SHAD programing is offered every July at 16 university campuses across the country.
Students across Canada are selected to participate, pay a fee and spend one month in residence at a university that is not in their home province.
The central location for SHAD at UPEI will be the new School of Sustainable Design Engineering. The SHAD student participants will, for example, take part in a mini robotics course, among many other activities.
The Government of PEI is putting in $28,000 and also helping participants with off-campus tours of industry and cultural sites.
“Prince Edward Island is thrilled to host 50 of the brightest young minds in Canada so they can experience what our province has to offer including our leading researchers in aerospace, and bioscience,” says Sonny Gallant, Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning.
“SHAD is one-of-a-kind program,” says Abby Hackett who went to SHAD at Carleton University this summer and is now in grade 11 at Westisle High School. “It really changed my life in so many ways.”
“SHAD helped me realize that if you don’t push yourself to try new things or go outside of your comfort zone then you will miss out on so many opportunities,” says Madeline Hamill who is in grade 12 at Kinkora Regional High School.
SHAD, founded in 1980, has become known as a leading incubator for innovation and entrepreneurship among high school students who have a passion for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) and Entrepreneurship.
Upon completion of the SHAD program, participants become Fellows, connected to a network of 16,300 alumni including 32 Rhodes Scholars and leaders in many fields across the country.
SHAD is open to students in grades 10 to 12 and is currently accepting applications for the summer of 2018 from now until November 20 at www.shad.ca/apply.
SHAD says it is looking for well-rounded, curious students from the Island with a passion to learn. Many SHADs are heavily involved in extra-curricular activities in school or in their community.
Students live in residence at one of 16 host university campuses. They attend lectures and workshops offered by leading faculty and community leaders and participate in field trips to see science and innovation in action. There are recreational activities to round out the learning.
