Tribute: Nick Van Herk
Beloved teacher, counsellor and coach, Nick Van Herk is retiring after 31 years at RSGC. We asked some of his former students to share their favourite memories to help celebrate Nick in style.
Netan Choudry '96
I graduated from RSGC in 1996. At that time, high s chool was five years and I chose to do it in four. Mr. Van Herk was my economics teacher. Students in the class were mainly 17 year olds. I was the outlier at age 15, but I was a hard worker. Nick was very supportive of me and this goal to complete an entire year in a shortened timeline. His belief in my best potential motivated me to work hard and excel in his classes, and ultimately achieve my goal of graduating early. On the field, Nick enjoyed the banter with students as they played sports, and his mantra of ‘being balanced’ was evident to me from his own life and personality. He has been an asset to RSGC, and I am fortunate to have had him as one of my teachers during my years. Thank you, Nick! —Netan Choudhry ’96 Congratulations on your much-deserved retirement! You made a difference in my life, as I wasn’t always the best math student (or student in general), but you got me through it. And, funny enough, I ended up using everything I learned from you in my career. —Duane Lee ’93 During a meeting with my parents in Grade 12, the discussion came down to the fact that I needed to raise my overall average to above 90 per cent in order to pursue many of the schools on my wish list. Mr. Van Herk asked me if I would be able to meet that requirement, and after I responded yes, he immediately pulled out a piece a paper and drafted a contract, in which I promised I would raise my overall average to above 90 per cent. I signed it in front of him and my parents, and ended up achieving that goal. I am forever grateful for his encouragement! —Jacky Yao ’10 Watching Mr. Van Herk dunk on my brother [Alastair Kellett ’98] in Shield of Dreams never gets old. Enjoy retirement, sir! —Jon Kellett ’00
Jon Kellett '00
David Munro '09 (far right)
I remember during my first meeting in Grade 11 with Mr. Van Herk, he asked me if I had identified any programs and schools that would be a good fit. At the time, I imagined myself going to either Western or Queen’s, and had casually been considering Dalhousie. I was coming off a difficult Grade 10 year, missing most of the school year recovering from brain surgery. So, leaving the province for my undergrad felt as far away as Christie Pits on a rainy Rugby Phys Ed rotation. Unbeknownst to me, Mr. Van Herk ranked where he thought I might fit best, and throughout the year in his Data Management class, he got to know me better as a student. Following a trip to Halifax for some school tours that fall, and thanks to Ms. Girvan repping Dal as her alma mater, I began to seriously consider moving east for school. Long story short, he knew Dalhousie BCOMM would be a great fit for me, before I had even started seriously considering the program. Five years later, graduating with 12 months of co-op work experience, a six-month exchange to the UK under my belt, the lyrics to Barrett’s Privateers forever implanted in my brain, and with an incredible group of lifelong friends, I can’t imagine having had a better university experience anywhere else. Thanks, Mr. Van Herk, for steering me in the right direction! Wish you all the best in your retirement. —David Munro ’09 The first time I met Nick was after a long morning shift as a parent ambassador. I had the pleasure of sitting beside Nick during lunch in Ketchum Hall. He was introduced to me as our "much loved university counsellor." I felt a rush as I peppered him with a million questions about different colleges. Every time he tried to take a bite of his lunch, I would blast him with another query and despite not eating a morsel of food, he answered all of my questions in his gentle Georgian way. I asked if I could meet with him as soon as possible to discuss Connor's college options. He felt my urgency. As Nick got up to leave, he looked down at me and asked, "Mary, what grade is your son in?" I replied, "Grade 4." The entire table burst out laughing. Nick just smiled, rolled his eyes and said, "Mary, you have lots of time." Well, here we are, eight years later and my son is heading to university, thanks to Nick's wonderful guidance. Enjoy your retirement, my dear friend, you deserve it. You will be so missed because you are so loved! —Mary Garafalo, RSGC parent VH told me that “click here and accept offer” meant that I got into McGill, which was where I did my undergrad. I thought it was a joke, but VH said that as soon as I left his office, I could run the hallways outside the library, scream and attempt a backflip/somersault to celebrate. I may have almost suffered a charley horse before first period, but it was worth it. Congrats on a great career, Mr. VH, and thanks for ensuring our goals were reached after graduation. —Anthony Mariano ’12
My favourite Van Herk memories are, unsurprisingly, all related to basketball. When he was coaching us, he was always supportive: knowing when to make a joke to lighten the mood, and knowing when sometimes you just needed to sit in silence together. As an alumnus, it was great to see him go out of his way to come say hi (and sometimes even get in on our runs). When I returned to the College to coach the u16 and the Varsity team, he often found a way to duck into the gym, and coach my coaching, and cheer on the team. Van Herk provided influential guidance to every Georgian who walked the halls, and the College (and I) will miss him! —Thomas Robson ’14
Thomas Robson '14 (top row, third from left)