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The following LIMITED TIME opportunities have been shared through the weekly emails:
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The Brain Bee at Carleton University
The Ottawa Brain Bee is an initiative organized by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Ottawa Chapter. SfN Ottawa is a non-profit geared towards community outreach and spreading awareness to topics related to neuroscience.
The Brain Bee is a knowledge and trivia competition about the brain and neuroscience for high school students (grades 9-12). Participants receive free study material and prizes are awarded to the top participants. The student placing first in the Ottawa Brain Bee wins a brand-new iPad and a volunteer summer internship at a Carleton University neuroscience lab and is given the opportunity to represent Ottawa at the Canadian National Brain Bee. The winner of the national competition wins a cash prize ($1500), a spot competing at the International Brain Bee, and many other perks. The top student at the international competition wins a cash prize and a global internship.
Our Ottawa champions have had great success over the past couple of years - our 2022 Ottawa Brain Bee winner went on to place first at both the Canadian and the International Brain Bee and our 2025 winner also recently won the Canadian Brain Bee and will be competing in the International competition in November.
We are currently in our recruitment phase for the 2026 Ottawa Brain Bee competition. Register here!
For more information, you can visit our local website (https://sfn-ottawa.ca/ottawa-brain-bee/) or the National website (https://brainbee.ca/).
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Ontario Youth Orchestra Applications (for June - August 2026)
Program Dates: Mid-June to Early August 2026
Program Dates: Mid-June to Early August 2026
Location: Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Campus
Location: Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Campus
Important Dates
October 1: Applications Open
February 1: Auditions Due
March: Orchestra Announced
Application Fee Schedule
Early Bird ($50) October 1st, 2025
Regular ($75) October 2nd – November 30th, 2025
Final Fee ($100) December 1st, 2025 – February 1st, 2026
Find more information and apply here
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Youth Infringement Festival - Call for Directors & Stage Managers
Do you want to get in touch with your creative side? Exercise your leadership skills? Well the Youth Infringement Festival has an exciting opportunity for them! Our Call for Directors and Stage Managers is open from now until October 10th, and we are taking applications for volunteers aged 16-25 to fill these roles in the 2025-2026 festival!
Check out this document for more details. If you have further questions not answered in this email or the attached document, please feel free to email info@youthinfringement.ca!
Pssst - Later this fall we will also have even more opportunities opening up - a Call for Actors (likely mid-October) and a Call for Designers (likely early November)!
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Big Possibilities Workshop
In partnership with Queen's University, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Ottawa is hosting their first Big Possibilities workshop of the school year on October 14 and October 18.
Navigating the OUAC & Post-Secondary Application Process Workshop: This workshop reviews the layout and structure of the OUAC application portal, how to create an account, ways in which to add/change/withdraw programs, and acceptable payment methods, along with some tips and tricks to be successful in your post-secondary journey! It will be offered IN-PERSON ONLY at the OPL Carlingwood at 281 Woodroffe Ave. All attendees will receive signed volunteer hours for attending. Register here!
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University of Ottawa - Go ENG Girl
What: A day for girls and non-binary youth in grades 7-12 to learn more about the many fields of engineering such as mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. It's free and hands-on. Meet with current students and industry professionals to learn from their experiences.
When: November 2 from 10:00am - 2:00pm
Register here
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NROC RC - The Social Spot
A FREE neuro-affirming social skills group for teens in Grades 9 - 12 to learn and practice skills in navigating social situations with confidence.
See poster below!
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University of Ottawa - Destination: Family Medicine
Destination: Family Medicine is an interactive, transformative day, where students will receive a working stethoscope, branded event t-shirt, mentorship opportunities and teaching from world-class educators is their gateway to discovering the vital role of family physicians in our society and their many different skill sets. Family Physicians provide care in medical clinics, hospitals, operating rooms, emergency rooms, sports medicine centres, sexual medicine clinics, patient homes, maternity suites, disaster relief settings, and public health settings. The twenty-three inspiring stations we have planned celebrate these diverse skill sets.
About the Event:
Program Date: Monday December 8, 2025, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre and The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9
What’s in Store: This interactive experience is perfect for students curious about the medical field and offers a glimpse into the varied and dynamic world of Family Medicine. Students will:
Participate in engaging, hands-on small group workshops designed to introduce them to the essential skills and techniques used by family physicians daily
Choose the streams that match their interests including Anglophone and Francophone streams
Meet award winning uOttawa clinical faculty
Interact with medical students and resident physicians who will provide support and mentorship, answer questions, and give insights into interesting “side gigs” that make life beyond medicine interesting
Registration Details:
Fee: $200 plus tax per student
Included: Registration fees including onsite materials, event branded t-shirt and lunch.
Not included: Transportation to and from course location
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who demonstrate a keen interest in pursuing a career in family medicine
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Enriched Support Program (ESP) at Carleton University
ESP is a program which assists students who have the academic potential to succeed in a university setting, though whose grades are not necessarily reflective of this. The program offers various supports such as access to mentors, student advisors, academic coaching, and facilitated workshops, in order to assist students in achieving their academic potential.
Oftentimes, ESP students are those whose grades do not meet the requirements to gain initial admission into an undergraduate degree program. By completing a year in ESP, students are given the chance to complete credits that will count towards a degree program and later apply to gain admission into that program. Feel free to explore here for more information about our program.
Follow @carleton.esp on Instagram!
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Bridge to Campus
Bridge to Campus is a student-led, non-profit organization that helps high school students across Canada build connections with university students, as they prepare for the transition to post-secondary education. Ever since we launched the organization, we have been able to pair mentees from Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and beyond with mentors who share personalized advice on applications, scholarships, campus life, and career pathways.
Our Services (All free of charge)
1-on-1 Mentorship: Students are paired with a university mentor who provides tailored guidance and support on university applications, admission essays and ask any questions that they may have. This year, our mentors will be from McGill University, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo and Queen's University. This service is completely online, and meetings are conducted through platforms such as Zoom. Sign up before the September 22nd deadline.
Themed Webinars: Interactive panels with current university students covering topics such as university applications, choosing the right program, financial aid, dorm selection and more.
Essay Review Service: Online essay review service where your students have the opportunity to submit their scholarship essay to be peer-reviewed by our pool of mentors across the university students we work with.
We understand the importance of protecting students’ privacy and ensuring safe online interactions, so we have created a Privacy Policy, which outlines the measures we take to safeguard high school students participating in our services. This includes strict guidelines for mentor–mentee communication, protocols to protect student information, as well as procedures to be in place in case of mistreatment.
Learn more about the organization at www.bridgetocampus.net.
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YMCA -YWCA - Newcomer Youth Leadership Development Program
The YMCA-YWCA Newcomer Youth Leadership Development program is looking for Youth aged 13-25 - especially youth who have permanent resident, refugee or CUAET* status .
They hold events, activities, workshops and sessions for youth. Click here for more information.
The following ON-GOING opportunities / information have been shared through the weekly emails:
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Vision Care Support
Please see the update below regarding the current vision care support the Education Foundation of Ottawa can provide.
All youth with OHIP coverage aged 19 years and younger are entitled to a free eye exam every 12 months;
Once they have a prescription and are in need of glasses, please speak to your Guidance Counsellor to request a letter of support from the Education Foundation of Ottawa. This letter can be provided to any Lens Crafters or Pearle Vision location in the city to get them a pair of glasses for free;
*Note* eligibility for the voucher requires that the student does not have third-party insurance or benefits that cover glasses. Otherwise, they may get turned away.
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Printing from your Chromebook to the Library
This document explains how students can print their work to the library. This can be done directly from a chromebook in the classroom and students can come pick up the documents in the library. There is also a "troubleshooting" blurb at the bottom of the document in case something goes wrong.
Click Here: How to Print for Students - Chromebook
Be sure to ask your teacher before going to pick up the printed work from the library!
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Free Menstrual Pads
While menstruation is a normal and healthy bodily function, for too many students, having a period can lead to feelings of shame and financial hardship. OCDSB students have said they can’t participate in school without access to period products. Students have had to leave school, miss class, or be late. The stigma, lack of access, and expense can ultimately affect a student’s comfort, health and well-being, not to mention their ability to learn. Thanks to the advocacy of students, this year the OCDSB will be providing access to free menstrual products.
Menstrual pads are available from the Main Office, Student Services and the Phys-Ed Office. Please feel free to ask for them.
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OCDSB Arts Advisory Committee Representatives
The OCDSB Arts Advisory Committee is looking for secondary student representatives (Grade 9-12) and guardians to be a part of the committee. Their role would be to listen and share ideas for Arts Education in the OCDSB. Meetings are held virtually approximately once a month from 7-9pm. Interested parties can reach out to Nancy Dean (chair of committee) at artsadvisoryocdsb@gmail.com.
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Safe Schools Reporting Tool - An Anonymous Reporting Option for Students
The OCDSB has created a new Safe Schools Reporting Tool. It’s a private and anonymous way for students to share their concerns. If a student is feeling unsafe or worried about a friend or classmate, they can send an anonymous report through our website: ocdsb.ca/report-it. They can share many different things, like: bullying, harassment, threats, hate or discrimination, mental health concerns, vaping or drugs, or other concerns that are affecting you or someone else.
This tool is not a replacement for talking to a teacher, principal or other trusted adult. It’s just another way to get help. If it's an emergency or someone is in danger, call 911 immediately.
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