Super summer for SuperNOVA

SuperNOVA offers programming for kids ages five to 18. (Photo courtesy of SuperNOVA)

While the passing of hot summer months leaves many feeling gloomy, SuperNOVA has a reason to celebrate. The summer of 2009 marks their most successful summer program in nearly 15 years.

SuperNOVA is student-run, non-profit organization here at Dalhousie that offers children and teenagers ages five to 18 high-quality, hands-on experiences in science, computer science, and engineering. The organization hopes to promote university and post secondary education as something fun and positive, rather than colossal and intimidating.

Thanks to the support of local and national partners, as well as Dalhousie University, SuperNOVA was able to reach a record breaking number of youth through its summer camps and outreach programs this year.

“Our season runs from October to August and over that time we reached 8,800 youth which is our biggest to date,” says Ali Hutchings, 24, SuperNOVA’s director.

Ms. Hutchings, who graduated from Dalhousie with a science degree, has been a part of SuperNOVA since 2006 as a Girls Club volunteer, an instructor since 2007, and is now the full-time director.

“In the last three years the program really went from this, to like this,” she says, as she stretches her arms as far as they can go.

“In previous years it was a big deal to run three camps and a satellite camp; now we’re running four camps at Dal and up to two and sometimes even three satellite camps.” 

SuperNOVA, which is part of the larger Actua, partners with other programs like the Boys and Girls Club of Canada to initiate camps and clubs throughout the Atlantic region. Here at home, SuperNOVA is able to extend their programming to Aboriginal communities.

In order to provide the record-breaking number of camps, SuperNOVA had 17 staff members: coordinators, directors, a number of instructors and lots of volunteers.

“The overwhelming demand was awesome! All our clubs were full. It’s great to see that much interest and at such a young age”.

By having undergrads work and volunteer with programming, in combination with hands-on activities, mentor visits and tours of the university, it takes away some of the barriers and hesitations that youth may feel toward university and post secondary education, says Ms. Hutchings.

Although their summer program has ended, SuperNOVA has other initiatives like its Girls Club program which runs throughout the school year. It also partners with Girl Guides and Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the fall and winter as well as many other community initiatives such as the Nova Scotia Math Olympiad.

“We dabble all over the place” says Ms. Hutchings with a laugh.

SuperNOVA also recently created SuperSATURDAY. Running Saturday afternoons  for kids in Grades 5 to 9,  SuperSATURDAY offers a camp environment to foster kids’ interests throughout the year.

SuperNOVA is always looking for volunteers to help them continue to grow and achieve their goals.

“We understand that students have a lot on their plate, but we’re super flexible. And I mean, two to four hours a week, can make a big difference.”

Visit www.supernova.dal.ca to learn more.