Chemistry students explore properties of compounds

Zareh Demirdji Experiential Learning, Science and Math No Comments

The atom is the basic unit of matter. All the elements in the universe are made up of atoms, each possessing its own set of physical and chemical properties. The grade 9 chemistry unit is all about exploring matter. Throughout the unit, students are introduced to the atom and the characteristics of its subatomic particles, the periodic table, and most importantly, the information the periodic table holds about the physical and chemical properties of elements.

The grade 9 science class set out to experiment and observe the physical and chemical properties of a set of four chemical compounds in order to determine which of them, if any, are part of the same family. Students ran a series of chemical reactions and recorded their observations in order to determine the answer and to justify it with evidence.

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Academy student wins big at Special Olympics

Susan Couprie Community, Student Spotlight No Comments

YMCA Academy student wins Special Olympics medal

Congratulations to Ben Caplan!

Ben completed at the Special Olympics in Corner Brook, NL earlier this month. His floor hockey Team, the Scarboro Cyclones, won the silver medal and Ben received the MVP award.

Well done, Ben!

Toronto musicians visit Academy music class

YMCA Academy Arts, Community, Experiential Learning No Comments

This semester, for the first time, The YMCA Academy is offering a music class. As part of the learning experience, the class welcomed two special guests in the first weeks of the semester: singer-songwriters Luke Correia-Damude from the band PEERS, and Graydon James of the group The Young Novelists.

Luke shared with students his approach to writing songs, and demonstrated how a song starts as an idea and builds into a finished product. “I liked the songs he sang,” says Lita, a student in the class. “They were real.” Ben, another music student at the Academy, agrees. “I liked the music that he made,” he says. “I’d never seen that before.”

Graydon focused his visit on the experience of being a live performer. He discussed stagecraft, and explained how musicians set up tours and make a living through their art. “He was a pretty cool guy to have,” Ben says. “I didn’t know you can travel to different cities. This was new for me.” Lita adds, “I just liked hearing stories about how he toured.”

Inviting people from the community into our school is a vital way to provide authentic, experiential learning opportunities. This is especially important in the arts; hearing a wide variety of creative voices helps our students shape their craft and discover their inner artist.

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YMCA Academy CLOSED today

YMCA Academy Updates No Comments

WINTER WEATHER ALERT: School is CLOSED today

Due to the transportation impacts of the recent Winter Storm Warning, The YMCA Academy is CLOSED today (Wednesday, March 2, 2016). See you on Thursday, March 3.

Megathon challenge: Rowing for 12 hours

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Events, YMCA of Greater Toronto No Comments

Students, teachers, staff, and supporters of The YMCA Academy will row for 12 hours straight on Saturday, March 5.

This challenge, part of the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Megathon event, will also raise awareness about the role physical fitness plays in mental health. Being active reduces the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression — issues that impact many young people. In fact, the 12-hour row will serve as the kickoff of a long-term Academy initiative to promote this connection school-wide,

Best of all, group endurance events like this one are great proof that working as a team to meet a challenge makes you stronger and lets you reach even higher.

To support the Academy’s 12-hour rowing challenge, visit our Megathon fundraising page.