It seems new students get younger every year, but a group of children on campus June 21 wasn’t starting university-level courses. About 60 students in grades 1 and 2 from Blenheim’s St. Anne Catholic School spent the day here engaged in creative and physical activities.

The students divided their time between visual arts programming in the LeBel Building with instructor Julie Sando, and recreation at the St. Denis Centre led by Josh Leeman, coordinator of Lancer Summer Camps.

“It’s a nice end-of-year field trip for them,” says Katia Benoit, acting director of student recruitment. “They get to see our campus and enjoy some of our facilities, and some of our students help out with the fun and educational activities.”

Sando helped the youngsters construct trophies from everyday objects—everything from telephones and calculators to baseballs, toy dinosaurs and rawhide chews—painted gold or silver and mounted.

“They really enjoyed it, making gifts for special teachers or just rewarding themselves for a successful year,” she says. “It was fun for us, too!”

Benoit laughs when asked if the trip is intended to get a jump on recruiting the children, who range from six to eight years old.

“I guess it is nice just to show them that university doesn’t have to be scary,” she says.