(Supplied by Youth Science Canada)

By Karsen Marczuk

Students receive awards for entrepreneurial, commercial potential at STEM fair

May 10, 2021 | 11:49 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – 61 high school students across Canada have won a Ted Rogers Innovation Award through Canada’s regional STEM fair.

This year’s virtual STEM fair wrapped up on April 29 at the Southeast Alberta Fair, where Debasri Jena from Medicine Hat took home the final regional $100 cash award as well as receiving recognition and other prizes as part of the Ted Rogers Community Grants.

“We’re extremely proud of these students, who come from all corners of our country and are united by a goal of making the world a better place for all,” said Reni Barlow, Executive Director of Youth Science Canada. “Thanks to partners like Rogers, we are able to engage more and more aspiring young innovators as they lead the path to a better tomorrow through STEM.”

Closer to home, Kay Spencer, a grade 7 student at Senator Joyce Fairbairn Middle School in Lethbridge was the winner at the virtual fair.

Regional youth science fairs began more than 60 years ago and the Ted Rogers Innovation Award was added to programming in 2018 to recognize Canadian students who express an entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrate commercial potential for their project.

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 19, 2024

Apr 19, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: April 15, 2024

Apr 15, 2024

The award is part of an ongoing national partnership between Youth Science Canada and Rogers that has included, to date, more than $150,000 spread across fairs and national projects that encourage STEM among Canadian youth of all backgrounds.

“Ted Rogers Community Grants, which enable organizations like Youth Science Canada to provide initiatives like their annual science fairs, are empowering the next generation of leaders and changemakers across the country,” said Sevaun Palvetzian, Chief Communications Officer and lead for corporate responsibility at Rogers.

“We are incredibly proud of this year’s Ted Rogers Innovation Award recipients across Canada, who continue to demonstrate leadership and creativity in their STEM-related projects.”

Other winners from Alberta include:

• Tri Nguyen, a grade 10 student from Camrose.
• Mya Cardinal, a grade 10 student from High Prairie.
• Shivalikaa Govind, a grade 10 student from Edmonton.
• Joseph Kostousov, a grade 9 student from Calgary.
• Omar Shanab, a grade 7 student from Fort McMurray.

Award winners are also eligible to receive enrolment tuition in the weeklong Youth Science Canada/York University STEM boot camp, held annually in August through the Bergeron Entrepreneurs Science & Technology (BEST) program.

Largely organized by dedicated volunteers, Canada’s more than 105 regional fairs collectively engage more than 25,000 youth, grades 7-12, across the country per year.

More information on Ted Rogers Community Grants here.