Educator making difference in and out of the classroom
June 29, 2020
One of David Cardoza’s last wishes before succumbing to cancer in 1997 was that his son, Joshua Cardoza, graduate from university.
“He felt if I didn’t do that, my younger sister wouldn’t,” said the eldest sibling who was in Grade Five at the time. “I made sure I did everything I had to do to get that degree and set the example. I couldn’t let him down.”
The Cardoza’s completed Bachelor of Arts and Education degrees at York University. Josh has been a York Region District School Board (YRDSB) elementary school teacher since 2010 while Tia is a YRDSB and Toronto District School Board supply teacher.
Last year, he was the recipient of an Excellence Award that recognizes YRDSB employees who have made significant contributions to their school or workplace.
Wismer Public School teacher Ruby Francis nominated Cardoza for the honour. Her son was in the Beckett Farm Public School teacher Grade Eight class in 2018-19.
“As a parent, there’s no better feeling than hearing how much my child looks forward to going to school every single day all because of his teacher who inspires and motivates him to be successful,” she said in her nomination letter. “He is constantly advocating for students and what is in their best interests. He instills a strong work ethic in his class and expects students to aim high as he prepares them to be lifelong learners in this changing society. He teaches students to uphold moral values while always maintaining their character and integrity. His wealth of experience in teaching, spending countless hours coaching athletic teams and his dedication to volunteer work have had a tremendous impact on others.”
Joshua Cardoza with his Excellence Award
In the fall of 2018, Cardoza assigned his literacy class students to write a paragraph about someone they would like to sit down with and get to know better.
Francis’ son chose former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman who was traded to the New York Mets in July 2019.
Cardoza is a friend of Canadian record producer and songwriter Boi-1 da who is close to Stroman.
“I sent him a photo of the paragraph that the student wrote and asked if there was anyway he could let Marcus see it and give a thumbs up so I can let the young boy see that it was acknowledged,” said Cardoza. “Not only did Marcus confirm he received it, but he said he would be interested in coming to the school.”
In October 2018, Stroman and Boi-1 da visited the Markham school and met with the student and his family in the principal’s office. They also toured the facility and engaged in a question and answer session with students.
Francis was fascinated with the way in which Cardoza turned a paragraph writing assignment about someone her son admires into an unforgettable experience.
“Mr. Cardoza went above and beyond in arranging a surprise visit at the school for my son’s baseball hero,” she added. “It was truly a life-changing and epic event and he’s a true testament to the saying, ‘Teachers truly do make a difference’.”
‘What you want to do when you grow up’? is a question most children hear in their early developmental stage.
There was a time when Cardoza aspired to be a pilot.
His maternal grandmother, Eleanor Roopchand, was employed at Canadian Airlines that was acquired by Air Canada 20 years ago.
“She worked in the department that issued uniforms to the pilots and flight attendants and for Halloween one year, she gave me a uniform and I went out as a little pilot,” Cardoza recalled. “She also took me to the air shows at the CNE when I was seven and eight. As I got older, I wanted to get into sports and marketing. Eventually, I started to explore education as I wanted to become a role model for students.”
Joshua Cardoza enjoys life to its fullest
While at Milliken Mills High School, Cardoza was enrolled in a co-op program that allowed him to shadow then gym teacher Kent Pearce.
“Kent communicated a lot with my mom to help me stay on track and was a big inspiration for me wanting to become a teacher,” he said. “He along with teachers like Anton Skerritt, who also influenced me, were visual reminders of people in the school community who reflected my culture and background. It was huge for me to see that kind of representation.”
A YRDSB Vice-Principal since 2017, Skerritt has the rare distinction of representing multiple countries in the Olympics.
He was a member of the Trinidad & Tobago 400 and 4x400-metre relay teams at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the Canadian contingent for the same events at the 1988 Seoul Games.
“Josh was one of the quiet guys who just went about his business,” remembered Skerritt who also played semi-professional soccer and was inducted into Howard University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in December 2016. “When we started the Nubian Excellence Club at Milliken Mills, Josh was in university and I brought him back to speak at one of our sessions so our students could see and hear what excellence looks like.”
In 2008, Cardoza and his Trinidad-born mother – Donna Cardoza – started the Nubian Book Club out of their Markham home. It uses literacy as a tool for enhancing leadership and social skills, community engagement, respectful peer relationships and overall student success.
Joshua Cardoza with sister Tia and their mother Donna
Cardoza puts his mom, who was a recipient of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship in 2011, on a high pedestal.
“She’s my biggest supporter and critic,” he pointed out. “She has extraordinary strength, passion, commitment and resilience. Raising my sister and I after our father died brought out the very best in her.”
Born in Jamaica, the family patriarch was a model and soccer player who took his son to photo shoots.
Since elementary school at Highgate Public, Cardoza has relished volunteering.
He was a student secretary, spelling bee coach, nurses’ assistant and his high school baseball team assistant coach.
To complete his high school volunteer hours, Cardoza successfully applied to be a ball boy for Tennis Canada’s annual Rogers Cup tournament at the Aviva Centre.
“I was 13 and wanted to try something where I could meet new friends and be active and engaged,” he said. “I started as a ball boy because I had played baseball that involves running, catching and throwing which are some of the main requirements for the job. At the time, I didn’t know much about the sport, but I asked questions and shadowed some older kids that took me under their wings.”
Once ball kids reach 16, they can volunteer in other capacities at the tournament.
Cardoza transitioned to the Practice Court Scheduling Department where he was the lead for several years before becoming Head of the Player Hospitality Committee in August 2019.
Tennis isn’t the only sport he gravitated to.
Joshua Cardoza has been part of the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp since 2015
While in Teacher’s College, Cardoza noticed that one of the candidates was always dressed in Toronto Raptors basketball attire.
“I figured he was a super fan or someone associated with the organization,” he said.
It was the latter.
“One day, the guy suggested that with my interest in basketball and the fact that I work with young people, it would be great if I could come out and assist with the organization’s youth basketball camp,” said Cardoza. “I was already committed to the Rogers Cup tournament which clashed with the camp until 2015 when I had the chance for the first time to do both.”
That opportunity opened the door for him to be part of the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp for elite international prospects. The joint National Basketball Association (NBA) and International Basketball Federation venture is held during the NBA All-Star Weekend.
Boys and girls, ranging in age from 16 to 18 from several countries and regions, get measured, undergo athletic testing, practice, scrimmage and engage in drills under the watchful eyes of NBA teams representatives. Participants also attend daily life skills seminars and attend the dunk contest, three-point shootout and the All-Star Game.
“I support not only the Canadian players, but oversee the camp movement of the international players,” said Cardoza who started his teaching career at Carrville Mills Public School in Thornhill. “It’s also a great opportunity to be part of every NBA All-Star Weekend in the last five years.”
At the first camp in Toronto in 2015, he conceived the idea for the establishment of TrueChamps Collective as a conduit to give back to the community, inspire young people and make unimaginable dreams come true.
It has raised thousands of dollars to provide needy families with gift cards to buy groceries and surprised youths with shoes and jerseys autographed by NBA players.
“We have also taken branches of this program and done camps in Barbados in the last four years with the support of the Hilton Barbados Resort and the island’s Ministry of Transportation,” Cardoza added.
