Testimonials
Hear from Discover Year students and alumni
“Discover Year has completely changed my life. I am now someone who can confidently say I am a better human being. I could not imagine where I would be without Discover Year.”

Reid ten Den
Discover Year Graduate
“Discover year gave me the confidence and courage to face my fears and be the best version of myself that I can be.”

Julie Chaput
Discover Year Graduate
“This experience has been amazing for me. I learned what career path I wanted to take and improved upon many personal skills. It was a perfect balance of not feeling like ‘school’ but still keeping me learning and motivated.”

Aidan Calder
Discover Year Graduate
“Coming out of high school, everything felt generic. But at Discover Year, you’re building your own path and really exploring what you truly want to do. There are no exams. It’s about meeting people, figuring out what you enjoy, and what you want to do next. You get to explore who you are as a person. I see it as a lot of self-learning. Self-care, in a way.”






Liam Bevington
Discover Year Graduate
“Last year, I didn’t know what I wanted out of my future. I was aimlessly following the paths that people around me were suggesting. During my Discover Year, I learned a lot about myself. Now, I feel like I’m in control because I know what direction I want to take. I feel like I’m moving through life with a purpose.”


Josh Harris
Discover Year Graduate
“People around me are already noticing my growth, especially in my confidence. In high school, I was always concerned about what people thought of me. Now that I’m in a psychologically safe environment at Discover Year, I’m able to enjoy my time with others and have fun. I’m myself now.”


Arianne Nantel
Discover Year Graduate
“When I was figuring out what to do after high school, I was making a calculated self-assessment based on the limited skillset I thought I had at the time. Discover Year helped me realize I had drastically underestimated myself.”


Rhys Fitzgerald
Discover Year Graduate
“I learned a lot about myself this year – what my strengths, weaknesses, values and goals are. I also learned about the importance of networking, and exposing yourself to new opportunities. And of course I learned many new career skills in the workshops. Now, I feel less anxious and more excited about my future.”


Kate Gallagher
Discover Year Graduate
“The most important thing I learned this year was to put myself out there. I wasn’t very confident coming out of high school. I was kind of shy, and had a bit of social anxiety, so I definitely learned a lot about how to meet people and to be more confident.”


Sofia Lentfer
Discover Year Graduate
Hear from Discover Year parents
“I cannot even express how impressed I am, and how great this program has been for my daughter. The changes have been tremendous.”


Andreas Lentfer
Discover Year Parent
“Discover Year is the best thing our daughter could have done at this stage of her life! It has been a transformative experience for her. I highly recommend it to any young adult who needs space to find themselves.”






Manon Abud
Discover Year Parent
“This program absolutely surpassed what I imagined. It was everything I had expected and much more. My children have gone from teenagers to adults. They have found self-assurance.”


Nadja Becsey
Discover Year Parent
“I would describe the program in three words: relevant, engaging and inspirational. Those are three words I would have rarely used to describe any of Isaac’s other educational endeavours to date. The things he learned were relevant to what he wanted to know, he was constantly inspired by the people he met, and he looked forward to the Discovery Days so much, and was so engaged in the program. He was even excited about the homework!”


Max Finkelstein
Discover Year Parent
“My son’s level of maturity has improved immensely during his time in the Discover Year. His organizational skills have improved to a point where I no longer have to remind him to stay on top of important things, such as financial affairs and school plans. He takes responsibility for his actions and does not procrastinate anymore. Not only does Discover Year impact positively on the participant, but on the entire family.”


Alma Harris
Discover Year Parent
“By interacting with the Discover Year network of mentors, champions and allies, Kate has become much more skilled at connecting with people. A few weeks ago after she was asked to meet with someone who was seeking information on careers in marketing, Kate remarked: ‘Last year I was her and now I’m the person providing the information!’ What a difference a year makes!”


Moyra McWilliam
Discover Year Parent
“After the first six months of the program, we’ve noticed a lot of changes in our daughter, such as taking on more responsibility for her own life, more initiative, more excitement, and more confidence. She loved attending the orientation period and travelling on her own to Ottawa. That was a huge growth opportunity for her where she flourished. She came back home excited and engaged in the programming.”






Carlene Holowaty
Discover Year Parent
“Aureilia now has a roadmap for life. Whether the problem is big or small, she now has a way of approaching things that she didn’t have before her Discover Year. She used to get paralyzed in decision-making. She now has adaptability and resourcefulness that will help her in all sorts of situations. She has courage now – curiosity, rather than the fear. This program condenses three or four years of maturity into one year.”


Joy Overtveld
Discover Year Parent
“Honestly, Discover Year is a no-brainer. If you’re willing to take a different route and try something new, this opportunity is one year out of a lifetime. It’s a great way to experience life.”






Nina Rudin
Discover Year Parent