Lakefield College School Summer Programs: Parent Interview with Felicia Neil

Watch our Parent interview with Felicia Neil to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at Lakefield College School Summer Programs.

Transcript of the interview

What's unique about the program at Lakefield College School that made you want to enroll your child there?

It was actually an advertisement that came up in my news feed and I clicked on it. When I saw it, I thought, this looks really interesting, unique compared to anything else I'd seen. The fact that he could earn an Ontario secondary school credit while learning about something that seemed really useful and practical was interesting. Of course, I asked him and he thought, “Okay, let's try it,” because his regular summer plans had been canceled.

How was your child's first experience with this camp?

My son has previously gone to overnight camps and thoroughly enjoyed them here in Ontario. But of course, that landscape changed this past two summers [to 2021], so we were looking for something that would keep him busy and mentally occupied, which seemed to be an important theme for everyone this past year. So, there was a broader picture to be gained from this. 

Although summer camp is extremely fun—and he still got to do activities like sailing and being outdoors, which is very important to our family—he also got to learn about food accessibility and sustainability, as well as things we didn't even consider, like serving the community. 

They actually grew the food that went to feed some attendees of the summer programs, but any excess food they gave to a local food bank that was then able to pass the produce on to people in need. So there were life lessons there for him: to be aware of where food comes from, but also how important it is to give to others.

Was there any changes or noticeable personal growth you saw in your child after their time at the camp?

Absolutely. This is probably one of the largest changes we've seen in him, even beyond just transitioning to high school, I think because it was so hands-on. It literally changed his mindset around where food comes from. 

It really sparked a curiosity in him to discover not just where food comes from and how it's grown, but also what that can mean for the future. Now we drive down the highway and he sees a farmer plowing the field, and says, “Oh, plowing is actually not good for the environment, this is why.” And “That soil in that field looks like this.”

As a parent, you think, “Who is this? And how does he know that?” [Laughs] But it also has changed what he's looking at as he's starting to discover what he wants to do with the rest of his life. So, he's actually investigating programs around things like biological engineering and food growth and environmental sustainability. That's a big shift in our household. For one program to impact in such a way both my husband and I are completely thrilled that he had that experience. I believe because it was theoretical but also hands on, it made it very practical and approachable for him.

If you hadn't sent your child to this camp, what's the most important personal growth that they would've missed out on?

I think that if he had not attended this summer program he would not be looking at the world in a broader way. It's not only the picture of how we grow food but how we’re affecting the climate as human beings. That’s not something we talked about as much in our household, although we hear about it in the news. 

For him to understand on a local level the impacts that simple acts of growing food can change the climate, that has been a really big shift. I don't think he would be as aware. It became very real-world for him, a big shift. 

This has literally changed his life so he now wishes to pursue and learn more and be involved in change in these areas. It's immeasurable. It's beyond any university guidance or a career survey students take in school. Doing this program really has shifted his mindset. It was invaluable.

What does your child say about the camp, either to you or that you may have heard them say to friends or others?

We're still talking about the program and here we are three months later! We recently took a car trip over Thanksgiving weekend and as we were driving, he talked about what was in the field we were passing and what farmers were doing, planting for the next season. I didn't know any of this. That was really interesting. I think it gave him confidence to be a bit of an expert on this and share this knowledge with us as a family. 

He talks constantly about lessons he learned from his teacher and from his experience. If I may go into teenage speak, he'll say, “Mom, you really need to think about the cost of that item at this moment in time.” I ask him to expand and he'll explain that cost is not just dollars and cents, but there's a larger impact of any item. I really enjoyed the moment where he reflected and said, “I thought it was just going to be gardening. But I realize now it was so much more than that. I learned so much.” 

I really appreciate that. To have a 15-year-old express gratitude over their experience to me is priceless, absolutely priceless. 

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of this camp?

You want to have an open mind. You want to allow them to have an open mind, to go in with the attitude of trying new things. From there, their own interests and passions will take them through to what they're going to take away. It is an unknown, and that's also exciting. Embrace that and just enjoy the experience every single day.

Final thoughts?

When we signed him up, we were looking for something to keep him busy, keep his mind busy, be physically busy, and find some enjoyment after two summers of shutdown in our province. What we gained as a family was an interest in food accessibility and sustainability practices. To watch our son be so engaged is beyond anything we thought we were signing up for.

The most interesting piece was the independence that he gained, the ownership as an expert in our family on what's happening in these areas. It continues to spark a passion and interest. It was worth everything as far as the time commitment. We are just so happy.

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