Course Description
The Secondary Athletics program at OELC focuses on developing students’ leadership skills through the medium of athletics. The ideal candidate is a student with an interest in athletics but does not have to be a “star” athlete. The candidate would be a student with leadership potential who is willing to learn about themselves, about others and how to apply their skills in their school and/or community. Students will have the ability to connect with students from around the province to exchange ideas that can make their schools and communities a better place to be.
Leadership Development Sessions
Specific leadership development sessions give students opportunities to explore various components of leadership: leadership styles, effective communication, group dynamics, problem-solving, organizational skills, and risk-taking in a non-threatening and encouraging environment and through well-planned experiential learning activities. Students will have the opportunity to apply many of these skills as they put on an activity for the entire Centre.
Opportunities for debriefing and reflection contribute greatly to the personal growth of students. Through the skilled facilitation of our teachers, often the greatest learning is reinforced through the analysis of elements which contribute to or detract from the success of an activity or challenge.
Sport Activity Sessions
The activity sessions involve team and individual sports, low ropes challenges, and intramural/tournament organizational sessions. These activities are intended to provide the students with leadership opportunities through peer support, skill development, and reflection on instructional and team-building techniques with the goal of gaining confidence to apply some of these strategies within their own context.
Special Topics
- Round Table Discussions: Students will develop topics and then lead the discussion in this very powerful student voice session. The goal of the session is to allow students to speak freely about their issues that greatly affect them. At the end, students create 1-3 action statements that can affect change in the lives of themselves and others.
- Special Activities: These events are run by our amazing teacher facilitators. Each event is designed to introduce students to something new and get away from the normal everyday events that could be running within their schools. From orientation days to new intramural games, to a crazy gym riots and theme days, students will find new activities that will help enhance the participation at their school and in their community.
Dates
Start date: July 1, 2019
End Date: July 8, 2019
What You Could Win?
The 1st place winner of the contest wins a spot at this summer's Secondary Athletics Leadership course in beautiful lake-side Longford Mills, Ontario. The cost of the 7 day/6 night course, uniform, and bussing from a designated location from Toronto and back will be covered. *Up to $300 CAN in additional travel subsidy may also be available. Second and third place winners will each receive one of the first ever original Youth of Canada T-shirts.
Link to the OELC Website for more information.
YOU CAN WIN! HERE'S HOW YOU APPLY!
Your Submission
In any form of your choice, answer the question, "What does leadership mean to you?" This can be in any medium: video, written essay, photo essay, written essay, poem, song, drawing, painting, short story, etc. Along with your submission, include a 1-2 paragraph response explaining your piece/adding any important aspects to help your submission.
How to Submit
1. Submit your entry to our email: theyouthofcanada@gmail.com. Should you be submitting a video, please upload to YouTube and email only the link along side your response. Please do not attach a file with the video.
2. Please complete and sign (or have your parents/guardians complete and sign if you are under 18 years old) the YOC consent form found at this link and attach with your submission.
Important Dates
1. The contest closes on January 21 at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time.
2. Winners will be contacted via the e-mail used for their submission sometime in February.
3. 1st place winners will have up to 7 days to reply back with their acceptance to Youth of Canada. If the 1st place winner fails to reply in time, the OELC Course prize will go to the 2nd place winner, and so on.
Criteria
To be eligible to win, contestants must:
- Be a Canadian citizen, or a permanent Canadian resident
- Be a full time Canadian high school student at the time of entry
- Receive parental/guardian consent to participate in this contest (if under the age of 18)
- Parental consent form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SqxbIIFLxizjqq81M2d01D3NoJJz5xD5YXLxVHHveLI/edit?usp=sharing
Other Important information
- *Up to a maximum of $300 CAN in additional travel subsidy may also be available (will be reviewed on a case by case need basis). You must discuss your travel costs and requirements with OELC prior to purchase if you are seeking reimbursement. Items that may be eligible for reimbursement include but are not limited to your parents/guardians car milage, your train, bus or plane ticket.