4-Hers Are Sparking Science and Building Curiosity
Ottawa, ON, September 3, 2015 – 4-H members across Canada are building science skills while also sparking their curiosity and some healthy competition. The new 4-H Canada Science Fair, provides an opportunity for 4-H club members to explore, experiment and discover science both at a community and national level.
Participating 4-Hers will produce science projects and enter their submissions online for the chance to compete against other 4-Hers, with some moving on to compete at the Canada-Wide Science Festival. The 4-H Canada Science Fair, which will take place annually, has three distinct rounds:
- Virtual Round
- Projects may be submitted September 1- December 15, 2015
- Up to 35 finalists will be selected to participate in the 4-H Canada Science Fair
- 4-H Canada Science Fair
- March 3-6, 2016 in Truro, NS
- Up to five finalists will be selected to attend the Canada-Wide Science Fair
- Canada-Wide Science Festival (CWSF)
- May 14-21, 2016 in Montreal, QC
- 4-H Canada will send a delegation of up to five finalists to the Canada-Wide Science Festival which is run by Youth Science Canada. 4-H delegates will compete with nearly 500 other youth for top prizes, and over $1,000,000 in scholarships
- For the second year, 4-H Canada will award three prizes (junior, intermediate, senior) to outstanding projects at the CWSF related to sustainable agriculture and food security.
Engaging young people in hands-on science and technology-based projects is the focus of 4-H Canada’s Science & Technology leadership development pillar, which is generously supported by Bayer CropScience. The objective is to create opportunities for youth to explore connections between science, technology, society, and their own lives.
“Science and technology has played an essential role in 4-H for decades. In fact, some of the earliest scientists and innovators were farmers,” said 4-H Canada CEO Shannon Benner. “The 4-H Canada Science and Technology leadership development pillar and the 4-H Canada Science Fair will help 4-Hers to be more intentional about their engagement with science and will support them as the catalysts for change and drivers of innovation that they are.”
“Bayer CropScience is proud to work alongside 4-H Canada in its efforts to help youth explore their interest and potential in science and technology,” explained Derrick Rozdeba, Manager, Marketing Communications for Bayer CropScience Inc. “Seventy per cent of Canada’s jobs are now linked to STEM. With less than 50 per cent of Canadian high school students graduating with courses in STEM, we believe organizations like 4-H can make a significant difference in filling this skills gap.”
The 4-H Canada Science and Technology leadership development pillar is also supported through the PromoScience Program from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which offers financial support for organizations like 4-H Canada working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science and engineering (including mathematics and technology).
For additional information and resources on the 4-H Canada Science Fair, please visit www.4-h-canada.ca/ScienceFair. To locate 4-H clubs near you, go to https://www.4-h-canada.ca/connect/find-club.
About 4-H Canada
For over 100 years, 4-H Canada has been one of the most highly respected positive youth development organizations in Canada. 4-H Canada has more than 24,500 members and nearly 7,700 volunteers. Our goal is to help young Canadians “Learn To Do By Doing” in a safe, inclusive and fun environment. We believe in nurturing responsible, engaged and confident leaders who are committed to positively impacting their communities across Canada and around the world. To learn more about 4-H Canada, please visit www.4-h-canada.ca.
For more information, media may contact:
Jennifer Austin, Director, Marketing and Communications
4-H Canada
613-759-1013 ext. 130
jaustin@4-h-canada.ca