The York School 2024/25 Year in Review - Donor Spotlight: Aaron Goldstein and Christina Laing

When Duncan L.G. ‘28 joined York in Grade 9, he embraced experiential learning activities that helped him step outside his comfort zone, build confidence and develop close friendships. He says one of the highlights of the year was the May Challenge Week trip to New Brunswick that featured hands-on marine biology field work with a crew of scientists. “It gave me an opportunity to not only to learn about the place and the people, but it allowed me to create new friendships with classmates that I hadn’t connected with earlier in the school year,” says Duncan.
Duncan’s parents, Christina Laing and Aaron Goldstein, say attending winter camp with his classmates in York’s Integrated Canadian Experience (ICE) program was another pivotal experience for their son. “He learned a lot about himself. When he came back, he was glowing because he faced real challenges and discovered that when things came up, he could take charge and get them done. So he was really proud of himself,” says Aaron.

When Duncan applied to York, he didn’t know any of the students who would be joining him in the Class of 2028. That changed when he was matched with a student ambassador a few months before the school year began. “My ambassador took me to the Italian Contemporary Film Festival, where we had good food and watched a movie. He made a big effort to start our friendship and get to know me, and that really made me feel welcome,” says Duncan.

Christina and Aaron say that by the time Duncan returned from the Senior School Fall Camp Retreat (which takes place before classes begin in September), he had already made five or six other friends that he went on to build strong bonds with throughout the year.

“They’re a very nice group. They have different backgrounds, different personalities and different interests,” says Aaron. The family has hosted the teenagers at their cottage, and Aaron planned a trip to Cedar Point (an amusement park in Ohio) so Duncan and his friends could ride roller coasters together.

Aaron and Christina are delighted to see their son thriving at York, and wanted to make a donation to support the school that’s sparking his curiosity and engaging him in real world problem solving. They asked where a gift would have the greatest impact and our Advancement team suggested that they split it between the endowment for needs-based bursaries and the Junior School renovation campaign. “Having the money they need to get the renovation done quickly will make everyone’s life easier,” says Christina.
Back