How can one describe in words the memories and the friendships created among 46 friends at Shad Valley? How can we fully express our thanks to all those who put in so much work to make this experience happen?

“We take the best, and make them cry.” – Dr. Leonard Lye, Program Director at Shad Valley Memorial University.

And there we were: a group of people so much more than friends, people who had shared unforgettable experiences, long lasting laughs, seemingly impossible challenges, and finally, seated in a secret location, sharing never-ending tears, with the words of Dr. Lye echoing in our heads. I looked around me at each one of the sobbing people I had gotten to know so well and wished that I could spend every last moment before my departure from Memorial University with these people.

And I did.

Signing MUNth books, sharing last laughs, last tears, last thanks, and all the fantastic, hilarious memories that we now shared as a group, as a family. Who in the room wanted this experience to end? Nobody. We stayed together until the unwanted sun rose, much too quickly, in the Newfoundland sky.

I was one of the first to leave Memorial, and as I said my final goodbye’s and the taxi pulled out of the driveway, letting me catch a final glimpse of some of the friends, smiling with wet eyes, waving goodbye, I realized that the friends I had made at Shad would last me my whole life and that I, along with everyone else who enjoyed the Shad experience, would be able to look back upon the experiences for comfort when times get tough.

To me, Shad Valley was so much more than any words can describe. When I get home, people will ask me if I ‘liked it’, if I ‘made new friends’, if the ‘people were nice’, and I will be faced with the impossible task of giving to them a snapshot of the fullest 4 weeks of my life. I know that I can’t do the Shad experience justice for all that I learned and all the amazing memories I’ve had, but if you’re reading this debating whether Shad will be right for you or your child, know that no matter what kind of person goes to Shad it will turn out to be one of the best summer experiences imaginable.

What truly made my Shad experience so special was the people: not only the unique students who attend, but the teachers who put in so much work to make Shad the incredible and rich learning experience that it was for us. Each of us is hugely grateful to these teachers for creating the past 4 unforgettable weeks.

Matthew Walker
Shad Valley Memorial University "MUN"
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Last Day of Shad –The Saddest Day Ever!

When I first received my letter of acceptance into the Shad program months ago, I said to myself, “this is going to be an interesting summer!” Well, it turned out that this statement was too modest. This summer was the most exhilarating, stressful, funny, knowledge filled experience I have ever had.

The last day of Shad started off with the Shad Lakehead Dance. Organized by the dance committee, the 4-hour dance was a huge success! Dancing to fast songs was the best ways to keep the tears from coming. Even though popcorn wasn’t the best food choice for a dance, it turned out to be pretty decent after all. After holding back on the tears for too long, the girls slowly started to shed tears when the last song came on.

Soon after the dance was over, we received our month books and everyone took out their pen and started to sign each other’s books. With 65 people pouring their memories onto the page of the month book, the feeling of the end was starting to form. The rain started to pound on the windows and the saddened atmosphere became even thicker. The weather was a mirror of our feelings. As the first Shad left for her plane, it struck me that Shad Valley was now over! Shad ceases to exist if all Shads aren’t present.

I realized that time had flown by very fast and that we had become a close family. In a small amount of time, we had come to a point where everyone had some everlasting memory with one another. As daylight came and the first batch of people left for the airport, all Shads wept with tears. After landing in Toronto, everyone parted ways and as I took the last glance at my friends I realized I had made friendships that I will keep forever!

In a short month, Shad had taught me more than I could have ever learned in a school year. Time management was a huge part of my learning at Shad. Everything is possible if you believe you can do it and if you look at things in an optimistic way than life becomes a lot more beautiful. For all Shad Valley Lakehead 2009 participants, I will miss you all very much! All the places in Canada are now linked with memories of people in my Shad experience!

Neha Singh
Shad Valley Lakehead University
Hometown: Markham, Ontario

Today was the day that Shads from across Canada would never forget. It would be the last day that all 47 of us at Shad Queen’s would be in the same room together.

I woke up to the daily “Good Morning” from my roommate feeling amazed at how quickly the days of the month had vanished before me. The whole morning was spent dedicated setting up for the Open day, Banquet, and Variety show. Being on the banquet committee, our job was to organize everything spanning from invitations, to the décor aspects of the dinner. Our theme for the banquet this year was a “Winter Evening in Paris”, and thus we hung 47 snowflakes across from the pillars of the dining hall. This was not only used to give rise to the idea of winter, but was used to represent the uniqueness of us all shads, as no two snowflakes are the same.

As the Shad Queen’s 09 Open Day arrived, many notable and honorary guests arrived, such as Barry Bisson—President of Shad Valley, and Gwyn Morgan—former President and CEO of EnCana Corporation.

The open day was followed the banquet, in which guests enjoyed a fine 5 star dinner! The variety show then took action, where the many Shad talents were showcased to the broad audience. The acts included pen spinning, a glow-in-the-dark robot dance, and a closing song done by all Shads which was “The Climb” (as it was constantly sung during the duration of the month!).

Soon the day — just like the month — was coming to an end. However, no Shad was expecting what was going to happen next. Our Program Directors announced that we were going outside and that we were not allowed to bring our cameras. We walked over to the lake beside our campus carrying candles, and low and behold there were candles set all around us (probably not just to keep the mosquitoes away). We sat down together and listened to the final words said by our community. One by one we brought our candles towards the lake and placed them into the sand.

I realized then that our earth is in constant turmoil and war, for singular supremacy and power. But we Shads represent a vastly different world; although we all come from different parts of Canada representing different cultures and beliefs, we did not fight for power, but for community, diversity, and friendships. At the end of our closing ceremony, we all went back to grab our candles which were no longer lighted.

Although we will all walk in different paths, the smoke from our candles will forevermore linger in the air we breathe, and thus we will never be apart from one another.

Uliana Kovaltchouk
Shad Valley Queen's
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba

This morning was a refreshing one, as all Shads woke up with satisfaction at the successful house project presentations the night before. After all the learning, creativity, and a little bit of frustration, we had finally completed our house projects.

I woke up at 6:30am for morning recreation. Strangely, I'm not nearly as groggy waking up this early as I would be back home. I am unsure of whether it's because I'm too curious as to the day's events to be tired, or because I've grown accustomed to the schedule. Most likely, a combination of both.

We then received an honorary breakfast from MUN (I won't waste precious words on describing how delicious the food was), in which we learned useful information on programs offered at MUN, and it's many different campuses.

Perhaps the pinnacle of the day was our trip downtown in the afternoon, stretching into the evening. 48 Shads, let loose on downtown St. John's was bound to result in a great time, and it didn't disappoint. From the Newfoundland souvenir shops, to the genuine (and somewhat exotic) Newfoundland food, it was an experience that I will never forget.

But what truly defines my Shad experience, is not necessarily the particular events, but moreso the people I shared them with. Everyone here is unforgettable, and all played an integral role in making my time at Shad one of the best experiences of my life. I can safely say that Shad changed my life in so many ways, and that I would not be the same person without it.

Grant Robson
Shad Valley Memorial University
Hometown: Guelph, Ontario

Today was the day. The day where we found out the winning project that moves onto the Shad Cup. After countless screams of frustration, delusional images appearing and sleepless nights in the classrooms, all our efforts were rewarded.

The judges went over feedback for each groups' presentation, and made many valuable suggestions. After the comments from the judges, it was the anticipated nerve wracking voting time. All the presentations and projects were spectacular, it was difficult to choose the best one, but we all realized no matter which project was chosen, we are all winners because we have all learned and grown through this process (yes, it's that cheesy!).

After much sweat and nervous flitters, the ballots were totalled and the PAs announced the winner was... A TIE! Our project, InsulECO, and Gumline Green, were chosen and a revote was needed. Both teams were bombarded with a series of questions from the Shads. The revote has yet to be conducted; however, no matter which team wins, Shad Laval will be well represented. On a side note, we were also really sad to find out that Shad Cup gala will not take place in Waterloo this year as we were all hoping for a reunion.

With the project out of the way, Shads celebrated Twin Day emerging out with similar colours, matching shirts and hairstyles as twins, triplets, and even quadruplets. After lunch, Laval Shads headed to visit the EXFO headquarters in Quebec City. After a long wait in the sun, we were finally escorted up to a conference room to hear a presentation from the Director of Optical Production, Stephane Chabot. It was exciting to hear our newly learned marketing and business terms during his presentation.

After the presentation, we were split up into 3 groups and took a tour of the plant. We saw the production process and the research and development put into the creation of the fibre optic transmission in portable devices. The tour ended with a little game of pool in the lounge with some of the Shads while waiting for others to finish.

When we got back to the university, another suprise awaited us. We were finally getting our Shad Laval t-shirts and sweaters. Being part of the tshirt committee that designed both, I wore mine with great pride. With all of Shad Laval dressed in their snazzy tshirts and/or sweaters, we took our group photos. After numerous attemps to spell "Shad", we finally had our momentous picture for the monthbook. Houses got together to celebrate their success and took their house pictures while roommates scattered around to find each other for their own pictures. Many pictures were taken today for the monthbook that will be the most treasured memory and souvenir for many Shads.

As I sit here typing this blog, I realize we have about 50 hours of Shad left. Looking at that sentence makes my heart drop, as the tragic truth starts to hit me hard: Shad is almost over. Tomorrow will be our last "real" Shad day together as Thursday is Open Day and Friday everybody leaves at different times. Shad worked its magic into us that has created inseparable bonds. We know that the good times must come to an end but the bond will remain forever within us despite the distance that separates us. Let us value every hour that is left of Shad as it is our last chance to leave an impact with our Shad experience. Value each second spent with the Shads and PAs around you who have no doubt become your family this past month.

Susie Pan
Shad Valley Université Laval
Hometown: Guelph, Ontario

Today was the day: project presentation day!

After having a universal curfew last night, the UBC Shads awoke somewhat relaxed and renewed with fresh energy. In the morning, we were given three hours of preparation time, during which you could spot many stressed people running frantically from here to there, trying to print business plans or finish PowerPoint presentations. It was clear from the chaos all around that this was the day we had worked towards for the last three weeks. The presentation day had finally arrived.

For five hours, we heard each House Group present some of the most innovative and beneficial products and services. The magnitude of work that we had managed to accomplish in such a short time frame was truly impressive and awe-inspiring. As our judge so aptly stated, all the presentations were impeccable and definitely something to be proud of.

After our presentations, we enjoyed a relaxing swim at the UBC Aquatic Center. Walking back from the swim in the cool evening breeze, a realization struck me. Even though we had whined, complained and at times outright protested the ridiculous idea of creating a professional business proposal in two weeks, we came to the realization that there is a definite, if not twisted, logic behind this crazy House Project. By leaving us to complete this most arduous task almost all on our own, we inadvertently became all that Shad stands for. We were able to discover, harness and strengthen our talents, skills, abilities and potential. In the true spirit of Shad Valley, we were able to transcend our limits by driving, stretching, and dreaming further than we had ever before.

Shad Valley has truly found the best and made them better.

Shivani Upadhyaya
Shad Valley UBC
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta

After recently returning from an amazing camping trip to Prince Edward Island, all the Shads were very tired and had a hard time jumping into a busy day. Usually Sundays are a chance to catch up on some long lost sleep, but considering the prototypes were due we had to do some serious work. Many of the projects required special tools and extra work which made the day incredibly busy but fun at the same time.

In the afternoon our large group of Shads went downtown and enjoyed the Tall Ships festival in beautiful summer weather. It was a sight to see and all the ships were magnificent. There was also a lady at the festival who brought her pet iguanas, which we found very fascinating.

This was one of many bonding experiences we were able to experience here and it was sad for everyone to think that we are entering the last week. We have had an amazing time so far and the hard work we all put into our projects is starting to show. It is getting close to the end but we are enjoying every minute.

Shane Wiebe
Shad Valley Dalhousie
Hometown: Fort St. John, British Columbia

Bilingual Poste Bilingue!

Je me suis levée un peu plus tard que normalement, mais la ligne pour le petit-déjeuner était courte. Alors, quand je suis arrivée, beaucoup de Shads mangeaient encore. Nous avons discuté de notre prochaine activité et de la Nuit Multiculturelle.

After breakfast, we made our way to the activity room, wondering what our second design challenge would be: CATAPULTS!!! We were divided into six groups and began our quest for planning and building the most efficient catapult for launching green army men the furthest distance. Of course the groups first went to the computer lab, most likely Googling best catapult design or optimal angle for catapult. After ten minutes, my group had our basic idea and started to sketch the design, taking into account our limited supplies.

Après des heures de couper le bois fragile (ou briser par accident), coller, et construire le catapulte, les groupes ont décidé de tester leur machine avant la compétition. Mon groupe est allé dans un couloir et a commencé à lance les petits army mens qui ont perdu leur tête ou bras à cause de la collision avec le sol. Mais enfin nous avons trouvé quel angle de les lancer. Puis tous les groupes ont choisi un nom et la compétition a débuté.

I was surprised by the various designs. All teams did well. Next, we had two hours to get ready for Multicultural Night. As I was part of the Bollywood dance to the song "Jai Ho", I spent part of my time practicing with the other girls. Soon we were walking to the boudoir. The meal was delicious, including couscous, chicken, poutine, and brownies.

Now for what we were all waiting for: the show. The entertainment included the Tanzanian national anthem, Korean dance, Korean song, Chinese lessons (tongue twister), an interesting educational presentation, and the Bollywood dance. The night ended with a DANCE PARTY!

There is less than a week that remains of Shad, but I know that I will see some of the Shads from my hometown again in summer; in fact, we’ve already made plans of what we can do! Being at Shad Valley has really motivated me to do more activities, to push my boundaries, and to get out of my comfort zone. To top things off, my vocabulary has improved exponentially: innate, conventional, instigate, quintessentially …thanks to my wonderful Shad friends.

Sara Sassani
Shad Valley Laval
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia

Our day did not have a typical beginning: some Shads stayed up working until ridiculous hours of the mornings, some woke up insanely early, while others did both. What was the cause of all our sleep deprivation? The business plan for our DE projects was due today. Even though some of us had approximately three and a half hours of sleep (note to parents: Do not be alarmed! On less abnormal days we do get a more decent amount of sleep!), we still experienced the day with the utmost of Shadditude, which here at Carleton is a term we use to describe all of the actions and behaviours that encompass the values of Shad creativity, excellence, community, diversity and responsibility.

This means that even though we were all thinking about the comfort of our dorm beds, we continued to work diligently on our projects and still managed to have some fun on the way.

After working on the project from 5:30 am, all of the Shads made their way to the Minto Centre for 8:30 am, where we had morning announcements, ShadNews, and a few ShadSpeaks. There was a Tim Hortons cup at every second seat; a feeble attempt to regain energy so that we could make it through the day without completely losing all consciousness during the lectures.

The Blue House, the house responsible for today’s ShadNews, decided to try something new and therefore presented their news in the form of improvisation. Members from the audience were chosen to improvise the morning news; everything from a plane crash caused by the throwing of a wedding bouquet to the announcement of Canada’s Next Top Model, Meaghan Waller from Winnipeg (and since I am also from Winnipeg, I was the privileged one who got to strut down the front of the room as I acted out winning the highly-acclaimed title).

Today was indefinitely the worst day to be a lecturer; Shads were passing out into states of unconsciousness by the second! As Super Sam (our most frequent lecturer) always says, I do not take any offense when Shads are falling asleep in my lecture because I know that it is due to the fact that this is a highly intensive program that does not accommodate for enough sleep. So although it was definitely a nearly impossible task to focus on the lectures being presented, I definitely induced all of my will power and found that today’s lectures were indeed interesting, wishing only that these lectures could have been presented on a day when conscious levels had been slightly higher.

Next it was crunch time! We had five hours (including supper) to finish the business plan for our DE projects. The process was indeed mentally draining, but at the same time, working with a group of 13 other passionate and driven students also made it extremely exhilarating! Besides, there is nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment that sweeps over you when you get up after sitting at a computer screen for so long and you finally see the work that you have contributed so much time and energy to complete.

Though today was undoubtedly the most exhausting day at Shad thus far, it was also one of the most inspiring. And, just as the Blue House so wittingly expresses in their 13 syllable roll call (13 members in their group), This Shad won’t kill us; it will only make us stronger!

Nadine Demko
Shad Valley Carleton
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Today, like most days here at Shad Waterloo, was one that was filled with many events. Today was no different than any other day here at Shad in the sense that the Shads were always on the go. However, it was a unique day full of surprises.

As usual, we had breakfast at 7:30am. Then at 8:00am, we had a Whole Group session for which we arrived for at “Shad time” (meaning 5minutes early). Today, Rob Gorbet (a faculty member) gave us a lecture about defining art. It was interesting to see that art could be anything (including a toilet), as long as there was a creator who made something with the intent of making an art piece.

After the intriguing lecture by Rob, it was time for us to attend our last day in Workshop Series B. I was part of the digital animation workshop and today my group finished making our final product. We linked a series of stop-motion photos in order to make a short film about Minnie Mouse, Pikachu, Misty, Nurse Joy, Goku, Luigi, and Serverus Snape on a Mario Cart Race around campus. We were proud of this production with its special effects (like floating characters) and edited background music.

Lunch at noon was uneventful except for the fact that most of the Shads were panicking about our design projects, which are due tomorrow. We were uneasy through the “Drawing on the Past, Communicating with the Future” we worried about getting our projects finished for tomorrow. Finally, at 2:30pm everybody rushed to different parts of the campus building to tackle the final parts of the design projects. After 3 hours of hardcore working, we had dinner and recreation. For recreation, we were split into 6 teams and raced against the clock as we tried to beat the other teams in the Amazing Race. All the Shads required a hot shower after that…

Unfortunately, the relaxing showers ended all too quickly as everyone got back to working feverishly on their projects. Many people stayed up late in an attempt to make their projects even just a little better. By 1:30pm tomorrow, this will all be over and we will all feel accomplished and proud of ourselves at finishing the process of design.

Minnie Kwak
Shad Valley Waterloo
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Awakening to the seeping sun through the partially curtained window behind me, this morning delivered itself with an aura of excitement. Proving to be one of the nation’s capital’s warmest days thus far, the 6:30am alarm clock was accompanied already by the scurrying of feet through the fourth level halls of Stormont residences.

With a quick shower and a swing out the door, it was off to the gorgeous Carleton dining hall, only to be appropriately met by an order of fried eggs – sunny side up. No sooner nourished for the morning, did an eager group of Shads embark into the morning sun, bound for the Minto Centre for Advance Studies in Engineering-the site for the mornings events.

Having received the latest headlines in the form of none other than interpretive dance, did Shad Speaks commence. Describing experiences from the fables of Aesop to the commitment of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, each Shad was left pondering, yet inspired. Contemplating life all before 9:30, workshop groups were formed, as I prepared myself to learn the science of robotics. Laced with captivating knowledge, intricate machinery as well as firsthand experience with the technology itself, the seminar broadened the already bursting ranges of interest within the group.

As yet another fantastic meal was consumed, it came time for a Red House project gathering to begin, as our Friday deadline rapidly approached. Customary to the group (as well as the envy of all other houses), the meeting began with each member hugging two others, before tumultuous productivity ensued. With long hours of brainstorming, rationalizing and conglomeration propelling into the evening, Carleton Shads were presented with not only insightful discourses on sustainability and public presenting alike, but a dramatic work as well.

Presented in the beautiful architecture facility, I felt privileged to the share the stage with fellow thespians, sharing the theme of sustainable living from an incredibly proactive group known as the Otesha Project. At last, to mark a stamp on yet another day for the journal was the Green House hosted late night – a celebration of activities brimming with recycled newspaper costume contests, games of Twister, and salsa dancing alike.

Tonight, I recollect in a state of both astonishment and gratitude; astonished at the capabilities of a group of young people, so driven as to change their world for the better, and ever grateful to thrive in their presence. As night falls in the Ottawa Valley, I know I have never been further from home, yet closer to my dreams.

Nicholas Fleming
Shad Valley Carleton University
Hometown: Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Bilingual Post Bilingue!

Durant les journées avant mon « blog day », il fallait que je décide dans quelle langue j’écrirai : en anglais ou en français. Je n’ai pas pu choisir. Dans l’esprit de notre communauté, je pense que mon blog doit être rien d’autre que bilingue.

Today was probably one of my favourite days at Shad so far. To start it off, the room key that I had lost two days ago was returned to me! After breakfast, we all headed over to our next activity, me, with Chamomile tea in hand. We completed a simulation in which we were analysts and traders, selling and buying carbon credits. Despite the hectic atmosphere in the room, with Shad traders yelling “BID 40!” “AT 50!” and Shad analysts banging on the windows making signals to their partners, my roommate and I somehow managed to figure out somewhat of a strategy. After the simulation, Jenn and I were feeling good about ourselves- we ranked 4th in terms of profit- but the PA's taught us that we could have easily doubled or tripled our profit had we only sold less and bought more carbon credits.

Après, nous sommes allés pour l'activité physique. La plupart des gens ont joué au frisbee, mais il y en avait qui sont allés faire du jogging. Moi, j'ai pratiqué notre danse en style Bollywood pour la nuit Multiculturelle qui s'approche. Je ne suis pas danseuse, mais j'adore le chanson "Jai Ho" alors je me suis encouragée, et j'ai pu apprendre une grande partie de la danse. Le souper (spaghetti) était vraiment délicieux; j'ai mangé vite et alors j'avais presque 2 heures de temps libre, durant lesquelles j'ai pratiqué pour la présentation de notre projet vers la fin de la journée.

While my house's last presentation hadn't gone as well as we had hoped, this presentation went quite well. The compliments were received with flushes of pleasure, the questions answered with alacrity. The constructive criticism was insightful, and the suggestions useful; we left the presentation room excited and proud of our project and our hard work. To top off the day, one of the houses organized a pajama dance party for Late Night. Complete with loud music and delicious snacks (apples and nutella!), everyone enjoyed themselves.

With less than 10 days left of Shad, everyone is full of mixed emotions: scared that the project is due so soon, shocked that the days have flown by so quickly, and mainly sad at the prospect of leaving all the wonderful, unique friends that we've made.

However instead of counting the amount of days left, I'd rather count much happier things: the amount of times my friend Ellery corrected my french grammar (12), the amount of laughs while lying on the grass (thousands), and the amount of unforgettable experiences I've had thus far (infinity and beyond!)

Zamyla Chan
Shad Valley Laval
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Yesterday, we climbed and conquered Mount Garabaldi; an 18 km hike. We departed and returned together as one, having surmounted and prevailed. Exhausted from the previous day’s adventure, we looked at each other with tired eyes, yet somehow we managed to still be ecstatic, having kept our hearts glowing.

We started our day with workshops consisting of outrigger canoeing on the Pacific Ocean, an interactive activity building rockets using plastic bottles, inspiring lessons about the values of life, and making 3D objects using fractals.

After lunch, we split up into our house groups to work on our projects outlining our creative inventions in our business plans. Some of the students also participated in a question and answer session with the Pavillion Lake Research Project crew.

Next, we watched the documentary, “Occupation 101,” focusing on Palestine and its various internal and external conflicts. The video was quite emotional, leaving many of us in tears and in deep discussion.

Following dinner, the swimming at the UBC Aquatic Centre was a well needed break, to stretch out our stiff muscles.

The little things in between, the walks to and from lectures, late night talks, and movie watching, is what really brings us together. When I heard the stories from Shad alumni about how they had become a family, I was quite skeptical. How is it possible to develop such deep relationships in such a short period of time? With such likeminded people surrounding you, the answer is, it’s impossible for you not to create and sustain relationships. Talking about leaving is a sin. I have not felt this alive, peaceful, and content at the same time in a long time. I don’t fly as one here, but as a flock.

Sunita Kheterpal
Shad Valley UBC
Hometown: Brossard, Quebec

My alarm clock rang awfully early this morning. It was quite a challenge forcing myself to wake up after last night’s game of “Uno” between my roommates and me that escalated into an all-out, two-hour tournament. I slid into the shower, stumbled into some clothes, and staggered down the hallway towards the cafeteria. Before I went 20 feet, I came upon Shad Carleton’s fearless leader, Adrian Chan, curled up on the floor sleeping under a blanket. I looked like I wasn’t the only one who could use a bit more sleep.

(Above picture) Carleton Program Director Adrian Chan sleeping on the floor.

Over the past two weeks at Shad, I’ve had to come to terms with one simple fact; Shad Valley is busy. Insanely busy. The constant onslaught of exciting, challenging, stimulating activities is enough to make even the hardiest of us a tad weary.

Today was different, though. It was the first time in the entire two weeks that we were given a substantial amount of free time. The three hours we were allowed may not seem like much, but to us Shads, it seemed like an eternity. There were so many possibilities such as shopping, watching a movie, or sleeping. But guess what we chose to do? We worked, of course! My entire house got together and worked on our design project for hours on the one day that we could have done whatever we liked!

Yet there wasn’t a single frown or complaint for the entire time, and every person put their whole heart into the prototype, design, or business model that they were working on.
At Carleton, we call it “Shadditude” and it’s the passion for learning, respecting others, and driving to succeed. It is inside every Shad. And we will need every ounce of passion and drive we have in order to meet the upcoming deadlines and successfully complete our lengthy design project.

After a number of fascinating lectures and a workshop on creating simple computer games, it was time for my team, the green house, to present the product design we’d been working on for days.

As the deadline for our presentation slowly drew closer, any minor quarrels we may have had with each other melted away. We became a well-oiled machine, each piece fitting perfectly and our ideas combining to form one vision.

Many of us were quite nervous about presenting to the panel of judges. We heard that they were brutally honest and any weaknesses in our product would be exposed. To our great delight, the judges responded to our project well and gave us some excellent suggestions.

Walking back to the dorms, a collective sigh of relief came from the green house for the fabulous feeling of a job well done. And that is what this whole thing is about. Shad Valley is made up of a lifetime’s worth of life-changing activities and experiences, lovingly crammed into one furious, passionate, soul-altering month.

Yes, Shad Valley is delightfully busy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ben Barrett-Forrest
Shad Valley Carleton
Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

Spontaneity. One common factor between all Shads is their innate ability to adapt to change, to innovation, and in the case of the community of 60 here at UNB, to the ever-changing weather and shy sun. Having said that, it was no surprise when our sudden change in plans today did little to "dampen" our spirits. (The forecast was for intense downpour.) Instead of taking our Bay of Fundy trip, we switched two weekends and explored downtown Fredericton instead.

Having already experienced the stress and sleep deprivation outlined an alarming number of times in last year's blog, we slept in and woke up to a casual breakfast in the downstairs cafeteria. Our CT projects were already taking a toll on our sanity, and a relaxing morning was much in demand. Our Program Directors, Ian and Julie, always stress the importance of balance in everything we do, and of course that was not limiting to the variety of food our staff had to offer.

We divided into our groups of six in the courtyard and smiles were all around – we got that beautiful sun everyone were hoping for, and we were off on our way! The community here in New Brunswick is warm and welcoming, and the market place was alive with regulars, visitors, people sipping fresh-squeezed juice and taking everything in. A snapshot of the vibrant community that is Fredericton, the tightly packed area was buzzing with the organized chaos of traffic of people squeezing between the aisles. It was on the way back that we learned the people here rarely lock anything. In the words of Ian – “why?” This community that’s welcomed us for a month this Summer opens its arms to everyone. This is something we should all strive towards: the realization that there is no point in creating harm.

After some delectable shopping (samosas! yummy), we walked down to the river and had a lazy picnic along the riverbank, stretched out on the sun. It allowed time for some personal reflections and room to breathe – and of course, more eating!

A little while later (my definition of time has completely changed with Shad – they kind of just melt into one another), being Shads, we could not help but visit the local hotspot – Geek Chic. In there, we found all sorts of goodies -- from laser keyboards to witty t-shirts, I’ve never felt so at home. Our group then visited the local barracks, a second-hand book store that went on for miles, and “Tiny Music”, the biggest music store in the city. We also got to see the changing of the guards at the City Hall – it was quite a sight, seeing red-uniformed soldiers marching down the sidewalk to a drum beat, and better still, waiting at the crosswalks for the pedestrian light to change.

The surprises continue with our Coffee House night. I was lucky enough to host the night with my friend and keeping with the spontaneous spirit – we did it gangster style, and showed off some map rhyme skillage. Or not. Cheesy emceeing and nerdy jokes aside, the acts were delicious. From poetry about protractors, heart & soul (and not just the song), faux breakdancers, standing ovations over a capella crooners, “legit” poppers, guitarists, and group singing, complete with the Titanic reenactments. Even the PAs pitched in, gracing us with Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” – complete live rickrolling.

Yet another day in the Shad program. I can’t believe these busy, laughter-filled days have flowed into one another. I’m excited by all the potential around me, and the warm fuzzy feeling when I look around. It feels like home, and these people are my family.

Through any uncertainties that may come, I know that these people will no doubt play a significant part in my life beyond the few weeks in which we laughed, ate, and rapped together.

Yours,

Kerri Lu
Shad Valley University of New Brunswick
Hometown: Richmond, British Columbia

Engaging, inspiring, challenging, collaborative, enthusiastic, memorable, and sleep-deprived are a few words which help summarize the Shad Valley experience thus far, yet they truly only begin to convey the power of this program.

Today started out with another amazing breakfast at 7:30 in the Conrad Grebel residence, followed by staff seminars for the remainder of the morning. This is when the very talented and experienced crew of Program Advisers here at Waterloo were able to demonstrate their abilities and passions to the students. With Rob and Paul, I had the pleasure of taking apart a variety of defunct electronic equipment, learn about the processes involved within them, and even attempt a few repairs on broken items that the Shads brought in! Although we had limited success with the latter, in many ways, this added to the entertainment value.

After lunch, it was our turn to prove our worth: Shad seminars! Everyone was given a 10 minute opportunity to teach or discuss something of interest to them. While I have had the fortune of meeting some incredibly talented and diverse people in the past, today truly opened my eyes to how there is always something more to learn, and that each of us has something unique to offer to the world. Learning to order Korean food (always impressive on a date), write credo poems (very humorous), fit your entire body through a single sheet of paper (yes it’s possible), and about the ‘science’ behind science fiction were just a few examples of this collective expertise!

The guest speakers Josh Vanwyck and Ben Best, two recent graduates of UW’s Systems Design Engineering program joined us after an exceptional dinner to offer valuable insight regarding the intricate process of social change and how it applied to our design projects. It was another very useful speech and the duo left a positive impression of the university’s program.

To finish off the day, all four ‘houses’ gathered to participate in a friendly (which inevitably escalated into a somewhat competitive) game of Cranium. Many laughs were generated amidst the ‘acting’ and ‘sculpting’ of varying degrees of aptitude. All in all, it was a great way to finish off this action-packed day!

Having described today as ‘another day’ at Shad Waterloo would have been misleading on many levels, as each day is indeed an adventure unto its own. Even with the daily schedule, it is nearly impossible to predict what is going to throw at you next! While the events and activities may be scripted, the experience is not. Your reaction to it, the impact it has on you, and the powerful aura of support and passion at every turn is what makes each moment unique. This is what I have to come to find makes Shad so incredible!

Josh Segeren
Shad Valley Waterloo
Hometown: Chatham, Ontario

Today was an unforgettable day because we had our Presidents' Luncheon. All the heads of faculty in McMaster University came, including Barry Bisson, President of Shad Valley International and Peter George, President of McMaster University.

Shad Valley is always keeping me on my toes and especially today since we had two tours and a couple of lectures. Doug Boreham gave us a lecture on Nuclear Reactors and as he gave this lecture "The Nature of Things" (CBC Program) videotaped his lecture.

After the luncheon I went to visit McMaster University's new Planetarium. The planetarium gave me an impression of what the size of space in on a 360 view. Once the tour of space was over I went on a tour to the Nuclear Reactor building. The tour with Doug Boreham was very impressive since this is a one of a kind Nuclear Reactor built in 1959.

After the tour of the Nuclear Reactor I realized that Northern Lights are cosmic rays coming from the sky. All of us do not need to be afraid of nuclear radiation because we are exposed to it everyday!

My day was fantastic and I hope every other day at Shad will be the same!!

Aloka Wijesooriya
Shad Valley McMaster
Hometown: Iqaluit, Nunavut

Psychological Experiment Shad Valley Dalhousie: Subject Log, Day 11

7:30.000 – Wakeup, the barrage of knowledge and learning is taking its toll, sleep deprivation evident as mind fixated on month project theme while showering begins: fibres, fibres, fibres…

8:45.000 – House group Vagapelago (derived from Vagabond and Archipelago, ergo hobos on an island) gathers final details for project pitch to group, 100% biodegradable pen idea on verge of reality

12:30.000 – Dared to down a slice of pizza in one bite, beginning to feel dreaded “Shad 5.000” coming on

13:30.000 – Walked from residence to Rowe Building for seminar on math and probabilities, have yet to see sunshine in Halifax for more than a total of fifteen minutes, weather predicted to be good for camping trip Friday, Vitamin D deficiency will soon be quenched…we hope

16:30.000 – Head swirling from overload of permutation, combination concepts, feeling sleepy and hungry, a good day’s work

17:15.000 – Practice for piano, singing duet for coffee house successful, probability of “rocking the house” significantly raised

22:30.000 – Beginning to suspect cool roommate is part of experiment to observe behavior of Shads in response to wild antics, sleep deprivation and hunger creeping in again, thought processes failing…having the time of my life!

Jonathan Lim
Shad Valley Dalhousie
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta

Today was another exciting day at Shad Valley at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. It already feels like we have been here forever, as we have all made amazing connections with each and every 65 Shads.

This morning we started off with Shad Speaks, which were presentations prepared by each Shad on a topic that they have become an expert in. Next we had a lecture on entrepreneurship, which was really helpful for our Shad Cup project and provided us with some excellent pointers.
Mealtimes at Shad, are always entertaining. You never know what conversation you will be having, or what kind of activity will be happening.

After lunch, we had a very informative session on career development. The focus was on writing resumes, which will be very useful to every Shad some time or later. This was followed by a lecture on technology, specifically on computer communications and networking. Learning in the field of technology was continued with hands on experience with building a chatroom with Java and HTML, as well as working with a robot.

After supper we had time to work on our Shad Cup projects, which are on the theme of natural fibres. Although our time at Shad is so busy and our schedule is packed with different activities, it is definitely worth being here, and I will miss everyone terrible when Shad (sob) is over! Today was also my birthday, which was definitely a unique experience, and a day I will never forget. Continuing on with the birthday theme, I would like to wish my mom a happy birthday tomorrow!

Heidi Bentley
Shad Valley Lakehead
Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Fun, stress, fatigue and remarkable are the four adjectives most often used to describe Shad Valley Carleton ’09. We came back from camping yesterday, bitten, dirty and exhausted. However, the thrill of the camping experience cannot be described in mere words. Using the outhouses, sleeping in small tents with four other Shads and mosquitoes was, believe it or not, EXCITING!! This was because we were all together.

Today, Yellow House presented ShadNews in a very entertaining manner which distracted us from scratching our bug bites. ShadNews really helps us stay connected with the outside world which would be impossible otherwise as we are always caught up in the hustle and bustle of Shad. We then had the pleasure of listening to three fellow Shads present their Shad Speaks. It is really intriguing to listen to the Shads speak about their passions, since all 52 of us come from different backgrounds. In Shad, we learn about things which we hardly learn about in school, such as, recent developments in scientific research and volunteering opportunities.

Next, we had the honour of listening to Mr. Al Pilcher talk to us about the business aspect of the legendary DE project! It was then time to start exercising our bodies with a game of soccer. I got to see the Emperor and Empress of Japan; they were visiting Carleton as part of their two-week Canadian tour.

After lunch, the houses presented their codes of conduct to Al Pilcher and received some very useful tips for improvement. We then worked on our DE project for a half-hour (a very busy half-hour). After dinner, we had Committee Time. I am part of the Shadwear and monthbook committee so during this time we designed the logo for Shadwear. After a few more fun activities, it was time to go to bed and get a restful sleep. This only captures the essence of Shad, which is really hard to do in 200 words! In order to truly know Shad, one has to live the experience!

Sapna Shah
Shad Valley Carleton
Hometown: Markham, Ontario

I can’t believe we’ve already been here a week at Shad Valley Queen’s! I quickly lost track of time as we’ve done so much! We got a bit of time to relax this morning and I woke up to the sounds of cows mooing, birds chirping, a wind turbine (NOT windmill we learnt) blowing and our tents rustling. Not necessarily the typical sounds we’ve heard at Queen’s.

Last night we pitched our tents in a field in Wolfe Island to prepare for a night’s camping trip. It was a little more luxurious than the Duke of Edinburgh camping I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised to return from the campfire to temperatures above zero. After a rushed attempt to take down our tent, which had to be repeated properly a second time, we raced to breakfast. Being the last ones awake this was a rushed process as we didn’t want to miss anything.

We started the morning with more leadership activities, including catching each other, providing a path for each other across sticks and creating a seat for those behind you (left) and we successfully completed the tasks given to us by our fabulous guide Walter!

After rec time and lunch we set off on a hayride around the island and stopped to see its wind turbines. They are huge!! Then we got back on the ferry to return to our home for the rest of the month.

We finally had some time to relax. Most of us enjoyed a much needed shower, and took the opportunity to catch up with the world at home. After supper we worked on our house projects and then had our first house social - Casino Night, including a huge game of Uno, poker and, to begin with, a little awkward dancing but finished with everyone singing and dancing to the YMCA.

Then we went upstairs for a game of our own creation of Pictionary meets charades before saying goodnight to the boys as they left for their own floor. Another exciting day at Shad Valley has ended but I know there’s tons more to come! Must go to bed as I’m keeping my fabulous French roommate awake.

Bonne nuit!

Philippa Gosine
Shad Valley Queen's
Hometown: St. John's, Newfoundland

Expected number of mosquito bites since arrival at Shad: 27
Actual number of mosquito bites since arrival at Shad: 2
Average hours of sleep per night: far too few
Required number of morning coffees: 15
Actual number of morning coffees: 0

Let me start off by saying that today in particular was another exhausting day at Shad Valley UBC. Like all other mornings, breakfast was between 7:30 and 8:30. All 52 of us trundled into "The Lounge", anxiously awaiting a new day of unknown activities.

We boarded the bus to Lynn Valley (our first official 'field trip' as an entire group) at 9:05am sharp. As one knows, a school bus filled to the brim with excited teenagers is rather... noisy, to say the least. A near hour-long bus ride later, the Shads spilled out of the bus to take in their new surroundings. We were astonished. We were surrounded by lush green forest that towered above our heads. For those of you who haven't been to Beautiful British Columbia, perhaps the simplest way to describe Lynn Valley is that it looks as if it came straight out of the Lord of the Rings films. For those of you who aren't fantasy buffs, here's a photo: (coming soon).

We intrepid Shads got our first taste of exactly how frigid a creek is in early July. We waded through a rushing stream, and although swimming was not planned into the itinerary, quite a few of us ended up getting soaked. Yours truly managed to evade the worst.

About two dozen of us went hiking in the afternoon after lunch. (One learns to appreciate meals in a completely new way when one is away from home). The larger group (myself included) took the long route, which delved into the forest and spanned close to 14 km. The return trip took almost 4 hours! Needless to say we were exhausted on the bus ride home... but still as rowdy.

Not to forget our friends south of the border, the evening was finished off with cake and a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner by Dr. Martin Adamson (our Program Director) on guitar and vocals and Steve McCarthy (our Program Manager) on vocals. All in all, it was such a busy day that I will wake up at 6:30 am tomorrow, anxious to experience another day at Shad. And somehow managing to get through the entire day without coffee.

Deanna Choi
Shad Valley UBC
Hometown: Kingston, Ontario

En Francais!

Pour chaque journée que nous dormons au campus, nous, les Shads, devons nous réveiller pour être prêt(e)s pour le déjeuner. Alors, aujourd’hui, nous sommes tous réveillés et prêt pour aller déjeuner. Au menu : des œufs avec des petites patates carrées et du bacon, des céréales ou du yogourt.

Puisque nous n’irons pas retourner aux résidences, nous avons déjà apporté tous ce que nous aurons besoin. Ensuite, nous sommes allés dans une salle pour faire une activité enrichissante. Voici l’activité : il y a deux pays : le Canada et le Mali. Chaque équipe doit essayer de survivre avec les ressources dont ils disposent et doivent ainsi acheter du luxe pour essayer d’être le plus riche. L’équipe ayant le plus de luxe gagne la partie.

Après l’activité, nous discutons de ce que nous avons vu et appris durant l’activité. Et puis, nous sommes allés faire du camping à St-Aimé-des-Lacs. Arrivés sur les lieux, chacun d’entre nous a une tâche à faire : préparer la nourriture pour ensuite cuisiner le souper, monter les toiles protectrices pour ne pas se faire mouiller par la pluie, mettre en place les tentes et apporter des tables pour s’asseoir.

Et vient le temps pour souper : du cousse-cousse avec des saucisses et du poulet (pour les végétariens, une combinaison de légumes et de fruits). Comme dessert, des bananes cuites au feu avec des pépites de chocolats et des biscuits à l’intérieur. Puis, nous nous sommes rassemblés autour du feu pour parler de nos peurs à Shad, ce que Shad représente pour nous. Il y a eu des émotions fortes dans cette discussion. C’est alors pourquoi nous nous sommes donnés des hugs après.

Finalement, nous nous sommes couchés.

Mathieu Dassylva St-Pierre
Shad Valley Université Laval
Hometown: Edmundston, New Brunswick

Got together with the Events committee and we put together all of our movie suggestions. We had like 25 in total but we narrowed it down to four. We decided to tell the rest of the Shads at Assembly what the movie choices were and to take a vote. Tonight we're going to tell them about the rest of our plans: popcorn (complete with the old-fashioned cart thingy) and sleeping bags (everyone's going to bring their sleeping bags and pillows down to the Cameron Room and we'll lie down and watch the movie like that).

Then we finished up our seminar on conflict from a few days before, and a guest speaker (Jenny Beckler) came in to talk to us about Project Management. I knew some of what she was saying because of my dad's work and teaching. She also talked to us about critical thinking and gave us some tips for working on our house projects.

A guest speaker, Robin Muller, came in and talked to us about different materials, fabrics, and fibres. People were asking her a lot of questions because we've all been working on how to develop our products with natural fibres. Out in the hall she had 2 tables full of different fabrics (including one that had copper in it so you could scrunch up the piece of fabric and it would stay like that - very cool!) and materials (wool, cotton, alpaca, silk (amazing. so soft), etc.).

We had ShadSpeak then. We learned about Henry VIII from Christine, Mack's love of snowboarding, Wendy's playing of the pipa (Chinese instrument) and love of digital animation, Intekhab's track and field experience in Hershey, PA, and Tait's love of music (he had a really cool presentation; he played his band's music off YouTube while speaking and in the end threw out demo copies of their cd into the audience!).

We moved on to House time. The ten of us and Kathleen, our PA, crammed into our House office and presented our research. We discussed our 3 problems and decided to do feminine hygiene products! The boys in our group are pretty brave to be delving into this territory. You can tell they're smart though; they know that this is our best idea and has a good market. I think we're going to be focusing on reducing waste because so many billions of products are in landfills and such each year; we also want to make our product as eco-friendly as possible too. As Shad says about us, "We take the best - and make them better!" and that's what I guess we'll be doing with our idea. Today we're going to meet from noon to 12:30 and 5-6:30 because our 2-page Idea Proposal is due on Sunday.

Snack was leftover Canada Day cake. Avi and I got to bed BEFORE midnight for the first time since we arrived in Halifax, so we were pretty pleased with that. We're back in the DalPlex for rec, and I think I'm going to do Cathy's yoga session :) Tonight we have a Special Event that we're supposed to be in comfortable clothes to move around in, and I'm thinking it might be highland dancing because it was hinted at on the first day.

Danielle Biss
Shad Valley Dalhousie
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Canada Day!

O Canada!

I never knew that I could have so much energy while running on so little sleep. This is the beauty of being a part of Shad Valley Waterloo. It’s been officially three and a half days since my Shad friends and I arrived at Waterloo. Everyday is filled with brand new activities, and not a minute of our Shad lives is being wasted.

As we all know, today is Canada Day. I woke up at 7:30 am (running a little late) and attempted to plaster a cheerful little maple leaf tattoo on my cheek. Today is also a very special day for another reason: the beginning of our design project. This year’s theme is “Looking to Nature and Natural Fibres.” After being split up into 6 groups, my new group members and I started sharing our findings and began brainstorming crazy, wild, but possible ideas. Some of the creative ideas simply blew my mind. It was quite clear that we would be seeing some outstanding projects in the near future.

This afternoon was slightly different from any of our other days. For the first time in my life, I tried Kung-Fu! It’s actually a lot harder than it looks; nevertheless, we had a blast and were able to pickup a couple of useful defense and attacking moves.

After supper, THE Luigi Ferrara, director of the school of design at George Brown College, came in to talk to us and to give us a few helpful pointers on getting started with our design projects. It was a great honour to learn from such a talented designer.

At last, the day came to an end with everyone gathered outside to admire the fireworks. Although this day has ended, the most memorable month of our lives has only begun!

Yours truly,
Diana Sun
Shad Valley Waterloo
Hometown: Fredericton, New Brunswick