“Intentional spontaneity.” That’s how Scott Compeau (BASc ’08, B.Ed ’11, MASc ‘16 P.Eng ’18, PhD ‘21) describes the magic that happens daily at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) South East . Every day, he says, is full of possibility—shaped by a team that shares a collective vision and a commitment to community.
Today, as Director of Innovation and Education, Scott leads BGC South East’s Education Department. His work spans STEM, robotics, trades, literacy, and foundational skills programming, always guided by a big-picture view of education as an interconnected ecosystem. “My role is taking shape every day,” he says—an outlook that reflects both his engineering mindset and his belief in adaptive, responsive learning environments.
After completing a degree in chemical engineering at Queen’s University, Scott pivoted to teaching, where he spent three years as a high school Chemistry teacher in London, England. Through this experience, he discovered a passion for STEM education—especially in raising awareness of engineering careers among youth. This passion led him to Growing Connections, a K–12 Engineering Outreach Unit at Queen’s University, while simultaneously pursuing graduate research in STEM education, and continuing his passion for teaching as a term adjunct professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s.
His PhD, which explored how STEM outreach organizations act as knowledge brokers within educational ecosystems, deeply shaped his approach to leadership and innovation. It taught him the importance of forming strategic, reciprocal partnerships that elevate learning and access across communities.
Now also a father of two, Scott is more motivated than ever to continue cultivating a high-quality, inclusive educational hub in Kingston. He is driven by BGC’s mission that “opportunity changes everything”—a phrase he embodies wholeheartedly. Is it this vision and passion towards positive impact in Kingston that earned Scott the recognition as one of Kingston’s Young Professionals Top 40 Under 40 award in 2024.
A major part of Scott’s role involves identifying educational opportunities that align with community services and designing programs to meet those needs. Under his leadership, BGC South East has built a thriving portfolio that includes meaningful employment and volunteer opportunities, strategic partnerships with local employers and institutions, and innovative educational and skill-development programming aligned with regional workforce demands. He also works actively to secure funding, through grants, sponsorships, and fee-for-service models, to ensure the long-term sustainability of BGC’s nonprofit mission.
Inclusion, accessibility, and responsiveness are central to Scott’s ethos and to the Club’s values. With support from BGC Canada, donors, foundations, industry, and government funding, nearly all youth programs are offered free of charge, with bursaries available to ensure no child is left behind due to financial barriers.
What makes BGC South East particularly remarkable, Scott notes, is its ability to flip the script: turning once-privatized services into accessible, community-owned knowledge. Two flagship examples of this are the Kingston Robotics Lab and the Reading Clinic—both developed as private sector services, that have now transitioned to under the BGC South East organization.
Scott recalls a proud milestone: securing the capital needed to renovate and launch the STEM & Robotics Centre, transforming a bold vision into a welcoming hub for children and youth. Since its opening, enrollment has surged, with a 65% retention rate and overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and families. Parents have shared how their children—many of whom had never participated in extracurriculars before—have found belonging, built confidence, and discovered new passions.
The Reading Clinic, meanwhile, has been pivotal in addressing literacy challenges within the Kingston community. Offering one-on-one sessions for students with reading difficulties (including dyslexia), the program has delivered measurable improvements in literacy. Building on this success, Scott’s team have led the implementation of TruePhonics—a structured literacy series for parents and children—and is currently developing a game-based TruePhonics App, set to pilot in summer 2025.
Beyond academics, Scott emphasizes that BGC is more than a childcare facility. He acknowledges persistent misconceptions about who the Club serves and is working to shift the narrative toward one of holistic development—programming grounded in skill-building, mental health, and social-emotional wellbeing. One emerging initiative focuses on cognitive skill awareness and executive functioning, with the potential to support neurodiverse learners through programming on neuroplasticity and behavioural regulation.
What’s clear in speaking with Scott is that his work is fueled by both personal passion and professional insight. He’s deeply committed to building a future where children and youth have access to opportunities that are not only equitable, but transformative. And best of all? The door is open. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, funding, research collaboration, or knowledge mobilization, BGC South East is ready to welcome new partners into its ever-growing learning ecosystem.
