Campus field trips for Friends of Simon offer invaluable experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom, providing students with opportunities to engage in hands-on activities, explore new academic interests, and build meaningful connections. These field trips are designed to inspire curiosity, enhance educational growth, and create a sense of belonging among participants.

The recent Friends of Simon Field Trip exemplified these benefits, bringing two hundred K-12 students from across the Lower Mainland to the Simon Fraser University campus for a day of learning, collaboration, and new friendships. Organized by Program Coordinators Amrit Cojocaru and Angela Flumerfelt, the event featured a diverse array of sessions that spanned subjects including Sciences, Environment, Psychology, and Interactive Arts and Technology.

"The field trips were always a favorite among the kids until they were interrupted by COVID-19," shares Flumerfelt. "Both the students and the site coordinators frequently inquired about their return. When Amrit joined us as the new coordinator last fall, it felt like the right time to bring it back."

The event was made possible through a robust partnership with several SFU departments and programs, including Science Outreach, Science Alive, the School of Interactive Arts and Technology, the Faculty of Environment, and the Helping and Happiness Lab.

Together, these collaborators, along with the Friends of Simon tutors, provided students with an unforgettable experience. Activities included building models with candy and toothpicks to visualize the complex concept of DNA with Science Outreach, practicing mapping skills with the Faculty of Environment to understand how planning, design, and spaces can be improved, and drawing their own renditions of totem poles while learning their history using the collections housed in the Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology.

The success of the field trip continues to resonate within the community. "We always visit their spaces—their schools and libraries—so they loved the opportunity to come to our campus to see where we, as tutors, learn and grow, and to discover the possibilities available here," shares Eshana, a Friends of Simon tutor. For the tutors, the field trip was a rewarding experience as well. "It was wonderful for all of us to come together in one space and see just how many students are a part of this program," adds Rea, another Friends of Simon tutor. 

Friends of Simon, an award-winning Faculty of Education program launched in 2006, recruits university students as literacy tutors in the Lower Mainland, with a particular focus on newcomer K-12 students. Tutors develop skills and knowledge through training and experience to support vulnerable school-aged students academically, socially and emotionally.

As the Friends of Simon community reflects on this successful event, the commitment to fostering learning and connection continues to guide future endeavours. A new hiring drive will be taking place in Fall 2024 for prospective tutors to join the program and help expand its reach. This initiative seeks passionate SFU students ready to make a positive impact on the educational journey of newcomer and refugee students. With fresh talent and renewed enthusiasm, Friends of Simon looks forward to creating even more impactful and memorable experiences for both students and tutors. Together, they will continue to build a vibrant, supportive community that inspires a lifelong love of learning.