SHAD Canada Summer Program
SHAD is a month-long enrichment program for high-achieving students focused on STEAM, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. Participants live on a university campus, work in teams to solve real-world challenges, and develop leadership skills through intensive workshops and a capstone design project addressing a community need.
Building your Award:
Review the example goal, Assessor and reflection to help you build your Gold Project
Over the course of my Gold Project, I will complete all phases of my SHAD experience: prepare by researching my host university and connecting with alumni, fully engage in the month-long program by participating in all workshops, contributing meaningfully to my design team’s project, and building relationships with peers from across Canada, then apply what I learned by presenting my experience to our school’s Grade 10 students and mentoring 3 prospective SHAD applicants.
SHAD program coordinator, school guidance counselor, or teacher who supported the application
The SHAD experience challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. Our team’s design project on food waste reduction taught me that the best solutions come from truly understanding the people you’re trying to help. I learned to give and receive feedback constructively, manage my time during an intensive schedule, and step up as a leader even when I felt uncertain. Presenting to Grade 10 students afterward helped me realize how much I’d grown. I could articulate the value of taking risks and embracing discomfort. Mentoring applicants showed me that sharing knowledge multiplies its impact.
