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KIVALLIQ
Kids across the Kivalliq region have been learning all about science over the past few weeks.

Instructor Gabrielle Bouchard tests a pipe system in Baker Lake during an Actua in the North camp, while camp participants David Akilak, centre, and Edwin Niego watch. The pipe system was constructed as part of a plumbing activity where kids learned about pipe maintenance, water testing and water treatment. - photo courtesy of Actua

From scraping teeth with real dentistry tools to learning the anatomy of a whale, youth aged seven to 12 have been getting hands-on experience while taking part in week-long Actua in the North camps.

Actua is a science, engineering and technology youth outreach network that strives to help build self-confidence, creativity and critical thinking skills in young people, while inspiring them to become life-long learners.

Danielle MacMillan, an instructor with one of the outreach teams travelling around Nunavut this summer, said the Actua in the North camps are designed to give Northern youth access to science programming that is often only offered down south.

"It's about engaging kids in science and engineering, so that might be a possibility for their careers later on and being more engaged in those career paths that might not seem as accessible in these areas," she said.

MacMillan is part of a team of three instructors who visited Baker Lake, Whale Cove and Repulse Bay in July. Camps were also held in Arviat and Chesterfield Inlet, and currently there is a camp being held in Rankin Inlet at the Community Learning Centre.

The free camp was in Whale Cove from July 18 to 22 at the John Adjuk Community Hall. MacMillan said 30 kids signed up and an average of 26 showed up every day.

"It was kind of a full house," she said with a laugh.

But even with a large number of kids, MacMillan said the camp's interactive, hands-on approach was designed to ensure that campers learn and retain the information.

"We do things that usually relate to things that they would be familiar with already, so maybe the anatomy of a whale that might have been caught in the bay earlier," she said.

"We go on scavenger hunts and look at the geology of the area. We would do some water quality testing to see what kind of pollutants might be in certain areas or how clean the water might be in the bay right behind their houses."

The kids have also been given the opportunity to use real dentistry tools, although not on real teeth.

"We have these plaster moulds of teeth that they get to use real dentistry tools on and kind of get the idea that if you clean your teeth, you get to keep your teeth," said MacMillan, who noted that the kids are always surprised and excited when they get their turn.

"They're surprised that we're letting kids use these things that are meant for professionals and people who have gone through so many years of school, and they're excited that they get a chance to really have a hands-on experience."

For MacMillan, the reward comes on Fridays when the community is invited to see what the kids have learned.

"It's really interesting to see the kids remember key words and scientific terms that we've gone over through the week and relay that to their parents," she said.

"So that's kind of when you see the connections being made and the learning happening, even if they're not aware of it."

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