July 27 – Day 27

The last night with the Shads was hectic, bittersweet and slightly surreal. Four weeks of jam-packed schedules had made most of us already pretty sleep deprived, but we certainly weren’t going to miss out on the last few precious minutes with the people who had effectively become our family over the past month.

Past midnight, all the Shads assembled in the basement dance studio to sign month books, exchange phone numbers and reminisce. From there, we trickled out into smaller groups – talking, dancing or learning tai-chi with Chris at 3:00 a.m. I had some of the most meaningful and memorable conversations at 4:00 a.m., only hours away from parting with my friends.

At 6:00 a.m., after I had lugged my packed suitcase downstairs, we had one more Shad group hug before I climbed into the taxi. Everyone was considerably damp from the crying, and I hopped out of the taxi more than once for a last-minute hug and reassurance that a reunion was happening soon. Finally, driving away to the airport, I had the feeling you get when you just wake up from a really great dream. The program is over, but I know that the Shad Valley experience is not.

Saima Desai, Shad Valley Laval 2012

July 27 – Day 27

Being the blogger for the last day of Shad Valley is an interesting predicament. On one hand, you have the terrible burden of summarizing a very short day – a half day in fact. Yet you also have the wonderful opportunity of explaining what Shad Valley really is about.

The day immediately started after the awesome variety show the day prior. At 12:00 am, the Program Directors and Program Assistants led the Shadults down to the basement of the First Baptist Church. In the pitch-black room, our coordinator Jeremy led us in an emotional exercise where Shads anonymously thanked their friends by tapping them on the shoulder.

We were later led into a discussion about the effects Shad Valley had on us. After obtaining a glowing lamp, the courageous volunteer would stand up and address the crowd about what the program meant to him or her. It was an emotional experience, with frequent bursts of sobbing from members of the crowd. The thought-provoking speeches by our wonderful staff did not help either. After the faucet of tears went dry, we went back into the Cameron Room, where we spent the rest of the night (technically morning?) signing month books and crying some more. We left Howe Hall, sad to leave our friends behind, but excited for what was to come.

So what is Shad Valley? Is it the trips? The lectures? The games? Shadditude? The truth is, Shad Valley can be many things to many people. For me, it meant acceptance and encouragement, and the willingness to jump outside my comfort zone. Nowhere else will you find a group of such friendly and like-minded people.

Shad Valley is a paradigm shift. It’s a catalyst for change. It transforms you to do things you never thought possible. In the memorable words of our leader Jeremy, I discovered that, after Shad Valley… I’m not the me I used to be.

Joshua Tseng-Tham, Shad Valley Dalhousie 2012

July 27 – Day 27

I woke up from a short nap after a long night filled with dance parties and frantic month book signing. Feeling groggy from lack of sleep, it didn’t seem at all real that the magical month was nearing to an end. Reality only hit when I wandered down to the cafeteria to see the Shads cherishing their last moments together with hugs and tears.

I became painfully aware of the possibility that I may never see some of these people again and that the magic of Shad Valley had come to an end, only to be relived as a memory. Tears started to stream down my face as I tried to imagine days devoid of Program Director Ed Jernigan’s sophisticated math lectures, Grebel’s generous cookies, late-night dance parties, intense foosball matches, trips to the student life centre and precious conversations with my roomie. I had taken the community for granted and only when it was time to leave was I truly able to gauge the value of the friendships and bonds.

I’m privileged to have met my fellow Shads and staff, and I believe that one day we will see each other again. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Sally Choi, Shad Valley Waterloo 2012

July 26 – Day 26

At last, the dreaded last day before we leave Shad Valley has arrived. I woke up with a wave of sadness washing over me, knowing the fact that everyone would depart their own separate ways back to their hometown soon.

To start off my day, we had our two last enriching Shad Speaks presented by staff members Luke Russell and Dan Horner in the Lecture Hall that we will surely miss. Then, we prepared for Open Day as we set up decorations and display boards. Everyone was assigned a different task and, for me, I was assigned to give presentations to parents and the media and showcase the major entrepreneurship project that my group, the Hot Pink House, has worked tediously on for the past month. Some Shads also got exciting interviews with the CBC!

As soon as Open Day ended, everyone quickly scrambled to clean up and change into formal clothes for the Banquet. When we arrived, we took amazing pictures with our friends and got settled down to eat scrumptious food. Later on at the Variety Show, various Shads performed a wide range of wonderful acts, such as awe-inspiring piano playing, cool rapping, deep poetry, sensational singing and graceful instrumental music, which made me realize how special and talented each of us is. We ended the night with our awesome Shad Song: a remix of “Teenage Dream”, which incorporated all the jokes and memories we’ve had over the past month.

Heading back to Prescott House, the closing ceremony commenced. It finished off with a trust ceremony in the Architecture Pit, and we also reflected on our Shad Valley experience in the Dunton Tower with deep emotions pouring out. Every Shad pulled an all-nighter in Prescott House as we reminisced and struggled to sign each other’s month books. Before we knew it, Shads began to leave for home one by one as we embraced each other with tearful eyes.

This brings us to the conclusion of the magnificent and life-changing program called Shad Valley 2012. All of us have changed as individuals and formed new life-long friends that we will never forget. It has truly been an amazing month where we have never been happier.

For all the 2012 Shads: You never really leave the friends you love, part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind. There comes a time when friends depart but that is only the start of a magical journey that each of us will embark on to achieve success. Thank you to all the Shads for making my month a memorable and unforgettable experience. Until we meet again!

Zhengguang Chen, Shad Valley Carleton 2012

July 26 – Day 26

It is the end.

How can such a diverse and life-changing month possibly be summed up? One day won’t do it, but today, the last day before we leave, comes close.

Frantic preparations consume the morning. Then there is Open Day, where we showcase our House’s work. Soon we are released for the banquet. The girls are going insane with preparations... I throw on my make-up and discard clothes on my bed and almost forget my cue cards for the Variety Show as we rush to the banquet.

First are some short speeches, then food, then the presentation of the Hank Williams Memorial award, for an enthusiastic, welcoming, inclusive, and musically gifted Shad: Colin.

The Variety Show begins at 9:30 PM with a Bollywood dance as fellow MC Steve and I rehearse our parts backstage. When we come out we are wearing matching bright yellow Newfoundland waterproof hats. I don’t know about me, but Steve looks hilarious in his suit topped with the Sou’Wester.

My personal favourite act is when Steve, Colin and three other guys dance. Meant to be completely ridiculous, the five guys do things like stroking each other’s ties while mouthing the lyrics to each other while the audience laughs along. I really hope someone recorded their performance. The second-last performance is by the staff, where they act as Shads and say things we say all the time: “Where’s Patrick?”, “Dr. Lye, I’m tired…” The show ends with the all-Shad act, where we sing about Shad Valley Memorial 2012 to the tune of “the Lazy Song”.

The Variety Show ends at 11:30. Then all 54 Shads gather in the lobby and are told to be completely quiet. Finally, Chris, a Program Assistant, leads us out of the building and into the night. We stop under a huge tree and listen to the eerily loud birds screeching in the trees around us. As Chris talks about building the community of Shads, I hear my friend beside me begin to cry.

Four weeks earlier, on the first day of Shad Valley, we were given free time before the program officially started. Expecting the Shads to go off in different directions, the staff instead found all 54 Shads sitting together under this massive tree: complete strangers ready to become best friends with no facilitation required.

The staff tell us this story on the last night under darkness, under the tree where everything started. More people are crying now. As we proceed to our next unknown destination, all the Shads walk in each other’s arms. We stop next at a small clock tower. It is midnight exactly. Another short speech, more tears, then we move on again.

This “campus tour” is Shad Valley on a smaller scale: the past month we never knew what we were going to do next, but we had each other and the bonds we had formed and the trust we freely gave, and it was enough. It is the same thing now; the staff leading us in the darkness to each new destination; the Shads following with their arms around each other, holding each other up.

Soon we arrive back at the Landing Room. I remember running out of these doors, ecstatic with the success of the Variety Show less than an hour ago. Now I am sombre and mournful, incredibly aware of these bonds I’ve unconsciously made with my fellow Shads, and more fearful than ever to lose them.

Sitting in a circle, we each take a stone from a cloth bag and then talk about what we’re feeling. Some speeches are short, some are long, some Shads speak through their tears and some sound strong. After the Shads share their feelings, the staff follow. I am amazed by how much we have touched their hearts, although I shouldn’t be since from day one I have felt the love and compassion they have openly offered us. After, we return to the lobby for hoodie and documentary distributions, and MUNth book signings.

It is the end of Shad Valley.

To my Shad Valley Memorial siblings: I will miss you forever and I love you all. Oh, and the Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup is ours.

Linshia Luan, Shad Valley Memorial 2012

July 26 – Day 26

I am writing this as everyone is sleeping, signing, hugging, crying and reminiscing. Let’s start at the beginning of the day. 7am: BZZZ! Alarm bells ring as a rush of adrenaline runs through my body. This is the last day! No, I’m serious! This is the last day! The last day of Shad Valley UNB 2012.

The morning prep, packing, as well as open day, passed in a blur. And then it was upon us: the Banquet. This one was extra special, as (first of all) the chicken was excellent. However, what made it extra special was our honouring Trevor Nason, an enthusiastic, dedicated mentor who died in a motorcycle accident after his Shad Valley Program Assistant job. The ceremony spread an air of realization over us; the fragility of life cannot be underestimated.

Undoubtedly the best show of the month came in the evening’s Variety Show, as dancers, jugglers, singers and puppeteers all graced the stage. Past midnight, we were all taken to a grassy clearing where the induction to the Shad Valley Alumni Society was conducted. Wise words were passed in addition to a fascinating drinking water/candle lighting ceremony. Absolutely the deepest moment of the month; expressions of sympathy, enlightenment and regret were shared.

This brings us to the end of the beginning of the absolutely wonderful program known as Shad Valley 2012. I would like to borrow this quote from my friend Evan: “Don’t be sad that it’s over; be happy that it happened.”

To all the 2012 Shads: hardships and challenges surely will come across our days. It is the way that we overcome them that sets us apart. There comes a time in the life of every generation when it is necessary to put together our hope and efforts to achieve greatness. Our journey has just begun.

See you soon at greatness!

Chris Zhu, Shad Valley UNB 2012

July 25 – Day 25

Today was a great day for Shad Valley Carleton. To begin, after the usual quotidian Shad News and Shad Blogging committee updates, we had an inspiring lecture from a familiar face: Al Pilcher. In this talk he focused on the determination and the perception of life by providing the example of a father who took his disabled son on many sports ventures. It certainly was eye-opening and poignant when we saw the perseverance and dedication of the father.

Next we proceeded to committee time where we worked in our respective committees: being in the blogging committee, we spend the hour and a half covering all the Shad Speaks that were done in the past weeks and finished just barely.

Afterward, we went to the Architecture Pit for some relaxing yoga. For some of us it wasn't as relaxing since our bodies weren't nearly flexible enough to do some of the poses. We could all agree, however, that the corpse pose (lying down on the ground) was the most relaxing since it provided us with the opportunity to catch up on lost sleep.

We had a setup for Open Day after lunch where we began to prepare for the arrival of parents, lecturers, etc. to view the Shad Valley Carleton work. The theme this year was deemed "Journey through the Shad Body" where different rooms of Prescott were assigned different body parts. For example, I am currently sitting in the study lounge, which is the eyes of Shad Valley Carleton. My group worked on a Rube Goldberg machine, and quite frankly, it is much harder than it looks.

So we then listened to a lecture by Sam Dube and Dr. Kate Oakley, which was a great lecture closing. Talking about goal setting and speaking on motivation, Sam certainly has inspired us with his talks. Kate talked about her artwork, which was beautiful, full of meaning, and simply amazing.

We then had to clean up our rooms, which was a difficult task to do, not only because they were so messy, but because none of us wanted to leave. But the rooms ended up tidy, and after some House time, where Yellow House shared some honest and true feelings, we went to the Architecture Pit for a Late Night hosted by Blue House. It was in the theme of a campfire and we watched slide-shows of our memories here at Shad Valley.

Needless to say, today was both the saddest day of Shad Valley so far, and the happiest. Let's make the best out of tomorrow Shad Valley Carleton.

Andy Xia, Shad Valley Carleton 2012

July 25 – Day 25

Wow! I can't believe today was the penultimate day at Shad Valley (and one of the last days together before our parents arrive)! Time has sped by, and it feels as though I've only just arrived.

Today started off as usual - breakfast. Today's was more enjoyable than yesterday's because everyone had finished stressing out about our projects.

Pod groups then “debriefed”. Mine started with a birthday hug for our Program Assistant James!!!! We then sat to discuss our feelings and what we'd learned. I'm so proud of us for our group dynamics, and for working hard on an extremely difficult task (and winning Best Prototype)! Neil suggested we each take a turn addressing each other member. This discussion was so heartfelt, and our group dynamics are something I will always treasure - I was really lucky to be grouped with my pod. I love them to Mars and back!

Next it was lunch, some presentations, rec, dinner, choir practice and preparation of display boards for Open Day.

As crazy as Shad Valley has been, I've loved it and all of my new friends - but I'm actively looking forward to eating some real food. :)

Jessie Hallett, Shad Valley McMaster 2012

July 24 – Day 24

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. I intently watch the needle on my watch as it strikes 1:00, wishing it would magically stay still for a long, long while. I can still vividly remember the first day; the warm welcome and friendly smiles had me anticipate what was to come for the next 27 days. “Creativity, challenge and community,” summarized our Program Director Ed Jernigan. Indeed, every instant truly captivated my heart. Now that Shad Valley 2012 is coming to an end, I cannot help but think of all the bittersweet memories we will treasure.

This morning, we worked in a group of three on a special design project: a mini-golf hole themed on dancing! (We finished our design project last Friday.) After lunch, we had an amazing speaker on “Powerful Presentation Skills” who talked about social psychology, the principle of distraction, optimal times to ask professors for extensions and so much more! At 8:30 P.M., we had Warm Fuzzies with our house groups.

Thinking back, it’s unbelievable how the past week went by much more quickly than the first few days. This once in a lifetime experience has been more than what I could have ever imagined.

Alice Kim, Shad Valley Waterloo 2012

July 24 – Day 24

As the end of our month-long journey draws near, the Shads seem to be under more stress than ever, rather than enjoying their last days together. In preparation for the house projects, committee projects and variety show, eating and sleeping has become secondary for most, if it hasn’t already.

We were given the whole morning to work on these tasks, which held large amounts of value among the procrastinators (of which there were many). After a productive three hours of working, fueled by leftover Caf food and intermittent napping, we participated in the Shad Olympics.

Competing in a series of relay races, including the wheelbarrow, egg-and-spoon and sponge races, we racked up points for our respective Rec teams and worked up a big appetite for the President’s event later that night.

After an amazing dinner and brief walk around the Rose Garden, the Shads walked back to Totem Park Residence. Navigating through the chaos and stress, the Shads slept (relatively) early in preparation for their big event tomorrow – the Entrepreneurship Cup!

Jeremy Gungabeesoon, Shad Valley UBC 2012

July 23 – Day 23

It was the best of times, it was the Shadliest of times. We finally received feedback on our final projects, and we have decided which project we are to send to the inter-campus competition in Waterloo in October. As the program is winding down, there is a visible shift from the stresses of project and committee work to a more relaxed atmosphere. The Shads are starting to let their hair down. All is quiet on our not-so-western front.

The members of the Shad Valley Queen’s community are recovering from the stupendous maelstrom that was a shaving-cream and water-balloon fight after our shad Olympiad. Rehearsals for both our variety-show play and an immensely secret operation that I am not aloud to talk about went well. I probably have said too much already.

Moving on. Today we had lectures in two very different topics. The first being stem-cell research and application, and the second being civil engineering. The first was particularly interesting to me, though they were both very good. I was surprised by the lack of ethical discussion, but rather thankful as it meant we could talk about more science.

I’m running out of steam very quickly, so I will have to cut this entry short. I’ll end on a bit of a clichéd (but none-the-less important) note. As we have limited time left, let’s make these last few days the most memorable. Cheers everyone!

William Gertler, Shad Valley Queen’s 2012

July 23 – Day 23

As the days are looming closer to the end of Shad Valley, activities at Lakehead are becoming more and more chaotic.

Today, after an overnight experience completing the business plan for their Entrepreneurship Cup projects, the Shads at Lakehead were rewarded with no activities until 1:55 p.m. in order to accommodate the little or lack of sleep amongst all the Shads hastily trying to finish their lengthy business plans to be presented to the judges.

With fatigued faces and exhausted bodies, we were told by our schedules that we were going on a field trip to “Cosmo Pops”, however, no Program Assistants or the Program Director were willing to explain what this field trip was about. All the Shads were having numerous discussions and predictions about where the destination of this field trip was, with rumours from an ice cream factory tour to shopping at a mall. When we got on our busses and arrived to the movie theatre, we found out that we were going to see The Dark Knight Rises!

When the movie was over and everyone had become reawakened, we headed back to the campus for dinner and were informed by Sultan Siddiqui, our Program Director, on how to properly create and present our Cup presentation in front of the judges tomorrow. After that, we had time to work on our presentations and project-display boards.

The last three weeks at Shad Valley have flown by in unforgettable memories and we are all currently in a state of sadness, which we know will become even greater as Shad Valley draws to a close in the next few days. However, we know that we will all keep in touch and will together endeavour to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Munaza Saleem, Shad Valley Lakehead 2012

July 22 – Day 22

At Shad Valley Laval, Sunday is the sleep-in day. On sleep-in days, Shads are allowed to get up later than the usual wakeup time of 7:30 a.m. Because I had a disturbingly little amount of sleep during the previous week, I overslept this morning. Breakfast is generally placed outside our dorms in the common hallway in baskets of fruits, croissants, or granola bars. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the hallway, all the food had been taken. On the bright side, however, I heard the food was not that good.

Today is the last day before the Shads at Laval present their final project to a panel of judges, all of whom have never seen our previous presentations before. We had the entire day to work and perfect our project. Some groups were done and were well into the stages of rehearsal while others, like mine, were hoping for a miracle to happen. To help us prepare for the apocalypse (tomorrow’s presentations), the Program Assistants offered mock presentations where they could give us feedback on our work up to date. I will now be leaving for the rehearsal. Wish us luck!

P.S. I hate French keyboards...

Zhiheng Zeng, Shad Valley Laval 2012

July 22 – Day 22

Though the days here at Shad Valley have been long, I will be the first to admit they have never been quite as long as today. As our curfew was extended, for most, the day began at 12:00 and still has not ended. Across Canada, screams of frustration, shortly followed by cheering could be heard, as our abilities to be innovative, while managing time, were put to the test.

While everyone was told that they had to be in bed by 1:00, determination forced many to work through the entire night. Stress levels rose in the morning, as printers ran out of ink and bodies became too tired to stay awake… Today, I finally understood what former Shads meant when they said, “Week three will be the most stressful week of your life.”

Though I have never felt more exhausted in my life, I have never felt so proud either. The happiness I felt this morning at 10:00 as my Creative Team group passed in our final business plan and prototype was unlike anything I have ever felt before. It was an incredible moment when eight students felt as though they were one, as though they were a family.

Maike van Niekerk, Shad Valley UNB 2012

July 21 – Day 21

I find the concept of time intriguing. There are tons of questions without answers that I have about time, and I suppose the world in general, too. Does time pass differently for different people? What are memories? Was there a beginning of time?

Today, we celebrated the passing of an incredible amount of time – the 30th anniversary of the Shad Valley Waterloo program. Since Waterloo was the first ever Shad Valley university campus, this merits an occasion that all Shads nationwide should have a reason to celebrate. Here at Waterloo, we are big on the processes of design, and especially on iterative design. This year marks 30 successful iterations of the design of the Shad Valley program, 30 years of revision and adjustment, 30 years of hard work. To celebrate, we reunited with Shad Valley alumni from the 30 years past and participated in a design challenge and barbeque together. The goal of the design challenge was to expand our community, as well as to re-establish the Shad Valley problem-solving mindset in the alumni.

Another fantastic event that occurred today was our Coffee House performance. We had the pleasure of being thoroughly entertained by our own Shad Valley Waterloo musicians and dramatists, as well as by a University of Waterloo a capella group, the Water Boys. There were some performances that made us laugh out loud; others that conveyed a deep, complicated sadness; and still others that caused us to sink back into our chairs and let waves of music crash over us.

And now, with a week left remaining in the program, I beg time to grind to a halt. I will cherish these last few moments of my life at Shad Valley. In the words of Barry Bisson, President of Shad Valley, the program is truly a “transformative experience.”

Debashis Chakraborty, Shad Valley Waterloo 2012

July 21 – Day 21

There is something magical about Shad Valley. It totally warps your perception of time so that one day feels like a week, but at the same time one week feels like an hour. Today, on day 21 of Shad Valley Carleton, I cannot believe that there is only a week left.

This morning, everyone in Green House was much more relaxed than they were last night, as the business plan for our entrepreneurship project was due. During project time, everybody was lighthearted, optimistic and contented with all of the hard work they put in the nights before.

After that, we had a riveting lecture by the one and only Sam Dubé, otherwise known as “Super Sam”. He taught us effective and fun ways to brainstorm and even gave us a conditioning lesson. Sam demonstrated how to do difficult variations of push-ups, such as push-ups with his feet on a higher surface than his hands and even handstand push-ups! Needless to say, we were awed and impressed by his skills. I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you!

After lunch, our afternoon consisted of workshops. Many interesting ones were offered, such as one for DJ-ing, one for studying aliens and much more. I chose one about art and music, with Mashid, a very talented individual who lives and breathes art. Our activity was to listen to music and draw what the music made you feel. I chose to paint using a watercolour-type substance, and it was a lot of fun!

My committee, Coffee House, set up for our second event after dinner. Our coffee houses are held at a student-run café called Roosters, and the employees there were extremely kind and helpful with setting up. Jeff Manthorpe, a Professor of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, and I were the MCs. It went really well, and there was lots of variety, from dancing to singing, instrumental performances, prose reading and even humorous story telling!

After that, the Carleton Shads headed off to bed to snag as much sleep as they could, as the entrepreneurship project final presentations are in only two days! Good luck to Shads everywhere; we at Shad Valley Carleton look forward to seeing you all at the Entrepreneurship Cup!

The realization that there is only one week left of Shad Valley tastes bittersweet. On one hand, I’ve missed my parents and my friends, and I would love to get back to them, but the happiness that it would bring is diminished by the thought of leaving my fellow Shads. Even though I’ve known these people for less than a month, I feel as if I’ve known them my whole life. I’ve met many people here that I have instantly “clicked” with, and it feels amazing. Having to leave them behind will be much more difficult than I thought.

Ellen Li, Shad Valley Carleton 2012

July 20 – Day 20

I can’t believe that we are already three quarters done with Shad Valley; one more week to go! We have been working vigorously at our Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup projects.

We were given the privilege of sleeping in today until 11:00 AM. As Shad Valley gets ever more intensive and exciting, my bed seems to be getting increasingly comfortable, especially in the morning.

The day started with a short period of time to work on our projects (just enough time to lay out final details). Lunch was good as always with rib sandwiches, kernel chips and fries. Afterwards, our knowledge of several topics was expanded through several ShadSpeaks. Several interesting topics were presented, including bubble tea, the effectiveness of hand sanitizers, the Northern Lights and the business of K-pop.

It seems the food gods blessed us today as we were rewarded with banana splits at dinner before having a dancing session with two expert dance instructors. We started with an “easy” warm-up before diving into line and tango dancing.

We’re all making the final stretch to complete the business plan of our Entrepreneurship Cup project, which is no easy task. Without a doubt, this will be an arduous, but rewarding experience.

Roy Chau, Shad Valley Lakehead 2012

July 20 – Day 20

Today was the first rainy day in the past two weeks, but that did not stop the exciting activities and challenges that we face at Shad Valley on a regular basis. The morning started off with a lecture by Dan Eisenhardt, the CEO of Recon Instruments, an innovative technological company that is developing worldwide. He shared some of his expertise in the business industry in regards to giving pitches and marketing to consumers.

Following the lecture, we engaged in a group discussion to open up to one another and develop deeper relationships. I felt that taking the time to appreciate each other, apologize and talk about “the elephant in the room” brought us Shads even closer.

After an amazing meal at lunch (butter chicken!), we had more group activities and games. The afternoon ended with a relaxing swim at the pool, including a game of water polo. When night time arrived, it signalled one of the most stressful yet rewarding times of the day - house time. It sure is hectic to be in a group of like-minded and driven individuals and to cooperate with each and every one of them. At the end of the day, I’m so excited to work with amazing people, and to see our final product.

Jennifer Dong, Shad Valley UBC 2012

July 19 – Day 19

At Shad Valley Laval we have, dare I say, by far the most tremendous opportunities and off-campus field trips. Yesterday marked the second day that the Shads got to explore the surrounding city. We had the chance to visit Le Vieux Quebec, after a hard-core lesson about risk management of course!

The day began with a tour and history of the town followed by an exciting scavenger hunt in our houses. At 3:00 pm the part we had all been waiting for had come: FREE TIME. We split up into groups of 3 to explore, eat and shop. As we all know the full Quebec City experience is incomplete without its delicacies: poutine, gelato and beaver tails, all of which we feasted on. Overall the trip was great in strengthening our relationships with the staff and other Shads, and just getting to practise le Français.

The Shad Valley experience can get intense at times with the seemingly endless hours we spend on our obesity research projects. But, at the end of the day, we can’t overlook these opportunities where we get to take a deep breath and... relax.

Saly Halawa, Shad Valley Laval 2012

July 19 – Day 19

Today was a day unlike any other. I refuse to justify this humble blog with any more of a superfluous opening. This post will inadequately attempt to describe the euphoric experience of Shad Valley 2012. In this preface, I would like to propose one final idea, which is to apologize whole heartedly for the shortcomings of this blog entry and my skills as a writer.

This point bridges to a thought that has been burning through my soul for the past fortnight and five, and that is why a man so ineffective as myself would ever be selected for this wondrous, transformational experience. I feel as if a butterfly crawling out of his cocoon for the first time, and finally being able to soar above this wonderful world and experience all that it has to offer. Colours have never been so bright, jokes so funny or people so smart as they are here on the beautiful campus of Queens.

Shining over us is the omnipotent Ontario Hall Clock Tower, yet it itself is a symbol for my own imperfection. The grave injustice with which this clock was created serves as a constant reminder of my own deficiencies, as the roman numerals that be bare an unforgivable error. The forth hour is disgraced with four “I”s in the place of an “IV”. This despondence is a crucifixion to the flawless tranquility of the Queens campus, and yet it is a symbol of the very mantra of Shad Valley, in that even the most intimidating of beings have a hidden flaw nested within.

Shad Valley has preached that failure is a viable option. This is a paradigm altering epiphany which has resurrected me from my own negativity. With this awakening, I was able to contribute absolutely to my group project, which meets its end on the morrow. The subject: obesity. The solution: innovative, exceptional, revolutionary. The fruit of my group’s labour bore the shocking brilliance of a breakthrough, revitalizing an old practice with new technology. It is this innovation by my peers that weaves the very fabric of the Shad Valley experience and, enhanced by the wisdom of experts in various fields, we are empowered to excel.

The ending of this post will be succinct and sorrowful, for the reflection upon the fact that only a quarter of a moon cycle remains for me to be immersed within my newfound family wrenches my heart and diffuses my spirit. I would like to thank Shad Valley without wax for this opportunity and for all the incredible staff at Queens who have facilitated my development.

Per aspera ae astra.

Jack Schoner, Shad Valley Queens 2012

July 18 – Day 18

It is hard to believe that it is already Day 18 of Shad Valley. The past few weeks have been flying by faster than anyone would ever want them to. House projects are in full swing, reality is starting to hit us, and life-long  friendships have been forged. Shad Valley has indescribable effects that no words can do justice. My only description is that, to feel the Shad Valley feeling, it is necessary to experience it.

Today our bright and early morning, with the gorgeous Halifax sun, started with a lecture by Shelley Hessian and Nick Ksiezopolski on business pitches. This was extremely helpful considering that many of us, myself included, have never given a business pitch before, and now we know what to expect. The tips and preparation advice calmed down our tingling nerves because, after all, in less than a week, we are presenting our products to judges.

In order to give us more preparation, there was another morning lecture from Tukan Das who has firsthand experience giving business pitches, and innovating. He created a company, Lead Sift, to utilize social media for targeted advertising. Both of these lectures were completely enthralling and captivating.

As the day wore on to our afternoon activities, we switched our science brains on with a chemistry lecture on "The Role of Material Research in Your Life" by Mary Ann White. This was an eye-opening lecture about the periodic elements and the different ways that they are integrated into our life. We learned about the advances in televisions, footwear, clothing, metals and more. In the end, and many Shads would say a highlight, Mary Ann made us frozen strawberry yogurt using liquid nitrogen. It was delicious!

Overall Shad Valley Dalhousie has been an amazing experience so far, and I know that the memories and the learning will continue until the end.

Lauren Wilson, Shad Valley Dalhousie 2012

July 18 – Day 18

What would you do if you were asked to wear clothing for sports and bring a calculator to do an activity? Or just anything in general that might seem weird to you?

That was exactly what we, the Shads of Memorial University, were told this morning when the staff announced a race that involved running and solving math problems. It was fun and exciting, but we all knew that winning was everything once it was announced that the winning team was to be presented with booster juices. So naturally I felt the need to win; my team ended up 11 seconds off the all-time record. Yay for my team and booster juice!

After a seminar of being introduced to the SIFE program (which was pretty awesome), everyone at Shad Valley Memorial was exposed to Zumba, a type of dance meant for exercise. It sounds lame, but I am so glad I gave it a chance because it was actually incredibly fun. I challenge everyone to go out and try it!

Throughout the day, we also had interesting lectures, awesome meals and inspirational ShadSpeaks. Like every day at Shad Valley, today was a day that combined both the routine and unexpected to provide a unique experience that kept me on my toes.

So my answer to that question would be: Do as they say because you never know what cool thing you might end up doing!

Jesse Wang, Shad Valley Memorial 2012

July 17 – Day 17

Sometimes it seems incredible that we are well past halfway into Shad Valley. Minutes just seem to fly as we struggle through Shad Valley Entrepreneurship Cup Projects, long trips and questionable amounts of potatoes in our meals. The fantastic experiences with the Shads here conflict with my ridiculous lack of sleep, yet somehow combine to make up one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had.

We started the day by visiting the Bombardier Plant nearby. Splitting up into groups, we were given not only an in-depth tour of the location and its production process, but also informative talks about the company itself. Some of the most interesting things we saw included the Toronto Rockets and BiLevel Go Trains being built. We even got a sneak peak at a Toronto street-car that will be released soon! However, my personal favourite part about the trip was when we were given huge bottles of Five Alive fruit juice and as many muffins as we could eat.

Following the trip, we had some free time, which I spent flirting with as many girls as would communicate with me (sadly just the one girl sitting next to me on the bus) but unfortunately I was lectured to about the “no exclusive relationships” policy at Shad Valley and thus promptly dropped all such attempts like a good boy.

The next few parts of the day were spent in various lectures. Some amazing people talked to us, and a coroner’s presentation about forensics was especially interesting. Though there were gruesome pictures, the slideshow felt like an interactive mystery novel and I loved every moment of it.

The remainder of the day we spent working on our Entrepreneurship Cup Project... So that's top secret! No more questions. :P

Are you enjoying Shad Valley as much as I am, guys? I hope so!

Jerry Liu, Shad Valley Lakehead 2012

July 17 – Day 17

Shad Valley has been one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. Each Shad here is so very similar to myself, but we are all so diverse as well. Today at Shad Valley I continued to learn about each special person here, myself included.

It was a busy day at Carleton, from Shad Speak presentations to lectures, a crazy scavenger hunt to divided committee time, and finally our cultural night. We learned about chemistry in pharmaceutical drugs during a lecture by Jeff Manthrope, and the effects of illegal drugs on one’s brain by Kim Helleman. After three straight lectures we were all getting restless and were in need of some recreation time, so our Program Assistants and Admins sent us on a wild goose chase across campus in search of five clues all before supper time!

After supper we broke into our committees and worked on our individual chores; my committee is the mural committee! We’re in charge of painting a large mural in the tunnels beneath Carleton that represents our Shad Valley experience; it is nonetheless very interesting.

We finished off the night with a riveting cultural night where each Shad presented something from their own culture. I’m from New Brunswick, so I teamed up with a friend, Rachel, who is from Nova Scotia and we sang a song about being from the Maritimes. It was an eye-opening night and made me realize how different we truly are and how our differences have also brought us together in a wonderful, accepting way.

This month has been a whirlwind and continues to surprise and inspire me. There are 10 days left and I cannot wait to see what they hold for me and my fellow Shads.

Kate Ridgley, Shad Valley Carleton 2012

July 16 – Day 16

Today at Shad Valley Laval we had a catapult building competition. We were provided with one sheet of foam board, two small pieces of wood, four elastics, a few hot glue sticks and three hours to design and build our catapults. There were many designs varying from some sort of obelisk to a ballista.

When we started testing the catapults most were able to send a penny about four to five meters. However, one of them not only hit the opposite wall, 15 meters away, but also the seven meter ceiling! Congrats Knights of the Round Table! Needless to say, this catapult won the competition hands down. Tomorrow the group is planning on testing its catapult outside to see its full potential.

For the Shads at Laval their presentation on their group project concerning obesity is due tomorrow. For this reason, many of them have been putting in extra time in order to be prepared. My group, for example, only got to bed around 1:30 am but also decided to get up at 6:00 am in order to get an extra two hours of work in. Many groups, along with mine, hope to be able to catch up on their sleep once the presentation has past. Then again, as we know, there is no time for sleep at Shad Valley! Only 11 more days to go and everyone at Shad Valley Laval plans to make the most of it.

P.S. To all future Shads: you have been warned of Shad Valley’s sleep deprivation!

André Marchildon, Shad Valley Laval 2012

July 16 – Day 16

Hear ye hear ye!

The night is about to end, marking the finale of another tiring but fantabulous day. When the day began, the family of sixty was divided into four groups and two went rock climbing. Even though I was one of the thirty to stay back and have extra time to work on our Creative Team (CT) projects, all of the Shads who went today described the experience as “challenging but so much fun.” Today was also when all of the CT projects came to life. In the morning, my group and I went to see a technician at the faculty shop (big shout out to Brian Guidry!) to have our project looked at and critiqued. Throughout the day, many of the CT groups managed to either go do market research out of campus or begin shopping for materials.

After lunch (which was amazing as usual), the Shads, who walked the famous “Shad pace”, were divided into two groups to attend labs. I, along with twenty-nine others, headed to Head Hall, the engineering building, to geo-cache and we used hand-held GPS devices to find fifteen waypoints all across the campus. The other group of Shads was introduced to prosthetics in the biomedical building. They learned how prosthetics function in an engaging lecture.

After the lectures, it was Shad time (aka relaxation time)! For the first time since we arrived at UNB, it rained on campus! Even more magically, we were so tired that many fell asleep in the “Pit”, also known as the basement. See picture! We bonded so much in two weeks.

After supper, we all headed to Tilley Hall, where most of our lectures are held. Today’s speaker was David Foord, who taught us about Intellectual Property Basics. His kind reminders to thoroughly consider patents, copyrights, trade-marks and trade-secrets are very much appreciated. Last but not least, the evening finished off with Strings Night. Our fellow Shads Jake Runeckles and Wyatt MacNevin stretched themselves and stepped up to perform impressive guitar pieces, kudos to them!

We have all grown so much in the past few weeks and we wait eagerly for what’s yet to come.

Yi Wang, Shad Valley UNB 2012

July 15 – Day 15

Sunday is my favourite day of the week at Shad Valley Dalhousie! We don’t have anything scheduled until 1:30 PM; we are presented with glorious free time. Many Shads take a trip to downtown Halifax, or head to the Dalplex for some exercise. Personally I use this time for SLEEPING IN!! With the hectic pace of Shad Valley, a few extra hours of sleep is what allows me to continue functioning throughout the awesome and intense activities.

Many of us were especially tired because on Friday and Saturday we were on a camping trip to PEI, which featured a dairy farm, baby piglets, campfire songs, s’mores, a beautiful beach and a fantastic lobster dinner! It was an awesome experience I won’t soon forget.

After sleeping until 10:30, my project group had a quick meeting. I then ate lunch, and prepared for the engineering challenge. We were assigned the task of making a Rube Goldberg machine. If you don’t know what that is (as I didn’t beforehand), a quick YouTube search should help explain. After 90 minutes of hard work, we tested out our machine – it was a bit rough in a few places, requiring a few pushes to keep it going, but in the end it finished with a spectacular unfurling of the Shad Valley banner, amid 50 cheering Shads.

As I sat writing this blog post, I couldn't help observe how the activity mirrored the Shad Valley experience; it started out with chaos as we struggled to organize the machine, and we hit some rough patches in the middle, but ultimately it finished as a resounding success and awesome experience!

Ryan Dowling, Shad Valley Dalhousie 2012

July 15 – Day 15

7:15 am. That is when my alarm went off. And for the first time in these 15 days, that was a false alarm. Today we got to sleep in after a night of ballroom dancing lessons and rock climbing! As I woke up at 9:30 am, I went downstairs to have a great breakfast and only two hours later, it was lunch again (which really meant that we got to have awesome Conrad Grebel food).

1:30 pm (oh wait! 1:25 Shad Time). We got to present the posters we made in only one hour about an entire week of exceptional workshops. I then realized two things. One, how we all finished our posters remarkably in such a short period of time. Two, these workshops ranged from Quantum Mechanics to mine, which was going out with waders in Laurel Creek and testing water quality along with collecting invertebrate samples.

Following the presentations was a two-hour project time, which is stressful since Demo Day is tomorrow. After dinner, two amazing guest speakers taught us the dangers to Oak Ridges Moraine, as well as North Atlantic Right Whales becoming endangered.

9:30 pm. We all met in the cafeteria to celebrate the birthday of two Shads. Happy Birthday Filippa and Alice!

Anahita Dehmoobad Sharifabadi, Shad Valley Waterloo 2012

July 14 – Day 14

It might just be me, but I feel that the time in Shad Valley is passing at an increasing speed. The first week, when everyone just met, was long and unfamiliar. However, as the second week started, we all lost track of time. It feels as if the 48 of us are in our own community and unaware of the time in the outside world. Each of us has formed such close bonds with one another that it is hard to believe tomorrow is already our third Sunday.

One of the activities we did today that I found most inspirational is a business activity. The 48 of us are placed into four groups in which we are to form four different markets and try to make the most money possible. My group eventually realized afterwards that, this is not a game of beating everyone down, but a game of trust. Only if we trust each other do all of us gain benefits. We also talked about the different sets of values we have. Each value is neither right nor wrong, yet all of us simply assume everyone around us is guilty until they are proven innocent. I simply cannot agree more with that.

Due to the kindness of our program directors, we are getting an extra half an hour of sleep tonight. At Shad Valley, every minute of sleep is precious because every day is just so overwhelmingly packed with exciting activities. It is essential to get enough sleep so we can all have enough energy to be ready for another day of adventure!

Jessica Wu, Shad Valley McMaster 2012

July 14 – Day 14

I awoke to the stomping of the half-asleep Shads stumbling to morning tai chi on the hard wood floor of the Fogo community center. This was the second day of our field trip to Fogo Island.

Coruscating light shone through the windows as I moved from my sleeping bag to the door, tripping over many of the sleeping people in front of me. From the doorway, I could see most of the cove that acted as Fogo's foundation. In front and to the left of me, multicoloured houses dotted the low-lying, rocky hills. Docks stretched out towards the center of the cove where seaweed swept over the surface of the water. To the left, I could see the ocean that, with the sun's reflection, looked like liquid silver. In the distance, I could also see the plateau that was deemed one of the four corners of the Earth by the Flat-Earth Society.

After breakfast (complete with homemade Fogo jam), we took a hike to observe some of the indigenous wildlife, as well as many picturesque hillsides and cliff tops that would make an art aficionado gawk in awe. At the same time, our guide taught us about the local economy, the aboriginal population and more. After this, we were split up into four groups and sent off to various museums where we learned even more on these subjects.

Later, we were sworn in as honorary Newfoundlanders by performing a ritual. First, we had to prove that we could speak like Newfoundlanders; our group had to say "narn," when asked "arn?", while others had to say more complicated things that sounded like something along the lines of "nargy nargy nargy with." We then had to prove that we could eat like Newfoundlanders. One of these foods was hard bread; I got the extra-burnt, corner piece so mine was excessively tough. We then had to learn to drink like Newfoundlanders; upon hearing this proposition, I was somewhat frightened, but it turned out to be no more than a syrup-like concoction. For the final step of this ritual we had to kiss a cod. Many of the Shads were very reluctant to do this, but in the end, everyone complied. We are all honorary Newfies.

In the evening, everyone gathered into a circle where we displayed our musical talents. We listened to people play instruments like the bass clarinet and trumpet, listened to people sing, sung "I'm Yours" with the strumming of a ukulele, and were blown away by an educational, mildly-violent rap. It was astounding. Many people felt that this was one of the main highlights of the Shad Valley program. After all was sung and done, it was already 10:45. It was the end of another amazing day.

Ryan Koyanagi, Shad Valley Memorial 2012

July 13 – Day 13

GO ROBOTS GO!

Today marked the day of Shad Valley UNB's robotics competition. For two hours each day this week, we've been preparing to race each other's robots through various tracks. Between races, we had to run up several flights of stairs, reprogram, and run back down to the tracks. I've never seen teenagers yell so loudly at a hunk of metal. After several hours, the team "Sparky" clinched the championship title.

After the competition, we split up into two groups. My group headed to a physics lab, where we had a lecture from a Cambridge graduate who had tons of Katy Perry songs on his iPod. We learned about the properties of light through various experiments.

We were then graced with the presence of the president of Shad Valley himself, Barry Bisson! After an interesting lecture, we headed back to residence to listen to various Shads play piano. It's always astounding to see how much talent all the UNB Shads have. What a wonderful way to end another UNB day!

Peace out.

Michael Zhu, Shad Valley UNB 2012

July 13 – Day 13

At the Restaurant at the Beginning of the Universe…

Friday the 13th. Even though I am not paraskevidekatriaphobic (I’ll admit, I Googled that), it seemed to bode well for Shad Valley. Coincidentally, we also had a Shad Speak on superstitions. Shad Speaks are kind of like TedxShad, where we choose to speak about anything that interests us.

Part of the Shad Valley program is the lectures about nearly any topic. Today we heard about radiopharmaceutical drug development, mobile phones and the Otesha project. While the topics of all the lectures are undoubtedly fascinating, the interesting thing is that everyone can take something from the lectures because they are designed not for students studying in the field but for an audience that craves to learn and have new experiences.

Shad Valley really exposes you to many more fields, ideas and people in an extremely interactive, engaging manner. It is not very often that youth get the opportunity to speak to the major leaders of various fields and at Shad Valley we get this chance every day.

The time at Shad Valley is valuable. Every minute is structured, with time allotted for exercise, entertainment (casino night!) and even sleep. As a result of this, so much is accomplished in a single month and if the Shad Valley “lifestyle” and environment were extended beyond this month, who knows where we would go.

Stella Lau, Shad Valley Carleton 2012

July 12 – Day 12

Today's schedule at Shad Valley Waterloo was hectic – as always.
The day's first lecture was delivered by our Program Director, Ed Jernigan, who helped us use our previous mathematical knowledge in real-world applications, such as echo cancellation and image unblurring. This was followed immediately by a workshop in small groups. Along with seven other Waterloo Shads, I received a problem-based lesson from a professor at the Center for Education in Mathematics on algorithms, again learning new ways to use my existing math and computer science skills.

After a short break for lunch, one of our Program Assistants talked about his experience serving in and leading Waterloo's Campus Response Team (CRT), and how his challenges with the CRT related to the design concepts in our design project. We rounded off our day with a visit to the observatory on campus. A graduate student gave us an enlightening talk on the cosmos, and the Shads were each given the opportunity to view Mars and Saturn through a telescope.

After a long day, sleep is but an afterthought. All that's on my mind is: only 15 more such amazing days.

Simon Huang, Shad Valley Waterloo 2012

July 12 – Day 12

Can everybody say Jazz hands?

Today, the Shads at Dalhousie University had a blast! The day started off with an intriguing lecture on “Wicked Problems”. Following this very informative talk, we all enjoyed a game of soccer baseball. Then, for the most exciting part, all 50 Shads and the leaders walked down to the Halifax Harbor to enjoy a few relaxing hours of the Halifax Jazz Festival. Many of us sat along the board walk watching the beautiful yachts passing by, or lying on a grassy hill, while others enjoyed passing a Frisbee to one another. Overall, it was one well-deserved and beautiful, relaxing afternoon!

After supper, we finished off the night with an assembly where we found out our well-awaited surprise for the weekend! We are all very excited! Following this, all five houses discussed and presented their project ideas to each other. The final event of the night was committee time, where we all frantically worked together to make progress on our planned events coming in the near future.

The night ended with a cake for a snack. And we are all now packing for a gratifying weekend.

Kristen Giffen, Shad Valley Dalhousie 2012

July 11 – Day 11

The day’s schedule was on the blackboard as always: lecture, lecture, workshop, lunch, lecture... surprise.

“What’s the surprise?”

“You guys will find out.”

The Program Assistants never tell us what the surprises are, or anything else about the day other than the schedule. There’s no point asking them because they’ll always give the same enigmatic response. So we marched out to the lecture hall and eagerly listened to the many topics the lecturers spoke about. There were lectures on hydrology and river flow, marketing and promoting products, and perfecting the business pitch. Sweating from a game of dodgeball, we were told that we had fifteen minutes to change into dress pants, shirts and ties.

After several minutes of panicked scrambling, we were having dinner with engineering students whose projects ranged from race cars to satellites. We had an excellent opportunity to discuss our interests, career plans and dreams with students who had done it all, and we left with a better understanding of what we wanted to do.

Tomorrow will be another surprise. We don’t know what it is, but we’re sure it won’t disappoint. Still, we’re Shads, and it would be impolite not to ask.

Martin Deng, Shad Valley UBC 2012

July 11 – Day 11

This past week at Queen’s has been absolutely amazing! I’ve experienced just about everything – fencing, yoga, speedball, Ultimate Frisbee, camping, and of course, lectures and workshops. Every activity, be it academic or recreational, brought with it a dose of pure awesomeness.

I got major muscle cramps from yoga (who knew there were so many awkward and painful positions for the body to bend into?), ugly purple bruises from speedball (I do not recommend standing in the way of a fast moving ball), and painful sunburns from camping (what does the sun have against me?). But despite all of those minor setbacks, I am completely and irrevocably in love with every last one of those incredible activities.

On the academic front, I have learned so much about entrepreneurship, engineering, international development and biology. Of course, I have also discovered a lot about obesity, a topic over which most of us are probably driving ourselves insane (I swear, I’ve lost so much hair because of this), searching for a solution.

Of course, every day there is always something new and exciting (and sometimes a little bit scary) at Shad Valley. Here at Queen’s, we Shads are confronted with the great unknown in the form of the Great Canadian Cornflake Challenge, an event that our staff absolutely refused to tell us about. Well, whatever it is, I know it will definitely be fun and entertaining, but here’s to hoping that it doesn’t involve stuffing as much of the cornflakes down our throats as possible! Cheers.

Judy Deng, Shad Valley Queen’s 2012