Shad valley
Encyclopedia
Shad Valley is a Canadian
summer enrichment program for high school
students that runs every year, primarily in July. The program is open to both Canadian and international students, and runs in ten participating university campuses across Canada, where the students live in residence
. It is focused on business
, science
, mathematics
, and engineering
.
The Shad Valley program was founded by Dr. Derek Lane-Smith, a teacher, physicist, and entrepreneur. The first summer program ran at St. Andrew’s College
in Aurora
, Ontario
in July, 1981, and has since expanded to ten university campuses across Canada.
The Shad Valley program is run by Shad Valley International (formerly known as the Shad Valley Centre for Creative Technology), a non-profit organization
based in Waterloo
, Ontario. Shad Valley International also ran the Pesk’a Aboriginal Shad Valley Program, which ended in the summer of 2009. Barry Bisson is the current president of Shad Valley International.
There is a rigorous application process, which goes in depth into both the students' academics and extra-curriculars. In 2011, approximately 1050 students applied, with over 900 students meeting the requirements for Shad Valley. With only about 50 spots available per campus, 500 students were accepted.
A typical day at Shad Valley can include workshops, seminars, staff and guest lectures, recreation time, and group projects. Students also participate in off-campus day trips, based on the region’s attractions.
, eleven
, or twelve
(Secondaire IV, V, or CEGEP I in Quebec), or the international equivalent, may apply for Shad Valley. Applications deadlines are in early December and early January
for Canadian citizens/permanent residents and $8,000 CAD for international students. Travel expenses to and from the program are not included in the program fee. Financial assistance from Shad Valley International is available.
, marketing plan
, promotional strategy package, external resources plan, website
, and create a working prototype
of their product. One winning project is selected from each campus every year to advance to national judging between the ten campuses.
The results of the competition are announced during the Research In Motion/Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup Awards, which takes place every Fall. The awards will be:
The theme for the 2011 Research In Motion/Shad Cup was "Improving the Quality of Life for a Canadian Child with a Disability". Previous themes included: "Disaster & Emergency Preparedness" (2004), "Health & Wellness" (2005), "The Great Canadian Energy Challenge" (2006), "Zero Waste Technology" (2007), "Design with Conscience" (2008), "Nature and Natural Fibres" (2009), "Designing for Canada's Aging Population" (2010), and "Designing for a Canadian Child with a Disability" (2011).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
summer enrichment program for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students that runs every year, primarily in July. The program is open to both Canadian and international students, and runs in ten participating university campuses across Canada, where the students live in residence
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
. It is focused on business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
.
The Shad Valley program was founded by Dr. Derek Lane-Smith, a teacher, physicist, and entrepreneur. The first summer program ran at St. Andrew’s College
St. Andrew's College (Aurora, Ontario)
St. Andrew's College, also known as SAC, is an independent school founded in 1899 located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a university-preparatory school for boys in grades 6 to 12, with a focus on academic achievement, athletics, and leadership development...
in Aurora
Aurora, Ontario
Aurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in July, 1981, and has since expanded to ten university campuses across Canada.
The Shad Valley program is run by Shad Valley International (formerly known as the Shad Valley Centre for Creative Technology), a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
based in Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario. Shad Valley International also ran the Pesk’a Aboriginal Shad Valley Program, which ended in the summer of 2009. Barry Bisson is the current president of Shad Valley International.
There is a rigorous application process, which goes in depth into both the students' academics and extra-curriculars. In 2011, approximately 1050 students applied, with over 900 students meeting the requirements for Shad Valley. With only about 50 spots available per campus, 500 students were accepted.
Program overview
During the program, students live in residence at one of ten participating university campuses across Canada. The program is run by university faculty and staff, and focuses on science, engineering, technology, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Each campus plans its own events and activities so schedules and opportunities vary from campus to campus, however each campus has the same basic format and themes. Participants and alumni of the program are often colloquially known as "Shads".A typical day at Shad Valley can include workshops, seminars, staff and guest lectures, recreation time, and group projects. Students also participate in off-campus day trips, based on the region’s attractions.
Eligibility
Students in grades tenTenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
, eleven
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
, or twelve
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
(Secondaire IV, V, or CEGEP I in Quebec), or the international equivalent, may apply for Shad Valley. Applications deadlines are in early December and early January
Program cost
Shad Valley costs $3,850 CADCanadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
for Canadian citizens/permanent residents and $8,000 CAD for international students. Travel expenses to and from the program are not included in the program fee. Financial assistance from Shad Valley International is available.
Research In Motion/Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup
Every year, the program is given a project theme. Students collaborate to simulate a start-up venture, based around a product or service that addresses the theme. Groups complete a business planBusiness plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
, marketing plan
Marketing plan
A marketing plan may be part of an overall business plan.Solid marketing strategy is the foundation of a well-written marketing plan. While a marketing plan contains a list of actions, a marketing plan without a sound strategic foundation is of little use....
, promotional strategy package, external resources plan, website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, and create a working prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of their product. One winning project is selected from each campus every year to advance to national judging between the ten campuses.
The results of the competition are announced during the Research In Motion/Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup Awards, which takes place every Fall. The awards will be:
- Best Website Award
- Best Prototype Award
- Best Application of Theme Award
- Best Application of Scientific Principles Award
- Best Marketing Award
- Best Business Plan Award
- Best Overall Award
The theme for the 2011 Research In Motion/Shad Cup was "Improving the Quality of Life for a Canadian Child with a Disability". Previous themes included: "Disaster & Emergency Preparedness" (2004), "Health & Wellness" (2005), "The Great Canadian Energy Challenge" (2006), "Zero Waste Technology" (2007), "Design with Conscience" (2008), "Nature and Natural Fibres" (2009), "Designing for Canada's Aging Population" (2010), and "Designing for a Canadian Child with a Disability" (2011).
Current
There are currently ten Shad campuses:- Carleton UniversityCarleton UniversityCarleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
(since 1989) - Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
(since 2001) - Lakehead UniversityLakehead UniversityLakehead University is a public research university in Thunder Bay, and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', or 'LU', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate and graduate programs and a medical school.The school has more than 45,000...
in Thunder BayThunder Bay-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario (since 1999) - Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
in St. John'sSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
(since 2003) - McMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in HamiltonHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario (since 1998) - Queen's UniversityQueen's UniversityQueen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in KingstonKingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario (since 2004) - Université LavalUniversité LavalLaval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
in Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
(since 2006) - University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
(since 1986) - University of New BrunswickUniversity of New BrunswickThe University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
in Fredericton, New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
(since 1985) - University of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooThe University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
in WaterlooWaterloo, OntarioWaterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario (since 1983)
Former
- Acadia UniversityAcadia UniversityAcadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
in WolfvilleWolfville, Nova ScotiaWolfville is a small town in the Annapolis Valley, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, located about northwest of the provincial capital, Halifax. As of 2006, the population was 3,772....
, Nova Scotia (1988–2000) - Bark Lake/Trent UniversityBark Lake (Ontario)Bark Lake is a lake in the Township of South Algonquin, in Nipissing District in Ontario, Canada. It lies near Madawaska, Ontario on the Madawaska River where the tributary Opeongo River joins.-References:...
in South AlgonquinSouth Algonquin, OntarioSouth Algonquin is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario. Located in the Nipissing District south of Algonquin Park, it is the sole populated portion of the district that lies south of the traditional dividing line between Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario.The township had a population...
, Ontario (1997) - Queen's University International Study CentreHerstmonceux CastleHerstmonceux Castle is a brick-built Tudor castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, United Kingdom. From 1957 to 1988 its grounds were the home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory...
in HerstmonceuxHerstmonceuxHerstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:...
, East SussexEast SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(2001-02) - St. Andrew’s CollegeSt. Andrew's College (Aurora, Ontario)St. Andrew's College, also known as SAC, is an independent school founded in 1899 located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a university-preparatory school for boys in grades 6 to 12, with a focus on academic achievement, athletics, and leadership development...
in AuroraAurora, OntarioAurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
, Ontario (1981–82) - Trent UniversityTrent UniversityTrent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
in PeterboroughPeterborough, OntarioPeterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, Ontario (2005–08) - University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryThe University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
(1984–2008) - Université de SherbrookeUniversité de SherbrookeThe Université de Sherbrooke is a large university with campuses located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal approximately west of Sherbrooke. It is one of two universities, and the only French language university, in the Estrie region of Quebec.In 2007, the...
in Sherbrooke, Quebec (1988–2000) - University of ManitobaUniversity of ManitobaThe University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
(1986–95) - University of StrathclydeUniversity of StrathclydeThe University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
in GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(2000)
Internships
Shad Valley students are also eligible for a summer volunteer internship for the month of August, immediately following the July program. Shad Valley assists students in finding an internship.Alumni
Shad Valley has 12,384 alumni in 36 countries, twenty-two of whom are Rhodes Scholars. Several Canadian post-secondary schools offer scholarships for Shad Valley alumni.Awards
- NOVA Corporation Global Best Award
- Canadian Best Practice in Youth, Science and Technology
- Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion
- National Award for Excellence in Business-Education Partnerships, Conference Board of Canada
- 2005 ASTech Awards Recipient