“Shad is an excellent summer enrichment program that provides high achieving students with opportunities to develop 21st-century skills. Many Shads have used these skills to gain acceptances to highly coveted post-secondary programs and to win prestigious scholarships. Students participate in real-life engaging STEAM and entrepreneurial projects while forming lasting friendships. Students return from Shad having blossomed and gained much self-confidence.”

“As an educator, I believe we have a duty to provide our students with as many opportunities as possible, and I would put Shad at the top because it has such a long-term positive impact on the students who participate.”

“Two of our students returned from Shad’s program more empowered, motivated, and eager to drive their own learning; one of them started a robotics club at school, and the other received a two-year scholarship to attend Pearson College. Were they motivated before attending Shad? Yes. Were they visible leaders before attending Shad? Yes. But they were looking for more. More than what our rural community could provide them. … I think it’s important that students have experiences like Shad. When students immerse themselves for a whole month at a program like Shad, it totally changes their DNA.”