SOAR

#UofTBackToSchool: Football goals and academic dreams

hjames — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 04:00:00 +0000

#UofTBackToSchool: Football goals and academic dreams

hjames Thu, 09/07/2017 - 00:00

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Griffin Assance-Goulais, a first-year life sciences student, says he dreams of playing football for the Varsity Blues and becoming a doctor (photo by Hannah James)

Hannah James

Author legacy

Hannah James

Topic

Our Community

#UofTBacktoSchool

Varsity Blues football

Faculty of Medicine

SOAR

Subheadline

When you’re shy, sometimes you need a little push.

That’s what Griffin Assance-Goulais learned when his younger brother lovingly shoved him in front of University of Toronto's Varsity Blues defensive line coach Joe Cappiello at a tryout camp in Oshawa, Ont., and said, ‘Hey coach, this is my brother Griffin and he wants to go to your school.'"

He got noticed. It was, Assance-Goulais says, exactly what he needed to pursue his dream of studying science and playing football at U of T.

“When I want something, I want it,” says Assance-Goulais, an accomplished athlete who competed in high school sports, including javelin, shotput and football.

As a high school student, he also took part in two of U of T’s programs for teens, which he says helped crystallize his goals. He spent one week last year at the Faculty of Medicine's Youth Summer Program and prior to that spent March break at the SOAR Aboriginal Youth Gathering.

High school students spread their wings at U of T’s SOAR program

hjames — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:56:16 +0000

High school students spread their wings at U of T’s SOAR program

hjames Tue, 03/21/2017 - 13:56

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From left to right, Grade 11 students Lauren Abel and Stacia Nootchtai came to U of T with chaperone Kim Pahpeguish (photo by Hannah James)

Hannah James

Author legacy

Hannah James

Topic

City & Culture

Indigenous

Education

Undergraduate Education

KPE

SOAR

From learning how to use a blood pressure cuff to smudging with an elder, Indigenous high school students spent a week at U of T checking out campus life in Canada’s biggest city.

They came from across Alberta and Ontario, from small cities, big cities and First Nations communities, to take part in U of T’s annual SOAR Aboriginal Youth Gathering. The week-long program from March 13 to 17 helped students explore the possibility of pursuing a post-secondary education.

“I like the way this place feels. It feels really homey,” said Stacia Nootchtai, a Grade 11 student from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, also known as Whitefish Lake First Nation, over breakfast in the Turtle Lounge at U of T's Centre for Indigenous Studies.

The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) has been running SOAR since 2009. Open to Indigenous teens aged 14 to 17, the program is funded through the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, guided by U of T’s Council for Aboriginal Initiatives and supported by U of T's First Nations House.

Read the Toronto Star story about SOAR

U of T welcomes Indigenous teens to the downtown Toronto campus over March Break

hjames — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:00:02 +0000

U of T welcomes Indigenous teens to the downtown Toronto campus over March Break

hjames Thu, 03/02/2017 - 16:00

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Indigenous high school students from across Ontario will spend March Break at the University of Toronto (illustration by Lindy Kinoshameg)

Hannah James

Author legacy

Hannah James

Topic

Undergraduate Students

Indigenous high school students from across Ontario will spend March Break at the University of Toronto, experiencing life on campus through the annual SOAR Aboriginal Youth Gathering.

For students coming from small or remote communities, or those who may be the first in their family to consider post-secondary education, SOAR offers a way for students to test out university life in a welcoming environment.

“What we try to do is engage their interest and get them to see themselves in higher education,” says Susan Lee, assistant manager of co-curricular diversity & equity at U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

KPE has been running SOAR since 2009. Open to Indigenous teens, aged 14 to 17, the program is funded through the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, guided by U of T’s Council for Aboriginal Initiatives and supported by First Nations House.

“I want them to know it’s open for them,” says Sarah Bear, a program coordinator and fourth year student, double-majoring in history and English. “They shouldn’t be worried about coming here. They can succeed here.”

Read about last year's SOAR activities

Students this year are coming from Thunder Bay, Atikameksheng First Nation, Toronto, Oakville, Ottawa, Dryden, Whitefish River First Nation, Brampton, Ramara, Naughton and Mississauga.

Lee says the organizers for SOAR are faculty, staff and students, who also act as mentors and role models.

Bear says she’s excited to meet this year’s cohort of students, and has helped plan a week that includes visits to various faculties across campus, Indigenous drumming, music and dance workshops and visits to First Nations House and The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto. It's an opportunity to show students they can leave home to go to school and still find a community here.

“They don’t have to give up their own culture and their own sense of identity,” says Bear.

Lee says a recent study of the SOAR program showed that a high percentage of students referenced their SOAR experience when applying to university, college or for awards. Many went on to complete post-secondary programs in everything from culinary arts to kinesiology to social work.

Sasha Reid, a former student coordinator for SOAR calls the program “life changing.” Reid is from the small town of Dryden and knows how intimidating it can be to come to a bustling city to attend University. Now in her second year of a PhD program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, she wants SOAR participants to know that anything is possible.

“It might be scary, but like a little bird leaving the nest, you might fall and hit the ground, but you might also just be able to spread your wings and fly,” Reid says.

SOAR

#UofTBackToSchool: Football goals and academic dreams

Read more about U of T's SOAR program for teens

High school students spread their wings at U of T’s SOAR program

Read more about SOAR

Read the Toronto Star story about SOAR

U of T welcomes Indigenous teens to the downtown Toronto campus over March Break

Read about last year's SOAR activities