REVIEW OF The YMCA Academy BY student, Lucas Mychajlyszyn

(5) Student Experience

YMCA Academy is honestly the best school I've ever been to! It's a minimal environment, so you can see your friends all day! The teachers are super kind and caring and will support you to make you the best student possible and most prepared for life after the YMCA Academy. There are tons of study/quiet places to focus on work. When I got to the YMCA Academy, I really struggled with writing, spelling, and reading. After being here for six years (second year of the middle school program), I wrote a 12,000-word script for a film I'm producing. I can not say enough how amazing this school is and how it not only made me love school again, but also grew my confidence in myself, connected me with some of the best friends I've ever had, and prepared me to face whatever challenges await me at college! I LOVE IT HERE!

(5) School Leadership

Our Head of School, Assistant Head of School, guidance counsellor, and all the staff and people who run the YMCA Academy truly care for the school and want to help every student they can! I have tremendous trust and respect for our Head of School to take the school in the right direction and help as many students as possible! Like me! I met the previous head of school multiple times before joining, and he did everything to ensure every student felt safe, seen, and supported, so they could succeed!

(5) Teaching

When I first started at the YMCA Academy, I noticed that all the teachers really cared about every student and took extra time and effort to make sure every student was on the same page and caught up. The class sizes are small enough for teachers to know each student's strengths and weaknesses and how to offer support throughout the semester and year. I'd never had so many teachers be this supportive, and it's honestly a truly wonderful and heartwarming feeling. They all help encourage, support, develop, and grow your skills and confidence to where you're ready for college. For example, when I started at the YMCA Academy, I had no idea I would grow this much in six years, be ready for college, and be up for any challenge ahead of me! Every teacher is the best! I love them!

(5) Academics

Your work for classes at the YMCA Academy depends on each student. If a student really knows about a specific topic, the work would be easy, but other students might take a little longer to understand. The teachers are prepared to do so as long as it takes to make sure every student is caught up and understands the material. Most of the things you learn will be helpful in the future, like courses that include Grade 9 and 12 learning strategies, and personal life management. In most cases, students take away a lot from courses related to the field they want to pursue after high school. For example, I really want to go into film, so I was very interested in my Communication Technology classes, and I still remember quite a bit from them!

(5) Extracurriculars

This year, I participated in our Mock Trial Club. We learned a case and went to the Toronto mock trial tournament! It was an enjoyable and interesting experience! The YMCA Academy has a wide rage of clubs and extracurriculars which includ, Cooking club Media Production Club (MPC), Music Club, Drama Club, Dungeons and Dragons (DND) Club, Jack.org Club, Film Club, Run Club, Games Club, Mock Trial Club, Imtermierals (Sports club) Queer Alliance, Yoga Club, Homework Club, Debate Club, Art Club.

(5) Students

The YMCA Academy feels like a community, and a lot of schools say that, but with a small school like the YMCA Academy. It’s true. Everyone knows everyone, or at least has heard or seen each other. Everyone has a sense of how everyone got to the YMCA Academy. We all struggled with the traditional system and sought alternative educational opportunities like the YMCA Academy. And how we do a lot of experiential and hands-on learning, to learn the same things as TDSB schools, but in a way that every student can visualize and understand. The majority of the population at the YMCA Academy has ADHD, Dyslexia, or another learning difference. Like every other school, students can make lifelong friends. I have friends who graduated last year (2024); we’re still friends; it’s incredible to think about! A few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have been able to work up the courage to ask them to stay in touch. That’s one of the YMCA Academy's impacts!

(5) School Life

The YMCA Academy is unique in its location. We're located in the central YMCA downtown, and every student receives a YMCA membership. This membership provides access to the gym, pool, and other benefits. It's a fantastic opportunity to utilize the facilities of any YMCA in the GTA, whether for a workout, a class, or any other membership benefits. If I were to take people on a tour, I would show them our classrooms and school area on both the north and south side (north for high school, south for middle school. Also where students will spend 90% of their time), and then go to the health and fitness side. This way, people can see the entire school experience, including where gym classes and other courses take place. I'd also highlight our fully-equipped science lab, a unique feature of the YMCA Academy.

(5) Community

After a few months at the YMCA Academy, it'll definitely feel like a second home to you. It did for me. At my previous TDSB school, I didn't feel like I belonged, often fell behind the other students, and felt alone in my struggles. But I've felt very at home these last six years, and now know that I'm not the only one dealing with Anxiety, or not being able to spell, write, or read at the same pace as the average student in my grade. Usually at the beginning of each school year, the whole school takes an overnight trip to YMCA Cedar Glen and participates in many community-building activities. It's an excellent opportunity to get to know people outside the classroom. That's when I started hanging out with most of my new friends! It's an enjoyable experience, and a bunch of memories to make!

(5) School Location

After six years at the YMCA Academy, I've found our location at the central YMCA at Young and Grosvenor to be perfect. Students have a wide range of lunch options, and our teachers frequently plan engaging field trips to places like the ROM and Mirvish Productions shows, making our location even more advantageous. The locations have allowed me to learn and gain confidence with subway travel. I mean, sure, it's slow and there are delays, but it's Toronto, everyone knows it's going to happen once a week!

(5) Admissions

For me, I wasn't that involved in the whole admissions process. After my parents went to an open house, I then met with the Head of School so he could get a sense of whether I'm a good fit for the school. And then I did a few mornings in a middle school class to see what it's like in action. It was a very helpful experience to meet the head of school and the teachers. When I had my last meeting before joining the YMCA Academy, the primary middle school teacher (now the YMCA Academy middle school coordinator) saw me and said, "Did you grow?" This was a funny question, but I was reassured that I would love it here. If that teacher could notice that, having met me only a few times, they would help me grow. And they did! Best. School. Ever.