Today my Odyssey took me to St. Robert Catholic School in North York. The principal is Joseph Cafiso, another of my past students. When Joseph arrived at Neil McNeil Catholic High School in Toronto, he spoke no English. Neil McNeil was, and remains, a single-sex school. When one of the priests on staff attempted to speak with him, Joseph answered in Latin – a language he was reasonably certain the priest would understand.

Later, he made friends with another one of the boys, B J McKeever, who could also communicate in Latin. Because of his experiences as a teenager arriving in a situation where he was faced with the difficulty of overcoming his inability to communicate in English, Joseph Cafiso understands the issue of underachievement. He welcomes the opportunity to assist boys in his school to achieve to their potential. We have agreed to work together in September to help to raise parents’ awareness of steps that they can take before their sons arrive at school to ensure greater success.

Joseph Cafiso is an excellent example of how boys can overcome obstacles and to become achievers in school. The Odyssey for Equality continues.