As we get ready for Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be fun to share some happy love stories that got their start at the Ottawa Catholic School Board! We hope these stories warm your heart and bring a smile to your face on this beautiful February day. While we recognize this sample does not represent all of the #ocsbLoveStories that exist, we are thankful to the couples who took the time to share their photos and stories with us. Happy Valentine’s Day, OCSB family!
Alex & Ashley
My fiancé and I met in Kindergarten at St. James School, then started dating in Grade 10 English class at Holy Trinity High School! The first trip we took together was the high school Italy trip. When we visited Rome, we were so inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit that we told each other that we would come back to get married one day! Ten years after that trip, Alex proposed by getting down on one knee and asking if I would go to Rome with him. This summer, we will FINALLY be heading to Rome (delayed since 2020 due to COVID) to celebrate the Holy Sacrament of Marriage inside St. Peter’s Basilica surrounded by our family and friends (many of which are also OCSB alum)! Alex and I thank God every day for the Catholic education we received. Our strong faith foundation, support systems, and lifelong friendships were all formed and nurtured in our homes and at school, our home away from home. Now, as an OCSB teacher, not only do I have the privilege of working alongside the educators who continue to inspire me, but I do everything I can to offer my students the same support, love and guidance that I benefited from as a student.
Jose & Diana
We met during grade 10 at Notre Dame High School, became friends and got close quickly. We started to spend more time together through grade 11, and halfway through the year, we started dating. We were inseparable during those last two years and graduated together in 2000. We both attended Algonquin college, although on different campuses. I graduated as a Computer Tech, and Diana from Photography and a university of Ottawa degree in communications. Once we finished school and got a job, we bought a house and got married. We now have four amazing children who all attend OCSB schools. All those years ago, we would not have imagined where we would be today, but we are thankful for the family we have created.
Jonathan & Chantal
We met at a St. Peter High School alumni event! I volunteered to help out at the event and was introduced to Jon through mutual friends. I was probably a pretty lousy volunteer because we spent the rest of the event talking and getting to know each other! Our connection grew quickly, but there was just one issue, I was attending university on the East Coast, and Jon was attending uOttawa. We decided to carry on long-distance for the next few years, and we’re so glad we did! After graduating, we ended up in Toronto, growing our careers. We also travelled and lived in Seoul, South Korea, before getting married in 2012. Today we have young kids who attend an OCSB school and have become part of this great #ocsbFamily.
Andrea & Mark
We met just outside the theatre doors to our split grade drama class with one of the best teachers in the school–we are still in touch with via social media! We ended up auditioning and getting roles in the school play Alice in Wonderland and spent several evenings and weekends rehearsing together. Mark eventually got up the courage to take me on our first date stargazing which also happened to be on OCSB grounds – in the baseball diamond behind our school. We ended up falling in love and attending university here in Ottawa to stay close together. We are thrilled to share we are getting married in July, just three months after our tenth anniversary of being together.
Rich & Sarah
We met at a senior New Year’s Eve party when we both wore braces and thought frosted tips were peak hotness. We dated through our time at St. Peter High School and got married at 23. We’ve moved across the country a couple of times, are raising four kids and a dumb dog, and will celebrate our 15th anniversary this year, 21 years together. We think we’re still cool, but our teenager begs to differ.
Cody & Melanie
We met at Notre Dame High School– I was in grade 9, and he was in grade 10. Never in a million years did we think we would be where we are today and build the life we created together. We dated throughout high school, went to semi-formal together and each other’s prom. These are memories we both cherish forever, and we continue to make unforgettable memories along the way.
We now have two beautiful daughters. Creating a family together has been such a blessing to us! It’s so wild to think that it all started with us as two young teens meeting in high school, who are now high school sweethearts that created this life and family, and we can’t wait to tell our kids our love story when they are a little bit older!
Allison & Robert
While we first were photographed by Orleans paparazzi at Divine Infant church at our grade 2 communion (see photo evidence), we officially met in grade 8 when I switched over to English Catholic from the French board. To this day we still argue over how we first met– but regardless of how we did end up meeting, it has been quite the adventure since. From being best friends in grade 8 and 9 to starting to date in grade 10 thru OAC & University, we made some wonderful memories at St. Peter High School. I remember countless candy gram deliveries from Rob on Valentine’s Day over the years, and I was lucky enough to be on Executive Council in grade 12 & OAC and was able to deliver a few (really off-key) sing-o-grams. We have since had the chance to grow our family in the community we met and grew up in. Our kids all went to Charlemagne nursery school at St. Peter High School, and we see so many of our friends and fellow Knights around Orleans at all the kids sporting activities. Whenever we drive by St. Pete’s, we make sure to remind the kids that is where mom and dad fell in love. They already have learned to roll their eyes and ignore us when we get close by.
Do you have an #ocsbLoveStory you’d like to share?
We’d love to hear more of your stories! Fill out our Google Form to share your story with us!