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University of Toronto
Thanks to a new partnership between George Watson’s College and the University of Toronto, the scholarship will entitle the successful S4 or S5 applicant to a FREE PLACE on the Programme. We are pleased to confirm that this partnership will continue for the summer of 2024.
During the programme, pupils will be immersed in an interactive learning experience to explore, develop, and build global citizenship. Pupils will spend three weeks in the summer months of July or August at the university campus in the heart of downtown Toronto, developing the necessary skills to create a more peaceful, connected, and inclusive world.
By bringing together talented high school pupils from all around the world, the GCP will expose pupils to new ways of thinking and understanding. In addition, together with a team of other attendees, pupils will create a potential solution to the Global Challenge, a final project, using the thinking and understanding learned to make a difference in the world.
Ayaan in S6 attended the summer school in July 2023. He has written up a short story about his experience there:
My experience at the University of Toronto Global Citizenship Program Summer School was surreal and something I will cherish for life. It allowed me to make many new bonds with people from all over the world, visit some amazing places and to have a newfound appreciation for the impact each and every person can make by implementing small changes in their lifestyle.
The GCP course was taught through both academic lessons in the morning led by experienced teachers, and workshops led by counsellors in the afternoon. The morning lessons provided an open environment, allowing us to learn about climate change, its effects on the wider world and how even small actions can have large consequences. The afternoon workshops allowed us to discuss the key aspects of being a Global Citizen and helped us develop our own interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication and integrity.
This all culminated in a final group project in which we were split into random groups of around 4 and tasked to find the consequences of climate change on chosen regions of Canada as well as the wider world, the actions of policymakers to help mitigate this change and if there are any viable solutions for the future that could help stop these disasters. My group focussed on the Québec Wildfires which have infamously affected regions such as far as New York and even Europe. Through this, we developed a podcast, debrief document and a final presentation which we presented to course leaders and fellow students. This was all graded alongside our attendance and in the end, we were presented with a certificate for our achievements which was a great experience.
Other than the academic side, there were many fun adventures and activities, which were the highlight of my trip. We visited the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, Canada's Wonderland, a Blue Jay's Baseball game and many more amazing places. My personal favourites were Niagara Falls and Canada's Wonderland and these outings were held as either full-day trips on weekends or evening journeys on weekdays where all students attending during the time frame from AAP, GCP and other youth courses would join together to explore. I found this worked well as you were able to meet many new people as a result and you could build stronger bonds with many people you might already be friends with or live on the same floor with. We were also given a lot of freedom through optional free-time, where we could journey through Toronto with friends or attend an evening activity set up by the counsellors.
Living in university accommodation was also a big part of the experience and made it easy to meet new people and make friends. You could spend time working on a project in the study rooms or instead spend time having movie nights and chatting in the common room. The lunch hall also provided a great space where you could meet your friends at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were also a lot of food options, from halal to gluten-free and vegetarian there was something for everyone. You also had the option to go out and eat and there were many places nearby where you could try some great food.
Overall, I think the experience was immense, allowing me to mature and really feel what university life might be like in the future. It gave me the opportunity to try new things but also to learn how to manage my time with classes, activities and the final project. I was able to meet so many new people and see so many new things and it's something I would love to go back and experience again.
I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone thinking of applying, it is an experience of a lifetime and a place where you can learn more about yourself and make friends for life.
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