This spring, Pierre-Andre Pashley, (4th year, Comprehensive) was included in The Record's “Top 40 under 40” list which celebrates the region’s best and brightest in various fields.

The honour recognizes Pashley’s efforts establishing a program in his mother’s homeland of Haiti that teaches adolescent boys about leadership and nutrition through soccer.

Fifty boys, aged 12 to 16, hone basic leadership skills by demonstrating to each other a concept or skill related to their sport of life, with the understanding that it is important, not just to know, but also to practice something. Those who show aptitude for leading others are invited to attend classroom-style leadership activities where they problem solve then assess their experiences via group discussion. Nutrition classes teach students about the value found in locally grown food and explain the costs of eating well, demonstrating that all can afford to do so.

As a response to January’s earthquake in Haiti, Pashley organized a fundraiser, presenting a talk and concert titled "Sounds for Haiti."

Faculty of Music professors Dr. Lee Willingham, Dr. Jeremy Bell, Jerzy Kaplanek, Christine Vlajk, Paul Pulford, and James Mason were involved in the event at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kitchener, and the concert program included work by Samuel Barber, Henryk Gorecki, and J.S. Bach.

Determined to bring about change in Haiti, now and in the future, Pashley notes that his program has taught children various lessons related to the playing field, but more importantly beyond: “Better soccer is played with lips closed and ears open because it eliminates conflicts, arguments, and fights, and the soccer field is like a church where one can find peace, respect, and dignity.”