Science World British Columbia is inviting families to a Community Science Celebration at Alberni Athletic Hall and the North Island College campus on Saturday, Feb. 11.
The free event takes place from 10:30 a.m. through 4 p.m., and will feature plenty of hands-on activities for children and youth, as well as three eye-popping shows from the zany folks from Science World, beginning at noon.
The celebration includes travelling exhibits as well as displays and demonstrations from science-based members of the First Nations community, according to JoAnn Coggan, manager of community outreach for Science World B.C.
The event will be the culmination of the weeklong Science on the Road program, which touches down in Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet, Ahousaht and Bamfield from Feb. 6 through 10.
“This is our seventh year of outreach. We have visited most of the schools in the province, so our focus has become those outlying areas that are a little harder to reach,” Coggan said.
“We were in Port Alberni last year, but never made it out to Bamfield, so this year we made it a priority.”
Coggan said Maaqtusiis Elementary in Ahousaht, another first-time destination, presents even more of a stretch.
“It makes it more of a challenge to get out to these remote communities. It involves water taxis or float planes… It’s great for us and we love it.”
Maaqtusiis Principal Rebecca Juga said her children and staff have no idea what to expect. They know the theme is Extra Sensory Science, but the rest is going to be a surprise.
“They said, ‘It’s 45 minutes. Give us two tables, sit back and watch,’” Juga said. “We’re excited to see what they’re going to bring. We don’t even know what we are expecting.”
Maaqtusiis Elementary has 122 students from Kindergarten through Grade 7.
While the touring show and the community science celebrations emphasize fun, there is a very serious purpose for the activity, Coggan said.
“Making science fun has always been part of our mission, but for the past dozen years or so, we have started to pay more attention to ‘outside our building,’ and we have renamed ourselves Science World British Columbia,” she said.
“Our theme has been to discover the science all around you, and so making it relevant to every community we go into.”
North Island Principal Tom Weegar said that effort is particularly important in the First Nations community, partly because First Nations youth are the fastest growing demographic in the province.
“First Nations communities hope to see their own children become their fisheries managers, their doctors and nurses,” Weegar said. “You don’t have a recruiting problem when you’re training your own kids in these science-based careers. It’s best to go local, but getting kids involved at an early age is critical.”
Coggan said Science World has been making a conscious effort to incorporate First Nations communities, and more importantly, traditional First Nations knowledge and science, such as what is currently practiced in forestry and fisheries, into its program.
“When we do our community science celebrations, we always invite the First Nations communities in the region to come to our events and share what they do out in the field,” Coggan said.
At the community science celebrations, children get to meet the people in their own neighbourhood who use science in their daily lives. It’s also a chance for those practitioners to de-mystify what they do and show the kids how to make science a career choice.
“They can talk about the fun science jobs they have, and how they contribute to the community and show kids that they don’t have to go to the big city or to the U.S. to have a science career. We want to keep those kids that are science-focused right here in our province,” Coggan said.
The Science World exhibits start at noon with the Science of Physics, followed by the Amazing Chemistry Show at 1 p.m. and the Science Surprise Show at 3 p.m. Therewill also be exhibits and demonstrations across the parking lot at North Island College.
“They will have some of their biology labs open, and the North Island Wildlife Education Centre will also be there with some of their owls,” Coggan said.
Weegar noted that this year, the Ucluelet Aquarium Society will also be on hand with an exhibit.
Organizers would like to set up bus or van transportation for families from local and outlying First Nations communities. Anyone who is able to volunteer is asked to contact JoAnn Coggan at 1-604-443-7553.
The Science World on the Road tour begins Monday in Port Alberni, with visits to A.W. Neill and E.J Dunn middle schools, then travels to Wickanninish Community School in Tofino and Ucluelet (Elementary) on Tuesday, followed by Maaqtusiis Elementary in Ahousaht on Wednesday and Bamfield Community School on Thursday. On Friday, it’s back to Port Alberni for visits to Maquinna and Wood Elementary. Students will see one of three shows: Extra Sensory Science, Energy in Action or It’s a Gas.
