Top scholar plans to study and smell the roses too

By Dennis Hanagan –

Ricky Rodrigues found a way to make high school homework fun.

That’s probably why the Queen West student finished Grade 12 this year as the Toronto Catholic school board’s top scholar in what used to be the old city of Toronto.

His grade average at Bishop Marrocco-Thomas Merton secondary school was 97.17 per cent.

The 17-year-old was like most students. ”I hated homework,” he said from his home in the Queen and Ossington neighbourhood, where two bulletin boards on his bedroom wall bear awards and certificates of his achievements.

But that was before he started high school. Once in grade 9 he discovered a trick. “I started finding interesting things about each lesson and really began focusing on that. And it (homework) didn’t become a chore anymore.”

He studied from about 4 to 7 p.m. on school nights and sometimes late if a special assignment was due. Then, to relax, “I was a couch potato for 30 minutes to an hour.”

In Grade 12 he studied English, math data management, world history, Canadian and international law, social science, visual arts and an open religion course.

He liked social science best. “It introduced me to new areas of study in anthropology, sociology and psychology.” At the University of Toronto’s Downtown campus this September he’s taking the same subjects plus political science, and women and gender studies.

When Rodrigues’ mom Goretti heard her son was a top scholar she was “exhilarated, very proud. I almost fell off my chair. I always told them (Ricky has an older sister) to work hard and one day it would pay off. It’s some of the best news a parent can hear.”

As for a career Rodrigues has his eyes on law, social work, teaching or radio broadcasting. But even with his love for learning he knows there’s more to life than having one’s nose in books.

When not studying, Rodrigues enjoys what he calls his “arts-inspired neighbourhood. There’re two or three art galleries on every block. I love being part of that. There’s so much life in this neighbourhood.”

“I’ve decided to take things one step at a time. There’s a lot of pressure on youth nowadays. I want to take things slowly. I don’t want to feel I’m rushing my life. I want to enjoy it.”