Sheridan's 2026 summer camps build skills, confidence and community

Sheridan's 2026 summer camps gave hundreds of kids and teens hands-on experience in the skilled trades, theatre, and creative arts and a real glimpse of their future.

From electrical wiring labs to music theatre auditions prep to a week celebrating Indigenous creative careers, Sheridan's summer camp lineup this year went far beyond childcare and vacation fun. Middle schoolers wired their first residential switches. Teens from across Ontario explored pottery, animation, and screen printing. Young performers took the stage in sold-out theatre camp productions. Across every program, one thing stood out: hands-on learning has a way of changing how young people see their future – and strengthening Sheridan's ties to the communities it serves.

Pathways to education: opening doors for Indigenous youth

From July 13 to 17, Sheridan hosted 17 Indigenous youth, ages 17 to 22, for its Pathways to Education program. The students came from nine different communities across Ontario, from Burlington and Toronto to Thunder Bay and Nipissing First Nation.

Each day of the camp, supported by the Children's Education Funds Inc. (CEFI) and Ontario Power Generation's Power for Change Project, focused on a different creative field: craft and design, animation, media, illustration and photography and performing arts. Students threw pottery, screen-printed their own bandanas, and animated bouncing balls on professional software. The goal wasn't just to teach new skills. Organizers wanted to open doors to education and careers, celebrate Indigenous voices in the creative industries, and show students possibilities they may never have considered before.

"The workshop was an incredible opportunity for students to experience Sheridan's studios firsthand and discover what's possible through craft and design. Seeing every student leave with a screen-printed bandana – and a memorable hands-on experience – made the success of the day clear," says workshop facilitator Olivia Mae Sinclair, an instructor in Sheridan's Honours Bachelor of Craft and Design in the Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design.

The week closed with a celebration featuring a thanksgiving address, a performance by the Grand River Smoke Dancers – a group that performed at the FIFA World Cup – along with a meal featuring traditional First Nations ingredients.

The impact of the week was personal for many families.

"Travelling to attend this program was absolutely worth it. The week gave my brother and me a whole new perspective on college, especially through the hands-on workshops. The instructors were amazing, the activities were engaging, and everyone made us feel welcome and comfortable throughout the experience. We had an incredible time and would give the experience 100 out of 10!" said Tristyn, a participant from Thunder Bay.

Skilled trades camps and a math trail

Running the last two weeks of July, the Sheridan skilled trades and technology camps welcomed 20 students in Grades 7 to 9 to try out careers in the skilled trades. Campers wired residential switches in the electrical lab, learned to lay welding beads while building their own cowbells, and explored the machine shop, engineering, robotics, and construction spaces. Working alongside Red Seal instructors and industry-experienced staff, students got a real feel for hands-on problem-solving.

A new highlight this year was the Sheridan Math Trail, an idea inspired by the "Math Trails" concept. Students walked the campus solving problems using measurement, geometry, and estimation, seeing math and engineering at work in the world around them. The trail was built with the help of a Sheridan mechanical engineering student who also works as a camp counsellor.

The camps were funded by the Ontario Postsecondary Access and Inclusion Program (OPAIP), now in its fifth year supporting the program, along with CEFI.

Theatre camps: a community favourite

For campers ages 6 to 12, Sheridan's Theatre Camp ran for three weeks in July, each with its own theme: Wonderful World of Disney, Fantastical Adventures, and Under the Sea. In its third summer running, the camp welcomed 66 kids. Each week ended with a showcase performance, and this year children from the Oakville Sheridan College Child Care Centre daycare joined the audience.

Sheridan also launched its first Music Theatre Summer Intensive this August, a one-week program for students in Grades 10 to 12 who are preparing to audition for postsecondary theatre programs. The program is a great steppingstone to studying Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance at Sheridan. With only 25 spots available, the program sold out before it began. Students traveled from across Canada and the United States to train with Sheridan's Music Theatre Performance faculty.

"The laughter, thoughtful conversations, and reflections made it clear that the experience opened their eyes to new career pathways while helping them recognize their own potential. It's a fantastic initiative, and I'd love to be part of it again next year," says Lara Arabian, part-time faculty, Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance.

Registration details for 2027 camps will be announced in the coming months.