Emo student high on encounter

For Doug Jensen, it was more than just a week off school.
The Grade 11 student at Fort Frances High School has just returned from Ottawa, where he participated in the “Encounters With Canada” program with 100 other students from across the country.
He gave the experience an enthusiastic two thumbs up.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Jensen said Monday as he prepared for band practice in the music room at Fort High.
Encounters With Canada is program partially funded by the Ministry of Education that runs throughout the year. It brings selected students in Grades 10-12 to the nation’s capital for a week, where they participate in various seminars by notable speakers and also attend sessions of the House of Commons.
Each session has a theme, in this case science and technology, which just happens to be Jensen’s field of interest.
Of course, it’s not all work and no play. For Jensen, the highlight of the experience was the same one most people have when they visit Ottawa at this time of year.
“Skating on the Rideau Canal, definitely,” he said without hesitation.
While in Ottawa, the students were billeted at the Terry Fox Youth Centre, which gave Jensen an opportunity to meet like-minded students from across Canada—something he said changed his whole perspective on life.
Living in Emo has sheltered him somewhat and he had some concerns about how he would adjust to the big world outside.
“When I left, I thought I would be kind of isolated because most of the people I know well are right here at school,” he remarked. “I was surprised to find I made some close connections very quickly and now look forward to getting out into the world.
“I came away with a broader understanding of our national institutions,” he added.
Not surprisingly, that’s the idea behind the program. Jensen said his group—all of whom were students interested in pursuing post-secondary education—attended seminars by officials from Atomic Energy Canada and the Canadian Space Agency.
Although he’s not certain yet which direction he’ll take after graduating from high school, Jensen said he will continue his studies somewhere. In the meantime, he has plenty to keep him busy here.
In addition to playing in the FFHS band, he also has been chosen to play the lead in the school’s upcoming production of “Oklahoma!” But Jensen said he doesn’t think music is in his future.
“It’s just what I do,” he explained.
What he also does is study hard, apparently. Jensen’s report card was waiting for him when he returned to classes Monday, and his current average is 91 percent.
“I just hope I can keep it up there,” he said, acknowledging he has a week of classes to make up.
But he stressed it was worth missing that week. And he unconditionally recommends the experience to all students.
“I just hope people read this and decide to sign on as I did. It’s definitely worth it,” he enthused.
Students interested in participating in the Encounters With Canada program should contact their school’s guidance department. Most of the costs are subsidized, but be prepared to pay around $400 to cover the rest.