Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/756864
AVERY KONDA Environmental Technology, 2017 SEVENTEEN GRIZZLIES NAMED OCAA Academic All-Stars Georgian's varsity athletes offered up outstanding academic performances during the 2016 winter semester. The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) recognized 17 Grizzlies as Academic All-Stars. The Grizzlies also boasted three Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadians in 2015-2016: Bruce Nguyen, Emilie Tyndall and Darien Yanes. To receive these recognitions, student athletes must be active members of a varsity athletic team and attain an 80 per cent average. Nearly 20 per cent of Georgian's varsity athletes received the Academic All-Star Award. Even before graduating from college, these Georgian students are making their mark by taking part in engineering and design competitions, special environmental projects, and by being among the top athletes in the country. STUDENTS IN THE NEWS Avery Konda's advocacy work is as natural as its subject matter; he's currently on an innovative eight-month entrepreneurial and environmental co-op placement in the college's Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre. His placement is focused on creating perishable food systems for students of low or unstable income at all Georgian campuses. Through his co-op, Avery, along with representatives from various college departments, created the Growing Georgian committee, which has been the driving force for an innovative community garden taking shape at the Barrie Campus. With hungry students as its focus, it will be ready for full use in the 2017 growing season. Avery says he was inspired to form the committee after meeting and working collaboratively with faculty members to affect change on campus. "I've always been interested in food procurement and food insecurities on campuses and at an institutional level, as access to food alternatives directly reflect a students' success in the classroom," says Avery. "If they aren't able to eat consistently, they will not be able to learn properly." GEORGIANVIEW 2016 24