Trek Talks: Bridging Science and the Arts

Zareh Demirdji Arts, Beyond the Classroom, Experiential Learning, Science and Math, Technology No Comments

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the debut of Star Trek, a show that has captured the imagination of its fans, inspired the creation of many technologies, and most importantly, given viewers an encouraging vision of the future where the human race has learned to work with one another in a utopian society. In honour of this milestone, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Lightbox Theatre has put together a series of events to celebrate the occasion.

One such event is Trek Talks: Bridging Science and the Arts. This is a panel style discussion on Star Trek and education which includes a physician (Sonny Kohli) a Canadian astronaut (Jeremy Hansen) and Royal Ontario Museum Managing Director (Marianne Mader). The panel will discuss how science can inspire the arts and how the art in turn can inspire science. The panel will also discuss how film and television projects like Star Trek inspire careers in science, space, technology, math, arts, and engineering.

Since Star Trek embodies so much science, it was (as Mr. Spock would say) a logical conclusion to take the grade 10 science class to partake in this discussion. And so on star date 10.13.16, the grade 10 science class, along with their Captain and the Academy’s Technical Analyst officer, boldly navigated their way to the TIFF Lightbox Theatre at warp speed, and listened in awe to the stories and anecdotes of the presenters.

After being introduced to the panel, the audience was shown a video montage of a variety of scenes from the various Star Trek television shows that visually demonstrated the science and art themes of the event. The panel discussed and explored a variety of questions and topics audience which included:

  • How Star Trek influenced their career path
  • What aspects of Star Trek have allowed its legacy to last for 50 years?
  • The importance of scientific accuracy in television shows
  • The ethics of scientific progress
  • The advantages of a scientifically literate society
  • Star Trek’s influence on the development of technology
  • The importance of risk taking in scientific exploration

After listening to the panel members’ personal and enthusiastic answers, the audience were granted an opportunity to ask questions to the panel. Three of our student’s posed their questions to the panel and listened with curiosity to the answers. After the event concluded, we had the honour of taking a group photograph with one of the panel members, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Check out more photos from this event on our Facebook page!

To watch the entire panel discussion see below! (To skip to our student questions, forward to time index 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Graphic design and typography are everywhere!

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, English and Humanities, Experiential Learning No Comments

The YMCA Academy’s Grade 10 Media Arts class took a walk around the neighbourhood to apply their knowledge and understanding of typography.

Graphic design and typography are everywhere we look! Even in places we might not think to look. The YMCA Academy’s Grade 10 Media Arts class took a walk around the neighbourhood to apply their knowledge and understanding of typography. After studying various applications of graphic design and typography in class, and learning about the history of fonts like Helvetica, students were ready to find real world examples of objects that look like letters just outside the classroom walls.

Students took as many photos as they could of lamp posts that look like the letter “i”, or stairs that look like an “E”. We even found a giant “O” perfect for a quick class photo. We will be compiling all our found letters to make a giant alphabet.

Clouds Over Sidra Virtual Reality Screening

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community, English and Humanities, Experiential Learning No Comments

Can you ever really walk a mile in someone’s shoes?
How close can we really get to understanding someone’s experience on the the other side of the planet?
And what do we do with our own experience of that afterwards?

On Thursday, September 29th the YMCA Academy had an exceptional opportunity to view a 360 degree film produced by the United Nations that is shot from the view point of a 12 year old Syrian girl, Sidra, in Za’atari camp in Jordan. Our Virtual Reality experience of Clouds Over Sidra (2015, directed by Gabo Arora and Chris Milk) was the first time in the world that a secondary school viewed the 8 minute film that shows the inside of a refugee camp. Brought to us by The Sidra Project, Hot Docs, Artscape and the United Nations, the students first became acquainted with the cutting edge Samsung Gear VR technology and then became immersed in Sidra’s world.

The film shows the daily life inside of the camp and the VR experience is so life like that students and staff alike found themselves reaching out to touch their surroundings. The close quarters that Sidra’s family live in, her journey to school and her classroom, and the sports and activities that the young people take part in show how resilient the Syrian people have been and how strong their desire is to return to their home. Before and after viewing the film the students engaged in a conversation about the history and recent events in the conflict in Syria, the global refugee crisis, and what we can do as engaged global citizens to help.

Keep an eye out for public screenings! There are some in the near future and this is an opportunity not to be missed.

You can find further information and screening dates on the The Sidra Project website.

Check out more photos from this event on our Facebook page!

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

Colleen Whelan Beyond the Classroom, Environmental Stewardship, Experiential Learning, Science and Math No Comments

 
As part of the Academy’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the entire school participated in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup on Friday, September 23. We revisited a section of the Don River that we had cleaned up three years ago: the Don River shoreline between Pottery Road and Beechwood Drive.

The Shoreline Cleanup is a nationwide event. Our school joined over 50,000 other Canadians who participate in the event annually. As part of the cleanup we had to categorize and tally all items collected. We collected and itemized over 45 pounds of garbage and recycling that afternoon! The data we collected is added to a national research database that is used to assist with environmental assessments nationwide.

While on site, students also learned some history about the Don River and the importance of the river to the city of Toronto. Students were surprised to hear that the river, to which Chinook salmon have now returned, was once so polluted that it caught fire – not once, but twice! And many students commented that they did not know that such a “natural place” existed in downtown Toronto.

A special thank you to Brandon’s History classes for taking the lead on being our “data recording experts.”

Check out more photos from this event on our Facebook page!

Cooking Club is at it again!

Katie Clay Beyond the Classroom, Experiential Learning, Healthy Living No Comments

The YMCA’s afterschool Cooking Club started off the new school year by making a delicious (and healthier version) of a 7-layer dip. Students worked together to prepare the ingredients for the 7 layers and assembled their own individual dip in a plastic cup. A great idea for parties and it avoids double dipping!

Students in the club meet once a week to work on their culinary skills, learn new recipes, and have fun with their peers. There is a focus on making healthy choices and students learn about the nutritional value of foods and are encouraged to try new things.

This year the club will be putting together a cookbook which will include recipes contributed by staff and students of the Academy, as well as recipes made by the club. The cookbook will be sold to fundraise for programs at the school including the Cooking Club. Stay tuned for more information about how you can support the YMCA Academy and take home your very own cookbook!