Three-day campus tour introduces McMaster to Hamilton students
Victoria Maich talks to students from Cathy Wever school about McMaster's alpine tower. More than 60 students are on campus for three days touring University facilities and getting a sense of post-secondary life.
Most people would fret at the thought of entertaining 62 adolescents for three straight days.
Alex Brodka, however, sees it as an opportunity to introduce a group of Hamilton students to the university that is just a short bus ride away from their homes.
Brodka, who will earn a degree in psychology, neuroscience and behaviour from McMaster this spring, is volunteering her time to facilitate a three-day trip (May 15-17) to campus for Grade 7 students at Cathy Wever School in central Hamilton.
Brodka’s goal is to help illustrate the opportunities available to the students of the school where she also volunteers as a basketball coach.
“This is a unique group of students who are mature in a lot of ways but can still learn so much,” says Brodka, who has teamed up with fellow volunteer Victoria Maich to ensure the students get the most out of their visit. “This is a good way to show the students the opportunities here and that university is about more than just studying.”
On the first day, students enjoyed lunch and dinner on campus, swam in the University’s Olympic-sized pool, climbed the 50-foot wooden alpine tower and hiked through Cootes Paradise.
The remaining activities include completing science and engineering experiments, taking a 3D tour of Mars and playing sports on the campus’ athletic fields.
The students, who stay in Les Prince residence during the trip, will also attend a Hamilton Nationals lacrosse game thanks to a donation of 70 tickets by the team.
“It’s about showing the students this opportunity is close to home,” says Laura Laverty, the public health nurse at Cathy Wever who originally helped establish the program with Charlotte Yates, McMaster’s dean of social sciences.
This is the third year the students have taken part in the trip. Because the program relies on volunteers like Brodka, the cost to the student for the three-day, two-night trip is only $20.
Early Childhood Educator Stephanie Breckon says the class has been eagerly anticipating the trip.
“It’s like a vacation for them that involves learning outside of the classroom. It opens their eyes to the possibilities of university.”
