red carpet ceremony with photographs and a chance for SMC students to win ‘Oscars’ in categories of Best Runway Walk, Knight of the Night, Best Energy, Best Hair, Best Dressed and Best Dancer.

Carbone and fellow Student Council members MacKnight and Provenzano created the backdrop for the red carpet ceremony.

Carbone said Gr. 11 SMC student Kenzie Garson came up with the Oscar theme for the high school formal but Carbone ran with the idea and put her organizational skills to work.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to be able to create a positive environment around each other and build our school family here at St. Mary’s College,” Carbone said.

She wants the event to be held annually at the school.

“It’s also to start a tradition and a legacy within our school. It’s really important to me to do something like this.”

But the event wasn’t all about fun.

It was also for a good cause, designed to raise funds towards the school’s second annual Relay for Life to be held in June, all funds to go to the Canadian Cancer Society for cancer research.

Students from each of the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board’s elementary schools raised $1,500 to be held and added to this year’s Relay fundraising total for cancer research.

Funds raised from Friday’s A Knight at the Oscars dinner and dance admission fees will go partly toward covering expenses for the event, the remainder to go to cancer research and other SMC Student Council activities.

“It’s an important cause. I’ve been personally affected by people who have had cancer. It’s really close to my heart to be able to make a donation toward cancer research,” Carbone said. 

She has two relatives who are cancer survivors.

“I’m really honoured to be able to have the opportunity to organize something like this,” Carbone said.

She is a busy Student Council president.

She helped organize the school’s annual Haunted House event in October, the school’s float in the city’s annual Santa Claus Parade and other initiatives with Valentine’s Day activities coming soon.

When she graduates from SMC in June, Carbone will be attending Algoma University as a student in the post-secondary school’s Business Administration program on a soccer scholarship.

As a Thunderbird, she will be playing against soccer teams from other Ontario universities.

“I’m really excited about that. It’s huge for me to be able to play soccer at university,” Carbone said.

An athletic student, she has also competed for SMC in track and field, cross-country running and basketball.

She plans to be a lifelong leader both in the workplace and as an event organizer for good causes. 

“That's the goal,” Carbone said.

“Something that’s really important to me is giving back to the community. I’ve been immersed in that since I was little so I’d like to continue doing that in my life.”