Laurie Thibault
QHS Class of 2016
“It’s my turn,” is what Laurie Thibeault tells herself as she returns to QHS, this time as a teacher. A proud QHS alumna who graduated in 2016, Laurie was deeply involved in the student life with sports, performing arts, outdoor-ed, and the student council. She truly lived and breathed QHS. During her years at QHS, Laurie embraced all opportunities that came her way. She played basketball, soccer, and eventually, rugby. She also took part in many school productions such as Bugsy Malone, The Little Mermaid, Footloose, and Beauty and the Beast. She joined a humanitarian trip to Guatemala and was amongst the first cohort to partake in Outdoor ed. Through all this, Laurie was also an active member of the student council and strived to make the school a better place for her peers. Looking back, Laurie recognizes the tremendous impact the English community and the Alumni foundation had on her school experience since most of these activities were made possible through their support. After graduating, Laurie did not directly go into teaching, wanting to become a Marine Biologist. She went to CEGEP Champlain Saint Lawrence in Science and began a B.A. in Biology at Laval University. It was after two years of studies that she realized she missed her artistic side. She also realized how deeply she valued the sense of community she had experienced at Quebec High School. This realization prompted her to change career paths and study to become an English Language Arts teacher at Bishop’s University. As a first-year teacher, Laurie now realizes that the torch has been passed to her. Her goal is to honor the legacy that shaped her and to ensure that her students’ experience is as great and meaningful as hers was.
Laurie, playing the role of Lefou, in the QHS production of Beauty and the Beast
Ben McBain
QHS Class of 2018
Of the three “New Kids on the Block,” Ben has the longest QHS family lineage — roots that go back to when the QHS building still had that “new car smell.” His grandfather, Lloyd (Class of 1949), his father, John (Class of 1982), his brother, William (Class of 2008), and his sister, Hannah (Class of 2010), all attended QHS. “Quebec High has been a home away from home for me for many years. I spent five years coming to watch my sister play basketball before I even started here. So when I arrived in Grade 7, I already knew many of the teachers, even those who taught in the senior grades,” he said when asked to reflect on his time at QHS.
The Class of 2018 was the largest cohort Quebec High School had seen in many years. The gym was not big enough to host their graduation, so the celebration had to be held offsite to mark their achievement. It was a high-performing group, and Ben was right near the top when it came to academics. His hard work and dedication also shone through as a member of the Blazer basketball and soccer teams. He later went on to play for CEGEP St. Lawrence, along with several other Blazer graduates. After three years at CEGEP, Ben enrolled in the four-year Bachelor of Education (math major) program at Bishop’s University. Throughout his university years, Ben could often be found in the QHS gym coaching basketball or on the field coaching ultimate frisbee. Returning to his alma mater, volunteering to coach, and giving back to QHS came naturally to him.
This is not the first time that Ben McBain graced the pages of the Blue and Gold Magazine. In 2018 he was highlighted on the front page of the 2018 Winter/Spring edition. Pictured right, we see Ben, in his senior year, wearing number 11 soaring high to win the jump ball in a game at Quebec High. Although Ben has a full workload teaching Math, he still makes time to lend a hand with the basketball concentration program in the mornings before school starts. “Ben has been a great addition to the athletic staff. Watching him work with our student-athletes I can see that he is a natural teacher” said QHS Athletic Director, Ricky Dwyer.
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