Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1531851
Creating Legacies By Ryan Churchill Spend some time talking to students at either campus or at any branch and you will learn that, for many, TFS runs in the family. For the Chandarias, TFS is truly a family affair. The story begins when parents Navin and Sarla Chandaria chose TFS for their children Shernee '95, Sheena '01 and Sunir, who attended from 1983 to 1991. As newcomers to Canada by way of Kenya, it was important to Navin and Sarla for their children to become fluent in both official languages of the bilingual country they called home. The international perspective of the school was also a large factor in their decision. "TFS helped instill in us a sense of being Canadian while maintaining an appreciation for our own cultural background," says Sheena. "It was diverse and multicultural and we always felt like we belonged. The school also wasn't afraid to do things differently, allowing the teachers to let their passion shine through. With small class sizes, you really got to know everyone. It became like a second family. My closest friends today are the ones I made at TFS." "There is something within the fabric of the school that brings people together and helps keep them together," she adds. Navin and Sarla developed close relationships with the teachers, staff and TFS community as well. It was not long before Navin's brothers and cousins enrolled their children at the school. Over the years, more of the Chandarias' extended family joined TFS, including the Shah family. To date, 19 members of the Chandaria family and their relatives have attended the school. Both Shernee and Sheena went to McGill University for their undergraduate degrees and spent time abroad. Each would eventually join Conros, the family business. Today they lead the company, with Shernee as president and Sheena as vice-president. Now with children of their own, they have expanded their connection to TFS into the next generation. Shernee became the first TFS alumni parent in the family when she enrolled her daughter Nayali in 2012, followed by her son Nevyan 2014, and her youngest daughter Niyeva in 2019. Although it was an easy choice, her husband Jaymesh's agreement provided extra validation for the decision. Sunir and his wife Charissa became TFS parents when their son Nayden started attending in 2016, followed by their son Nahlen in 2018 and their daughter Nylah in 2020. Although their family is presently living outside of Canada, Sunir continues to be an important and engaged member of the TFS community. In 2021, Kiyana, Sheena's daughter with her husband Jay, joined her cousins at the school. ALL IN THE FAMILY 63 TFS