Minister Proclaims Youth Science Month

The Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education, has proclaimed March as Youth Science Month in schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Hundreds of students are participating in local science fairs this month, and showcasing projects which demonstrate their innovation, imagination and creativity,” said Minister Burke. “It is certainly an appropriate time to acknowledge Youth Science Month and highlight the work being done in our schools to help our students explore and understand scientific concepts.”

In recent years, science laboratories in K-12 schools have undergone a major refurbishment, with an investment of $3.85 million in lab safety equipment and $1.75 million in science equipment. Items provided include everything from lab coats and safety goggles to digital weather stations, circuit-testing kits, illuminated magnifiers and sky-viewing telescopes.

Minister Burke was joined in a Youth Science Month proclamation signing by Yvonne Dawe, Chair of the Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council, along with Lauren Rolling and Caroline Molloy, Grade 12 students at Bishops College High, and Erin Baker, a 2nd year math and physics student at Memorial University.

“Each year, several students from our province earn the right to attend the Canada Wide Science Fair and, in doing so, represent all students who participate in school and regional fairs,” said Ms. Dawe. “Over the years, Newfoundland and Labrador students have achieved some excellent results, thanks in part to dedicated science teachers and volunteers who work to organize these fairs at both the school and regional levels.”

Minister Burke also noted that a new intermediate science program has been fully implemented, with the entire K-12 science curriculum now aligned with the pan-Canadian framework for science. The curriculum also includes a significant amount of custom-developed materials which focus on Newfoundland and Labrador. For example, Grade 7 biology students could learn about cold water reefs off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, or why it is important to save unique places like the limestone barrens on the northern peninsula.

“In today’s science classrooms, students actively learn about the fundamental principles of science and how to apply this knowledge to the world around them,” said Minister Burke. “New science courses encourage students to learn through hands-on experiences that build valuable skills that prepare them for post-secondary studies.”

Sponsored by Youth Science Canada, Youth Science Month is a national awareness initiative, currently in its ninth year.

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Photo #1: The Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education joins Yvonne Dawe, Chair of the Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council, to proclaim March as Science Month in Newfoundland and Labrador schools. From back left are: Lauren Rolling and Caroline Molloy, Grade 12 students at Bishops College High, and Erin Baker, a 2nd year math and physics student at Memorial University, all of whom are former gold-medal winners at the Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair.

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2011 03 01                                                                         10:10 a.m.