May 10th, 2011 – Student Transition Presentations

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Experiential Learning

Congratulations on your first presentation, Transition Team!

As part of our strategy to become further involved with the outside community and to better inform the public about our school, a group of very eager students have joined together to form the “Transition Team.”  The aim is for them to visit Grade 8 schools to talk to junior students about high school, about the transition process, and to introduce them to the YMCA Academy.  In order to collect information about what this process was like for our students, we did a short survey a few weeks ago, and the information was compiled by the BTT class and transformed into an educational Powerpoint that was used during the presentation.   Members of the team were very dedicated, practicing at lunch time and after school.

We had our first presentation last Thursday (May 5) where the students did an outstanding job of presenting to students at Dunblaine School.  Not only does this project benefit the Grade 8’s that we visit, to help calm their worries about their upcoming transition, but Academy students benefit through this service learning project by earning volunteer hours. Our Academy students represented our school well, as they shared their experiences about their Grade 9 year, and mentored the younger students on strategies to help them through the process.

If you would like more information about our Transition Presentation or would like to recommend a school that would benefit from our youth mentor “Transition Team”, please call the school at 416-928-0124 for more information.

May 10th, 2011 – Kitchen Session at Brickworks

YMCA Academy Community, Environmental Stewardship, Experiential Learning

For our 3rd Kitchen Session. Students, staff and volunteers mastered their cooking skills by tackling recipes for chicken quesadillas, guacamole, and fruit smoothies. Students left with an arsenal of healthy snack ideas and the skills to cook them.

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

May 9th, 2011 – Science Centre Field Trip Photos

YMCA Academy Experiential Learning, Science and Math

On Friday May 6th the grade 9 and 10 science classes went to the Ontario Science Centre. Our first stop was on level 5 where we explored the wonders of the human body. This gave the grade 10 class an up close and hands on experience about cells, tissues and organisms. Next we stopped off at two separate exhibits and discovered how optical illusions work as well as observed various animals in their ecosystems. After lunch we finally got to see the IMAX film Hubble, allowing the grade 9 class to see how the instrument that took all the amazing pictures they have been witnessing in the Earth and space science unit was placed into orbit.  Our trip concluded with a tour of our solar system and the universe through presentation in the center’s planetarium.

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

May 3rd, 2011 – Outward Bound Open House Pics

YMCA Academy Community, Experiential Learning, Healthy Living

The Academy Healthy Active Living classes were invited to participate in the Outward Bound Open House on Friday April 29th.

Despite rainy weather students trekked through the downtown hiking path network to the Brickworks site where they had an opportunity to:

  • Climb a 9m climbing wall
  • Climb a 18m challenge tower
  • Boulder on an indoor  bouldering wall
  • Attend a motivational presentations by inspiring staff members including a Mt. Everest climber

Thanks to Outward Bound for the invitation! We had an amazing afternoon!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Apr. 26th, 2011 – Earth Day Cleanup Photos

YMCA Academy Environmental Stewardship, Experiential Learning

In celebration of Earth Day on April 21, students from the Academy took to the local parkettes, looking like enviro super heros, with their arms full of garbage bags, and donning protective gloves in an effort to thwart litter.  We worked our way down through the park system as we cleaned our way to Metro Central HFR on Grosvenor St. to clean the park at our future school site.  It was a chance to think about the importance of taking responsibility for our neighborhood, and to reinforce our role as stewards in doing our part for our local ecosystem.  We ended our clean up with a tour of our future school, as we tried to imagine what our new school will look like (it is still office area, and has yet to be renovated).  Well done Academy students, and Happy Earth Day!


Check out the great panorama shot! Using Photosynth and iPhone

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!