AVC Vet Camp Receives National Award!

AVC Vet Camp has been recognized as the Best Community Outreach Program in Canada by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

CCAE is a volunteer-led organization that promotes excellence in educational advancement. Its membership is made up of universities, colleges, institutes and independent schools from across Canada.

'We are very proud to receive this prestigious honor,' says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College and founder of AVC Vet Camp. 'Many within the AVC community have been instrumental in the delivery of AVC Vet Camp over the past ten years. Their commitment and passion for providing a unique, hands-on learning opportunity for our young people is nothing short of outstanding.'

Judges in the Best Community Outreach Category for the CCAE's 2008 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program recently selected AVC Vet Camp to receive its top prize - the Gold Award. The PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program is assessed by CCAE colleagues and external professional judges. The 2008 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE Gold Award will be presented in Kelowna, British Columbia in June at CCAE's annual conference.

Judges' comments regarding AVC Vet Camp were very positive, recognizing the impact of 'a highly successful and focused program which extends the College community outward.' Judges also recognized that the continued success of AVC Vet Camp was due to 'an impressive commitment on the part of AVC staff and students…a real team effort, with excellent results maintained from year to year.' Describing AVC Vet Camp as 'the perfect program for the intended audience,' judges also praised the Camp as being 'admirably responsive to their market, hands-on and realistic.' Finally, judges recognized that 'the international reach of this small college's initiative is particularly impressive.'

'AVC Vet Camp requires a tremendous amount of organization and planning. And every moment is worth it. Each year we hear from AVC Vet Campers and their parents that we have helped make dreams come true,' says Ogilvie. 'This is what AVC Vet Camp is all about - turning dreams into reality.'

AVC Vet Camp celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Since its development, AVC Vet Camp has provided students in grades 7, 8 and 9 with a passion for veterinary medicine, animals and science to experience what the life of a veterinarian is truly like. As the only veterinary-based camp in Canada, AVC Vet Camp has attracted participants from as far away as Australia and Saudi Arabia.