Laurier empowers high school students from across Canada during Shad Laurier STEAM and entrepreneurship program

Aug. 13, 2024

More than 60 Grade 10 and 11 students from across Canada are leaving Wilfrid Laurier University with new experiences in leadership, innovation and community engagement.

The students participated in the Shad Laurier program, a month-long experiential learning initiative designed to build high-potential high school students’ skills and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics (STEAM), and entrepreneurship.

Throughout July, Shad Laurier participants engaged in activities beyond the typical classroom experience. They participated in a camping trip, panel discussions with Laurier alumni and City of Waterloo councillors, and the Laurier StartUp Lab. The program also featured lectures by Laurier faculty and staff on diverse topics including immunology, game design and Indigeneity, along with hands-on experiences including lab exercises and workshops in art and engineering. The month concluded with a celebratory closing banquet, recognizing students’ accomplishments and the skills they developed through the program.

“This month has been amazing,” said Ray Tan, a Grade 10 student from Stouffville, Ontario. “We visited major companies like Google and Toyota and even did a sheep brain dissection in a lab on the Brantford campus. That particular activity was a highlight of my experience at Shad Laurier.”

A standout feature of the Shad Laurier program is the design entrepreneurship challenge, where students apply their knowledge to develop an innovative and practical solution to a real-world problem. This year’s challenge focused on integrating affordable and reliable green energy sources into the everyday lives of Canadian youth to foster more sustainable communities. Each design team worked closely with design leaders during daily sessions, discussing key learnings and refining their projects. The winning project, “Re-Gen,” was an e-bike equipped with a self-charging system through regenerative braking.

“When creating our solution, we considered how people live and how we could integrate energy sources into that,” said Ethan Leung, a Grade 11 student from Toronto. “We developed our solution using induction and regenerative braking to power an e-bike kit. The system converts kinetic energy into electricity whenever you brake, storing it in a battery that powers the motor. This reduces reliance on fossil fuel-based electricity and provides a cheaper, more accessible option for people to use bikes instead of cars.”

For many students, Shad Laurier also presented an opportunity for personal growth.

“I joined Shad because it’s a great environment to build connections and become more independent,” said Vismayaa Subhashsj, a Grade 10 student from Mississauga. “At first, I was apprehensive because I’m an introvert, but that quickly changed. The environment here is welcoming, friendly and supportive. It quickly felt like home.”

Key speakers as part of the Shad Laurier program included Tim Jackson, president and CEO of Shad Canada; Shawn Chen, assistant branch manager at RBC; and experts from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and Quantum Algorithms Institute.

Laurier faculty and staff also contributed, sharing their expertise across various disciplines. Among them were Maria Cantallini-Williams, dean of the Faculty of Education; Christian Danve M. Castroverde, assistant professor of Biology; Adam Metzler, associate professor of Mathematics; Trevor Saunderson, senior laboratory coordinator in Mathematics; Ryan Neepin and Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professors of Education; Darren Thomas, associate vice-president: Indigenous Initiatives and associate professor of Indigenous Studies; Bruce McKay, dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences; Bruce Gillespie, associate professor of User Experience Design; Scott Nicholson, professor of Game Design and Development; Demian Kogutek, assistant professor of Music Therapy; Jonathan Finn, professor in the Faculty of Arts; Brandon Leis, lecturer in Community Music and Voice; Gena Braun, research instrumentation technician; Kristen McFall, Lab coordinator; Eric Meliton, manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office, Cherish Hwang, financial literacy specialist; and Jason Whalen and Adrian Krebs from the Laurier StartUp Lab.

About Shad Canada

Shad Canada is a STEAM and entrepreneurship program for students in Grade 10 and Grade 11 that includes partnerships with 23 Canadian universities. During the month-long program, students live on campus, attend workshops in university labs, and participate in a real-world design challenge that tackles social and economic challenges. The Shad program, first launched in 1981, is transformational and life changing. Many of its more than 20,000 alumni go on to make significant contributions in their chosen fields globally. Learn more at shad.ca.