Students REACH for new understanding

A group of campers watch as Technical Instructor Mike Smart demonstrates the blue screen technology available in the basement TV studios of the CJ Building.

photo by rob maguire

Although normally used by Communications students, the studios were invaded this summer by over a dozen young campers with REACH! (Recherche et Expérimentation par Activités Concrètes et Heuristiques). The science discovery camp co-created by Concordia and McGill Engineering students back in 1989 to introduce young people to the fun of science.

The program is co-directed by students from both universities. Students in grades 7-9 attended one of three different sessions at Loyola under the direction of Joseph Michael Liu.

“I really love doing this, and it’s related to my field,” said Liu. He helped hire the student counsellors and managed donations from corporate and academic sponsors.

This year Cyber Surfers introduced campers to computer animation, sound recording, TV production and digital experiments. Over the summer, campers also explored robotics and electronics or science and nature.

“We try to add something new every year, in addition to favourites like the bridge-building competition, or the egg drop,” in which students build a structure intended to protect an egg in a fall.