STEAM Horizon Awards for Grade 12s (and maybe some Grade 11s)

Are you often described as a leader, an achiever, or an innovator? Do you have limitless drive, ambition, and determination? If so, there’s an opportunity to receive a $25,000 prize towards your post-secondary education.

WHY APPLY?

You could receive a $25,000 prize towards your post-secondary education. With your academic excellence and great communication skills, you have the opportunity to make a positive impact and solve real world problems. You could also be flown to Ottawa and recognized for your achievements at the Foundation’s National Science and Innovation Gala.

ELIGIBILITY

• Must be a Canadian citizen, or permanent resident of Canada
• Must be between 16 and 18 years old at the time of application
• Must be recognized for STEAM-related accomplishments in a formal or informal way
• Must be maintaining a minimum academic average of 85%
• Must either be preparing to enroll, or currently enrolled, in their first year of post-secondary education. The enrolment must be in a STEAM field in Canada

LINK

Global Teenager Project

The challenge Based Learning Circles will start again in February 2017 until the end of May, offered by The Global Teenager Project, iEARN and ICT&E. This is an invitation to join and register.  

Some background information:

A Learning Circle is a virtual classroom where students and teachers work and learn together with their peers around the world. Using internet, wiki's and social media, students communicate about meaningful global topics.

The Learning Circle methodology offers a 16 week interactive, challenge driven learning process, that provides content knowledge in a rich 21st century skills context. Peer assessment within the project is supported by peerScholar. The inclusive character of this tool enables students from around the world to view and assess their work together. By taking ownership of their own learning we enable students to create a deeper and more meaningful learning, in interaction with the world.

NEW :  ---> For 2017 it is possible to choose from three themes:

• Children's Rights: updated and improved with your feedback. With an introduction phase to get to know each other and challenges about 'the right to a safe home' and 'the right to learn & play'. The assignments encourage to wonder and explore living conditions of children worldwide. This Circle will increase students' international connection and awareness.
   --> Take a look at the 12 Learning Circles for 2016 -  http://www.ict-edu.nl/learning-circles-deelnemers-participants-2016/

• ME becomes WE - Learn 2 change: with an introduction phase and challenges in which students will explore their characteristics and talents, discovering ways to 'join forces' and to be meaningful to others. In this Circle students will plan social activities and carry them out. Different global responses will give an interesting 'new look' on opportunities in life.
  --> Take a look at the pilot Of this ME/WE Circle - https://mewe2016.pbworks.com/w/page/108998620/Home

• Saving Our Planet: with an introduction phase and two challenges in which students will do research about 2 Sustainable Development Goals which are aimed to protect our planet: Affordable and Clean Energy & Climate Action. In this Learning Circle students are sharing research, opinions and experiences. The assignments are inviting all to learn and work together, to make the world a better place.
  

The English Circles are all inclusive and offered for students in the age of 11 -18 years old, working together in different age groups.

--> Registration is open from now until January 15 http://www.ict-edu.nl/gtp-learning-circles-2016-2017/

Youth Art Contest for Canada's 150th anniversary!

For All Young Entrepreneurs!

the Government of Ontario and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) re-launched the Young Entrepreneurs, Make Your Pitch high school competition in September. Young Entrepreneurs, Make Your Pitch challenges Ontario students in Grades 9-12 to pitch their best business ideas in a two-minute video.

All finalists will receive a trip to Toronto, expert training, and will present their pitch at OCE's Discovery conference hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Six competition winners also receive reserved entry into Summer Company to develop their business idea (worth up to $3,000 in start-up funding). Last year the competition received 204 entries from high school students across Ontario. The businesses represented a variety of ideas, from an eco-friendly coffee house to innovative apps that connect communities.

You can access a Backgrounder/FAQ, At-a-Glance summary, posters, postcards, and resource guide online at www.makeyourpitch.ca.  Please visit our website for full competition details and highlights from last year, or access the program launch press release here. 

The important dates for this year's competition are:

•             Video submission closes: March 29, 12 p.m., 2017

•             Online Voting period opens: April 4, 2017

•             Online Voting period closes: April 20, 2017

•             Finalists announced: April 24, 2017

•             Boot camp and Discovery conference: May 14-16, 2017

If you have any questions regarding the competition, please don't hesitate to contact Daniel Goncalves at daniel.goncalves@oce-ontario.org or 416-861-1092 ext. 1070.

Good luck!!!

Waterloo Unlimited

Applications for the Grade 11 program are due December 14th--please pass on to any students you think would be a good fit for our Waterloo Unlimited program at the University of Waterloo.

From engineering and the environment to science fiction and virtual reality, students will spend a week exploring the theme of “Design” with a community of like-minded peers.

LINK here for more details

Program fee: $550 (includes meals; HST); Supervised hotel accommodation: $330
Application Deadline: Wednesday, December 14^th, 2016


Our ideal candidates are:

• well-rounded academic achievers: literate, articulate, numerate, and collaborative
• engaged with and contribute positively to family, community, and public good; and
• curious about an array of subjects, creative, positive, responsible, and enthusiastic self-starters!

Forum for Young Canadians - Apply today!

The Forum for Young Canadians is Canada's civic education program for students aged 15-19 years old.  Forum brings over 100 students per week to Ottawa for an intensive academic adventure immersing them in the exciting world of national politics and public affairs.  

• Visits to the House of Commons and Senate with the Speakers of each House as well as Clerks and pages. They show you how the institution works before getting to see Question Period live in action.
• There is a reception where MPs are invited to come meet and chat with participants. We invite all MPs and last year over 100 MPs came to at least one reception. The Prime Minister came to two events.
• There is a breakfast at the Senate with Senators. It’s a chance to ask them what they do.
• There is a visit to Rideau Hall, residence of the Governor General, which is a great opportunity learn about his role and responsibilities.

• There are multiple simulations over the course of the week that allow you to understand how the decisions get made by taking part in them.

  These include:
  • A full election: What if there was a world parliament and Canada only had 1 seat? Participants create a party, pick a candidate, write and present speeches, make posters, campaign and then vote using real elections materials from Elections Canada.
  • A Cabinet simulation: How does Cabinet decide? Each participant becomes a Minister (of Environment, Defence, Finance, etc.) and must defend their ministry’s point of view when discussing a topic. The Cabinet must then make a decision.
  • A world trade simulation: How does Canada trade internationally and grow businesses? A trip to Export Development Canada and a tailor-made game showcase how!
  • A provincial-federal simulation: How do the provinces negotiate with the provinces. Everybody goes into the group of the province where they are from and then you have to negotiate with the other provinces and the federal government.

So if you're a young leader, or an aspiring leader, this might be the program for you to sign up for!!

Here is the LINK 

Queen's ESU Course Descriptions are here!

Registration opens on December 1st.  Register on or before January 31, 2017 and pay the 2016 price of $795!

Program runs from May 7 to 12, 2017.

Here is the LINK to the courses and their descriptions that are on offer this year.

Here is the LINK to register.

Here is the LINK to financial aid.

Silicon Halton TU20 Cup 2016/2017

Teams of 2-6 students create a tech-related project with the help of an assigned mentor from the tech/business industry over the span of 2 months. 

On February 18, 2017 the teams will pitch their idea to a panel of judges, and the winners will receive a summer Co-Lab session from Silicon Halton to work with professionals to make their project a reality.

Click HERE for more information and to contact Ibrahim Irfan (grade 12 student and TU20 Cup Ambassador)

University of Toronto High School Design Competition

We are currently reaching out to high schools across the GTA to find students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to sign up for the University of Toronto High School Design Competition.

 

This one-day event on Sunday November 27th takes place at the University of Toronto and is an Engineering design competition/hackathon open to all students in grades 9-12.

 

Students will have a full day of building, problem-solving, and Engineering. The day includes lunch, a clubs fair, and a design project ending with everyone's final projects being judged by a panel with the chance to win.

 

Students are encouraged to form teams of 3 to 5. If you have a team, make sure all your team members get their tickets. If you are signing up individually, we will help you find a group for the competition.

 

The ticket price ($15) includes admission, lunch, and material costs for the design project.

 

Sign up at: http://bit.ly/UTHSDC2016

 

Register in a team at: http://bit.ly/UTHSDCteam

Visit the Facebook event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1788693028078418/

 

Please email any questions to hiskule@skule.ca

McGill University Summer Academy for Grade 10 & 11

We are happy to announce the launch of the McGill Summer Academy in July 2017, a new program for high school students currently in grades 10 and 11.

Unfolding over two weeks of classes, workshops, activities, and trips, this experience will introduce your students to university life and is sure to make their summer memorable!

Please find out more on our website.

If you or any of your students have any questions about the program, do not hesitate to email us.

Sincerely,

The McGill Summer Academy Team

Enrolment Services

McGill University

A&E's 2016 Lives That Make a Difference Essay Contest Open until December 9, 2016

Every year A&E Television Network hosts a national student essay contest.  Students submit their essays about the lives of the people they believe to have had the greatest influence on the country of Canada in 2016. Prizes are awarded to the student writer of the winning essay, and to the teacher!

WHAT:

Grades 5 to 12 students enter the contest by submitting their original essays supporting their choices of important people who had a significant impact on Canadian society in 2016.

The essay must discuss whether the person’s effect on Canadian society was positive or negative. Essays do not necessarily need to be written about people of Canadian origin.

Essays must be legible and are limited to 300 words or less. Entries over 300 words or not properly labeled will not be eligible.

Entries are judged by a national team of educators and A&E® Network executives. Essays will be judged on the following criteria: Persuasiveness (1/3); Creativity (1/3); and, Relevancy (1/3).

PRIZES:

Prizes will be awarded in two grade levels: Grades 5 to 8 and Grades 9 to12. Two winners will be selected in each level.

Each student winner receives a prize, along with the department/classroom of his/her teacher and school.

Grades 5 to 8 Level

Grand Prize (1):     

            Student: $3,000 Cash Prize (CDN)

Department/Classroom of Teacher: $1,000 Cash (CDN)

First Prize (1):

            Student: $2,000 Cash Prize (CDN)

            Department/Classroom of Teacher: $1,000 Cash (CDN)

Grades 9 to 12 Level

Grand Prize (1):

Student: $3,000 Cash Prize (CDN)

Department/Classroom of Teacher: $1,000 Cash (CDN)

First Prize (1):

Student: $2,000 Cash Prize (CDN)

Department/Classroom of Teacher: $1,000 Cash (CDN)

WHEN AND HOW:

The contest began September 1, 2016 and ends December 9, 2016. Entries must be received no later than December 9, 2016.

For complete contest rules and how to enter your class please visit: www.livesthatmakeadifference.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Jennifer Rideout

Temple Scott Associates for A&E Television Networks

416-360-6183, ext. 222 / jrideout@tsa.ca

AP Exam Info Session

Attention: 

All students who are interested in writing Advanced Placement exams this year, there will be a meeting on Friday November 11th at lunch in Room 211. Come out and find out all about the opportunity to earn University Credits!  

See Ms Patterson if you cannot attend this meeting.

Waterloo Unlimited Grade 11 'Design' applications now open

GRADE 11 THEME OF "DESIGN" WEEK

MARCH BREAK 13-17, 2017

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

From engineering and the environment to science fiction and virtual reality, students will spend a week exploring the theme of “Design” with a community of like-minded peers.

Program fee: $550 (includes meals; HST); Supervised hotel accommodation: $330
Application Deadline: Wednesday, December 14^th, 2016


Our ideal candidates are:

• well-rounded academic achievers: literate, articulate, numerate, and collaborative
• engaged with and contribute positively to family, community, and public good; and
• curious about an array of subjects, creative, positive, responsible, and enthusiastic self-starters!

CLICK HERE

SHAD Reminder

Registration deadline for SHAD is November 28th.

APPLICATION INFO IS HERE

Queen's EMC Update

We are still awaiting the release of the courses with description on the Queen's website.  They say it will be posted sometime in the month of November.

However, the application for bursaries and funding options deadline is next week November 18, 2016.
Here is the LINK.

Registration for the Enrichment Mini Course opens on December 1st.  The residence cost for this program is $795 if registered by January 31, 2017, and it raises to $815 on February 1st.

Workshop in Computer Science for Young Women in Grades 9&10 at Waterloo!

The CEMC Workshop in Computer Science for Young Women was designed to encourage young women considering computer science as a career for the first time. It is a unique opportunity designed to ignite enthusiasm for computer science in interested female students from across Canada who have had little or no previous exposure to computer science. The young women invited learn that computer science is about much more than using and programming computers. Through lectures, labs and hands-on activities, the workshop explores the foundations and applications of computer science that have a profound effect on the world today. Lasting friendships develop as participants stay in on-campus residences for one week and enjoy many social events.

Female grade 9 and 10 students with an aptitude for mathematics attending a Canadian high school or middle school. Participants should not have attended any similiar workshop.

Dates and Location

One-week session in spring 2017.

Cost

There is a $150 registration fee to be paid after invited applicants have received their confirmation package.

• Accommodations, meals and other expenses for the week are included at no extra cost.
• Air fare expenses will also be paid by the CEMC.

Applying to Attend

Applications are typically accepted from mid-January to mid-March. Applicants write a short essay explaining why they would be a good candidate. They must also have a teacher fill out a reference form on their behalf. Sign up to receive the 2017 workshop information flyer next winter.

Who is selected?

We receive many applications for this workshop. We typically receive more qualified applicants than spots available, and we use lotteries to select among similarly qualified applicants. We are looking for participants with an aptitude in mathematics but little or no previous exposure to computer science. Applicants have been notified whether or not they were selected and a waiting list has already been selected.

Pictures from Previous Workshops

Browse a small sampling of the many photos taken in past years.

Questions?

For more information, please contact us.

Programming Challenge for Grade 10 Girls (PC4G)

University of Waterloo

Programming Challenge for Girls (PC4G) is a workshop designed to introduce programming to Grade 10 girls who have never programmed before. By the end of the day, students will have learned the basics of object-oriented programming through a hands-on tutorial and challenge.

We will use the programming environment Alice and girls will be in teams of two for both the tutorial and challenge.

Intended Audience

Young women in Grade 10 from Southern Ontario who are interested in learning a little bit about programming and enjoy a challenge.

Dates and Location

This event will be on December 09, 2016.
The schedule will be similar to:

Time	Teachers	Students
8:00am-8:30am	Arrival/Registration
8:30-am-9:00am	Welcome/Introductions
9:00am-10:30am	Alice tutorial
10:30am-11:00am	Break and Snack
11:00am-1:30pm	Lectures for Supervisors	Challenge
1:30pm-2:30pm	Lunch
2:30pm-3:45pm	Lecture for Participants
3:45pm-4:00pm	Awards

Registration Information

Register your teams through our Google form.

Registration will close on November 30.

Register Today!!!

Gustav Bakos Observatory Tour

Waterloo University

Physics & Astronomy

The Observatory is open for public tours, usually on the first Wednesday of each month, offering a chance to look through the university's telescope. This will be preceded by a short talk on astronomy (around 30 minutes) plus an opportunity to ask questions, followed by a tour of the dome. In the event of bad weather, the observing will not be possible, but the talk and tour of facilities will go ahead. [No optical telescope on Earth can see through cloud - if it's too cloudy to see stars with the unaided eye (or the Sun earlier in the day), then we won't be able to see stars through the telescope.]

• Directions to the University of Waterloo
• Campus map showing how to find the Physics Building (PHY)
• Instructions for parking

Will it be clear tonight? Astronomical forecast

Cost 

only that of parking

Location 

PHY - Physics

150

200 University Avenue West

Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1

Canada

Waterloo math contest registration

Last call for Canadian Senior and Intermediate Math Contest registration!!

For dates, practice and fee please check Mrs. Barsan's website. 

For registration, please see Mrs. Barsan in room 307.

University of Toronto - Mentorship Coffeehouse Event

Are you a high school student who is passionate about science? Ever considered becoming an Engineer? Curious about what the university experience would be like? 

If so, join current Engineering students from the University of Toronto along with professionals from a variety of Engineering professions at Hi-Skule's upcoming Mentorship Coffeehouse on Saturday October 29th from 1PM-5PM.

Hi-Skule is the High School Outreach Committee of the Engineering Society of the University of Toronto, which holds events throughout the year for high school students to learn all about Engineering.

At the Mentorship Coffeehouse, you will be given the chance to talk to students who are currently studying Engineering, network with Engineers in industry and hear about their exciting experiences over coffee and a light lunch, on campus at the University of Toronto.

If you are interested in attending, sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFGluoHv5Cq1Xb58wZnep1AnOLYC-xJrSUsYB2_9E-oof60w/viewform?c=0&w=1 and feel free to email us with any questions at hiskule@skule.ca.

Visit our Facebook event page for more information https://www.facebook.com/events/345306309150353/

Foreign Language Exchanges

The following two companies offer high school credits as well as a great learning experience:

MEI International Academy

Blythe Academy

And this 3rd company does not offer credits but IRHS has had current students participate in exchanges to France!

Canadian Education Exchange Foundation

PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP

Are you interested in learning how to effectively communicate your ideas to audiences? Do you want to increase your public speaking confidence? Or do you simply like a place for your voice to be heard?

The YMCA Speaking for Peace Workshop will be occurring every Wednesday leading up to Peace Week, and is a fantastic, FREE platform for students to learn all of this and more!  Select students may even have an opportunity to speak at our YMCA Community Breakfast for Peace.

YMCA of Oakville

410 Rebecca Street, Oakville

WEBSITE

Ages: 12-15

For more information, please contact Katherine Dziedzic at katherinedz@oakville.ymca.ca or 905-845-5597 ext. 234.