Winnipeg Schools' 54th Science Fair celebrates student research, creativity and exciting discoveries

April 24, 2024

WSD students who will represent Winnipeg School Division at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, which will take place in Ottawa from May 5 to June 21.

Winnipeg School Division held its 54^th Annual Science Fair on April 17 at Tec Voc High School.

Over 200 students from across the division gathered to present 125 diverse projects, each a unique exploration of their scientific interests. The project entries from Grade 7 to 12 students covered a variety of categories, from Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ancestral Knowledge, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics to Sustainable Development and Innovation, Environmental Science, Digital Technology, Engineering, and Consumer Science.

The day started with inspiring speeches from Superintendent Matt Hendersen and guest speakers.

Matt welcomed all the students and remembered his Science Fair experiences as a Kelvin High School student. He was enthusiastic about presenting this research on canoes during his school days and remembered his cheese-making experiments.

Grandfather Vern Dano shared his wisdom on the solar eclipse and spring equinox from an Indigenous perspective. He encouraged students to find answers to their questions. Following him, the keynote speaker, Dr. Jayanne English, a senior scholar of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Manitoba, presented her insights about studying the Universe with multiple telescopes, exploring galaxies, probing the Electromagnetic Spectrum in space and her remarkable contributions to public outreach.

Students then presented their research projects based on their investigations, innovative ideas to solve problems, and unconventional approaches to new concepts. Students' research was not just academic but intensely personal, rooted in their experiences and curiosities about the world around them. They worked on issues like water impurities, forest fires, melting ice, climate change, solar and wind energy, antibiotics, sepsis, dementia, sensors, drones, Alzheimer’s, DNA and STEM cell research, and more.

In the afternoon, students had a chance to delve deeper into the world of science with hands-on experiences, including DNA Detection, Codemakers and Dash Robotics, and Aviation sessions led by WiseKidnetic Energy and passionate educators.

"Reflecting on the success of this year’s Science Fair, I’m grateful for the hard work of the organizing team, which includes Mike Kattenfeld from Grant Park and Elena Mallin, ICSC support teacher. Over the past four months, they’ve worked tirelessly with me in planning, coordinating and communicating with all schools," said Dorothy Goddard, the Program Lead for STEAM and Science.

"I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to 85 judges, including teachers from the division, universities, colleges, and professionals from various scientific fields and businesses, who ensured a thorough evaluation of the projects."

This year's Science fair featured 25 projects presented and judged in French, adding to the diversity of ideas and perspectives. A new category - Ancestral Knowledge in Science, was also introduced alongside the addition of a creative project category, offering students even more opportunities to explore and innovate.

The awards ceremony was held on April 20th at 9:30 a.m. Congratulations to all WSD Science Fair participants and these special award winners:

Winners for Canada-Wide Science Fair Delegates

Angi Guan - Action Impact of IL-17 preconditioning on MSCs after hypoxia
Ella Strachan - Dementia Diagnostics: Analyzing Established Medical Literature to Predict the Relative Risk of Developing Dementia.
Hadiya Omer - Examining Apical Area Dynamics in Distal Cells Development: Drosophila Model Approach
Isaac Di Cresce - Asparagus Pee Genetically
These students will represent Winnipeg School Division at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, which will take place in Ottawa from May 25 to June 1.

The Award of Excellence in STEAM (sponsored by the Winnipeg School Division):

Junior Category: Isaac Di Cresce - Asparagus Pee Genetically
Intermediate category: Ethan Blackburn and Austin Tolentino - Mousetrap Car
Senior category: Angi Guan - Action Impact of IL-17 preconditioning on MSCs after hypoxia

The Energy and You Award (sponsored by Manitoba Hydro):

Junior Category: Emily McKenna - Insulation Investigation
Intermediate category: Nate Martin - Should Winnipeg be Improving Commute Times Through Widening Roads?
Senior category: Ranelyn Rodelas and Feng Xian Zhen - Harnessing Microalgae for Carbon Capture and Biofuel Production

The Science Innovator Award (sponsored by the University of Manitoba):

Junior category: Samuel Marcus and Leo Marcus – The Royal Flush
Intermediate category: Jack Ralph and Ash Bruneau - Autonomous Fire Fighting
Senior category: Ranelyn Rodelas and Feng Xian Zhen - Harnessing Microalgae for Carbon Capture and Biofuel Production

Mathematics and Statistics Innovative Application Award (sponsored by the University of Winnipeg):

Junior category: Jake Baumgartner and Sam Scott - Bridge Strengths
Intermediary category: Gordie Lerch and Noah Wolynec - How does stick curve affect shot accuracy
Senior category: Ella Strachan - Dementia Diagnostics: Analyzing Established Medical Literature to Predict the Relative Risk of Developing Dementia.

The Experimental Design Award (sponsored by the Canadian Mennonite University):