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Published May possibly 26, 2023  •  four minute study

Members of a Sacred Heart Higher College group take portion in the “Sir Mix-A-Lot” competitors as portion of the Nuclear Innovation Institute Discover Science Olympics held at the Owen Sound campus of Georgian College on Friday, May possibly 26, 2023. From left are Sophia Herchmer, Jasmine Voisin, Karina Hahn and Emma Culbert. The object of the competitors was to mix mystery options to make precise colours inside a set time. A total of 11 higher college teams created up of 44 students from across Grey-Bruce took portion in the occasion, which integrated science challenges involving geometry, chemistry, forensics, climate science, engineering and far more. Photo by Rob Gowan The Sun Instances

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The players have been focused, the stress was on and the rivalry was intense, as close to a dozen teams of Grey-Bruce higher college students battled it out to finish on leading on Friday.

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But the competitors wasn’t played out on a field, in a gymnasium or at an arena. It was in the classrooms and laboratories of Georgian College’s Owen Sound campus, exactly where the Nuclear Innovation Institute was holding its initial-ever Science Olympics.

A total of 11 teams created up of 4 students each and every, from Bluewater and Bruce Grey Catholic, took portion in the inaugural occasion, which pitted them against each and every other in challenges involving geometry, chemistry, forensics, climate science, engineering and far more.

Phillip Craig, director of NII Discover, mentioned the region has such a robust tradition of athletics in its secondary schools and they want to also make a related tradition in the region of academics as effectively.

For some of these youngsters, when they are going on to post-secondary institutions they are losing out spots, bursaries and issues like that mainly because youngsters in urban places have issues on their resumes that we just do not have access to,” Craig mentioned Friday. “This is a way to level the playing field, as effectively as to just celebrate science in the region and all the wonderful function that regional science teachers are performing.”

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The challenges presented to the students on Friday place their dilemma solving and teamwork capabilities to the test. In one particular challenge, referred to as Sir Mix-A-Lot, the students have been presented with a tray of mystery options. They have been tasked with mixing the suitable options to turn one particular yellow, then dark blue and then back to clear as rapidly as attainable. In yet another challenge, dubbed Ice Ice Child, the student teams had to use information they have been supplied to determine the age of a quantity of ice core cross sections and spot them in the appropriate order from the oldest to most current. The Labyrinth challenge expected the students to use a laser and 5 mirrors to get by means of 3 stages of a maze.

“We want to gameify science and STEM, mainly because the issue is that people today normally find out finest when they do not understand they are studying,” mentioned Craig. “This is a way for people today to exercising their capabilities and make these connections all though possessing a wonderful time.

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“When studying is entertaining it just sticks and it is greater for everyone.”

A group from Saugeen District Senior College was just cruising by means of the Labyrinth challenge set up in one particular of the college’s classrooms. Immediately after they completed their challenge, the members of the group all agreed that they appreciate the dilemma-solving aspect of science, so when the chance arose to place these capabilities to the test in a competitors they jumped at it.

Members of a Saugeen District Senior College group take portion in the Labyrinth competitors as portion of the Nuclear Innovation Institute Discover Science Olympics held at the Owen Sound campus of Georgian College on Friday, May possibly 26, 2023. From left are Jacqueline Fenton, Peter Alpajaro, Clara Howe and Evan Barry. The objective of the competitors was to direct a laser by means of a maze to a target making use of mirrors. A total of 11 higher college teams created up of 44 students from across Grey-Bruce took portion in the occasion, which integrated science challenges involving geometry, chemistry, forensics, climate science, engineering and far more. Photo by Rob Gowan The Sun Instances

“I feel all of us are in all probability fairly curious people today and I feel science is a very good way to sort of discover that curiosity,” mentioned group member Evan Barry. “I obtain that we have a wide variety in our group. For instance, some of us are may possibly be greater at physics, though for other folks it may possibly be biology. We have been capable to see that in the activities we have completed so far.”

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“We haven’t seriously had a lot of possibilities like this in the region, so it was cool to be capable to come out, see other schools and obtain out what they discovered compared to what we discovered,” added Clara Howe.

Jacqueline Fenton mentioned dilemma solving is one thing she seriously enjoys.

“A lot of this entails puzzles, which are simple puzzles, but you nevertheless have to feel, and I like that,” Fenton mentioned. “Being capable to bounce off of each and every other has been wonderful.”

Members of a Walkerton District Neighborhood College take portion in the “Ice Ice Baby” competitors as portion of the Nuclear Innovation Institute Discover Science Olympics held at the Owen Sound campus of Georgian College on Friday, May possibly 26, 2023. From left are Michael Schuster, Josh Engel, Bethany Bruce and Emma Matheson. The objective of the competitors was to organize things immitating ice core cross-sections in order of age primarily based on information they have been supplied. A total of 11 higher college teams created up of 44 students from across Grey-Bruce took portion in the occasion, which integrated science challenges involving geometry, chemistry, forensics, climate science, engineering and far more. Photo by Rob Gowan The Sun Instances

Michael Schuster of Walkerton District Neighborhood College mentioned his science teacher came to him, asked if he would be interested in taking portion in the occasion, and he agreed to give it a shot. He was glad he did.

“We get to function on our communication capabilities and collaboration, and I have enjoyed it,” mentioned Schuster. “The puzzles preserve receiving tougher, which has been the finest portion.

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“It began out quick, and got our minds operating.”

The NII—founded by Bruce Energy, SNC-Lavalin, ES Fox Restricted, Kinetrics, BWXT Technologies and Cameco — has completed a lot of applications with elementary students in current years by means of its NII Discover plan. They have taught hundreds of classrooms of young students coding, electrical energy and environmental applications, but the occasion held on Friday is the greatest one particular held for secondary college students.

Craig mentioned it is the initial time a Science Olympics has been held in the region in current memory, but one thing the NII is searching to do far more of. Subsequent year they program to take a math contest “to the subsequent level” as effectively.

Along with Georgian College as a companion, the occasion involved the University of Windsor, which runs a bigger Science Olympics occasion.

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“With this getting our initial time we are tapping into their knowledge to bring that city practical experience to rural Ontario,” mentioned Craig.

The winning group from Saugeen District Senior College at the NII Discover Science Olympics held at Georgian College’s Owen Sound campus on Friday, May possibly 26, 2023. From left are Peter Alpajaro, Evan Barry, NII Discover Director Phillip Craig, Clara Howe and Jacqueline Fenton. Photo by suppplied

The winning group on Friday, which ended up getting the Grade 12 squad from SDSS, received a championship belt and earned the appropriate to represent Grey-Bruce at the subsequent University of Windsor Science Olympics, exactly where about 60 teams compete annually. They are also invited back to defend their title at subsequent year’s regional occasion.

Dave Shorey, executive director of Georgian’s Owen Sound campus, mentioned the college was delighted to be capable to companion with the Nuclear Innovation Institute and the University of Windsor to hold the occasion.

“We are effectively-equipped mainly because of engineering applications and mainly because of our connection to the power sector and the well being-care sector,” Shorey mentioned. “We have got a lot that we can leverage to be capable to advantage the neighborhood.

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