We offer a variety of enrichment programs and activities for students of all ages.
Programs during the school year
| Focus | Title | Audience | Date | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting, Finance | Financial Literacy Competition | Grades 9 – 11 | May and December | Supports and enhances financial literacy education within Canadian high schools. |
| Astronomy, Science | Gustav Bakos Observatory tours | All ages | Year-round (public tours usually the first Wednesday of every month or pre-scheduled group tours). | Tours include a visit to the observatory dome on the roof of the Physics Building, and a chance to observe the sky with various telescopes (weather-permitting). |
| Chemistry | Avogadro Exam and Chem 13 News Exam Contest | Grade 11 (Avogadro) and 12 (Chem 13) students | May | Written by more than 6,000 Grade 11 and 12 students every May. School registration is due two weeks before the exams. |
| Computer Science | Female-identifying Grade 9 and 10 students withinÌýCanada | Spring | A week-long workshop to spark interest in computer science through lectures, labs, and hands-on activities. No computer science experience necessary. | |
| Computer Science | Grades 9 – 12 | November – May | Students around the world participate in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's computing contests each year. | |
| Computer Science | Grades 9 – 12 | On-demand | Learn to program using the Python language through interactive, text-based teaching. | |
| Computer Science | Grades 7 – 12 | On-demand | Lessons, interactive activities, enrichment challenges, and unlimited opportunity for practice with feedback | |
| Computer Science | GIRLsmarts4tech | Girls and gender-diverse students in grades 6 and 7 | October | A free one-day workshop to inspire young girls and gender diverse individuals to explore technology. |
| Computer Science | Technovation | Girls and gender-diverse individuals aged 8 – 18 | January – May | A free program that equips participants with the skills to become tech entrepreneurs and leaders. Participants will submit their final project to the Technovation Global Challenge. |
| Computer Science | WiCS Con | Grades 9 and up | May | A free conference for women and gender-diverse students interested in computer science and related fields. Sessions are led by engineers and mentors from high-tech companies, WiCS, and students. |
| Engineering | Catalyst Conference | Female and non-binary students in grade 11 | April | Engages women and non-binary students in grade 11 through hands-on workshops, a design competition, and campus-life experiences in a two-day event. |
| Engineering, Science | ChemÌý& Nano Lab Day | Grades 10Ìý– 12 | October 14, 2025 | Try out free hands-on activities and see how chemical and nanotechnology innovations are powering breakthroughs in sustainability, energy, and medicine. |
| Engineering, Science | Engineering Science Quest | Grades K – 12 | Throughout the year | Increases students’ confidence in science, engineering, and technology through camps, clubs, events, and workshops that empower youth to shape the future. |
| Engineering, Science | Engineering Science Quest – All In Programs | Grades K – 12 | Throughout the year | Extends ESQ programming to youth living with disabilities through partnerships with organizations such as Autism Ontario, Monarch House, and Oak Bridge Academy. |
| Engineering, Science | Engineering Science Quest – Library Programs | Grades K – 8 | Throughout the year | Provides STEM clubs and workshops through local library branches, giving students opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, and math off-campus. |
| Engineering, Science | ESQube In-School Workshops | Grades K – 12 | September – June | Delivers hands-on STEM learning tied directly to the Ontario science and math curriculum through in-school workshops booked by teachers. |
| Engineering, Science | Indigenous Youth Programs | Grades K – 12 | Throughout the year | Delivers hands-on STEM learning through the lens of Two Eyed Seeing through in-school workshops booked by teachers, and community events with partnering organizations. |
| Engineering, Science | Kids on Campus | Grade 4 | September – June | Invites Grade 4 classes to campus for hands-on STEM activities and tours of innovative design spaces. Booked exclusively through teachers. |
| Engineering, Science | STEMpowered | Grades 2 – 12 | Throughout the year |
Free summer day camp programs for self-identifying Black youth. Features STEM mentors and hands-on activities designed by engineering, science, and education university students to explore STEM. |
| Engineering, Science | STEMpowered conference | Grades 10 – 12 | May | Engages self-identifying Black youth in Grades 10–12 with hands-on workshops, a design competition, and campus-life experiences. |
| Engineering, Science | Women in Engineering | Grades 2 – 12 | Throughout the year | Increases girls and non-binary youths’ confidence in science, engineering, and technology through clubs, events, and workshops that empower youth to shape the future. |
| Engineering, Science | 2SLGBTQIA+ Programs | Grades 6 – 12 | Throughout the year | Offers free after-school STEM workshops for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, supported by UÀ¶Ý®ÊÓƵ EngiQueers students and local community partners such as OK2BME. |
| Engineering, Science, and Mathematics | Engineering Hive Mind Tutoring | Students in Grades 10, 11 or 12 who have applied or plan to apply to STEM programs | Various | Provides free virtual tutoring in chemistry, physics, functions, and math courses for high school students who require additional support. |
| Geography, Canadian and World Issues, Economics, Science | School visits | Grades 9 – 12 | September to mid-April | Choose from one of three 75-minute presentations: Climate change (Grades 9-12), oil sands (Grades 11-12), or the sharing economy (Grades 11-12). Includes discussion, brainstorming, related careers and demos of equipment used in labs (e.g., drones, snow collection data). Email Sophie Dallaire for details. |
| Earth and Environmental Sciences | Earth Sciences Museum | Grades K – 12 | Year-round | Free in-class or in-museum programs on a variety of earth and environmental science topics. From dinosaurs, rocks and minerals to water and natural disasters. |
| Earth Sciences | Mitigating Microplastics at the Earth Sciences Museum | Grades 9 – 12 | Year-round | Tour the Ecohydrology lab and participate in a hands on program. Experience what researchers here in the Earth and Environmental Science's Department are doing to mitigate microplastics. |
| Resource management, Earth Sciences | Rocks, Minerals and Microscopes at the Earth Sciences Museum | Grades 9 – 12 | Year-round | A hands-on examination of where our rock and mineral resources come from and how they are applied in our society. |
| Resource responsibilities, Earth Sciences | Earth Sciences Museum | Grades 7 – 10 | Year-round | An in-class workshop designed to introduce students to the mining industry in Canada, environmental concerns associated with mining and current research into mine site remediation |
| Health, Kinesiology | Kinesiology Lab days | Grade 11 – 12 | Mid-December | Visit kinesiology labs and participate in hands-on workshops. |
| Health, Neuroscience | University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Brain Bee | Grades 9 – 12 | Early March | Answer questions about the brain and neuroscience. The winner will compete in the National Brain Bee. |
| Mathematics | Grades 6 – 8 | March break | Free week-long day camp that builds mathematical skills through immersive lessons and collaborative challenges led by university faculty and students. | |
| Mathematics | Female-identifying Grade 8 students | January | Introduces programming through a series of virtual sessions to female-identifying students with minimal or no programming experience. | |
| Mathematics | Grades 11 – 12 | Throughout the school year | Monthly problems intended to challenge enthusiastic high school math students who want to explore something extracurricular and prepare for challenging mathematics contest questions. | |
| Mathematics | Grades 6 – 12 | School year | A free weekly enrichment program, with online and in-person offerings at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ. Students explore mathematical topics beyond the standard curriculum through direct instruction and problem-solving activities. Registration opens in September and January. | |
| Mathematics | Grades 7 – 12 | On-demand | Free online lessons, interactive worksheets. | |
| Mathematics | , e.g., Euclid,ÌýCanadian Computing Competition | Grades 7 – 12 | Throughout the year | Students around the world participate in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s math contests each year. |
| Mathematics | Math contest preparation webinars | Grades 11 – 12 | October and February | Interactive webinars from math professors. You'll practise problems similar to those found in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's math contests. |
| Mathematics | Grades 7 – 12 | Throughout the school year | Free problem-solving workshops in math and computer science, conducted inÌýschool classrooms. Sessions often include discussions of the uses of and careers in math and computer science. | |
| Mathematics | Female-identifying Grade 9 and 10 students | May | A one-day workshop to demonstrate that math is fun, relevant, and leads to exciting careers. Female-identifying students will meet À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ math graduates and explore howÌýmathÌýis used. | |
| Mathematics | Grades 3 – 12 | On-demand | Materials that support curriculum and enrichment. | |
| Mathematics | Grades 3 – 12 | Throughout the school year | Problems from various areas of mathematics are posted and emailed to subscribers. | |
| Physics | Sir Isaac Newton Physics Exam | Grades 9 – 12 | Early May | Challenging Physics exam for high school students designed to be fun and engaging. Registration is due in April. |
| Science | Grades K – 12 | Throughout the school year | Hands-on science activities aligned to the Ontario curriculum, brought free to classrooms by À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ student volunteers. |
Summer programs
| Focus | Title | Audience | Date | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth and Environmental Science | GeoX Summer Camp |
High school students entering Grades 11 or 12 in September 2025 |
August 10-16 |
A one-week summer camp for students interested in earth and environmental sciences. Stay in residence and travel to various locations, including an active mine. |
| Engineering, leadership | Catalyst Summer Program | GradesÌý10 – 12Ìý | July and August | Develop leadership skills by drawing on À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's strengths in engineering, science, and entrepreneurship, andÌýinnovation in this two-week program. |
| Engineering, science | Engineering Science Quest | Grades 1 – 9 | July and August | Increases students’ confidence in science, engineering, and technology through week-long summer camps, empowering youth to become the change the world needs. |
| Engineering, science | STEMpowered | Grades 2 – 12 | July and August |
Free summer day camp programs for self-identifying Black youth. Features STEM mentors and hands-on activities designed by engineering, science, and education university students to explore STEM. |
| Engineering, science | STEMpowered Leader in Training (LIT) | Grades 10 – 12 | July and August | Builds leadership skills through group problem-solving, program development and delivery experience, and first-hand work with children, while earning volunteer hours. Free for self-identifying Black youth. |
| Engineering, leadership | ESQ Leader in Training (LIT) | Grades 10 – 12 | July and August | Builds leadership skills through group problem-solving, program development and delivery experience, and first-hand work with children, while earning volunteer hours. |
| Engineering, cryptography | Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students (QCSYS) | Grades 10 – 12 | August | Week-long program that focuses on quantum cryptography, hosted by the Institute for Quantum Computing. |
| Kinesiology and Health Sciences | Individual students who have completed Grade 11 or 12 | July and August | A one-day session of anatomical education at a first-year university level. Great for high school students interested in pursuing university programs in kinesiology, health science, or biology. | |
| Mathematics | Ìý | High school students who have completed at least Grade 11 university stream mathematics | Summer | The course will develop students’ mathematical problem-solving ability through self-guided videos, quizzes, assignments, and online discussion boards. |
| Sciences, engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship | Grade 10 or 11 | July | A four-week summer enrichment program. Students spend a month living in residence. | |
| Sports camps | All ages | Throughout the summer | A variety of sports camps offered throughout the summer. | |
| Tech entrepreneurship forÌýBlack girls and/or other underrepresented minorities | FLIGHT | Black girls and/or other underrepresented minorities aged 13 – 18 | Last two weeks in July | A two-week virtual summer camp where students work in teams to create a technology-backed business idea around a problem related to the UN SDGs. |
| University experience | Canadian and international students aged 15 to 17 | June 23 - July 11, 2025 | A three-week program to help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. Attend lectures from a variety of disciplines and explore À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s renowned innovative culture. |
School outreach programs
| Focus | Title | Audience | Date | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | ESQube In-School Workshops |
K – Grade 12 |
September to June |
Free STEM Workshops to students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Region and surrounding counties. |
| Environment | Environment community outreach workshops | Grades 9 – 12 | September to June | A variety of workshops spanning topics of climate action, urban growth, natural resources, sustainability, and data and geographic analysis. |
| Mathematics | Grades 7 – 12 | September to June | Workshops encouraging students to learn and have fun with mathematics and computer science, delivered at no cost. | |
| Science | Let's Talk Science | Grades 1 – 8 | September to June | Fun, curriculum-aligned, hands-on science activities for students at no cost to you or your school. |
| Science | Let's Talk Science | Grades 9 – 12 | September to June | Fun, curriculum-aligned, hands-on science activities for students at no cost to you or your school. |
Public talks
| Focus | Title | Audiences | Dates | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environment, science | All | Various | Public lectures which highlight one or more of the United Nations' Sustainable Development goals | |
| Indigenous | Indigenous Speakers Series | All | Various | Highlights the voices of Indigenous artists, writers, activists, scholars and leaders from across Turtle Island |
| Various | The Hagey Lectures | All | October or November | Free, annual lectures intended to challenge, stimulate, and enrich |
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