It starts with an inquisitive mind that becomes captivated by an interesting question and driven to unravel the mystery. It is not Sherlock Holmes of which we speak, rather a group of 82 young scientists who recently participated in the West Kootenay and Boundary Regional Science Fair.
The 2012 event involved the largest ever number of senior students and head judge Daphne Van Alstine was supported by more volunteer judges than ever before. The momentum building around this event also relates to the quality of the projects as students showed a remarkable depth of knowledge at all grade levels.
“To date we have only sent two students from our region to the national science fair because of funding limitations and the quality of science,” explained organizer Ann McDonnell. “Last year our students were extremely successful in winning both prize money and scholarships, which raised the standards within our region. As a result, this year three students have earned the honor of an all-expenses paid trip to the national event in Charlottetown, P.E.I. this May: Miranda Sherell, Emma Borhi and Micah May.”
Other major prizes of up to $200 were won by these students as well as September Stephani, Kevin Milde and Kai Stone.
The science fair was once again part of a larger Community Science Celebration hosted by the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) and Science World in mid-April. The family friendly, free and interactive event was not only fun for all ages, but also profiled the many science and technology businesses and professionals that call our region home.
“By fostering a culture that values science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, KAST seeks to maintain and enhance the competitiveness of the region,” said KAST executive director Kelvin Saldern. “In doing so, we are helping to ensure there will be opportunities for these young scientists to choose to stay in our region as adult professionals and entrepreneurs who will then give back to our communities.”
The Science Fair and Community Science Celebration were made possible by the generous support of numerous partners, including NSERC, Fortis, Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power Corporation, Zellstoff Celgar and many local businesses.
Major award winners of this year’s fair included: