Kootenay kids have displayed their scientific and invention talents in the 2021 Kootenay Contraption Contest, sponsored by the Kootenay Association for Science & Technology (KAST) and its youth program, GLOWS.
The 2021 Kootenay Contraption Contest encouraged youth in Kindergarten to grade 8 to contribute innovative enhancements to Climate Change adaptation by using science and technology. GLOWS challenged homeschoolers and entire classes to come up with the most creative, imaginative “contraption” they can dream up to solve the below challenge:
The year is 2050. The climate plan to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by now was unsuccessful. The global temperature has increased and more frequent and intense droughts, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans are impacting animals, changing the places they live, and challenging people’s health, livelihoods and communities. What contraption will you create to help improve your life in this new warmer climate?
“There is a powerful opportunity through youth STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) programs, to elevate children’s voices and give them the space to design the creations of their limitless imaginations.” said Tanya Malcolm, GLOWS Program Manager
The students certainly came up with some innovative ideas.
The grand prize and Grade 6 Classroom Winner of the 2021 Kootenay Contraption Contest from J.A. Laird Elementary School in Invermere is:
JP Delos Santos with his contraption Temperature Clothes
The Grand Prize Educator’s category winner from the Kootenay Area Girl Guides in Nelson is Anne Simonen with her contraption The Convertible Play Yard.
The Grade 1 classroom winner was Charlie Taylor from Erickson Elementary with his contraption Carbon Capture Contraption.
Harper Dingwall of Lindsay Park Elementary in Kimberley was the Grade 2 classroom winner with her contraption, The Planter.
Kindergarten winner was Cedar Mannama from Nelson with a robot, a mechanical fish bowl and an idea for a municipal lab for research/
Grade 3 winner was Lacey Wililams from the Kootenay Area Girl Guides in Nelson with her Water Dropper Contraption.
Grade 4 was Shane Smith from Canyon Lister with his contraption The Everything 2.0.
Grade 5 was won by Jack Denny of Nelson with Dome City.
Grade 7 winner was Elsa Troutet from École des Sentiers-Alpins in Nelson with The Self-Sufficient Greenhouse.
Finally Grade 3 was won by Ariana Malara from École des Sentiers-Alpins in Nelson with her contraption Deep Glitch.
Congratulations to all the winners.