News Release
7/24/2017
Aurora, ON – A group of high school students are learning how to develop and market innovative solutions in a new course that is part of a collaboration between York Region District School Board and York University’s Innovation York.
The new York Region District School Board summer course, Youth Innovation by Design, focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship. Grade 11 and 12 students are learning how innovators identify problems as opportunities, generate ideas and take solutions forward. As part of the course, students are identifying problems based on topics that interest them and working through a design thinking process to develop innovative solutions.
Through the collaboration with Innovation York, students:
- have access to mentoring and resources, provided by Innovation York staff, as they develop their ideas
- connect with industry professionals and entrepreneurs, and
- have the opportunity to access the entrepreneurial support system should they wish to continue developing their solutions beyond the course.
The course is being delivered in York University’s new community engagement centre, YSpace-Markham. YSpace will connect and engage existing and future students, as well as community and faculty members, encouraging idea generation, creativity, entrepreneurship, social innovation, sustainability and technological advancements with a commitment to community building and engagement.
“We continue to see evidence of how innovative our young people can be, and are so pleased to be offering them this opportunity with York University to develop and apply their collaboration, problem solving and leadership skills,” said Loralea Carruthers, Chair of the Board.
“This exciting and innovative opportunity lets students experience the process of developing ideas and solutions, and helps connect them with some of the supports available for young entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Kathryn Wallace, Interim Director of Education.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with the York Region District School Board, and pleased to be doing so in Innovation York’s newest facility in Markham,” said Robert Haché, Vice-President Research & Innovation at York University.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship is a key priority for York University, so to be able to partner with the YRDSB to develop and deliver this course, as well as support some really phenomenal students is a very exciting opportunity,” said Sarah Howe, Director of Innovation York.
Fostering external relationships in support of student innovation and entrepreneurship is part of the Board’s Modern Learning Strategy.
York Region District School Board is the third largest school district in Ontario with over 123,000 students in 176 elementary schools and 32 secondary schools. York Region students consistently perform above average in provincial testing and the Board is one of the top achievers in Ontario. For more information about the York Region District School Board, please visit the Board website and follow @YRDSB on Twitter.
York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. York U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.
For more information contact:
Communications@yrdsb.ca