STRONG ACADEMY
What is Strong Academy?
Strong Academy is a summer program designed to mobilize and equip young black boys with the tools necessary to achieve their maximum potential in education and build on life skills.
Goals & Outcomes
Strong Academy aims to foster and instill a love for learning and education in middle school-aged boys, while pairing them with mentors, in an effort to promote self-empowerment and success in school and in their respective communities.
The end goal is to establish a private, black-owned and operated K-12 school for boys. Upon completion of their post-secondary education, the expectation is these boys will pay their educational experience forward by returning to the Strong Academy as Alumni mentors.
Summer Program Curriculum
Built on empowering, valuing, and appreciating the educational value that Black boys bring to society, the curriculum marries the concepts of academic theory and experiential learning, in conjunction with real world experiences, while focusing on the holistic learner. Our team at 100 STRONG takes the lead on curating the programming which includes both in class sessions along with off-site excursions. All of this is done through interactive activities that are centered around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), health and well-being, entrepreneurship, the arts, financial literacy, and strategies for navigating post-secondary education.
We recruit and employ a stellar team of staff that include educators accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers, and Child and Youth Support Workers to guide participants through each component of the program. They help us ensure a supportive, engaging learning environment.
Camp takes place Monday, July 6 to Friday, July 31, 2026.
2026 STRONG ACADEMY IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 - Applications are open
Week of Monday, April 13, 2026 - Virtual Info Sessions
Friday, April 24, 2026 - Deadline to apply
Monday, May 11, 2026 - Decisions are announced
Monday, July 6, 2026 - First day of Camp
Completed applications should be sent via e-mail to: donna.harris@ddsb.ca.
For more information, please contact Jackie Leacock (Superintendent overseeing the 100 Strong Program for DDSB student) via e-mail at Jacqueline.williamsleacock@ddsb.ca.
