A remarkable high school student from Fort Macleod is attending the award-winning Shad Valley program in July 2011.
Gabrielle Kirk from F.P. Walshe school was selected from more than 1,000 applicants across Canada.
Shad Valley participants are exposed to science and innovation in a fun, team-based environment, and encouraged to grow in ways they never anticipated.
With more than 30 years as a not-for-profit, Shad Valley takes place at 10 universities around the country, and participants gain firsthand experience of campus life.
Staying in residence, 500 of the nation’s brightest high school students converge in an exciting atmosphere centered on fusing innovation, entrepreneurship, science and technology.
Through lectures, workshops and team-building activities run by university faculty and industry leaders, students are exposed to advanced topics that don’t regularly feature in the high school curriculum.
This exposure, combined with Shad Valley’s outstanding reputation, give participants a strong advantage when applying to university and in their future careers.
“Entrepreneurial thinking is crucial to increasing productivity in Canada and keeping the country competitive on the world stage. Shad Valley is playing its part by planting the seeds of innovation and entrepreneurship early in high school students,” Shad Valley president Barry Bisson said. “As a means of helping to develop their entrepreneurial mindset, a key part of the program is a national entrepreneurship competition that simulates a start-up venture, requiring student teams to prepare business plans, complete patent searches and design prototypes.”
Acceptance to Shad Valley is a competitive, application-based process. Participants have top marks and a strong community focus, and come from all socio-economic backgrounds.
A financial awards package of scholarships and bursaries provides assistance to candidates who need support towards their participant fee.
The program gives students an academic head start for university and the confidence needed to become our future leaders.
“We are building tomorrow’s industry and academic leaders by instilling a spirit of excellence in them and exposing them to science and business in a dynamic group environment,” Bisson said. “The strong sense of community that is created for participants is one of Shad Valley’s strengths. Students leave the program feeling connected to other highly motivated and exceptional students and benefit from a significant life-long competitive advantage. When they are at university or looking for jobs, Shad Valley alumni are there to support each other. With Shad Valley’s 30-year history and almost 12,000 alumni, there are many people to draw on.”
Shad Valley looks for students in Grade 10, 11 or 12 with high academic achievement with a passion for science, engineering, math or technology; exceptional drive, initiative, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mind; excellence and leadership in diverse pursuits, including athletics, the arts and work; strong volunteer impact and outstanding interpersonal skills
“At Shad Valley, we inspire participants to dream big and achieve their full potential,” Bisson said. “The personal growth that participants experience is life-changing and transformational. With increased confidence, exposure to innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, and enhanced problem-solving skills, Shad Valley alumni are ready to make a strong impact on Canada and the world.”