THUNDER BAY – Daytona Shaffer loves science.
A Grade 10 student at St. Ignatius High School, the 15-year-old has spent much of the week taking part in in the sixth annual Thunder Bay Science Festival, where on Thursday at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute. She and three classmates attempted to build a working draw bridge using plastic syringes, tubing, pipe cleaners and pre-cut pieces of wood.
A veteran of Science North’s camps, the youngster said they opened her eyes to a whole new world. She’s never looked back.
“I think it’s really important to do something like this because it introduces a lot of students who wouldn’t necessarily think about doing things in the STEM field,” Daytona said.
“I learned a lot. It’s a lot of problem solving, a lot of situations you would never come in contact with, a lot of things that you have to look at in a different way than just in a classroom with a book and a pencil.”
Fuyang Deng, a 14-year-old Grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill and Vocational Institute, called the science festival a great challenge for students, especially those who plan to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
An aspiring teacher, Fuyang said the festival provides an opportunity that otherwise would not exist in Thunder Bay.
“It’s really nice that we as high school students have the ability to compete in such a program,” said Deng, whose team finished third in the junior bridge-building division.
The toughest part was not knowing what was coming, he said.
“As a team, we were able to work well together. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates and everybody for helping us prepare for this,” he said.
“It certainly is a challenge, but that’s what makes it quite fun.”
Emily Kertsen, a senior scientist with Science North, said the STEM Challenge 2018 is a chance to show teenagers that science is around them all the time, it can be fun and challenge their minds.
“And if we spark their interest in early, right now when they’re in secondary school, they’ll more likely to go into post-secondary school that’s based in science and then into a career,” she said. “Because science and technology is a really important part of our lives everything we do is connected to science and technology.
“We need more of our youth getting involved in it so we can be the leaders in Canada in science and technology.”
Coun. Paul Pugh, on hand for the prize presentations, pointed out to students there are plenty of practical uses for science right here at home.
“We’ve got lots of bridges in this town that need repair, so there is a future for you,” Pugh said.
The festival wraps up on Saturday with a science carnival at Victoriaville from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
