High School Students Visit Campus for Reach Ahead Days

GUELPH, Ontario March 02, 2011 - U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)

High school students and teachers from across southwestern Ontario will visit the University of Guelph for “Reach Ahead Days” March 3 and 10.

Offered by U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the event will highlight the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics and support the Ontario Ministry of Education’s specialist high skills major (SHSM) program. Under that program, Grade 11 and 12 students focus on an economic sector to prepare for post-secondary education, apprenticeship training or work.

“The Ontario Agricultural College welcomes the opportunity to support the high skills major program through the Reach Ahead Day events,” said Jonathan Schmidt, OAC associate dean (academic). “We recognize the significant role the program can play in the education of highly qualified professionals in the vital environment and agri-food sectors.”

More than 100 students will tour the U of G campus, meet business undergraduates, attend lectures and enter a business case study competition.

OAC will also hold a professional development workshop March 3 to connect Ontario high school teachers in the SHSM program with the University’s School of Environmental Sciences (SES).

Supported by Knowledge and Technology Transfer funding, the workshop will address initiatives and resources that support SHSM programs. Teachers will discuss best teaching practices with each other and with SES faculty.

“We look forward to hosting students and teachers at our Guelph campus and helping them learn about exciting research and career opportunities as well as explore a cross-section of university life,” said Schmidt.

For more information, contact OAC liaison officer Jason Tran at tranv@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120, Ext. 56812.