report to sponsors & partners - canada-wide science fair · charlottetown, prince edward island...

2012Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island • May 12-19, 2012

Report to Sponsors & Partners

PRESENTING / LE COMMANDITAIRE PRINCIPAL

DEVELOPERS / LES RÉALISATEURS

EXPLORERS / LES EXPLORATEURS

MOTIVATORS / LES MOTIVATEURS

FRIENDS / LES AMIS

The Actuarial Foundation of CanadaEngineers Canada

Amalgamated Dairies LimitedArsenaultBestCameronEllis Chartered AccountantsBell AliantBioVectra Inc.Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D)Canadian Acoustical AssociationCanadian Association of PhysicistsCanadian Commission for UNESCOCanadian Society for Medical Laboratory ScienceCanadian Society for Senior EngineersThe Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science (Weizmann Science Canada)Canadian WEF Member Associations, The Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, and Xylem CanadaCarlson Wagonlit Travel

City of CharlottetownCowsCulinary Institute of CanadaDP Murphy Inc.Discovery ChannelDiversified Metal Engineering Ltd.Ernest C. Manning Awards FoundationFaculty of Science, Dalhousie UniversityFaculty of Science, University of OttawaGemini Screen Printing & Embroidery Inc.Honda Canada Inc.National Youth Science Forum AustraliaOntario Power GenerationPerimeter Institute for Theoretical PhysicsPEI BioAlliancePrince Edward Island Preserve Company

Magic 93 / CFCY / Spud FMMurphy Group of RestaurantsMRSB GroupRoyal Astronomical Society of CanadaS.M. Blair Family FoundationStatistical Society of CanadaStatistical Society of Canada and Biostatistics SectionSyngenta Canada Inc.The Travel StoreThe University of British Columbia (Vancouver)University of ManitobaUniversity of OttawaWestern UniversityVector Aerospace


About CWSF 2011

2

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Youth Science Canada1550 Kingston Road, Suite 213Pickering, ON L1V 1C3866-341-0040youthscience.ca


About CWSF 2011

3

Introduction

Dear sponsors and partnersThe Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, May 12-19, 2012, was Youth Science Canada’s 51st national science fair and marked the first time that the event was held in Canada’s smallest province. This year we were pleased to welcome Research In Motion as Presenting Sponsor of the CWSF. We are thrilled to be working with RIM as we strive to increase the profile and impact of our flagship event.

The science and innovation displayed by the 489 finalists from every province and territory was impressive and competition was intense for the nearly $1M (actually $864,500) in awards, scholarships and prizes – made possible by our sponsors and partners.

CWSF 2012 will be remembered for the warm welcome extended by the people of Prince Edward Island and the city of Charlottetown. It will also be remembered for the opening ceremony and banquet – identified by the finalists as the most enjoyable activity of the week, which kicked off the week by highlighting local young musicians and dancers, Acadian music and humour, and an announcement of the Microsoft Canada Alumni Award, to be presented for the first time at CWSF 2013. Also topping the list of most enjoyable activities were the all-day tour across PEI, the Awards Ceremony held in the Confederation Centre for the Arts, and “Remembering PEI,” the closing night celebration of Island food, music, and fun.

The exemplary PEI host team demonstrated that the new CWSF model works extremely well, noting that without the new structure, under which Youth Science Canada assumes significant organizational and financial responsibility for the event, they simply could not have considered hosting.

This report on the results of our fourth annual survey once again confirms that the CWSF is an outstanding, life-changing, scientific, cultural and social experience for the young scientists in grades 7-12 who participate. We are pleased to share this report with you and look forward to working with all our partners and sponsors on the 2013 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Lethbridge, Alberta, and our programs throughout the year.

Reni Barlow Executive Director


About CWSF 2011Background

The Next 50 Years...For over 50 years, Youth Science Canada has been a leader in engaging and supporting Canada’s young scientists, and in recognizing, rewarding and celebrating excellence in science and technology among young Canadians.

Youth Science Canada exists so Canadian youth are engaged through science in inquiry and critical thinking. We do this by:

• engaging youth in science-related activities; • ensuring that educators and parents value an inquiry-based approach to science learning; • recognizing youth for achievements in science; • developing resources and tools to support inquiry and critical thinking in science; and • identifying and supporting youth with the potential for excellence in science

Of the estimated 500,000 Canadian youth who do a science project in their classroom, at home, or for a school fair, approximately 25,000 go on to participate in one of 103 regional fairs in every province and territory that are affiliated with Youth Science Canada. Each region then selects the finalists it will send on to the national competition – the CWSF, held each May, in which 500 of Canada’s top young scientists compete for more than 350 awards, prizes and scholarships with a total value of nearly $1 million.

Each year, the CWSF also engages over 400 academic and private sector scientists, engineers and researchers from the host community as judges. Hundreds more across the country lend their support each year as mentors to students who go on to be CWSF finalists.

Nearly 200 delegates, many of whom are teachers, chaperone the finalists and dozens of local volunteers also contribute to a successful CWSF.

Youth Science Canada’s science fairs program is truly national, and the CWSF is the culmination of a year’s worth of effort by approximately 8,000 volunteers working through our affiliated regional organizations and the provincial organizations that support them. This network assures the participation of youth from every part of Canada. As a further measure of its national scope, Youth Science Canada has committed to holding the CWSF in a different community each year. In fact, the CWSF has been held in eight different provinces over the past ten years. (See table on next page.)


About CWSF 2011By the numbers...

Number of finalists CWSF 2012 welcomed 489 finalists, the third-largest number ever, despite the higher costs associated with travel to one of the coasts. We were pleased to welcome a new region – Saskatchewan First Nations – bringing to 4 the number of affiliated regional organizations dedicated to serving specific Aboriginal populations across the country. We are proud of the fact that 65% of our 103 affiliated regional science fairs welcome young scientists from one or more Aboriginal communities – from coast to coast to coast.

The number of participants in any given year is governed by the allocation of finalists and delegates to the CWSF by Youth Science Canada, which is based on the region’s population, as well as the success of each region’s and province’s fund-raising to cover the cost of sending their allotment.

2012 was another challenging year for fund-raising, as well as volunteer recruitment at the regional level. Two Ontario regions – North Channel (Elliot Lake) and Kawartha (Lindsay) – remained inactive this year due to a lack of organizing committee volunteers. Efforts continue, particularly at the provincial level, to develop new regional organizations in unserved areas, and to restart inactive regions. For 2013, we are encouraged by discussions regarding potential new regions in rural Manitoba.

YEAR HOST CITY TOTAL FINALISTS

2012 Charlottetown, PE 489

2011 Toronto, ON 509

2010 Peterborough, ON 494

2009 Winnipeg, MB 474

2008 Ottawa, ON 478

2007 Truro, NS 459

2006 Saguenay, QC 455

2005 Vancouver, BC 479

2004 St. John’s, NL 483

2003 Calgary, AB 465


Finalists by GenderFor the past six years, the number of female finalists has exceeded the number of males. In 2006, 51% of competitors at the CWSF were male. At CWSF 2012, 54% of finalists were female, up slightly from 2011.

Finalists by Grade & CategoryParticipation in each grade category is approaching 33%. In 2009, junior finalists accounted for 39%.

Finalists by Province and TerritoryAll provinces and territories were represented at CWSF 2012. Participation declined by 2% from 2011.

PROVINCE/TERRITORY 2011 2012

Alberta 48 44

British Columbia 75 74

Manitoba 22 23

New Brunswick 9 11

Newfoundland and Labrador 8 8

Northwest Territories 6 6

Nova Scotia 40 40

Nunavut 6 6

Ontario 200 181

Prince Edward Island 5 5

Québec 42 43

Saskatchewan 35 37

Yukon 3 3

International Guests: Australia, Taiwan (R.O.C) 10 8

TOTAL 509 489

By the numbers...

GENDER 2011 % 2012 %

Female 265 52% 263 54%

Male 244 48% 226 46%

TOTAL 509 100% 489 100%

GRADE 2011 2012

Grade 7/Secondary 1 75 68





Grade 12/Cégep 1 65 71

Cégep 2 6 4

TOTAL 509 489

Junior (Grade 7/8) 205 173

Intermediate (Grade 9/10) 148 161

Senior (Grade 11/12/Cégep) 156 155

TOTAL 509 489


Projects by ChallengeCWSF 2012 was the second year for the new project classification and judging structure under which projects are judged for Excellence Awards (medals) against all others in their grade category (i.e., junior, intermediate, senior) with the goal of ensuring that the best projects are recognized with medals, regardless of the type of science involved. Anecdotal feedback from finalists, adult delegates (chaperones), and judges suggests that the new format has been well received and is perceived to be more fair. Prior to 2011, projects were judged in groups by scientific discipline.

Finalists classify their project using up to three of 104 subcategories of scientific focus (e.g., plant science - photosynthesis), grouped into 15 categories. Each judge identifies up to three areas of expertise from the 15 categories to facilitate the computerized matching of judges to projects.

Two years ago, Youth Science Canada launched seven Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges – Discovery, Energy, Environment, Health, Information, Innovation, and Resources – with the goal of engaging Canadian youth in current national and global issues and problems through project-based science. In September, 11,000 schools with grades 7-12 across Canada, as well as Regional Science Fair Coordinators, key volunteers, and Members are mailed a “Take the Challenge” poster along with Youth Science Canada’s Invent the Future materials.

Again this year, projects at CWSF 2012 were organized in the exhibit hall by Challenge, and Challenge Awards recognized the best junior, intermediate, and senior project in each with a $500, $750, and $1000 cash award respectively, based on their Excellence Award judging results. The junior Resources Challenge Award was not presented this year.

By the numbers...

CHALLENGE CATEGORY PROJECTS

Discovery

Junior 32

Intermediate 20

Senior 20

TOTAL 72

Energy

Junior 10

Intermediate 16

Senior 11

TOTAL 37

Environment (Encana)

Junior 32

Intermediate 23

Senior 18

TOTAL 73

Health (CIHR/Synapse)

Junior 40

Intermediate 39

Senior 26

TOTAL 105

Information (Intel Canada)

Junior 6

Intermediate 5

Senior 4

TOTAL 15

Innovation (Research In Motion)

Junior 30

Intermediate 26

Senior 31

TOTAL 87

Resources

Junior 1

Intermediate 3

Senior 8

TOTAL 12

TOTAL PROJECTS 401


Excellence Awards (Medals) by GenderThe overall distribution of Excellence Awards (medals) by gender was consistent with the ratio of female to male finalists (54%/46%).

The maximum number of medals is set at 30 gold, 60 silver, and 120 bronze – a total of 210; however, medals are awarded by project and some projects are completed by pairs of finalists, resulting in finalist medal totals that exceed these numbers. At the gold level, for example, 30 projects received gold medals; three were pair projects. Each gold medal is accompanied by a $1,500 cash prize; $750 for silver medals and $300 for bronze. Cash prizes are shared if the project is completed by a pair.

Approximately half the CWSF projects receive an Excellence Award (210 of the 401 projects in 2012).

The medals were redesigned in 2011, featuring the chemical symbols for gold (Au), silver (Ag), and ancient bronze – an alloy of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn). The medals include the Canada-Wide Science Fair logo, the Youth Science Canada logo on the back, and the year and city printed on the ribbon, which is purple and grey in keeping with the CWSF colour palette.

MEDAL FEMALE MALE TOTAL

Gold 18 15 33

Silver 41 30 71

Bronze 74 74 148

TOTAL 133 119 252

PERCENTAGE 53% 47% 100%

By the numbers...


About CWSF 2011Participant Survey 2012

What finalists told us and how it will inform our planning...Survey metrics All Canadian CWSF 2012 finalists (n=481) and delegates (n=172) were invited by email to participate in separate online surveys, both available in English and French.

A total of 292 finalists responded to the survey – a 59% response rate, the highest of all four years. Over 91% of respondents completed all questions, compared to 70% last year when the survey was somewhat longer. This suggests that the 2012 survey was about the right length. A total of 76 delegates responded to the survey – a 44% response rate. The lower rate is likely due to the fact that the survey was conducted later than the finalist survey, running into July when many of the delegates were on vacation.

The geographic distribution of respondents closely matched that of the CWSF, with at least one respondent from every province and territory except Yukon. The school grade distribution of finalist respondents matched that of the CWSF, with junior finalists slightly under-represented (31% of respondents vs. 35% of finalists) and intermediate finalists slightly over-represented (36% vs. 33%).

DemographicsSome demographic data are collected as part of CWSF online registration, providing data for all finalists:

86% of CWSF 2012 finalists reported that one or both of their parents/guardians has a post-secondary degree. (3% were not sure.) For reference, Statistics Canada indicates that in 2011, 53% of the Canadian population aged 15 or older had trade certificates, college diplomas or university degrees.

52% of CWSF 2012 finalists (the same as in 2011) reported that one or both of their parents/guardians works in a science-related field. (3% were not sure.)

69% of finalists were attending their first CWSF, 20% were attending their second, 7% were attending their third, and 4% had attended four or more CWSFs.

These demographics are similar to those reported from 2009 to 2011.


Participant Survey 2012

university or college students, high school students, and others.

There is a persistent perception amongst science fair volunteers and others that finding a mentor is often a significant barrier; however, only 4% of CWSF 2012 finalists indicated that they had tried to find a mentor but were unsuccessful, or that they wanted a mentor but didn’t know how to find one.

Most CWSF finalists who want a mentor appear to be able to find one. Just over half the CWSF 2012 finalists (51%) who had a mentor reported that they identified and arranged the mentorship on their own; 13% were arranged by a family member, 11% by their school or teacher, and 5% through a mentorship program. The remaining 20% were reported as being arranged in some other way.

Less than one-third (29%) of CWSF 2012 finalists – down significantly from 37% in 2011 – indicated that they didn’t want or need a mentor, or that they never thought about a mentor. It is likely that some members of this group would actually benefit from mentorship.

Programming Initiative: Youth Science Canada believes that:

• support from a thoughtful and committed mentor, in accordance with Youth Science Canada guidelines, serves to assist young scientists in their journey toward developing a top quality project; • appropriate mentoring benefits all projects; • it should continue its work with affiliates and partners to make mentoring available to all students.

Youth Science Canada’s efforts in mentorship will continue to focus on the development of promising young scientists at the national level who would most benefit from a mentor to prepare for international competition – similar to the process for the identification and support of elite national athletes. We will also continue to encourage provincial organizations and our affiliated regions to develop mentorship initiatives to meet the needs of their local communities.

Mentorship and supportEach CWSF 2012 finalist was asked to indicate the level of mentorship they had while working on their project. The table below shows the percentage of finalists at each level. Two-thirds of CWSF finalists reported having a mentor.

PROJECT MENTORSHIP LEVEL %

I did not have a mentor. 33%

1. I exchanged a few emails or phone calls and/or met once or twice with my mentor to discuss ideas.

10%

2. I had occasional contact by email or phone and/or met occasionally with my mentor who provided advice or materials.

18%

3. I had regular contact by email or phone and/or met regularly with my mentor who provided advice, materials, assistance with design/testing, or data analysis.

13%

4. I had regular face-to-face contact with my mentor and access to materials, space, equipment, design/testing, or other personnel in a specialized facility.

18%

5. I worked closely with my mentor over an extended period of time to develop the project idea, plan and conduct the research/development, and analyze the results or test the innovation, including regular access to materials, space, equipment, or other personnel in a specialized facility.

8%

The most common mentors were university or college professors, researchers, engineers or technicians (33%), followed by a parent/guardian or relative (23%), a teacher in the finalist’s school (18%), a government or industry researcher, engineer, or technician (10%), and university graduate students (7%). The remaining 9% were undergraduate



The SMARTS online community (https://smarts.youthscience.ca) was officially launched at CWSF 2011 and currently has 616 members. The community provides a platform in both official languages for youth and adults to share their interest in science and technology; create groups for regional fairs, schools, science clubs, and event participants; share opportunities, photos and videos; and earn points for activity.

Programming Initiative: One of the original goals of the SMARTS online community was to help CWSF alumni stay connected; however, most of this activity is taking place in several Facebook groups. With the addition of the SMARTS “plog” – an online project log that enables students to track the progress of an investigation or innovation – we believe that SMARTS is now ideally suited for regions to maintain contact with and support their regional fair participants throughout the year, for schools to support science clubs, and for teachers to support classroom investigations and projects.

These school and science fair audiences are dramatically larger than the pool of CWSF alumni. Regional science fairs participants number approximately 20,000 each year, while grade 7-12 students across Canada doing some form of science investigation or project offers a potential audience in the millions. We will focus on promoting SMARTS to our affiliated regional organizations and to classroom teachers, primarily through our Smarter Science teacher workshops and our mailings to 11,000 schools with grades 7-12/Cégep.

Youth Science Canada resourcesBoth the CWSF web site (cwsf.youthscience.ca) and the online registration system ranked as the best resources in preparing for CWSF 2012, with 89% of finalists and 93% of delegates rating them helpful, very helpful, or extremely helpful. The CWSF web site scored just 52% in 2010, but improved to 80% last year with the introduction of our new site. Help from Regional Science Fair organizations continued to be rated highly - 88% by finalists and 91% by delegates.

Incorporating the Virtual CWSF, a searchable database of over 3,000 CWSF projects from 2005 to 2011, (secure.ysf-fsj.ca/virtualcwsf) and the “Stepping Up Guide” (sf.youthscience.ca/stepping-guide-improving-your-project) into the CWSF web site improved their visibility – 80% and 85% of finalists were aware of these two resources, compared with 65% in 2010.

Programming Initiative: We are very pleased with the high rating of our web resources this year. Changes for 2012 focused on making information faster and easier to find and creating a new area for science fair resources. For 2013 we plan to update the Virtual CWSF to match the web site’s look and feel, and complete translation of the web sites to French.



9 percentage points between pre- and post-CWSF surveys, while intermediate and senior finalists show little change. There is a 7-point difference between genders, with 80% of males and 73% of females planning to pursue science or engineering careers; these percentages did not change over the CWSF.

Past surveys have shown that post-secondary and career plans in science and technology are positively influenced by participation in the CWSF, so these results are surprising. We will continue to monitor this metric next year.

Programming Initiative: Youth Science Canada will continue to include opportunities at the CWSF beyond judging for finalists to interact directly with scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who represent the widest variety of opportunities available through science and technology. In addition we will explore opportunities to highlight the diversity of careers available through science and engineering. We will review opportunities provided to ensure that those intended for junior (grade 7/8) finalists are appropriate to their age, skill, and knowledge.

The CWSF experienceOf CWSF 2012 finalists, 98% rated their overall experience as good, very good, or excellent, with 92% reporting very good or excellent – a slight increase from 2011, rated at 95% and 89%. The adult delegates also rated the experience highly, with 100% reporting good, very good, or excellent and 89% reporting very good or excellent.

As in previous years, anecdotal comments used phrases such as “the time of my life,” “a great experience,” “inspirational,” “life-changing,” and “really fun.” One finalist reflected, “The CWSF rocked my world!... Because I made it to nationals, it has made me want to strive for more in life... I wish to pursue a career in mechanical engineering with a Masters and become renowned for helping change the world for the better.”

Another commented, “The CWSF week was one of the best weeks of my life and it has opened my eyes on how science can be even more fun than I thought it was before.”

Interest in science and engineeringAs in previous years, finalists report a strong interest in science or engineering, with 93% overall indicating they are interested, very interested, or extremely interested. There is a 4 percentage point difference between gender subgroups – 95% male and 91% female, but a 6 percentage point difference between junior finalists (90%) and intermediates and seniors (both at 96%).

CWSF impact on post-secondary and career plans in science and technologyThe proportion of CWSF finalists planning to pursue post-secondary education in a science or engineering program decreased by 3 percentage points (from 82% before CWSF 2012 to 79% after) – the first time in four years that we have seen a decrease in this metric. The only large subgroup decrease (11 percentage points, from 79% to 68%) was for junior finalists. Decreases for intermediate and senior finalists were 3 and 1 percentage point, which may not be significant. Decreases in the gender subgroups were also small – 2 percentage points for males and 1 for females. The results suggest that some junior finalists may have been overwhelmed by the CWSF 2012 experience, concluding that post-secondary science or engineering would not be for them; however, as we have seen overall and subgroup increases in each of the three previous years, these data may simply represent an outlier.

As in previous years, few finalists overall (4%) reported that they hadn’t thought much about post-secondary education, with the largest group (8%) among grade 7/8 finalists. Consistent with past results, only 1% of intermediate and senior finalists report not thinking much about post-secondary education.

The overall number of finalists who plan to pursue a career in a science or technology-related field showed no change – 76% before and after CWSF 2012 – essentially the same as seen in previous years; however, the junior subgroup shows a decrease of



In addition to the school visit program, the PEI Department of Education, in collaboration with the CWSF 2012 Host Committee, conducted a Youth Science Canada Smarter Science professional development workshop for all grade 8 science teachers (English and French) in the province. The first two days of the workshop were presented in February and the final day during the CWSF, culminating in a private tour of the exhibit hall to highlight projects that exemplified the Smarter Science inquiry framework in action and the remarkable work of Canada’s top young scientists.

Programming Initiative: We continue to be pleased with the improvements to the student visitor experience. We will continue to leverage our Smarter Science initiative with the goal of delivering introductory professional development workshops for teachers in the host community each year during the lead-up to the CWSF, as well as during the fair.

Last year, Youth Science Canada assumed responsibility for the exhibit hall experience as one of the “mission critical” elements of the CWSF. We continued to enhance the exhibit hall experience in 2012 with an expanded Information Centre and a multifunction Youth Science Canada area. During the week this area served as: the safety check centre and tool crib during setup; a display area for the CWSF historical timeline, Excellence Awards (medals), and Platinum Awards during school tours and judging; and a showcase for the three Platinum Award-winning projects during public viewing. A SMARTS booth that highlighted the features of the online community and enabled finalists to create an account on-the-spot rounded out our presence.

Every year, the most important aspect of the CWSF experience for finalists is interacting with other finalists, rated as very important or extremely important by 85% (83% in 2011), followed by visiting a different part of Canada at 80% (compared with just 61% in 2011 when the CWSF was in Toronto), and interacting with judges at 75% (76% in 2011).

As in past years, the importance attributed to medals, scholarships, and cash prizes (64%) is much lower than the experiential aspects of the event. CWSF finalists continue to value the direct interaction with peers and judges more highly than the rewards of the competition.

Three years ago, 63% of finalists told us they wanted more free time to network with other finalists and to be physically active. These concerns have been addressed through schedule changes and the provision for pick-up sports and social activities. As a result, the percentage of finalists rating the amount of unscheduled time available for personal, social, or recreational activities as “about right” has increased steadily – 37% in 2009, 62% in 2010, 73% in 2011, and 76% in 2012.

Programming Initiative: We have made significant progress in scheduling over the past four years and the CWSF now has a good balance of activities that we will maintain in future years.

CWSF 2011 introduced greater variety and interactivity to the school visit experience for local students. The format was further refined in 2012 with five separate “passports” customized by the PEI Department of Education to align with provincial science curriculum units in each of grades 5 through 9. For example, grade 7 students were required to seek out projects related to the Interactions within Ecosystems, Earth’s Crust, Heat, and Mixtures and Solutions units; take jot notes on the selected project; and then obtain the signature of the finalist(s) to validate their passport. Classroom discussion following the visit ensured that students had gained a reasonable understanding of the projects they visited and the challenge, question or problem that the finalist(s) addressed. The format was well received by visiting students and teachers, though finalists continue to report that school visits are one of the least enjoyable aspects of the CWSF.



As Youth Science Canada is also responsible for the selection and design of CWSF identity and promotional items, we asked finalists and delegates to rate this year’s items on a four-point scale from poor to great. The table below lists the percentage of finalists and delegates who rated each item as either good or great, ordered by the finalists’ rating. (N/A indicates that the delegates did not receive the item.)

CWSF 2012 PROMO ITEMGood or

Great Finalist | Delegate

CWSF T-shirt 96% | 84%

CWSF-ESPC 2012 Pin 88% | 79%

Tote Bag 85% | 49%

Youth Science Canada Pin 85% | N/A

Maze Pen 84% | 66%

Travel Mug 84% | 74%

CIHR/Synapse Water Bottle 83% | 64%

Notebook/Journal 83% | 70%

Brain Stress Toy 82% | N/A

Hacky Sack/Footbag 82% | N/A

We’re extremely pleased that every item was rated highly by at least 82% of the finalists. Interestingly, the CWSF T-shirt – featuring an angled and distressed CWSF logo on the front and a “concert tour” listing of past CWSFs on the back – was rated highest by both youth and adult participants. The only large difference in opinion (36 percentage points) was for the Tote Bag. Supplementary comments from delegates indicated that either: they did not find the Tote Bag useful; or they preferred the more substantial (and much more expensive) backpacks provided at CWSFs prior to 2011.

This year, we asked both finalists and delegates to rate their level of enjoyment for each of the CWSF activities – information that will help guide planning for Youth Science Canada and future host teams. The table below summarizes the percentage who rated each activity as either quite or extremely enjoyable, ordered by the finalists’ rating.

CWSF 2012 ACTIVITY

Quite or Extremely Enjoyable

Finalist | Delegate

Opening Ceremony & Banquet 95% | 99%

Tours Across PEI 92% | 100%

Awards Ceremony 91% | 99%

Remembering PEI - Closing Event 89% | 96%

Awards Banquet 87% | 79%

Judging 79% | N/A

Charlottetown Challenge 78% | 84%

Dance (after Awards Banquet) 78% | 86%

Perimeter Institute Presentation 75% | 81%

Public Viewing (Friday morning) 65% | 83%

Arrival/Registration 64% | 72%

Science Shuffle 64% | 92%

Public Viewing (Monday evening) 61% | 81%

Campus Tours 55% | 64%

Project Setup & Safety Check 52% | 75%

Project Take-Down 47% | 70%

School Tours (Monday & Thursday) 46% | N/A



Excellence Award (medal) judging was scheduled in 30-minute blocks throughout the morning. Interdisciplinary Award judging was scheduled in 15-minute blocks in the afternoon, following a 2-hour lunch break. The morning proceeded extremely smoothly; there is consensus that the Excellence Award judging process is now highly refined, effective, and fair. However, the judging of Interdisciplinary Awards continues to be a challenge.

Unfortunately, computer network issues delayed the entry of scores from the morning, delaying the start of the afternoon judging – a situation that contributed to the confusion reported by many Interdisciplinary Award judges in their survey.

Programming Initiative: We will review and revise the Interdisciplinary Awards structure and judging process to ensure effective and efficient judging, as well as a positive experience for finalists and judges.

CWSF AmbassadorsWe introduced the CWSF Ambassadors program in 2011 and refined both the selection process and on-site roles for 2012 based on last year’s feedback. Ten CWSF alumni who had graduated from secondary school were selected to serve on a team of volunteers whose primary role was to ensure that finalists and delegates made the most of the weeklong experience. Despite the fact that they were responsible for their own travel costs to Charlottetown, we received 36 applications from coast to coast for the 10 positions.

Finalists and adult delegates agreed or strongly agreed that the Ambassadors made finalists feel welcome (finalists 99%/delegates 95%); provided helpful and/or useful information (96%/97%); encouraged finalists to participate in activities (90%/93%); reduced their anxiety or nervousness (83%/97%), and inspired them to continue in science fairs or science (finalists 86%; delegates were not asked this question). All these ratings are higher (by 13 to 23 percentage points) than in 2011 suggesting that the changes resulted in a significant improvement to the program.

JudgingFor the past three years, 77% of finalists have reported that they received the information they needed to understand and prepare for the CWSF judging process. While this was good, we were concerned that 23% did not feel well-prepared. Over the past year changes were made on the CWSF web site to ensure that judging information was clearer and easier to find. In addition, a series of optional, “CWSF Judging 101” sessions was offered on the first two days of the fair to orient participants to the process. We are pleased to report that 93% of CWSF 2012 finalists agreed or strongly agreed that they were well prepared for judging – a 16 percentage point increase over the past three years.

A total of 85% of finalists and 72% of delegates reported attending a CWSF Judging 101 session; 77% of these finalists and 96% of these delegates reported that their session was either quite useful or extremely useful.

Programming Initiative: We will review and revise the CWSF Judging 101 session content, structure, and delivery to increase its value for finalists.

The CWSF judging experience is positive for most finalists, with 74% rating it as quite or extremely enjoyable (77% in 2011). While there were many positive comments about judging, finalists identified several key issues:

• lack of judge expertise or preparation • weak English language skills • appeared disinterested, rushed, or distracted • “bilingual” judges who struggled in French • written feedback that had little value

Programming Initiative: We will review, and revise where appropriate, the criteria and requirements for selecting judges, as well as the processes for ensuring that they are suitably matched and well-prepared to judge their assigned projects. We will also review the current process of providing feedback to determine whether there is a more effective and efficient way to identify specific strengths and weaknesses.


About CWSF 2011

BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphones and PlayBooks for use in CWSF operations, and “ownership” of the Awards Ceremony, which included the presentation of BlackBerry PlayBooks to all 33 gold medalists. RIM clearly made an impression on every finalist and delegate, who recalled their name as either Research In Motion, RIM, BlackBerry, or a combination.

As host university and Explorer level sponsor, UPEI activated its sponsorship through campus signage, a welcome at the Opening Ceremony, an exhibit hall booth featuring a T-shirt giveaway, and a welcoming environment that was readily apparent to participants and organizers.

Although Youth Science Canada is not a sponsor, we are extremely pleased that participants identified the organization behind our flagship event; this has not always been the situation.

As a Developer level sponsor, CIHR/Synapse’s activation at CWSF 2012 included an exhibit booth, sponsorship of the Health Challenge Awards, and distribution of promotional water bottles, as well as a prominent position on sponsor recognition materials.

We welcomed Microsoft Canada at CWSF 2012 to announce their sponsorship of the Microsoft Alumni Awards, which will be awarded for the first time in 2013. Their opening ceremony announcement, including an engaging video, clearly resonated with finalists.

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) transitioned its Developer level support from Team Canada-MILSET to the CWSF bronze medals in 2012. This, together with an interactive exhibit hall booth, generated increased awareness among participants.

Encana and Intel Canada continue to enjoy strong recognition as Explorer level sponsors of the Environment and Information Challenges and from being long-time supporters.

Innovation PEI (Government of PEI) was a Developer level sponsor with a dynamic, video-rich exhibit hall booth that captured participants’ and visitors’ attention.


Programming Initiative: We believe that the strong contribution made by the Ambassadors is worthy of the same support extended to our other key volunteers – namely, coverage of their travel costs. Subject to available funding, we will introduce this change for CWSF 2013. We will also identify a few specific roles for certain Ambassadors to support key Youth Science Canada operations during the week (e.g., social media reporting).

Sponsor RecognitionThe support of CWSF sponsors makes the event possible and Youth Science Canada works to ensure that sponsors are recognized appropriately at the event. In their surveys, we asked finalists and delegates to enter the names of three sponsors that they remembered, as a measure of their visibility. The top ten sponsors recalled and the percentage of respondents who listed them are listed below:

TOP 10 SPONSORS RECALLED BY FINALISTS & DELEGATES

Finalist | Delegate

Research In Motion / BlackBerry 100% | 100%

UPEI 26% | 33%

Youth Science Canada 25% | 9%

CIHR/Synapse 17% | 19%

Microsoft Canada 15% | 29%

Nuclear Waste Management Org. 11% | 13%

Encana 7% | 14%

Intel Canada 6% | 6%

Innovation PEI 5% | 1%

Western University 4% | 0%

Research In Motion joined the CWSF as Presenting Sponsor this year. Activation of the sponsorship included integration of the RIM logo and “Research In Motion Presents/Présente” with the CWSF logo, an exhibit hall booth that invited participants and visitors to interact with RIM technology, donation of


About CWSF 2011Future Directions

Western University (formerly University of Western Ontario) provides entrance scholarships to every medal recipient in all grade categories. This means that just over half the finalists return home with a Western University scholarship certificate – with a value of $1,000 to $4,000 - clearly an effective awareness-building strategy.

It is clear from these results that sponsors who activate their CWSF support through awards, an exhibit booth, promotional items, or direct interaction with the finalists gain recognition in the participants’ minds. We encourage all our sponsors to explore activation opportunities at the CWSF and in other Youth Science Canada programs.

CWSF 2013 and beyond...Hosting the Canada-Wide Science Fair in PEI for the first time in its 51-year history was a gratifying and memorable experience. We are working to secure future hosts four years in advance and have confirmed Lethbridge, Alberta in 2013 and Windsor, Ontario in 2014. Looking east again for 2015, we hope to bring the CWSF to New Brunswick – the only remaining province to have never hosted the event.

The Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges will continue to be the focus of our fall “Invent the Future” campaign to 11,000 schools across the country. We look forward to working with our partners and sponsors to activate this program in more direct and interactive ways – challenging Canadian youth to tackle important issues and problems through inquiry and project-based science.

In 2012, Youth Science Canada demonstrated its capacity to lead the development and delivery of its premier event in partnership with a local host team. The new alignment of responsibilities enables local volunteers to focus on hosting and hospitality, delivery of an outstanding cultural and social experience to finalists and delegates, local transportation, the recruitment of judges and other volunteers, and local fund-raising. Youth Science Canada is now responsible for all mission-critical aspects of the Fair, providing continuity and consistency, as well as a level of comfort for local teams that are considering hosting.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners. Your support has enabled Youth Science Canada to significantly increase the value and profile of the Canada-Wide Science Fair at the beginning of its second half-century.


About CWSF 2011Conclusion

An amazing experience... Looking back over 51 years of the CWSF, its impact on young Canadians may be best reflected in the thoughts of Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar – a finalist in the second CWSF, held in Toronto in 1963:

“As a Grade 13 student, I participated in the City Science Fair in Toronto and then went on to represent my region at the Canada-Wide Science Fair. It was an experience that would ultimately define my life.”

Forty-nine years later, the CWSF continues to place an indelible mark on those who participate, best described by the 2012 finalists themselves:

“CWSF has taught me some of my most valuable skills and allowed me to make connections with other like minded students across the country and across the world. I will never be able to properly express my gratitude to the science fair for helping me develop as a scientist, student and friend.”

“CWSF has inspired me and has helped me believe that I can do something incredible – and the fact that I’m a teenager is not limiting. Thank you!”

“My CWSF experiences basically led me to decide that I want to become a biologist in the future. They helped me realize that science is very different than science in the classroom, and helped my appreciation for scientists, engineers and researchers grow...”

“Best experience ever! It makes me even more interested in science and has broadened my horizon. I’ve met so many excellent people, and seen so many amazing projects from all over Canada”

« Ce fut fantastique! Vous nous avez permis de vivre une semaine merveilleuse que nous ne sommes pas près d’oublier. Notre expérience fut simplement extraordinaire. Ce séjour nous en a appris beaucoup sur le vivre-ensemble dans une société. Nous avons fait la connaissance de personnes remarquables provenant de provinces différentes. Chacun d’eux avait un petit quelque chose à nous apporter et c’est ce qui a enrichi chacune de nos journées. Ces rencontres nous ont permis d’échanger sur nos habitudes et sur nos passions. »

“It has definitely allowed me to see where my interests lie for further education. The scholarship opportunities they have presented me at both my regional fair level and the national level has definitely impacted my university choice and given me multiple opportunities I would have been unaware of.”


Conclusion

“It was great to be around a bunch of kids that shared the same interests and worked hard in school like I do. It was not the typical “nerd fest” that it sounds like. A lot of the kids were athletic which is not what you expect. I was really happy about the diversity. I plan to take engineering next year and lots of the projects opened my eyes to the possibilities that the career offers.”

“Before going to science fair, I thought I would be something I considered boring (e.g., a lawyer) because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. I just happened to get sucked into the whole world of science fairs and science in grade seven. Now I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without science fair. My participation in Canada-Wide Science Fairs over the last several years has allowed me to fund my education as well as unearth my passion for environmental science.”

“I left CWSF totally inspired, thinking about my next project and wanting to start right away. It was an amazing experience and for me, I felt very at home with the other finalists and made many new friends. I know that science/engineering is my future.”

« L’expo-sciences a été une expérience extraordinaire où j’ai pu rencontrer des gens incroyables qui avaient les mêmes intérêts que moi et avec lesquels je garderai contact. J’ai adoré ma semaine, c’était tellement mémorable que je voulais rester sur l’île. »

“This has honestly been an incredible experience for me. It exceeded my expectations in every way. I was not expecting the brilliant kids I was going to meet, nor was I prepared to learn so much about both science and myself. I felt like everyone fit into this family, no matter where we were from, we all came together, led by our passion for science. I was extremely inspired and amazed by everyone I’ve met, and have kept in contact with many new friends!”

“What an amazing experience! Out of the four Canada Wide Science Fairs I have been to, this one was by far the best. Amazing facilities, amazing activities. Very well planned. Everyone made me and my delegation feel very welcome and it was an overall amazing experience!”

“There is only word to describe my experience: amazing. I will never forget Prince Edward Island. I think the thing that most impacted me was the weather; it was a huge change from Inuvik, Northwest Territories!

“I was always planning to go to university for engineering but I really didn’t understand why until science fair.”

“It’s so amazing to get together with the brightest young scientific minds of our generation for a week of fun. And I especially enjoy how FUN is emphasized. What makes CWSF is not the judging or the prizes, but the things you do with other finalists.”

“Before I’d been to a CWSF, and even after my first one, I thought I had an idea of what I wanted to do after high school. It really took my second CWSF to make me realize that there are great opportunities in science - opportunities to do things that can change the world.... I honestly can’t express enough how grateful I am to science fairs for having such a huge impact on my life. Projects take up a lot of time, but the reward from it all in the end, is incomparable.”

For many finalists, the social aspects of the Fair are more impactful than the science-related activities. To spend a week among peers from across Canada who share their passion for science is great fun - and for those who have never been so far and so long away from home, a chance to spread their wings.

CWSF finalists return from the Fair with an enhanced love of science, inspired to plan post-secondary studies and careers in the field. Youth Science Canada is proud to work with its sponsors and partners to host an event that so many Canadian youth have considered life-changing over the past 51 years.

report to sponsors & partners - canada-wide science fair · charlottetown, prince edward island...

Documents