ABOUT
Rev Up is a leadership program for young men in high school (grades 9 to 12) that aims to help them become mature and virtuous men; leaders committed to the service of their families, friends and of society.
To achieve that aim, the program incorporates talks, workshops, get-togethers, one-on-one mentoring, sports and periods of guided prayer with the chaplain.
talks
Talks are meant to help participants see how their present actions will impact their future life in many ways and to encourage them to reflect on who they want to be. Examples of topics: friendship, generosity, study habits, preparing for university, reading, etc.
From time to time, a guest speaker will present his professional career or a subject of his expertise.
mentoring
sports
Monitors take a few minutes to chat with the participants periodically. These one-to-one sessions allow the participant to discuss topics such as life at school, studying, friendships, summer jobs, university applications or topics that were covered during talks.
Parents are the ones primarily responsible for their son's formation, and Parkhill assists parents in this task. Meetings with parents are foreseen as well as family events that take place at various points throughout the year.
Most of the year, the sports period takes place in one of the nearby gyms. In the summer, it’s always possible to enjoy Strathcona Park, only 5 minutes away from Parkhill. What sports are on the menu? It depends on the group and that can change every year.
meditations
Meditations are moments spent with Our Lord in the chapel of the residence, where the chaplain will preach for 20 minutes, helping and teaching the students to pray. Participation in the meditation is optional.
apply today
Applicants will be contacted for an interview where more detailed information will be provided prior to being accepted.
Contact info@parkhillresidence.ca for inquiries.
apply
Fees
If your son is selected to participate in Rev Up, please send an e-transfer of 350$ to revup@acedfoundation.ca.
*please write the name(s) of your son(s) in the description
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF REV UP?
To help high school students prepare themselves to take on responsibility. The more ready they are, the more responsibility they will get, and the more exciting their lives will be.
The underlying idea is that what matters in life is not material possessions, athletic ability, good looks, intellectual ability, etc. What matters is character. Character allows men to take on responsibility and makes them great. Character endures after these other things are long gone.
2. WHY THE NAME “REV UP”?
The path of responsibility is demanding. To walk it requires personal struggle to acquire the virtues to make the path of responsibility easier while doing more. The program encourages and coaches the students to want to be responsible men of character so they can “rev up” easily in life.
3. ISN’T IT TOO EARLY FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO WORRY ABOUT THINGS LIKE COLLEGE AND CAREER?
Not at all. Rev Up is not meant to create stress about getting into the “best” college or having the “best” job. But high school students should be looking ahead to where they are going in life so that they begin now to develop the skills and attitudes needed for the great tasks of their lives: forming a family, serving society through their work, and developing friendships with colleagues, neighbours, and (most of all) God. Between the ages 14 and 18, habits are formed, friends are made, ideas and ideals are internalized. Young men need to see their high school years in the light of their entire life.
4. CAN A STUDENT SIGN UP FOR THE COURSE EVEN THOUGH HE CANNOT ATTEND EVERY SESSION?
Yes, but we strongly encourage attendance to every session.
5. WHY DOES REV UP ENTRUST THE CHRISTIAN ORIENTATION OF THEIR ACTIVITIES TO OPUS DEI?
Rev Up’s activities are based on a Christian view of life that recognizes the dignity of the human person, the inherent goodness of the created world, the value of human work, and the God-given moral law.
In both professional activities such as Rev Up and spiritual activities like retreats, recollections, and doctrine classes, Opus Dei ensures that a true Christian spirit is present. Opus Dei is an institution of the Catholic Church whose mission is to help people find God in and through the circumstances of their ordinary life.
6. SHOULD I LET MY FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT REV UP?
Yes. We encourage you to inform other people about Rev Up. When friends attend the program together, they establish a means of reinforcement extending well beyond the classroom. If you would like a brief presentation of the program for you and your friends, please contact us to make arrangements.