In the On Track to Success program, it’s common for Grade 12 students to juggle multiple responsibilities alongside their academics, such as jobs, athletics, and helping with younger siblings. Among these dedicated students was Ritchie, who held the program’s “highest attendance record.”
Remarkably, he managed this achievement during the challenging COVID-19 era, when all interactions took place on Zoom. Ritchie has since graduated high school and started attending St. Clair College with the support of On Track On Campus.
Ritchie sat down with his success coach Kaila to discuss what the On Track program has meant to him.
Kaila: Ritchie, why don’t you start by telling me how you got connected to On Track in the first place.
Ritchie: I remember my Vice Principal at my grade school sent me the information and I just signed up right away. I remember reading about getting help with homework specifically, and that was a really big selling point for me. I think I was kind of nervous about what the workload would look like in high school, so the idea that I could get help if needed, made [that transition] feel less stressful.
K: How would you describe the On Track to Success program to someone who has never heard of it?
R: Honestly, it’s just different. It’s not like any other program I’ve heard about. Our Success Coaches are really good at making us do stuff to get out of our shells. [As students] you get exposed to a ton of different people, companies, tutors from a wide range of backgrounds too. You get to meet a lot of new people and hear more about their stories. I feel like the Coaches really pay attention to each student; what their personal areas of growth or challenges may be. It feels like [Coaches] really want us to grow and push ourselves. Like me for example, I was a pretty shy kid. And it always felt like my Coaches knew that about me and would challenge me to do things to build my people skills and get more comfortable in different social settings.
K: What role did On Track to Success play for you in high school?
R: On Track to me was kinda like an after-school program. I didn’t necessarily want to go right home after school because I always found home to be pretty boring. If I stayed for On Track [programming], I knew I was going to see people and have some fun. Also eat some great snacks. I liked that I could get help with my homework, finish it all and then hang out too.
K: And after you graduated high school and started at St Clair College, what role did On Track play for you during that transition?
R: On Track was still there to keep me “on track”. I liked that my Coach was on campus every week, so that if I needed help with something quick or wasn’t sure where to go, things could be resolved super-fast. There was a lot of support around midterms and checking in with me about how I was feeling in my classes; what was going well or not well and what I could do about that to change things up before finals.
K: Outside of academics, what skills do you think On Track helped you work on?
R: Interviewing skills for sure. Like I said, I was a pretty shy kid and would get nervous super easily; especially talking to adults or if I was like trying out for something and would be evaluated, you know? Specifically, I remember when I got to be a part of the Executive Mentorship Program (EMP) because of On Track. In EMP I got a lot of 1:1 attention with my interview skills, what I was doing well, how my answers or body language was being perceived in an interview setting, or other things I wasn’t really thinking of or noticing. At one point we had to go around a small group and answer random interview-based questions as if we were in an interview, then we got feedback right after. I really hated that in the moment. But, a few days later I went for an interview at a restaurant, and I was hired on the spot.
The other big skill for me is public speaking. Before On Track, anytime I needed to do a presentation or something I would be shaking, stuttering; just rush my whole way through something and honestly miss or skip half of the things I was supposed to say!
K: It’s funny you say that, because your speech at our community event, in front of 200+ people I may add, was incredible! You didn’t seem nervous at all!
R: Thank you. I was still nervous. Honestly, if it wasn’t On Track who asked me, I wouldn’t have done that speech! I was still pretty nervous, but On Track means something to me and that is why I said yes despite being nervous. I felt really good after speaking that night and I have no regrets! I am really proud of myself and that I got through the whole thing without missing any chunks and ensuring my story got across.
K: Ritchie, this has been so fun, thanks for hanging out with me today. Last question for you: Imagine there was a Grade 8 student who was on the fence about joining On Track to Success. What would you say to them?
R: JUST DO IT! Honestly, you’re going to miss out if you don’t. You want to be a part of this program, I promise. You get to experience so many new and cool things, get exposed to people or places that you may never know otherwise. Don’t worry about being nervous, everyone is amazing, and you’ll never regret taking part.
Last updated on October 15, 2024