Youth Science Canada, Canada's national organization engaging youth through STEM projects, is celebrating the 60th edition of its flagship event, the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 2022. CWSF is the country's largest youth science, technology, engineering, and mathematics event. Since the first event in 1962, CWSF has propelled Canadian youth from all walks of life to gain knowledge, camaraderie and inspiration that has propelled many to enjoy success and reach new heights.
"Each year at each Canada-Wide Science Fair we celebrate the past and present, but always with a deep focus on the future," said Reni Barlow, executive director of Youth Science Canada. "As an organization, we've focused on gathering, highlighting and recognizing the amazing spirit and talents of Canadian youth. We could not be more pleased to fuel the curiosity of Canadian youth through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics projects."
The 60th anniversary of the Canada-Wide Science Fair runs from May 16 to 20, 2022 virtually, in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
To celebrate, YSC will run a series of events leading up to the official event, which is hosted by the University of New Brunswick, May 16 to 20. Participants can expect even more activities than ever before leading up to and during CWSF 2022. As students compete at their regional fairs, YSC encourages all participants to join the purpleSTEMwave. The purpleSTEMwave is a campaign unified with YSC's purpose to enable Canada's youth to investigate scientific questions and develop innovative solutions to current and future challenges. The organization strives to inspire Canadian youth and give access to resources and opportunities that enable them to complete STEM projects regardless of their cultural background, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. In addition, YSC works to ensure that youth can share their discoveries and innovations at the local, national, and international level.
"At the core of Canada-Wide's success is this reality - STEM leads to innovation and the quest for innovation passes through STEM," says Jamie Parsons, board chair of Youth Science Canada, the registered charity that organizes the event. "We want every student in Canada to experience the thrill of investigating their own question or developing a solution to a problem by doing a STEM project."
On March 17, organizers will begin a 60-day countdown to CWSF by sharing facts, quotes, past participant spotlights, introducing Team Canada for the 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) competition and alumni news.
To earn a spot as a Canada-Wide Science Fair finalist, students can compete at their regional fair. Visitors - some 51,000 in 2021 including students, educators, and parents - will be encouraged to explore the three-day public event, including Canada's top STEM projects, interactive STEM-related activities, and STEM Expo, the nation's largest youth STEM outreach and promotion event. Teachers from across Canada can register their class for a virtual CWSF field trip with scavenger hunts, escape rooms and other activities with chances to win daily prizes. The Virtual CWSF 2022 is available on any web browser and registration is free, specifically designed with school visit safety features. Registered visitors will receive free student and teacher resources to make the most of their virtual CWSF experience.
For more on the 60th Canada-Wide Science Fair, visit Youth Science Canada's website at youthscience.ca/CWSF.