.
Search
Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleWrite letter to editor  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad

Test tubes galore

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Chesterfield Inlet (Feb 18/04) - The hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet will be celebrating a first when it hosts the Kivalliq Regional Science Fair from March 29 to April 1.

A number of Kivalliq hamlets have hosted the fair in its 10-year history.

However, the 2004 science fair will mark the first time Victor Sammurtok school in Chester has hosted the event.

Bill Cooper is president of the Kivalliq Science Educators Community (KSEC), formerly known as the Kivalliq Science Fair Committee.

Cooper said Chester was selected as this year's host because of the commitment shown by the community and the fair's chairperson, Glen Brocklebank.

"The KSEC wishes to recognize the hard work by all students, staff and parents on the run up to the science fair," said Cooper.

"This year's Kivalliq student representatives will travel to St. John's, Nfld., to the Canada-wide event in May."

Brocklebank said Chester is excited over the opportunity to host the 2004 science fair.

The event provides students with the opportunity to showcase their work to the community, as well as those judging their efforts, he said.

"The students get really pumped over the science fair and put a lot into their projects," said Brocklebank.

"It's great to see people coming into the school to see the kids' work, as well as the interaction between the students, themselves."

The KSEC group organizes more than the annual science fair.

This year, the group partnered with Calm Air, Boreal Supplies Ltd., the National Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada and Kivalliq School Services to run a Science Challenge across the region.

Each school received various prizes, including a White Wings flight kit, water-rocket kit, and a bottle launcher capable of launching plastic bottles up to 61 metres.

The KSEC is also planning the next Science and Culture Camp for Baker Lake this coming September.

"The focus will be on the science of geology, with an equally exciting cultural aspect such as we witnessed during the 2003 camp in Churchill, Manitoba," said Cooper.