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A new McKenna Institute program is levelling up curious minds for families across New Brunswick by providing engaging, future-focused learning opportunities for students on non-instructional days.

Since its inception in 2021, the McKenna Institute at the University of New Brunswick has been a driving force for innovation and positive change across the province.

Guided by its mission to accelerate the growth of New Brunswick’s knowledge economy, the institute has launched a range of initiatives designed to build digital capacity, foster talent, and create opportunities for future generations.

Through this work, it continues to position New Brunswick at the forefront of an increasingly digital and rapidly evolving world.

One of the most effective ways to prepare the next generation for the future is to engage students early in their education, providing opportunities to explore emerging technologies, discover new interests, and develop skills that will serve them in a rapidly changing workforce.

Building TeXplore

In September 2025, the Institute launched TeXplore, a new program designed to provide K–12 students with meaningful and engaging learning opportunities on non-instructional days.

“TeXplore was built through collaboration, because preparing students for the future cannot happen in isolation,” said Abby David, Strategic Program Director at the McKenna Institute. “By bringing together families, educators, community organizations and industry partners, we are creating hands-on learning opportunities that help young people explore new interests, build confidence and see themselves as part of New Brunswick’s digital future.”

From the beginning, students, parents, and caregivers were actively involved in shaping the program to ensure that its content would be responsive to the needs of young learners.

At different community events throughout the school year, students were invited to vote on a selection of subject areas they wanted to explore. These categories included artificial intelligence (AI) and computers, art and making, nature and outdoor exploration, game design, entrepreneurship, and more. Their input helped identify the learning experiences students were most excited to pursue.

At the same time, parents and caregivers completed surveys designed to capture interests and practical considerations, including preferred topics, scheduling preferences, transportation needs, and the grade levels represented within their families. The feedback provided valuable insights that helped inform TeXplore's programming, partnerships, and delivery model.

Over 40 highly engaged and enthusiastic delivery partners across the province and country helped build the program’s foundation and continue to fuel its momentum.

The strong turnout and enthusiastic community response reinforced what TeXplore set out to demonstrate: there is a clear demand for enriching and accessible learning opportunities on days when students had no classes.

“When educators have access to relevant and ongoing professional learning, they are better equipped to meet the needs of all learners,” said Dr. Tiffany Bastin, Assistant Deputy Minister for educational services in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We sincerely appreciate the McKenna Institute’s leadership in creating opportunities that enrich learning beyond the classroom and help build the knowledge and skills our students need for the future.”

The Response

During the pilot phase, which ran from December 2025 to May 2026, TeXplore delivered 17 events on professional development days, engaging more than 150 students from districts and communities across New Brunswick in hands-on learning experiences.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with students, parents and caregivers, and educators alike praising the quality, relevance, and impact of the sessions.

"At first, my daughter was unsure about the program because I tend to sign her up for a lot of activities," said one parent. "But she ended up loving it. Since then, she has been asking if there will be more opportunities, especially ones focused on technology and computers."

Delivered in person and virtually, in both official languages, TeXplore workshops gave students the flexibility to learn in ways that suited their needs while exploring subjects such as AI, robotics, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, outdoor education, and more.

For many families, the program offered far more than a way to fill days when there is no school:

"My daughter is old enough to stay home alone, and while we can always find chores for her to do, that isn't always the most meaningful use of her time," the parent added.

"TeXplore gave her the opportunity to spend the day learning, meeting new people, and participating in engaging activities. She experienced a different kind of learning, and as a parent, I really appreciated that. It was a win-win."

Throughout the pilot, students tackled real-world challenges while building technical and transferable skills in hands-on activities outside of the classroom.

At the Dieppe Public Library, participants worked alongside mentors from Place aux compétences and the Neil Squire Society to learn soldering, circuit testing, and hardware assembly. Together, they built adaptive switches and toys that were donated to the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation and the IWK Health Centre, demonstrating how technology can create meaningful community impact.

Middle school students from Anglophone School District West spent a day using Minecraft Education and AI tools to design innovative solutions for community challenges before pitching their ideas in a live team competition in a session led by a national expert from Dell Technologies. Beyond learning the technology, students gained confidence, developed teamwork skills, forged new friendships, and strengthened their problem-solving abilities.

"I didn't know it was going to be this much fun!" said one student.

Another TeXplore session, led by Promise Partnership, brought elementary students and their caregivers together for collaborative learning experiences. Families worked side by side to design dream schools and animal shelters using Lego Duplo and magnetic tiles before exploring introductory coding with Sphero Mini robots.

Older students took the challenge a step further, building and programming complex obstacle courses for their Sphero robots along an open corridor. As they tested, raced, and refined their designs, they practiced coding, measurement, troubleshooting, and teamwork in a fun and supportive environment.

Students also had the opportunity to unleash their creativity through digital media activities, stepping in front of a green screen to produce dream-vacation videos and take photos alongside their favourite athletes and role models.

By creating engaging, future-focused experiences outside the traditional classroom, TeXplore is helping students discover new interests, build valuable skills, and imagine new possibilities for their futures all while strengthening New Brunswick's talent pipeline for years to come.

TeXplore will continue to expand in the upcoming school year with more partners and activities across New Brunswick. The activities will continue to be informed by an advisory committee of education and ecosystem partners from Anglophone, Francophone, and First Nations communities. An online calendar is being created for students and families to see upcoming opportunities on non-instructional days.

"I think there are so many possibilities with TeXplore," said the parent. "We're excited to see more opportunities like this because it gives students a chance to connect with others, discover new interests, and develop valuable new skills.

“That's what we want for all young people—to have opportunities that help them learn, grow, and reach their full potential."