Author: Adiki Puplampu
Date: 02 August 2024
Since launching in 2020, the ELITE Program for Black Youth has focused on building employment capacity in youth aged 15-22. At this age, students are making formative decisions about their career development and exploring their interests through work experiences like the ELITE Program. Reaching and supporting this demographic is key, but what if we could expose youth to potential career interests even earlier?
The ELITE Program Steering Council has always been interested in engaging with youth younger than 15, knowing that reaching this demographic builds the mindset and a pipeline for future experiential learning opportunities. But it wasn’t until this summer that an opportunity to reach this demographic presented itself through the University of Alberta’s Fred Otto DiscoverE Program (DiscoverE Program).
With the goal of encouraging youth at all identity intersections to explore interests and find passion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the alignments between the DiscoverE Program and the ELITE Program are clear. In partnership with the DiscoverE Program, this summer, the ELITE Program offered a selection of funded spots in DiscoverE’s on-campus summer programming.
“Being exposed to STEM at an early age encourages problem solving, deeper thinking, and learning to work on a team. These skills are great foundations to help youth be successful in all future endeavors. By partnering we are creating a collaborative environment to inspire youth to continue on into the ELITE Program for Black Youth, we are also encouraging family members and community members from the ELITE Program to join the Fred Otto DiscoverE Summer Camps and get inspired in STEM. This will break down barriers to attending the University of Alberta in the future and pursuing education in STEM fields.”
- Ilana Young, Manager, Fred Otto DiscoverE Program
The spots were open to friends and family members of ELITE Program interns and alumni in Grades 1-6. ELITE Program interns and alumni were encouraged to spread the word within their networks and the spots offered by the ELITE Program were quickly filled with eager youth.
"This partnership with the DiscoverE Program at the University of Alberta is the ELITE Program's active response to strengthening the pipeline of Black youth involved in experiential training. By engaging youth younger than 15 years old, we are intentionally setting the stage for Black youth to learn about STEM and prepare them in advance for work-integrated training later in their academic journeys."
- André McDonald, Director of the ELITE Program
Starting in early July 2024, these youths will dive into the world of STEM with dynamic, hands-on learning activities. Over the summer months, they’ll get to explore new concepts, uncover passions, and enjoy the experience of discovery. And who knows, maybe a few years from now some of these students might make up a cohort of ELITE Program interns.
