2008 News releases

Durham College helps younger students build pathways to college programs and career success

May 6, 2008

Grades 7 and 8 students to visit campus for interactive workshops

OSHAWA, Ont. - Even though final decisions about their post-secondary education are still a few years away, Durham College is gearing up to offer 600 Durham Region grades 7 and 8 students the opportunity to start forging their pathways to success through Building Future Connections.

From offering students opportunities to analyze a personal DNA sample and discover how much caffeine is in their energy drinks, to a chance to take part in a Criminal Scavenger Hunt, Building Future Connections is filled with 45-minute, interactive workshops that are designed to capture the imagination as the young students explore some of the many exciting, market-driven careers that come with pursuing a college education.

Grades 7 and 8 represent an ideal timeframe to help young minds build the connection between elementary school and college, as students prepare for their secondary school years when the career decision-making process begins in earnest. Building Future Connections is part of the provincial government's School-College-Work initiative (SCWI) to provide students with clear pathways from secondary schools to college programs.

Building Future Connections workshops include:

• Criminal Scavenger Hunt - Sponsored by the schools of Justice and Emergency Services, the scavenger hunt offers students an opportunity to learn more about police work and real-life investigation as they follow clues left behind by imaginary criminals. Students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills as they work in teams to unravel the clues, take notes and use search warrants;
• What it Takes to be a Health-Care Professional - The School of Health and Community Services invites students to learn about some of the exciting challenges and amazing opportunities that await them in a nursing career. Students will explore a simulated practice setting in Durham College's state-of-the-art lab environment, where they'll also interact with sim family members who talk to them, have heartbeats, and even breathe like a real person;
• Building a Solar Car - Students will learn about the mechanics behind solar-powered vehicles and will work in teams to build model-sized, solar-powered cars to take back to their home schools; and
• What Turns on the LED? - This energy conservation-oriented session introduces participants to photocells and how they are used to control an LED indicator circuit.
  

When:
Wednesdays, May 7 and 14
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where:
Durham College Oshawa campus
2000 Simcoe Street North
Gymnasiums 4 and 5 (original gymnasium)
Oshawa

Parking:
Enter off Conlin Road and proceed to the lot at the south side of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (entrance is on the west side of the centre).

Media contact:
M.J. Jaffray
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2333
mj.jaffray@durhamcollege.ca

Disclaimer: The contact information provided in archived news releases was current at the release date. For current information please contact Communications and Marketing.