Child 1 Age 7 - 8 (Female)
Program(s) focused in Programming (multi), STEM, Basketball
Child 2 Age 9 - 10 (Male)
Program(s) focused in Programming (multi), STEM, Basketball
(5) Overall experience
I am very grateful for the Active Scholars program. To my knowledge, there is no other fulsome program that equally engages in Sports and STEM and finds opportunities to intertwine the two. It invites children with different lived experiences and knowledge to either learn something new, be engaged with an activity they are interested in, all while developing social and leadership skills.
The staff at Active Scholars are caring and well-versed in their field. They have been a cheerleader for my children in the program and with their academic and extra-curricular success. Coach Chey is the sole reason my 8-year-old daughter now plays rep basketball for a U11 team. She worked hard with my daughter to get her to that level, encouraged me and walked me through this transition of investing in my daughter's talents, and repeatedly poured into my daughter that she is capable of anything.
I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for an inclusive space for their child(ren) to learn, explore, and hone in on their talents. Active Scholars is the place to be. I look forward to my children attending their upcoming summer camp.
(5) Reason for choosing the camp
Active Scholars has been a foundation for my children's love for basketball and their development in STEM. For my daughter, there was a slight interest in sports, but we often found programs that weren't designed for her age group, or in some cases, she would be the only girl in co-ed programs. For my son, who is naturally a STEM child, our challenge was finding a program that incorporated sports and STEM. So often, due to capacity and financial limitations, he would have to choose one or the other - that was, until we were introduced to Active Scholars.
This program provides the best of both worlds, and as a dancer/athlete myself, it was important for me to expose my children to environments that allow them to learn about their bodies, build confidence and a healthy competitive spirit, and be surrounded by those who look like them—representation matters!
This program was worth the investment and provided opportunities for scholarships and financial support when needed. They understand each family's needs and meet them where they are at while putting the participants first.
(5) Program quality and activities
Again, I found the itinerary of the program welcoming to unique experiences. Once my daughter had an enjoyable experience, it was an easy decision to have my son participate in the following semester.
They both enjoyed the STEM program because it incorporated challenges, creative expression and often tied in with basketball. For example, one activity allowed them to create magazine covers highlighting them as a basketball superstar as the image. This made my son's day, and he was eager to share it with his classmates. The words of encouragement that came from the Active Scholars staff also boosted his confidence.
As a parent, I also appreciated getting weekly updates in regard to activities and the sessions where we could come in and see what the kids have been working on. For my son, who currently craves that attention, the show-and-tell days of the program are the days he most looks forward to.
The Active Scholars staff also do a great job of constantly asking for feedback through forms and in-person pick-ups. As a person with a programming background, I acknowledge and appreciate the efforts they put forth to ensure the participants and families are seen and heard.
(5) Social dynamics and experience
My children made friends with the coaches and other participants in the program. By chance, my children were in the program with some other children who attended their school but didn't engage with them prior- now, as parents, we have found other programs for our children to continue to learn about STEM and continue to build their friendships. That is the beautiful part about the program: they are introduced to and engage with other children who share similar interests. This makes it easier to stand tall and proud of their unique talents, whether it is STEM or even basketball as a girl.
My children have not had any issues with bullying or inclusion. In fact, the opposite has often taken place where the Active Scholars staff have recognized the leadership skills and potential in my children and have found opportunities for them to utilize those skillsets. We often discuss how this could also translate in the house and at school.
(5) Skills and growth
The biggest growth I have recognized in my children has been their confidence. Before entering the program, they had interests in both STEM and basketball but had been comfortable with doing just the basics. When challenged to do something new, they would be afraid of failure. This program has changed their perspective on failure to now as an opportunity to learn and grow. They know hard work and dedication are what bring success, as well as trial and error. Each opportunity is an opportunity to analyze what went wrong, make adjustments, and try again. I have now seen them take this into other sports such as swimming and soccer, and even recently developing a game through coding. I couldn't be happier and prouder of their ongoing development in self-confidence.
(5) Staff/Instructors/Counsellors
The diversity and expertise of the staff really stood out for me. Especially as BIPOC female leaders in both male-dominated fields. It's a strong statement that is being put out to parents and to the general public. It shows efforts to break barriers and create systemic change. It shows my children that women can do anything, just as good as any other gender.
In addition, having youth leaders creates an opportunity for building future leaders and mentors for participants. This is something my son has been craving but has had a real connection as a Black boy who meets weekly with Black youths who share a similar interest - particularly in STEM. These subtle decisions make an impactful experience for participants like my children.
In regard to conflicts, I appreciate their collaborative approach to navigating challenging experiences. They are disciplined to stop inappropriate behaviour but then they create space to evaluate what happened, what went wrong, and the consequences, and then follow up with how the children can approach and navigate these situations in the future. These are frameworks my children have also used at home, so it is very helpful as they continue to grow and engage with different kids.
(5) Advice and tips
My only advice is to be ready to sign up your child(ren) over and over again or at least follow up with activities that can keep your children engaged. Once the door to STEM and basketball is open, you should do everything in your power to keep that engagement and interest flowing. As parents, we shouldn't introduce our children to an interest that we can't continue to support - it would be a disservice to them.
My only wish would be that I wish I would've found out about Active Scholars sooner. It would've saved me a lot of time on money that forced my children to participate in programs that did not fulfill their multiple interests.
Both my children love sports and science. They were at science and sports camp, so it was a treat for them to be able to combine both of those passions. After the camp, I noticed more questions abou...
Both of my nieces had an amazing time at Active Scholars. It's a great mix of STEM and sports, which kept them engaged and excited throughout the week. They really enjoyed the building challenges and ...
