A number of Black and Indigenous youth from the GTA got to spend March break exploring the field of kinesiology and experiencing student life at the University of Toronto (U of T). The youth were part of the Reach Ahead to Kinesiology program, hosted by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) at U of T.
Following the initial success of the program, originally designed for Black high schoolers from the GTA interested in the study of health, sports and recreation, physical activity and movement, the program was expanded this year to include an Indigenous cohort of students. 
Anthony Shirt and Anna Laidley were part of the first Indigenous cohort of high school students to take part in KPE's Reach Ahead to Kinesiology spring break program
“I have a passion for running and swimming, and being active and outside, so I thought this program was the perfect fit for me,” says Anna Laidley, a grade 11 student from Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate. “It’s been an awesome experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”
Laidley especially enjoyed the tours of the KPE facilities and St. George campus.
“It was really interesting to see the classrooms and hear from some of the KPE professors about the science behind how we move,” she says.
The fully funded program, which includes overnight accommodations at a downtown hotel and meals, connects participants with staff and faculty members at KPE, so that they can learn about the full breadth of the discipline of kinesiology first hand and discover what opportunities exist to support their success.
Participants heard from faculty members with expertise ranging from sport medicine and orthopaedic biomechanics to cardiovascular physiology and sport for development & peace. They also got to meet with Black and Indigenous students in the bachelor of kinesiology program and discuss potential career paths and graduate level studies following a bachelor of kinesiology degree.
“We really want to give them an idea of what it’s like to be a kinesiology student at U of T,” says Nicole Ryan, assistant registrar in KPE admissions, recruitment and awards. “That includes mock lectures, lab demonstrations and tours of KPE facilities and the St. George campus.
“We try to mix learning with fun, so we talk about the rigours of the kinesiology program at U of T and the academic requirements to get in, but we also include a trip to the Hart House farm in Caledon for some relaxation and fun.”
Ryan says that initially a lot of the program participants spoke about their interest in coaching, but by day three, many were asking about going into medicine or becoming a physio or occupational therapist, among other things.
“If we can broaden their horizons to see all the things that kinesiology is - or can lead to, that’s success,” says Ryan. 
Damikay Thomson, left, enjoys the lunch break with a couple of newfound friends, Jazmia Baptiste-Paul and Aszzura Barnett
16-year-old Damikay Thompson, from North Park Secondary School in Brampton, has been keen for some time to understand what happens to the body when athletes get injured. A track and field athlete with a passion for sport and dance, Thompson says she became interested in kinesiology after experiencing injuries herself.
“I wanted to know what more I can do beyond putting ice on it,” says Thompson. “I loved it here, I loved meeting new friends and getting to meet the dean and other faculty members and current students.
“I loved hearing about their expertise and experiences - and what our experiences might be if we come to KPE for our undergraduate degrees.”