Science Engagement Programs offers innovative and engaging programs designed to inspire youth to discover exciting topics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Out of the Faculty of Science at York University, our programs use a discovery and inquiry-based learning approach that is focused on ‘learning by doing’.

We offer year-round programming for students in grade 3 to 12. 

Grade 3 to 8

• York Science Saturdays (Fall/Winter/Spring)
• March Break Science Camp (Winter)
• Science Explorations Summer Day Camp (Summer)

Grade 9 to 12

• Helix Summer Science Institute (Summer)
• Spark Lab Program (Summer)
• Volunteer Program (year-round)

The Our Kids review of York University; Science Engagement

In his memoir “Uncle Tungsten,” the late Oliver Sacks wrote at length about his boyhood chemistry experiments, cloistered away in an attic, exploring a world that, in a range of ways, captured his intellect and his passion. The one thing that it wasn’t, however, was social. Like so many of the science stories of the past—Galileo, Tesla, Newton, and on and on—an interest in science meant working alone. Happily, with the growth of STEM programs, we’re getting beyond that. More than ever, science is collaborative, socially engaging, and fun, all things that the York programs have long sought to bring forward. The sessions engage with the outcomes of the provincial curriculum, and build off what the campers are learning during the school year. But the sessions also extend that  in a range of meaningful ways, through hands-on, cooperative learning. Students work within a professional setting, lead by student leaders that themselves are working in those fields throughout the year. All of that can be transformative to a young person’s love of science and their place within it, and in growing an ability to collaborate creatively with others around a unique set of problems. The facilities, as you’d expect, are exceptional—a majority of the sessions take place within Faculty of Science at the Keele Campus of York University—as is the organization of the programs and sessions. For some campers, it's an introduction to university life, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better one.

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• Helix Summer Science Institute Parent Reviews

  • "I have never seen my son come home so excited by everything he did during the day. Not only was the camp a tremendous amount of fun, but it was educational at the same time, covering things far more professionally and at a more advanced level than he would ever cover in school at his level. I am completely impressed by the depth of knowledge that comes out of this camp." - Anonymous Parent
     
  • "My son attended the AI program and he enjoyed it a lot. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable, the facility was great, the team were friendly and organized and more than anything it was all about learning. My son found this program very educational and informative and was very happy to select this course. Thank you Helix team for offering such a wonderful program. This program makes a difference in our community as it builds and prepares our youth for future. We will definitely return and strongly recommend this program!" - Anonymous Parent
     
  • "My son learned a lot in his 2 weeks at Helix. The first week, he came home telling me all about proteins and some things he learned about medications and titration. Impressive! In the second week, he learned some university level math that helped him design a computer game. He was very excited about this field and even worked till 11 pm on night on his game design!" - Anonymous Parent

• Helix Summer Science Institute Student Reviews

  • "The participants of the course were like-minded individuals who were genuinely interested in the subject at hand. The teachers were great at feeding us knowledge and the fast-paced dynamic learning environment was fit for students to thrive in. The course was the perfect combination of lecture-based and hands-on learning. The experience was quite unique to the typical high school learning atmosphere. It was refreshing to be surrounded by people who were passionate about teaching & learning science." - Anonymous Student
     
  • "The only camp where I made aspirin and conducted the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Thin-Layer Chromatography. 11/10 worth breaking the scale. - Raf, student in Medical Pharmacology
     
  • "It was very good as the teacher was great, and the material was taught in a way that grabs the attention of someone. I especially enjoyed the sports and feminism topics on Wednesday as they provided helpful insight on how to calculate things such as weighted average or using venn diagrams to solve word problems." - Anonymous Student
     
  • The teacher made sure that the environment was friendly and comfortable for everyone (huge shoutout to Andrew). When one of our feeder fish died, he played a sad song as he dramatically threw the fish into the garbage and as he did that, some students were laughing while others were pretending to cry. In that moment I saw how comfortable the class was with each other and the teacher. We forgot to take pictures throughout the week so in the last day Andrew was staging pictures and the whole class was joking around (this was the best day). This program helped me understand "deeper" marine biology and therefore giving me an idea of how it would be to work as a marine biologist. There were plenty of hands-on experiments (which the whole class enjoyed). - Anonymous Student in Marine Biology

• Science Explorations Summer Camp Parent Reviews

  • "A mix of hands-on experience and lectures, this unique introduction to the medical field beats all our expectations! It is one-of-a-kind, this seems to be the only camp that really talks about medicine and sciences which is fantastic! Coming home from camp, my children go on and on about what they've learned and they talk about how they can discuss science with counselors who are studying science in university. My children will continue to delve into their science interests every summer with York University's camps." - Anonymous Parent about Mini-Med Camp
     
  • "My daughter's main focus is dance. It's all she cares about. Wasn't sure how she much she would enjoy Mini Med 2.0. She was hooked from the first day. It was refreshing to hear her talk about everything she learned and how much fun she had!" - Anonymous Parent about Mini-Med Camp
     
  • "Biophysics of physical therapy camp was a wonderful experience for my daughter - being a young athlete and gaining this knowledgeable is crucial. She is excited to come back for the mini meds and pharmaceutical ones as well to continue to grow her skills and interest in post-secondary studies. Thank you" - Anonymous Parent about Biophysics of Physical Therapy (All-Girls camp)
     
  • "Without exaggeration, this was a life changing week for our daughter. She arrived with a curious spark about science and left with a brightly burning passion. Her instructors Vanessa and Vanessa inspired her like no other educators. She would leave camp totally energized. Some nights she spent 2 hours recreating her day and sharing what she had learned. Then she would spend another couple of hours researching sigma and pi bonds, chemical reactions and brainstorming ideas for next year's science fair. This was the summer camp she had been wanting her whole life to be part of. It wouldn't surprise me if years from now she will look back on this week and the impact it had on her" - Anonymous Parent
     
  • "My son came home happy every day after camp telling us all the different things he learned. He asked to come back next year and that says a lot. He was engaged, informed and interested in learning more. We are happy we chose your camp for him." - Anonymous Parent

• Spark Lab Program Reviews

  • "My child had an amazing time at the spark lab program, she would always come and tell me the many things she'd learned that day. This program I find is very engaging to her and I would recommend going next year." - Anonymous Parent
     
  • "I really enjoyed how engaging the program was. I personally love science and to have myself immersed into the world of Science was fascinating, and at such a young age too." - Anonymous Student
     
  • "This experience at Spark lab program was phenomenal. It was greater than I expected, I learned so much without realizing and I gained a great passion regarding science. All in all it was very enjoyable and I would come back next year!" - Anonymous Student in Nutrition Science