Time has been flying by since graduating almost ten years ago. I am a firefighter in the city of Mississauga. I have about five and a half years on the job and look forward to every day that I’m on shift. If you’re in your senior years of high school and starting to stress over what to do when you graduate, don’t. Take some time, get some life experience and you’ll begin to realize what you truly have a passion for. You’ll hear it over and over to do what you love but, it’s true, find your vocation, not a job. When I’m not at the fire hall I spend some of my time volunteering with a local charity called GlobalMedic that provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief around the world. In May I deployed to Nepal with them to provide aid to those affected by the earthquake. My advice to you is to find some time to volunteer. Whether it’s traveling around the world or spending the odd day helping a local charity, the feeling of personal reward is amazing and addictive.

Finally, travel! And I don’t mean an all inclusive vacation to a beach resort. The life experience I have gained since traveling Canada coast to coast and back packing several countries in Southeast Asia is invaluable. Meet the locals and eat the local food. Immersing yourself in the culture is a life changing and character building experience. I know my plans for the future include a long list of travel destinations.

From Mark Saunders to Chris Hadfield, you might be surprised to learn who has come through MD, and where they are now!

Were YOU at MD? We welcome all updates to share here.  Please include your full name, years at MD, a photo, update, and any advice you can share with our current community here. Submit to gleesona@hdsb.ca.