Latest news with #Classof2025


Hamilton Spectator
36 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
These Toronto students have 100% averages. Born just as the iPhone came out, here's how technology shaped their studies
Born just as the first iPhone launched, the Class of 2025 has also never known a world without YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. Yet despite growing up with ever-present distraction, four Toronto students have graduated with 100 per cent averages — a testament to discipline and smarts, but also to an ability to navigate the digital world that shaped them. Sheena Qin, Andrew Peng, Sowmya Ramanan and Safiya Vohra-Bangi are the Toronto District School Board's top scholars, besting 22,400 of their Grade 12 peers. Each earned perfect marks in advanced functions, calculus, chemistry, biology, physics and at least one other course. In English they scored above 97 per cent. Qin, Peng and Ramanan, all friends from Bloor Collegiate Institute downtown, were enrolled in TOPS, an enriched math and sciences program. 'Grades didn't directly bring us together,' said Qin, 'but we're all people who like STEM and work hard.' They will all study computer science in September, with Qin and Peng off to the University of Toronto and Ramanan to the University of Waterloo. Vohra-Bangi, who graduated from Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, will study engineering at U of T. Raised on touchscreens, hashtags and endless scrolling, their lives have spanned social media's rise and, more recently, the arrival of ChatGPT. The Star spoke with them about the tech they rely on, the habits that help them focus, and whether cellphones have been truly banned from Ontario classrooms . Andrew Peng , 18 Andrew Peng What digital tools helped you learn? I'm a curious person and often get lost down Wikipedia rabbit holes. It's an easy way to get a lot of niche information that otherwise would be quite difficult to access. With distraction a touch away, how do you maintain focus? I tend to not get distracted easily. I have a relatively high level in piano, the Royal Conservatory of Music, ARCT, so that means I spent a lot of time playing piano when I was a kid. You have to be disciplined and not distracted to reach that level. What about free time? When I was a kid, I played games until my tablet was out of battery. But now, I don't really play games. I do competitive programming or research. I like to go on runs and bike rides. Have you had to limit tech use? No. But I must say that my study strategies are probably not the best. Sometimes I take a 'due' date to be the 'do' date and then I have to speed through it. I can somehow pressure myself into focusing. How has AI impacted your education? I use it as a tool to greatly boost my efficiency. ChatGPT is basically a search engine on steroids. Instead of me needing to scour a bunch of forums, websites or research papers, ChatGPT just does it for me. And it can do other things well, like formatting a formal email. How would you describe learning in the digital era? In two words: efficiency and laziness. How effective was the new cellphone ban in the classroom? That's the official policy, but 90 per cent of my teachers didn't follow it, which I believe is the correct decision. If you can manage the usage of technology then it makes learning much more efficient. You shouldn't ban it for 100 per cent of the people just because five per cent abuse it. What is your relationship to failure considering your average is perfect? My motto in life is I just try my best. I'm not striving for perfection. So even if I fail, I don't get sad or give up since I know there is nothing I could change about it. Sheena Qin , 18 Sheena Qin With distraction a touch away, how do you maintain focus? For STEM subjects, especially, I try to do as much of the homework in class as possible, and I try to go to libraries because I want to establish certain spaces as a workspace to feel less distracted. I also try to turn the distraction into something good: me and my friends use (voice, video, text platform) Discord to communicate, but a lot of times we'll sit in Discord and talk about what we're studying so we learn from each other. What about free time? I like to play a lot of video games, like Pokemon or Civilization VI or Genshin Impact. How has AI impacted your education? In English, instead of giving us an essay to write at home, the teacher had us write it in class, with pen and paper. What technology is school not addressing? AI isn't ever going to disappear. So I think (schools should) teach us how to use it properly. Also, I feel like the computer science curriculum could be enriched because now it's relatively easy to self-learn it all. How would you describe learning in the digital era? The process of getting something or writing your ideas down is simpler, but the thinking is still there. How effective was the new cellphone ban in the classroom? Most teachers didn't really care, as long as you were not using it the entire time. I would use (my phone) to play (game-based learning platform) Kahoot! or take pictures of a lesson if I couldn't write it down fast enough. What is your relationship to failure considering your average is perfect? It doesn't feel good, obviously, but maybe it was just down to chance. Maybe this job just had too many applicants. I try not to dwell on it. Sowmya Ramanan , 17 Sowmya Ramanan What digital tools helped you learn? I do a lot of practice quizzes online. I also use Quizlet for flashcards to help me study. It helps me review the subjects and make sure knowledge is being reinforced. With distraction a touch away, how do you maintain focus? I put time limits on all my social media apps, otherwise I do find I get pretty distracted by them. I'll set a one-hour limit, mainly for Discord. What about free time? I watch YouTube videos, pretty random ones. I play the piano and swim, (and did) badminton for a little while. I learned how to solve Rubik's Cube. What's the digital tool or app you can't do without? Discord. It's the main way I talk to my friends. But also to collaborate — hopping on calls and sharing worksheets and hearing other people's ideas on how they would solve things. I don't think I would have gotten a hundred per cent without that. How has AI impacted your education? I found it very helpful. It takes a bunch of the info from the internet and summarizes it and it can answer really specific questions — rather than reading through a bunch of websites, which I could do, but it would just take a lot longer. And I can also ask it for a source so I can be sure that it's not completely false. I'm able to ask a lot of follow-up questions. It's very quick and efficient. How effective was the new cellphone ban in the classroom? I had one teacher who was very strict, and others weren't as strict. In that one class ... it definitely helped me stay on track and focused. Do you use any analog techniques? Writing it out helps (for memorization), not all my notes, but sort of like a mind-dump of key concepts. What is your relationship to failure considering your average is perfect? One of the failures I've had is not finding a job. It was very disappointing. Both inside and outside of school, (failure makes me) work harder, to make sure I get better. Safiya Vohra-Bangi, 17 Safiya Vohra-Bangi What digital tools helped you learn? If I don't understand something, I'll watch a YouTube video. Let's say your teacher glazes over a topic and you want to learn more, then I'll ask one of the AI tools to explain it. And before a test, you can ask it to make you a practice quiz. What about free time? I do calligraphy. I started when I was in Grade 6 because I started bullet journaling and I just loved it. I also play recreational hockey sometimes, hang out with my friends a lot and watch Netflix. Have you had to limit tech use? In the last semester of Grade 12, I took computer science, calculus, chemistry and physics. So I tried to delete Instagram for a few months, but I would still get distracted by other stuff. What's the digital tool or app you can't do without? I think I could live without any of them. iMessage doesn't count, right? What technology is school not addressing? They should incorporate technology more in the curriculum. Coding would also be a really useful class that everybody should take, just to understand algorithms. It would open up your mind. How would you describe learning in the digital era? It's a lot quicker. Knowledge is a lot more accessible. What is your relationship to failure considering your average is perfect? Academia is not the only way to experience failure. You can experience failure in friends sometimes, not for me personally, but you can. And with sports or at competition or maybe you don't get a job. If you're a high achiever, maybe you'll be hit a little bit harder by it, you might be a little bit more sensitive to it. And even if you try really hard, sometimes something's just not for you; it's just not your thing. These Q&As were edited for clarity and length. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Ole Miss freshman Adams killed in shooting
Ole Miss freshman edge rusher Corey Adams was shot and killed in Cordova, Tenn., late Saturday night. He was 18. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that it was investigating a shooting that occurred outside of a residence around 10:14 p.m. on Saturday night. Five men were shot, with four of the victims listed in non-critical condition. Deputies performed life-saving measures on Adams, until Shelby County Fire personnel arrived and pronounced him deceased on the scene. There is now an active homicide investigation into the case. 'We're heartbroken by the passing of Corey Adams. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him,' Ole Miss wrote in a social media post. The program shared a statement on his passing below that. 'We are devastated to learn that Corey Adams, a freshman on the team, passed away last night in Cordova, Tennessee. While our program is trying to cope with his tragic loss, our thoughts are with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,' the statement read. 'Out of respect for his family, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask the Ole Miss community to keep Corey in their thoughts and respect the privacy of everyone involved.' Adams was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025 and played high school football at Edna Karr in New Orleans. Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved


Mint
2 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Corey Adams, former Edna Karr football star and Ole Miss freshman shot dead in Tennessee
Corey Adams, an 18-year-old former Edna Karr High School football standout and freshman at Ole Miss, passed away during a devastating mass shooting in Cordova, Tennessee. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office reported that the incident occurred around 10:14 PM local time on July 19, outside a residence on Fern Glade Cove, leaving four other men wounded. According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to reports of gunfire at Fern Glade Cove and stopped a vehicle at the intersection of Forest Hill-Irene and Walnut Grove, where they found Adams with a gunshot wound. Despite their efforts to provide life-saving measures, Adams was pronounced dead at the scene. Four other adult males, also shot in the incident, sought treatment at local hospitals and are reported to be in non-critical condition. Authorities are investigating the shooting. Corey Adams, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound edge rusher, was a dominant player on the Edna Karr High School football team, which won a state championship in the 2024 season. His exceptional performance earned him the title of Defensive Player of the Year by The Times-Picayune for the New Orleans metro area. Adams recorded 47 tackles, 15 sacks, and four forced fumbles, showcasing his sideline-to-sideline presence and ability to disrupt opposing offenses. His standout plays, including a memorable 70-yard touchdown after stripping the ball from a Holy Cross quarterback, sealed his reputation as one of Louisiana's top defensive talents. Adams, a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025, enrolled at Ole Miss in January 2025 after choosing the Rebels over offers from LSU, TCU, and Texas A&M. Ranked as the 609th overall recruit and the 57th edge rusher nationally, Corey Adams was poised to make an impact in his first collegiate season. His commitment to Ole Miss was sealed by his bond with defensive line coach Randall Joyner, who saw Adams as a key piece of the team's defensive scheme.


Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
KPMG in Qatar welcomes class of 2025: Building the next generation of business leaders
Doha, Qatar – KPMG in Qatar proudly welcomed a new cohort of talented young professionals this week as part of its Annual Graduate Program, reaffirming the firm's long-standing commitment to talent development. This program is designed to empower recent graduates and young professionals with practical experience, mentorship, and structured learning, serving as a key initiative in supporting Qatar's vision of a knowledge-based, diversified economy and reinforces KPMG's role in empowering the country's next generation of leaders, innovators, and change-makers. Spanning across multiple service lines including Audit and Advisory, the program offers new joiners the opportunity to develop real-world skills, gain exposure to complex business challenges, and contribute to projects that make a meaningful impact across sectors. 'The Graduate Program is all about shaping futures,' said Ahmed Abu Sharkh, Country Senior Partner at KPMG in Qatar. 'We see this as a responsibility to our community and a long-term investment in the leadership that will guide both our firm and the nation forward. This year's cohort brings incredible potential, and we are proud to support their growth.' The Class of 2025 represents a diverse and ambitious group of young professionals who bring new perspectives and a shared eagerness to grow. Their induction included a series of sessions introducing KPMG's values, culture, and commitment to professional excellence. 'This initiative reflects our commitment to building a diverse, future-ready workforce,' said Iryna Basenko, Director and Head of HR at KPMG in Qatar. 'Our new joiners benefit from structured learning, real client exposure, and a strong sense of belonging from day one. We're not just preparing them for jobs, we're preparing them for meaningful, purpose-driven careers.' Bontle Seele, Recruitment and Onboarding Leader at KPMG in Qatar, further highlighted the importance of fresh talent: 'Our fresh graduates are bright, passionate, and driven by a genuine hunger for learning and personal development. They bring fresh perspectives, innovative thinking, and a dynamic energy that enriches our workplace culture.' KPMG's Annual Graduate Program continues to play a vital role in building a skilled, future-ready workforce that will support both private sector innovation and public sector transformation.


Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Manisha Koirala receives honorary doctorate, Celebrates Bradford's cultural milestone, joins Burberry's Daniel Lee in honours
Actress Manisha Koirala has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bradford. Taking to Instagram, the 'Dil Se' actress shared a heartfelt note, mentioning that the honor holds special significance as it coincides with Bradford being named the UK City of Culture for 2025. In her post, Manisha expressed her heartfelt gratitude, calling it a "huge honor." She also acknowledged the presence of acclaimed designer Daniel Lee, Creative Director of Burberry, who was honored alongside her. Sharing her picture, Koirala wrote, "It's a huge honor to receive an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bradford - especially in the year it's been named the UK City of Culture 2025. Even more meaningful to share this recognition alongside the talented Daniel Lee, Creative Director of Burberry. Congratulations to the Class of 2025 - your journey is just beginning! HonoraryDoctorate #Bradford2025 #CityOfCulture #DanielLee #Burberry #Gratitude #classof2025. " In the image, the actress is seen smiling as she poses with her hand on her graduation cap, radiating pride and joy. A few days ago, the 'Heeramandi' actress had shared a video from the graduation ceremony and captioned it, "Today, I received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bradford. I stand here not as someone who came through the traditional path of education, but as someone who learned through life - through hard work, failure, resilience, and service. " Expressing her heartfelt thanks to the University of Bradford for recognizing her contributions, Manisha wrote, "This honor means more than I can put into words. It's proof that no matter where you start, your journey matters. Thank you to the University of Bradford for seeing value in my story. Keep growing. Keep shining...." On the work front, the 'Lajja' actress' most recent appearance was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's acclaimed web series "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar," where she played the role of Mallikajaan.