Inspiration Learning Centre - York Mills

Toronto really knows how to celebrate Chinese New Year. I’ve always felt the Chinese New Year events here are among the best in Canada.🧧

Last weekend I took the kids to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Chinese New Year concert. It’s become a bit of a tradition for us, a nice way to enjoy the festive atmosphere while also letting the kids experience some traditional culture.

“China’s old friend” Dashan was once again the host (I only just noticed from the program that his English name is Mark Rowswell!😂) The evening opened with the classic Spring Festival Overture, featured a beautiful p**a concerto by Wu Man, and even had the whole audience singing Gong Xi Gong Xi. The energy in the hall was wonderful.

My favorite moment was Dashan’s poetic recitation of 蜀道难 （The Way to Shu Is Treacherous) with orchestral accompaniment. Words written more than a thousand years ago by the poet Libai, paired with modern symphonic music, ancient and modern blending together in a surprisingly powerful way.

Living overseas, moments like this feel especially meaningful. Beyond the festive celebrations, it’s a chance for the kids to connect with the depth and beauty of Chinese culture.

🌟 Exciting News to Share!

The results of the Polar Expressions 2025/2026 National Writing Contest have been released!

We are proud to share that the works submitted by students from our center have successfully been shortlisted and will be published in the official anthology. 🥳 We are now looking forward to the announcement of the final awards!😊

✍️ New Competition Now Open
Skyky Writing Competition 2026

This is a Toronto-based youth writing competition. What makes it especially exciting is its generous prize structure, with a $2,000 First Prize, and a strong panel of judges, offering participants valuable professional feedback.

Theme: The World in 2050
Age Group: 12–17
Genres: Short Story / Creative Nonfiction / Future Diary / A Letter from 2050, etc.
Word Count: 600–1,200 words

🏆 Awards:
🥇 First Prize: Trophy + Gift Card + $2,000
🥈 Second Prize: Medal + Certificate + $300
🥉 Third Prize: Medal + Certificate + $50
🎖 Honourable Mentions

📌 Students who are interested in exploring future-themed writing are welcome to message me for registration details. Our competition coaching program has also begun！

New Year vibes are officially in the air 🧧🙌
Our centre has dressed up for the season! Paper cuttings on the windows, red knots hanging up, and a few festive treats ready to go🥳

With the Year of the Horse just around the corner, we’re picking up the pace and warming up early for a brand-new year ahead 🐎✨

This year has brought an incredible amount of snow ❄️ It was snowing nonstop all day Sunday. Today, both all schools in Toronto called a snow day. The kids happily got another day off.😂

I stopped by the office this afternoon and saw several little snow “mountains” piled up in the parking lot. Thankfully the entrance was cleared beautifully, so getting in and out was no problem at all. All classes are running as usual—steady and smooth, as always. 😊