Hooked on Schools: Educational Perseverance Week
by Marilyn Santucci and Simone Viger
On February 10, Dr. Cindy Finn, Director General of the Lester B. Pearson School Board and President of Hooked on Schools, spoke at the opening ceremony of Educational Perseverance Week which took place at Le Centre Lasallien, in Montreal North.
The centre is home to a team of over 80 dedicated and passionate professionals committed to supporting the neighborhood’s youth. With diverse skills and expertise, they share a common mission: spreading happiness to inspire growth and improvement.
What is Hooked on Schools?
Montreal Hooked on School brings together 32 regional partners and hundreds of local stakeholders, all committed to fostering school perseverance and supporting student success through community-driven initiatives. Since 2004, Hooked on School Days (HSD) has united communities across Québec to promote the importance of staying in school and fostering academic success.
Over time, HSD has grown into an annual event that raises awareness, encourages engagement, and emphasizes the vital role of supporting young people in their educational journey.
About the Events
The 21st edition of Hooked on School Days (JPS) took place the week of February 10th. It highlighted the effort and perseverance behind every achievement, emphasizing that perseverance makes all the difference. Throughout the week, groups came together to recognize the importance of every action that supported young people on their journey, from early childhood to adulthood. Whether through words of encouragement, concrete support, or simply being present, every gesture counted and contributed to their success.
The Montreal-based opening event organized by Réseau réussite Montréal had many guest speakers, including the Minister of Education, Mr. Bernard Drainville, former NFL player and doctor Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and SPVM Director Fady Dagher.
Mr. Drainville participated in a chat with two students from le Centre Lasallien, who asked the former journalist some questions including how he perseveres and how he stays motivated when things get tough. Similar conversations took place with former NFL player and doctor Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who is the spokesperson for the initiative. Multiple events took place throughout the week, including a cocktail at the National Assembly, a meet up with Laurent and guests, much more.
The Montérégie-based event, organized by the Instance régionale de concertation en persévérance scolaire et réussite éducative de la Montérégie (IRCM), was held at l’École nationale d’aérotechnique (ÉNA) in Longueuil.
The event featured inspiring presentations and motivating discussions. We had the privilege of hearing from:
- Hélène Bailleu, General Director of Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, and Pascal Désilets, Director of ÉNA, who kicked off the morning alongside Chantal Denis, General Director of IRCM, and Christian Duval, President of IRCM.
- Patrick Groulx, comedian, singer, and host, a passionate advocate for academic perseverance, who served as the spokesperson for JPS 2025 in Montérégie.
- Rémy Mbanga, professor and researcher at the University of Sherbrooke, who discussed the motivational process.
- Finally, Noémie Lavoie, a student from ÉNA, who shared her personal journey of perseverance, with Véronique Fillion, a career counselor, emphasizing the importance of support from those around young people.
Here are some inspirational quotes from the event:
- “If we never fall, we will forget how to get up.”
- “Don’t be afraid to take risks and step out of your comfort zone.”
- “As educators, we need to find ways to support autonomy, engagement, and provide structure.”
Speakers emphasized the critical role educators play in motivating students. Small gestures of encouragement and following their own passions can have a lasting impact. Mentorship is also essential in helping students find their paths. By offering diverse extracurricular activities and a supportive community, students can thrive personally, academically, and professionally. In the end, academic perseverance relies on determination, strong support systems, and the courage to step outside one’s comfort zone, striving for both personal and academic success.
Throughout the week, the broader community—local organizations and schools—organized activities to highlight the importance of supporting young people at every stage of their journey.
