Sheridan to provide unique learning experience to young people

Twenty young students from the Jane and Finch neighbourhood of Toronto will be getting an in-depth introduction to the college experience when they arrive at Sheridan next week for a five-day academy sponsored by the college in partnership with Urban Squash Toronto. 

Founded in 2010 as a charitable organization, Urban Squash Toronto strives to ensure the future success of underserved Toronto youth.  Offering an intensive after-school  education program together with concentrated squash training, Urban Squash helps motivated and talented students reach their full academic, athletic and personal potentials.  Participants are selected at the Grade 6 level and remain in the program throughout their high school years. 

“We’re very excited to partner with Sheridan to provide our students with a fuller appreciation of college as a postsecondary option,” says Shivani Ruparell, Executive Director of Urban Squash Toronto.  “Some of our kids are about to transition to high school this fall, and we believe an experience like this will help to motivate and inspire them by demonstrating some of the range of options that will be open to them after completing high school.”

The students will be housed in residence at Sheridan’s Trafalgar Campus in Oakville, and will be immersed in a wide range of workshops and activities designed to show them the breadth of educational opportunities at Sheridan.  Their schedule will include a theatre workshop, business case competition, glass-blowing and textile design, engineering workshop, animation night, introduction to the world of computing, a visit to the Human Performance Lab at Sheridan’s Davis Campus, and a class in which they can design and build their own computer game.  The week will be capped off with a graduation ceremony on Friday, August 1.  The students’ family members will be bussed in from Toronto to share in this special occasion.

“We look forward to welcoming these young people to Sheridan and showing them the breadth of learning opportunities we offer,” said Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, Sheridan’s President.  “Urban Squash Toronto is performing an important and transformative role in their lives, and we’re delighted to lend our support.”