Webber Academy is a prestigious, private university preparatory school known for its high academic standards and traditional approach to teaching. But for the past six years it has been enriching its students’ experience in a non-traditional way. The Webber Academy President’s Breakfast Club – ATB Speaker Series invites presenters from varied backgrounds and speciality areas to address the group of guests and students over breakfast.
Last year, the school hosted five breakfast club events in the school’s Performing Arts lobby that featured a diverse group of presenters. Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a U.S. spacecraft, spoke of leadership, teamwork and achieving her dreams of becoming a pilot and astronaut while ATB Financial chief transformation officer Wellington Holbrook spoke about transformation in business and the importance of adapting to change.
The President’s Breakfast Club also invited Dr. Jonathan Schaeffer, then dean of science at the University of Alberta, to wow the crowd with his presentation on the future opportunities in artificial intelligence, and W. Brett Wilson, former Dragons’ Den panellist, shared stories and identified issues in business. Lastly, Peter Cowley talked about his role with the Fraser Institute, one of the top think tanks in the world.
Not to be outdone, the administration has invited impressive guests to be a part of this year’s President’s Breakfast Club – ATB Speaker Series as well. In November, Canadian recording artist Elsie Morden performed and talked about the organization she founded called No Time For That anti-bullying society. She tours hundreds of schools each year in her fight against bullying.
In December, Natalie Panek joined the club and spoke about her life as a rocket scientist and advocate for women in technology as she blazes a trail in Canadian space robotics. Dr. Sunil Verma, medical director at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and professor and head of the department of oncology at the University of Calgary, is slated to speak to students and guests on February 12 about his groundbreaking cancer research. More speakers will be announced early in the year, ensuring students, staff and guests will be informed, entertained and well-fed all year long.
