Our mentorship program aims to pair high school and university students through
discussions of community and science. The program is designed to share knowledge,
expertise and enthusiasm between graduate students and high school youth, making
stronger connections between the university and the community. The mentors aim to
foster inquiry and problem-solving skills through scientific discovery to help equip the mentees for success in their current and future educational paths.
This past year we were privileged to work together with 12 youth in grades 10-12 from
the Katarokwi Learning Centre (KLC). Our projects were a collaboration led by the
interests of our mentees, and on relevance to their own community. This resulted in
coverage of a wide spectrum of topics from women's and men's health, human anatomy,
structure and evolution of the brain, physical and chemical properties of water, to
microscopic life in the Rideau Lakes watershed.
We thank Kiera LaPierre (Indigenous Community Outreach Coordinator) and Laura
Maracle (Indigenous Culture Safety Co-ordinator) at the Four Directions Centre, and KLC
high school teachers Lacey Siemonsen, Alex O'Leary and Scott Nichol for their guidance
and amazing support!
Working alongside Bruce Elliott (Program Co-ordinator) and Assistant Co-ordinator
Chelsea Jackson, are graduate student mentors Christina Ferrone, Jina Nanayakkara,
Matteo Zago-Schmitt, Isabelle Grenier-Pleau, Pooja Sridhar and Ryan Marks.