A Season of Gratitude and Impact

Connie'20, Nancy and Xiaojun Zou and current Branksome student, daughter Cathy

For Nancy and Xiaojun Zou, supporting iCAST by naming the “Hall of Fame” is both deeply personal and profoundly hopeful. “We are deeply honoured to support Branksome Hall's vision for the future through iCAST,” says Nancy. The entrance to the Studio Theatre, which tells the story of student accomplishment through archival playbills and photos, will now bear the Zou family name.

For Nancy and Xiaojun Zou, supporting iCAST is both deeply personal and profoundly hopeful. Their connection to Branksome began with their eldest daughter, Connie, who graduated in 2020. She received outstanding support from the school, enabling her to attend her dream destination, the Berkelee College of Music, for music production and engineering.

The family says their gift is one way “to sincerely appreciate the school’s dedication and do our best to ensure Cathy [in Grade 11] and other girls continue to grow and succeed.”

What inspires them most is not just the innovation iCAST will unlock, but the kind of character it aims to build. “What truly excites us about iCAST is the emotional and intellectual foundation this space will build. It is a powerful affirmation that Branksome Hall is committed to nurturing not just bright minds, but also brave hearts. The school is setting the pace by focusing on the courage to innovate,” they add.

“True leadership demands resilience, creativity, and the ability to embrace uncertainty—qualities that the entrepreneurial environment of iCAST will cultivate.”

Cathy already experienced an “aha” moment during an interdisciplinary project, discovering that “innovative thinking isn't about avoiding mistakes; it's about persistence and bouncing back stronger after a setback. This resilience is the true breakthrough.”

Cathy is especially excited about “the ability to collaborate and share ideas with girls across different grades.” Her parents believe iCAST will offer “a low-stakes environment to test her wildest ideas,” and that “this freedom to take thoughtful risks will be essential to building her intellectual courage.”

“Ultimately, iCAST will prepare students to be difference-makers by nurturing their empathy and equipping them with the skills to translate their generous spirits into positive, real-world impact,” they say.

“We are committed to supporting this legacy of excellence for all Branksome Hall students.”

Learn more about our latest Naming Opportunities here or contact Claudia Metelsky, Director, Campaign and Development, Advancement and Community Engagement.

New parents Jennifer and Andrew Montgomery know iCAST will help steer Elie's course.

For Jennifer and Andrew Montgomery, the decision to name a Stepping Stone in iCAST began with a quiet moment at home—listening to a voice recording their daughter Ellie had made earlier that day in Junior Kindergarten. In her small, steady voice, Ellie reflected on her reading and shared one simple goal with gentle conviction:

“I want to read 100 books.”

Hearing her articulate her thinking in her own words was powerful. To her parents—Andrew, whose work sits at the leading edge of innovation and technology, and Jennifer, an educator devoted to sparking curiosity—it revealed not just a child learning to set goals, but the beginning of a learning journey built on reflection, imagination and growing confidence.

“What stands out to us about iCAST is how intentional it feels,” Andrew explains. “Innovation isn’t about having every new tool—it’s about giving girls space to explore ideas, ask question and discover what they can do. It meets them exactly where they are.”

Ellie already lives in that space where curiosity and creativity meet. While preparing for the Winter Community Market, she became determined to perfect her cookie-mix-in-a-jar prototype—revisiting, refining and “test baking” with a blend of joy, problem-solving and grit. Just as naturally, she expresses herself through music, movement and storytelling, turning everyday moments into scenes or performances of her own making.

"Ellie lights up when she can create something,” Jennifer shares. “Those are the moments when you can see her growing braver, more confident, more herself.”

When the Montgomerys picture iCAST, they imagine not only Ellie but all girls developing that same sense of possibility—designing in the STEAM Studio, experimenting in the Robotics Lab, building in the Woodshop and stepping into performance spaces where movement, light, and voice bring ideas to life. They imagine an environment where “girls with grit” grow into young people ready to shape their world.

These small moments add up—and they are exactly why Jennifer and Andrew chose to give.

Their support is rooted in the values they are actively nurturing at home. Naming a Stepping Stone in iCAST for Ellie, they say, is a way of carrying that message forward— so it can endure and inspire for generations.

“Giving to iCAST allows us to model the importance of community,” Jennifer says. “We want Ellie to grow up believing her ideas matter and her voice matters—and that when you give to your community, the community grows, together.”



Learn more about how you can leave your legacy with a Stepping Stone.

Home inspector Darcy BETT MacLeod'84 wants to help Branksome girls thrive in creative and technical professions.

When Darcy BETT MacLeod’84 shifted careers into home inspection in her 50s, she entered a completely male-dominated field. “Men used to hang up on me,” she recalls. “They thought Darcy would be a man.”

A decade later, Brick House Home Inspection in Collingwood, Ontario, is thriving—thanks to Darcy’s meticulous eye for detail, her willingness to tackle dusty attics and crawl spaces, and her hands-on expertise with furnaces. And that’s exactly why she made a gift to the iCAST Equipment Fund, helping students access the same tools used in leading design, engineering, and media labs. Renewing her support for the school for the first time in a decade, the Equipment Registry had personal resonance for her. Darcy loved the ability to select a specific piece of equipment, designated for particular workspaces within iCAST, that directly enriches the student experience.

“I hope some amazing Branksome graduates will find a trade like I have, using skills taught in these classes,” Darcy says.

Although she was a star athlete—holding the Ontario Federation of School Athletic

Associations (OFSAA) javelin record for 25 years—Darcy remembers fewer “opportunities for students who weren’t strictly academic achievers.

“It’s wonderful to give back and help girls who are more creative or technical, who want to work with their hands,” she says. “There’s no reason a student can’t go into trades and still be the epitome of a Branksome girl.” She’s thrilled to help students gain the confidence to make a cutting board or learn to solder.

Darcy herself is an inspiring role model for future Branksome girls and their potential career paths:

“I’m technical and visual and tactile, and I see things in different ways. I’m good at explaining and helping people make an educated purchase decision. Because buying a house is the most expensive decision most people will ever make.”

Learn more about supporting the iCAST Equipment Fund.

Former Lead Social Worker Joelle Therriault, Linton CARTER'86, Cathy MILLS Hess'86, Karrie Weinstock, Nicole PICHLER McCutcheon'86 and Shannon McCARTHY'96

For more than a decade, the Class of ’86 has championed student well-being through its Mental Health Initiative, everything from expert speakers to Mental Health Week—an effort born directly from these alums’ experiences as students. This year, they’re proud to support Branksome’s new Big 5 Support Program, which addresses the five most common mental-health risks facing young people today. Together, they’re helping ensure every student feels seen, supported cared for and less alone.

Class President Linton CARTER'86 explains how it started:

“When I think about why our class started this initiative, I always go back to our 30th Reunion. We were sitting together—30 or 40 of us—doing what we’ve always done every five or 10 years: catching up, laughing, going around the room sharing what was really going on in our lives. The issues shifted as we got older. We talked about our own childhood traumas, menopause, suicide, losing parents. We share real stories—about struggles in school we never talked about like economic hardship, abandonment, addiction, feeling completely alone. It takes every Friday night of our Reunion weekend to hear from everyone!

Back in the ’80s, mental health simply wasn’t something Branksome, or most schools, knew how to support. If you weren’t the classic academic high-achiever, there wasn’t much guidance. And like most Gen X girls, we were conditioned to be strong, independent women who could suck it up and achieve anything.

Hearing those stories—years later—was a wake-up call. It broke down every old clique and reminded us why our friendships with the entire class have lasted: because when we show up, we really show up. I remember thinking, If we needed more support back then, imagine what girls need now.

That conversation sparked everything. We started asking: Could we build something that lasts? Something that adds support every year, not just at Reunions? And our class said yes—loudly. The Class of ’86 Mental Health Initiative grew from that shared commitment. Now, as we support the Big 5, I feel proud. We’re helping create the kind of early, compassionate support system we all wish we’d had. And we’re doing it together, as only the Class of ’86 can.”

Louise PRICE Doyle’98 with husband Steffen, sons Christopher and Bo, and daughter Isabella.

Opportunity Fund: Sustaining the 'Best Possible' Experience

Louise PRICE Doyle’98 credits Branksome Hall as the very foundation that shaped her confidence and her enduring belief in the power of opportunity. She also remembers becoming aware, even as a student, of the privilege of attending Branksome and the responsibility that came with it. That awareness shapes her ongoing support of the Opportunity Fund today. 

“For me, it is important to know that Branksome continues to offer the breadth and depth of opportunities along with the support that young women need to succeed,” she says. “The Opportunity Fund allows the school to respond quickly to emerging needs and maintain the flexibility required to offer students the best possible experience.”

Louise arrived at Branksome in Grade 6 and graduated in the era of Grade 13, a time she remembers with deep fondness. The school’s fields and hallways were where she forged lifelong friendships, discovered her strengths and learned lessons that continue to guide her today.

“We received an excellent education, had a lot of fun and learned many life lessons along the way,” she recalls.



Although she lives in Greenwich, CT with her family, her sister Rosamond, who lives in Toronto, is also a proud alum and her nieces Olivia’30 and Grace’27 attend Branksome today. 

What stood out most was the environment of encouragement. Louise describes a culture where students were motivated to push themselves, backed by faculty and peers who were unwavering in their support. That combination of challenge and care, she says, made her feel that “anything was possible if you put your mind to it and worked hard.”

For Louise, giving back is both an expression of gratitude and an investment in the next generation:

“I am continually inspired by the school’s forward-thinking leadership and the accomplishments it has achieved and excited for everything still to come,” she says. 

Learn more about how you can fuel creativity through the Opportunity Fund.

Mary BAWDEN Wood'51 (centre) has forged decades-long friendships along with a commitment to Financial Assistance (seen at an alum dinner in 2008).

Stepping Stones: Bridging Lifelong Connections and the Branksome Campus 

Every Christmas, Mary BAWDEN Wood'51 brings out her miniature Branksome “choir mice” so they’re ready to sing for the holidays, as she puts it. It’s a tradition she cherishes as a reminder of the school’s lasting impact. She bought them as a young alum at a school bake sale, where she managed the used books. 

Now in her early 90s and still living in her home with husband Jim, Mary’s connection to Branksome has grown into a decades-long commitment to Financial Assistance through the Alumnae Association Endowed Bursary Fund. 

“I’ve given every single year since I graduated,” she says. “My father always told me, ‘If you’ve been given something wonderful, you give back.’ He said that boys’ schools were always asking for money but he felt the girls’ school needed help. That was terribly important to him, and then it became important to me, for deserving girls to have the chance to go to a wonderful school. That stuck with me.”

Mary’s path through life has only reinforced the importance of opportunity.

She studied physiotherapy at the University of Toronto, working first at a veterans’ hospital in London, Ontario, dealing with soldiers injured in the Second World War. She later volunteered for 40 years with children with disabilities in Toronto public schools, supporting those who needed help the most. 

“Having daughters of my own [Elizabeth WOOD’87 and Kathryn WOOD’87] made it clear how important it is for every girl to have the chance to attend a school like Branksome, no matter her family’s circumstances,” Mary explains.

For Mary, giving back isn’t just about financial support—it’s about gratitude and community. “Above all, Branksome was fun and gave me lifelong friends.”

From bake sales and little Christmas birds to decades of annual giving, Mary’s commitment illustrates how one alum’s gratitude can ripple across generations. “I give back every year,” she says, “because what I received was extraordinary—and I want that opportunity to be there for every girl who needs it.”

Learn more about the power of Financial Assistance.      

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