In his memoir “Uncle Tungsten,” the late Oliver Sacks wrote at length about his boyhood chemistry experiments, cloistered away in an attic, exploring a world that, in a range of ways, captured his intellect and his passion. The one thing that it wasn’t, however, was social. Like so many of the science stories of the past—Galileo, Tesla, Newton, and on and on—an interest in science meant working alone. Happily, with the growth of STEM programs, we’re getting beyond that. More than ever, science is collaborative, socially engaging, and fun, all things that the York programs have long sought to bring forward. The sessions engage with the outcomes of the provincial curriculum, and build off what the campers are learning during the school year. But the sessions also extend that in a range of meaningful ways, through hands-on, cooperative learning. Students work within a professional setting, lead by student leaders that themselves are working in those fields throughout the year. All of that can be transformative to a young person’s love of science and their place within it, and in growing an ability to collaborate creatively with others around a unique set of problems. The facilities, as you’d expect, are exceptional—a majority of the sessions take place within Faculty of Science at the Keele Campus of York University—as is the organization of the programs and sessions. For some campers, it's an introduction to university life, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better one.
