Lakehead University welcomed elementary and high school students to campus through the Achievement Program
Lakeishia Meekis, right, is an Achievement Program alum who encouraged the students to continue to push themselves.
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lakehead University’s ActiveU staff hosted around 70 students from the Lakehead Public School Board on Friday, May 27 as part of the annual Achievement Program Day on Campus.
Lakehead started the Achievement Program in 2011 to help students obtain a post-secondary education.
The Achievement Program is Lakehead University’s commitment to supporting access to post-secondary education by providing an opportunity to potential future students who experience socioeconomic barriers to obtaining post-secondary education.
Dr. Rhonda Koster, Lakehead’s Deputy Provost and Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning, encouraged students to continue to be involved in their school, community and at Lakehead University.
“These events on campus will give you the chance to see different areas of education and help you find what you’re interested in – what makes your heart sing,” Dr. Koster said.
The Achievement Program offers children who might otherwise not have been able to attend University the opportunity to experience it. School boards choose eligible schools based on socioeconomic status and families self enrol.
Children in grades 4-12 participate in programming yearly in their school, community and at Lakehead University, and in return earn financial support for Lakehead University once they graduate high school.
“Lakehead Public Schools is both honoured and humbled by our continued partnership with Lakehead University, and the programs and opportunities that many Lakehead Public Schools students access throughout the year,” said AJ Keene, Superintendent of Education.
“The LakeheadU Achievement Program is the crown jewel of this partnership – a program that provides our students with rich opportunities during their elementary and secondary school careers, but most importantly puts post-secondary studies within reach for students.”
Lakehead University's Achievement Program Day welcomed the next generation of Lakehead students to the CJ Sanders Fieldhouse gym. On Friday more than 90 students visited campus from 14 different elementary and high schools.
Amanda Stefanile, Achievement Program Coordinator, said she was happy to have students back on campus for the day.
“I'm so excited to host our students on campus this year,” Stefanile said.
“The smiles on the kids’ faces as they participate in recreational, educational and cultural programming is the highlight for me. I really want to thank Lakehead’s faculty and staff for their assistance in providing hands-on programming for our students.”
Achievement Program Day on Campus had students exploring campus through educational activities offered by ActiveU, the School of Nursing, Let’s Talk Science, Ingenuity, the Department of Chemistry, the Faculty of Engineering, the Niijii Indigenous Mentorship Program, and Indigenous Cultural Support Services.
Lakeishia Meekis is an Achievement Program alum who encouraged the students to continue to push themselves.
“It makes me happy that I can be a role model for other students and families," she said.
“It makes me feel proud. The Achievement Program always gave me lots of learning opportunities and I’m thankful that I can give back.”
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8010 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE's 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
