Life at Delhi District Secondary School

Why Choose DDSS?

I went to ESPS in Norwich, so I had three options to choose from for my secondary education. My decision was made easy by the stories I heard from my two older sisters who also attended DDSS. When I was in elementary school, I went to Young Canada Day to cheer on my sisters in the road race. I still remember how thrilling that day was and how excited I was to one day be a DDSS student in those stands. My sisters also talked so highly of their teachers, and I saw firsthand how successful DDSS helped them become.

DDSS Was Pivotal!

In post-secondary education, you often hear about classes that “weed out” students, meaning the courses have a high level of difficultly. As someone in a STEM major, there certainty are very challenging courses. However, my experience at DDSS prepared me greatly for introductory chemistry, biology, and mathematics classes. All my teachers at DDSS not only taught the required course material but also ensured that everyone was well prepared for university.

Where are you now?

I am a biomedical undergraduate student at Brock University. I have been a member of the varsity swim team for all three years and currently have the privilege of being one of the women's team captains!

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the high school I attended and the impact it has had on my academic and personal growth.

My school offered all of the courses I needed to prepare for post-secondary education while maintaining a small-town feel that made learning both supportive and personal. The close-knit environment and strong sense of community created a space where students were encouraged to succeed and felt genuinely supported by staff and peers.

Because of the education and guidance I received, I was able to earn a scholarship to the University of Guelph and had the opportunity to represent Team Ontario twice—achievements I am extremely proud of and could not have accomplished without the foundation provided by my high school.

The combination of strong academics, dedicated staff, and community support made this school an exceptional place to learn and grow. I am very grateful for the role it played in shaping my future and preparing me for success beyond high school.

Thank you for the commitment you show to your students and the community.

I chose Delhi because I liked the idea of a smaller, country school vs. [the] big city of Woodstock. The tech programs, especially the auto class, helped me the most to get where I am today. [I] got to learn lots of valuable hands-on skills that helped me excel in post-secondary aircraft maintenance.

All of my fondest memories at Delhi are linked to the extreme amount of school spirit; from winning [at the] fair, to going to OFFSA, and all the other sports. Others that are going to Delhi should know that Delhi is a small community school. The people there look out for one another and boost everyone up with tremendous school spirit.

After high school I went to BC for 4 months to complete my commercial helicopter license. I started working for an aerial application company in the summertime while completing two years of post-secondary in North Bay Ontario for aircraft maintenance. After post-secondary, I found a new job working as a bush pilot in Northern Manitoba, working a rough schedule of a month on, month off. We do all sorts of aerial work such as fire fighting, hydro work, drill mining, construction, and hunting and fishing lodge support.

Why Choose DDSS? 

My Journey As An ESPS/DDSS Alumni

Growing up in a small town shaped me to value the importance of relationships and community. When searching for a high school, I valued two important factors: education quality and a welcoming atmosphere. A second home is exactly what DDSS felt like to me. When growing up through your late teenage years, transitioning into young adults, trying to figure out what to do with your life, this feeling of belonginess provides students like myself with the chance to be themselves. These years of personal development are the most important years, as it can largely impact the trajectory of a person’s life. Through DDSS, leaders, innovators, and growth mindsets are formed. With support from all the staff and the friendships built with not only classmates but coach’s and teachers as well, I always felt like I knew who I was, and maybe not exactly where I wanted to go, but I always knew I wanted to go somewhere to make an impact on the world. 

Where are you now?

I am currently attending University of Guelph, enrolled in Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. I am in my second year of studies while earning my spot on the Dean’s Honour Role. Every step of my academic journey has led me to achieve everything I have, especially my high school education. My first semester of university felt very academically smooth. I met new friends from many different high schools, and I could tell very quickly that I was lucky to have the high school education that DDSS provided me. With classes like calculus, chemistry and physics, I had a much more distinguished understanding compared to many of my fellow classmates. Being introduced to university level material in my upper years at Delhi provided me with a big head start on many other students in my engineering program. As many other students struggled with the university content in first semester, I felt comfortable enough for my first semester to feel more like review. 

How Did My Experience Help Me Get to Where I Am Today?

Now as I mentioned earlier, high school is a very important transition phase from childhood to adulthood which is very important in regard to personal development and setting up a person’s future. High school is very important for providing a good education but also plays a very important role in aligning students’ future on a more personal level. 
Through leadership programs like “Link Crew”, I was able to build an unimaginably strong bond with many of my classmates which will be remembered for the rest of my life. Memories were made through this program which I still reminisce about today. However, most importantly I learned how to be a leader, be kind and make a positive change in the world. I also witnessed this program turn friends of mine from an introverted kid into an extroverted, self- expressing leader.

The athletics program within DDSS is another aspect of my experience in which truly changed my life in the best way possible. I was able to build unforgettable, everlasting bonds with not only many teammates of mine but my coaches as well. As older role models for me, they felt like another parent of mine. Mentoring me through my athletic obstacles but also personal challenges I was facing. They helped show me how to be mature, successful and watched me grow into the adult I am today.

My Experience As A ESPS-DDSS Alumni - Tyler Wood