July 15, 2008

To anyone but a Shad, the day could only be adequately understood as complete madness. The opportunities that were presented, though seemingly random, provided each individual with an experience that was new and exciting. Every minute of the Shad Valley program is saturated with endless possibilities, a concept daunting to most, but one that continues to be well embraced by Shads.

The morning started with discourse, a time specifically allotted for communal discussion, debate and reflection. Following was an activity that was certainly intimidating to many of the Shads: dancing. The initial hesitation did not last long and soon enough everyone was dancing away. Shads then investigated a broad range of subjects in their afternoon seminars, covering everything from sports science, to earth dams, to robots among many others. We were then blessed to welcome guest speaker Ian Young, president of the Canadian Geological Foundation. The day ended with a Shad social; a casual movie night well received as a break from the fast-paced environment of Shad.

A look into Shad Calgary on June 29th would reveal a diverse cluster of sixty students from all across the country. A look into Shad Calgary on July 15th would reveal something dramatically different; a community. We came here as complete strangers, and since then we’ve grown to become much more than friends. We’re family; and Shad Valley is our home.

Kathryn Chan
Shad Valley Calgary
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario