We are still absolutely buzzing from the incredible turnout at Tuesday night’s Senior Showcase for our Grades 6-8 families. It was truly inspiring to see our community come together to hear about our Senior Students’ experiences while getting a first look at the bold new future we are building for our Grade 8 and 9 students.
We have always believed that education is a deliberate, intentional journey from Junior School all the way to Graduation, and we recognized a golden opportunity to bridge the space after Middle School but before the UA Grad Program with something truly transformative.
We are thrilled to officially introduce The UA ARC Program—Applied Real-World Connections—a cornerstone of our commitment to ensuring every student is “future ready” by stretching them beyond their comfort zones and inviting them to dive deep into their passions alongside mentors who share their drive. This program is designed so that Grade 8 and 9 students can choose one dedicated topic to explore for an entire school year, committing one full afternoon each week to hands-on learning, industry expert meet-ups, and initiatives that take them far outside the traditional classroom. Students will find themselves in one of five incredible cohorts:
- The Impact ARC, led by Ms. Cameron, focuses on global citizenship, law, community impact, and social justice, leading to careers in the legal, political and non-profit fields.
- The Kinetic ARC, led by Dr. Agrawal, is where students explore medicine, nutrition, and the mechanics of the human body, leading to careers in the medical and veterinary fields.
- The Studio ARC, led by Mr. Chan, which empowers creative minds to bridge imagination and execution through digital media and portfolio development, leading to careers in the art and design fields.
- The Summit ARC, led by a new Outdoor Ed staff member, builds resilience and environmental stewardship through wilderness survival and leadership training, leading to careers in the outdoor, environmental and leadership fields.
- The TechEng ARC, led by Mr. Douglas, immerses students in the high-tech worlds of robotics, CAD modelling, AI and 3D printing, leading to opportunities in a wide range of tech and design fields.
By working in these focused groups, they not only satisfy their career education curriculum requirements but also build a comprehensive career-planning portfolio and a post-secondary vision that prepares them for the academic rigour of Grades 10–12.
The early feedback from students is that they are so excited about the UA ARC opportunities, and can’t wait to deep dive into their area of interest. In this week’s assembly when asked what they thought, one Grade 7 student responded, “I can’t wait for the ARC program to be able to start taking steps into my future”.
UA Staff are also so eager to launch this program and see all the incredible things that will come of it next year!
Here’s to the journey ahead,
Clare Manifold, Acting Principal, Middle School