Report to Sponsors & Partners

Transcription

1 Report to Sponsors & Partners 2014

2 Introduction Thank You to Our Sponsors PRESENTING / LE COMMANDITAIRE PRINCIPAL INNOVATORS / LES INNOVATEURS DEVELOPERS / LES RÉALISATEURS EXPLORERS / LES EXPLORATEURS Dear Sponsors and Partners The 53 rd annual Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) held in Windsor, Ontario, May 10-17, 2014, was hosted by Youth Science Canada in collaboration with the Windsor Regional Science, Technology and Engineering Fair (WRSTEF) and the University of Windsor. We were pleased to celebrate our third year working with BlackBerry as presenting sponsor. This year also marked the second year of the Microsoft Canada Alumni Award and we were excited to present the award to Michael Serbinis. Having active partners who share our passion for engaging Canadian youth in science and technology. We thank all of our sponsors, donors and partners for their incredible support. The science and innovation displayed by the 462 finalists from every province and territory was impressive and competition was intense for the nearly $1M in awards, scholarships and prizes made possible by our sponsors and partners. CWSF 2014 will be remembered for Southwestern Ontario s hospitality and river views, great judging, Team UV and the amazing friends made. The Windsor host team and University of Windsor demonstrated, that working closely with Youth Science Canada, a very successful CWSF can be organized even within changing circumstances. We salute their perseverance and dedication. MOTIVATORS / LES MOTIVATEURS The Actuarial Foundation of Canada Canada Foundation for Innovation CSWind Canada Engineers Canada Professional Engineers of Ontario Stantec Consulting St. Clair College This report on the results of our sixth annual survey, once again, confirms that CWSF is an outstanding, life-changing, scientific, cultural and social experience for the young scientists in grades 7-12 who participate. We are pleased to share this report with you and look forward to working with all our partners on the Canada- Wide Science Fair in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and all our other programs throughout the year. FRIENDS / LES AMIS Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada APPlasman Canadian Acoustical Association Canadian Association of Physicists Canadian Society for Clinical Chemists Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science Canadian WEF Member Associations, the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, and Xylem Canada Carlson Wagonlit Travel Conseil scolaire catholique Providence Devonshire Mall Engineering Institute of Canada EnWin Utilities Erie Architectural Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation GS Engineering Consultants Inc. IGARRS Kelcom Marz Media Metro Ontario Inc. National Youth Science Forum Australia Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) Ontario Power Generation Partners In Research Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Royal Astronomical Society of Canada S.M Blair Family Foundation Statistical Society of Canada Statistical Society of Canada and Biostatistics Section Titan Group Toronto Research Chemicals and Weizmann Canada Union Gas The University of British Columbia Carleton University Dalhousie University - Faculty of Science University of Manitoba University of Ottawa University of Ottawa - Faculty of Science University of Windsor - Cross Border Institute University of Windsor Alumni Association Western University Windsor Islamic Association Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board WEtech Alliance Brad McCabe Executive Director Youth Science Canada 1550 Kingston Road, Suite 213 Pickering, ON L1V 1C youthscience.ca

3 Background By the numbers... The Next 50 Years... For over 50 years, Youth Science Canada has been a leader in engaging and supporting Canada s young scientists, and in recognizing, rewarding and celebrating excellence in science and technology among young Canadians. Youth Science Canada exists so Canadian youth are engaged through science in inquiry and critical thinking. We do this by: engaging youth in science-related activities; ensuring that educators and parents value an inquiry-based approach to science learning; recognizing youth for achievements in science; developing resources and tools to support inquiry and critical thinking in science; and identifying and supporting youth with the potential for excellence in science Of the estimated 500,000 Canadian youth who do a science project in their classroom, at home, or for a school fair, approximately 25,000 go on to participate in one of 100 regional fairs in every province and territory that are affiliated with Youth Science Canada. Each region then selects the finalists it will send on to the national competition the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), held each May, in which 500 of Canada s top young scientists compete for more than 350 awards, prizes and scholarships with a total value of nearly $1 million. Each year, CWSF also engages over 350 academic and private sector scientists, engineers and researchers from the host community as judges. Hundreds more across the country lend their support each year as mentors to students who go on to be CWSF finalists. Nearly 200 delegates, many of who are teachers, chaperone the finalists and over 100 local volunteers also contribute to a successful CWSF. Number of Finalists CWSF 2014 welcomed 462 finalists, down slightly from last year due, primarily, to a reduced number of finalists from a couple key regional science fairs. The number of participants in any given year is governed by the allocation of finalists and delegates to CWSF by Youth Science Canada, which is based on the region s population, as well as the success of each region s and province s fundraising to cover the cost of sending their allotment. YEAR HOST CITY TOTAL FINALISTS 2014 Windsor, ON Lethbridge, AB Charlottetown, PE th Anniversary Toronto, ON Peterborough, ON Winnipeg, MB Ottawa, ON Truro, NS Saguenay, QC Vancouver, BC St. John s, NL 483 Youth Science Canada s science fairs program is truly national, and CWSF is the culmination of a year s worth of effort by approximately 8,000 volunteers working through our affiliated regional organizations and the provincial organizations that support them. This network assures the participation of youth from every part of Canada. As a further measure of its national scope, Youth Science Canada has committed to holding CWSF in a different community each year. In fact, CWSF has been held in eight different provinces over the past ten years. 4 5

4 By the numbers... By the numbers... Finalists by Province and Territory All province and territories were represented at CWSF Participation declined by 4% from PROVINCE/TERRITORY Alberta British Columbia Finalists by Gender For the past eight years, the number of female finalists has exceeded the number of males. In 2006, 51% of competitors at the CWSF were male. At CWSF 2014, 51% were female, down slightly from GENDER 2013 % 2014 % Female % % Male % % Projects by Challenge Projects are judged for Excellence Awards (medals) against all others in their grade category (i.e., junior, intermediate, senior) with the goal of ensuring that the best projects are recognized with medals, regardless of the type of science involved. Anecdotal feedback from finalists, adult delegates (chaperones), and judges suggests that the new format has been well received and is perceived to be more balanced. Prior to 2011, projects were judged in groups by scientific discipline. CHALLENGE CATEGORY PROJECTS Discovery Energy Junior 35 Intermediate 17 Senior 20 TOTAL 72 Junior 11 Intermediate 8 Senior 7 Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador 8 8 Northwest Territories 6 5 Nova Scotia Nunavut 6 6 Ontario Prince Edward Island 5 5 Québec Saskatchewan Yukon 3 3 International Guests: 6 (AUS) 7 (AUS + MEX) Total Total % % Finalists by Grade & Category Participation in each grade category slightly decreases as age increases. Junior finalists represented 36%. GRADE 2014 Grade 7/Secondary Grade 8/Secondary Grade 9/Secondary Grade 10/Secondary Grade 11/Secondary Grade 12/Cégep Cégep Total Junior (Grade 7/8) Intermediate (Grade 9/10) Senior (Grade 11/12/Cégep) Total Finalists classify their project using up to three of 104 subcategories of scientific focus (e.g., plant science - photosynthesis), grouped into 15 categories. Each judge identifies up to three areas of expertise from the 15 categories to facilitate the computerized matching of judges to projects. It has been four years now since Youth Science Canada launched the seven Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges Discovery, Energy, Environment, Health, Information, Innovation, and Resources with the goal of engaging Canadian youth in current national and global issues and problems through project-based science. In October, 15,000 schools with grades 7-12 across Canada, as well as Regional Science Fair Coordinators, key volunteers, and Members are encouraged to motivate students to launch a science project with Youth Science Canada s Invent the Future materials. Projects at the CWSF 2014 were organized in the exhibit hall by Challenge, and Challenge Awards recognized best junior, intermediate and senior project in each with a $500, $750 and $1,000 cash award respectively, based on their Excellence Award judging results. We are pleased that 19% of our affiliated regional fairs now offer awards based on the seven challenges. Environment Health (CIHR/Synapse) Information Innovation (BlackBerry) Resources TOTAL 26 Junior 26 Intermediate 24 Senior 15 TOTAL 65 Junior 44 Intermediate 29 Senior 31 TOTAL 104 Junior 4 Intermediate 6 Senior 2 TOTAL 12 Junior 24 Intermediate 43 Senior 21 TOTAL 88 Junior 3 Intermediate 9 Senior 2 TOTAL 14 TOTAL PROJECTS

5 By the numbers... Participant Survey 2014 Excellence Awards (Medals) by Gender The overall distribution of Excellence Awards (medals) by gender was consistent with the ratio of female to male finalists (51%/49%). MEDAL FEMALE MALE TOTAL Gold Silver Bronze TOTAL PERCENTAGE 51% 49% 100% The maximum number of medals is set at 30 gold, 60 silver, and 120 bronze a total of 210; however, medals are awarded by project and some projects are completed by pairs of finalists, resulting in finalist medal totals that exceed these numbers. At the gold level, for example, 30 projects received gold medals; three were pair projects. A $700 cash prize accompanies each gold medal; $300 for silver medals and $100 for bronze. Cash prizes are shared if a pair completes the project. A little over half of the CWSF projects received an Excellence Award (210 of the 381 projects, 55%, in 2014). The medals were redesigned in 2011, featuring the chemical symbols for gold (Au), silver (Ag), and ancient bronze an alloy of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn). The medals include the Canada-Wide Science Fair logo, the Youth Science Canada logo on the back, and the year and city printed on the ribbon, which is purple and grey in keeping with the CWSF colour palette. What participants told us and how it will inform our planning... Survey Metrics All Canadian CWSF 2014 finalists (n=462), adult delegates (n=170) and judges (n=330) were invited by to participate in separate online surveys, both available in English and French, and open from June 11th to 24th. A total of 258 finalists responded to the survey a 55% response rate with 84% completing all questions. A total of 100 delegates responded to the survey a 58% response rate with 89% completing all questions. For delegates, this rate is noticeably higher than last year (71%). The geographic distribution of respondents closely matched that of the CWSF, with at least one respondent from every province and territory. The school grade distribution of finalist respondents closely matched that of the CWSF, with junior finalists at 36%, intermediate at 40% and senior at 24% Demographics Some demographic distribution of respondents closely matched that of the CWSF online registration, providing data for all finalists: 86% of CWSF 2014 finalists reported that either one or both of their parents/guardians has a post-secondary degree. (2% were not sure). For reference, Statistics Canada indicates that in 2011, 53% of the Canadian population aged 15 or older had trade certificates, college diplomas or university degrees. 51% of CWSF 2014 finalists reported that one or both of their parents/guardians works in a science-related field. (2% were not sure). 76% of finalists were attending their first CWSF, 24% were attending their second or more. 8 9

6 Participant Survey 2014 Participant Survey 2014 Mentorship and Support Each CWSF 2014 finalist was asked to indicate the level of mentorship they had while working on their project. The table below shows the percentage of finalists at each level. A little over two-thirds (67%) of CWSF 2014 finalists reported having a mentor. PROJECT MENTORSHIP LEVEL % I did not have a mentor. 32% 1. I exchanged a few s or phone calls and/or met once or twice with my mentor to discuss ideas. 2. I had occasional contact by or phone and/or met occasionally with my mentor who provided advice or materials. 3. I had regular contact by or phone and/or met regularly with my mentor who provided advice, materials, assistance with design/testing, or data analysis. 10% 14% 16% or college undergraduate students, high school students or other. There is a persistent perception amongst science fair volunteers and others that finding a mentor is often a significant barrier; however, only 4% of CWSF 2014 finalists indicated that they had tried to find a mentor but were unsuccessful, or that they wanted a mentor but didn t know how to find one. This percentage has remained constant from 2009 to Most CWSF finalists who want a mentor appear to be able to find one. Just under half of the CWSF 2014 finalists (47%) who had a mentor reported that they identified and arranged their own mentor; 16% were arranged by a school/teacher, 14% by a family member and 6% by some sort of mentorship program. The remaining 17% were reported being arranged in some other way. Less than one-third (29%) of CWSF 2014 finalists indicated that they did not want or need a mentor, or that they never thought about a mentor. This number is significantly down from 37% in 2011 and still down from 32% in It is likely that some members of this group would actually benefit from mentorship. Youth Science Canada Resources For finalists, both the CWSF website (cwsf. youthscience.ca) and the online registration system ranked as the best resources in preparing for the CWSF 2014, with 90% of finalists and 94% of delegates rating them helpful, very helpful or extremely helpful. Anecdotal responses indicate that a small number of finalists and delegates completed CWSF registration without ever viewing the CWSF web site, which contains important participant information. An increased emphasis was placed on social media for CWSF 2014, particularly on Facebook (cwsf.ysc) and Twitter (cwsf.ysc). Over the week, the number of CWSF Facebook members increased by 148 total likes to bring our total to 943. On average, our posts 4. I had regular face-to-face contact with my mentor and access to materials, space, equipment, design/testing, or other personnel in a specialized facility. 5. I worked closely with my mentor over an extended period of time to develop the project idea, plan and conduct the research/development, and analyze the results or test the innovation, including regular access to materials, space, equipment, or other personnel in a specialized facility. 17% 10% The most common mentors were university or college professors, researchers, engineers or technicians (23%), followed by a teacher in the finalist s school (15%), a parents/guardian or relative (12%), a university graduate student (5%), or government or industry researcher, engineer, or technician (3%). The remaining 10% were university Programming Initiative: Youth Science Canada believes that: Support from a thoughtful and committed mentor, in accordance with Youth Science Canada guidelines, serves to assist young scientists in their journey toward developing a top quality project; Appropriate mentoring benefits all projects; It should continue its work with affiliates and partners to make mentoring available to all students. Youth Science Canada s efforts in mentorship will continue to focus on the development of promising young scientists at the national level who would most benefit from a mentor to prepare for international competition similar to the process for the identification and support of elite national athletes. We will also continue to encourage provincial organizations and our affiliated regions to develop mentorship initiatives to meet the needs of their local communities. Help from regional science fair organizations continued to be rated highly 85% by finalists and 90% by delegates. The Project Directory, a searchable database of over 3,500 projects from 2005 to 2014, (secure. youthscience.ca/virtualcwsf) and the Stepping Up Guide (sf.youthscience.ca/stepping-guideimproving-your-project-0) are seen as helpful, very helpful, or extremely helpful by 71% of finalists who used them. Finalist awareness of these resources is reasonably strong at 78% for the Project Directory and 72% for the Stepping Up Guide. Programming Initiative: We continue to be pleased with the high rating of our web resources. Changes to the CWSF web site for 2015 will include the introduction of webinars supporting the Getting Started and Stepping Up Guides and the launch of a CWSF App. reached a total of 3,594 people per day during the fair. We tweeted an average of 28.9 tweets per day during the week and 94% were retweeted by others. Our number of followers has increased from just below 700 in During the week, our official hashtag was #CWSF and #ESPC. This hashtag was used greatly across social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Programming Initiative: It is clear that CWSF finalists - and their parents, relatives, and friends - embraced the social media activity, particularly on Facebook. We will work to ensure a more consistent year-round social media presence for Youth Science Canada and the CWSF. Youth Science Canada will be introducing a Student Social Media Ambassador in 2014/

7 Participant Survey 2014 Participant Survey 2014 CWSF Impact on Post- Secondary and Career Plans in Science and Technology During online registration (i.e., prior to CWSF 2014) 83% of finalists (female 86%; male 81%) reported that they plan to pursue post-secondary education in a science or engineering program. Not surprisingly, the percentage increases by age 77% of junior (grade 7/8) finalists, 88% of intermediate (grade 9/10) finalists, and 93% of senior (grade 11/12/ Cégep), as they become more focused on a particular educational future. Despite finalists high level of pre-cwsf commitment to post-secondary science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) education, the CWSF experience has a significant positive impact on finalists level of interest and/or commitment. Post-CWSF, 61% of finalists indicated that, as a result of their CWSF experience, they were more interested in a STEMrelated post-secondary education, while 38% indicated that their interest was about the same. There was a small gender difference, as more males (64%) than females (56%) reported increased interest; however, this is exactly balanced as more females (43%) than males (34%) reported that their interest remained about the same. Only 1% of finalists report a decreased interest. The impact of the CWSF experience is most significant on junior (grade 7/8) finalists, 66% of whom report being more interested in STEM education after CWSF, compared with 59% of intermediate, and 54% of senior finalists. Many studies, such as the 2010 Youth Science Monitor conducted by Ipsos-Reid and the Canada Foundation for Innovation have identified grades 7/8 (ages 12/13) as a critical point at which many students decide whether they are interested in continuing with science or not much younger than many assume. Doing a science project and participating in a science fair especially CWSF can exert a powerful influence on post-secondary education choices. As in previous years, few finalists overall (5%) reported that they had not thought much about postsecondary education, with the largest group (9%) among grade 7/8 finalists. Also consistent with past results, only 3% of intermediate and senior finalists report not thinking much about post-secondary education. CWSF 2014 finalists thinking about careers parallels their post-secondary plans, though the lower percentages likely reflect the fact that a career is much further in their future at least ten years for most in grade 7/8. Pre-CWSF, 77% of finalists report that they are planning to pursue a career in a science or technology-related field, while 10% intend to pursue a career in another field. The undecided group is comprised of 8% who report having trouble deciding about a career and 5% who haven t thought much about a career. The gender difference is more pronounced for STEM career thinking than for post-secondary education, with 76% of female and 78% of male finalists planning a STEM-related career. Approximately 8% of male finalists and 8% of female finalists report having difficulty deciding about a career. A greater percentage of older CWSF 2014 finalists are planning STEM-related careers, with 71% of juniors, 81% of intermediates, and 88% of seniors reporting this preference. Similar to the finalists thoughts on post-secondary education, the percentage of undecided finalists does varies significantly by age/grade 15% of junior finalists, 10% of intermediates, and 6% of senior finalists. Programming Initiative: Youth Science Canada will consider expanding CWSF and other opportunities to highlight STEM-related post-secondary education and careers, including direct promotion/recruiting by universities, colleges and corporate partners. We will ensure that these opportunities specifically include junior (grade 7/8) finalists, as post-secondary institutions and career/ industry associations tend to underestimate the importance of promotion to this age group. The CWSF Experience Of the CWSF 2014 finalists, 95% rated their overall experience as good, very good or excellent, with 87% reporting very good or excellent a slight decrease from 2013, at 99% and 91%. The adult delegates also rated the experience highly, with 93% reporting good, very good or excellent and 91% reporting very good or excellent. As in previous years, anecdotal comments used phrases such as the time of my life, a great experience, inspirational, life-changing, and really fun. One 2014 finalist reflected, I had an amazing experience at the CWSF, because I constantly felt motivated and inspired by everything we did. I gained a lot of new knowledge, and met very interesting people including inspiring judges, ambassadors and fellow finalists. In all, the CWSF experience has pushed me forwards into the scientific field and I aspire to develop my career in the field of science. Two years ago, Youth Science Canada introduced the Team UV concept, where all Youth Science Canada and host committee staff and volunteers, including the CWSF Ambassadors, were outfitted with distinctive ultra violet t-shirts, vests, and hoodies, in an attempt to make them ultra-visible to participants and visitors. The Team UV concept has been extremely effective, with 94% of finalists reporting that they were aware of Team UV and 99% of delegates reporting that Team UV was effective. Further, 91% of both finalists and delegates reported that they were able to identify the CWSF Ambassadors. Programming Initiative: The CWSF display system, combined with updated signage and the Team UV identity has set a new standard of quality for the CWSF, providing a foundation for expansion over the next five years to a larger and more engaging festival with increased sponsor/exhibitor presence, interactivity, and public visibility. A total of 3,493 were in attendance at the CWSF over the four days including elementary and secondary students, and members of the public. Although school and public visits are vital to engaging the local community in the CWSF, finalists continue to report that school/public visits are among the least enjoyable aspects of the week. The student passport, which encourages visiting elementary and secondary students to find a project in each Challenge and visit the sponsor and partner booths, continued in In last year s survey results, many Francophone finalists reported that (predominantly Anglophone) visiting students actively avoided projects with French titles, not realizing that many of the finalists with those projects could speak English. This year, bilingual finalists with French-titled projects were given I speak English signs to post on their booth in order to encourage visitors to speak with them. Subsequently, English-titled projects with bilingual finalists posted I speak French signs to serve the same purpose. Programming Initiative: Recommended changes for school visits include: scheduling school groups for the full morning to ensure a more relaxed visit; aligning finalist arrival in the exhibit hall with school group arrival to minimize time at projects without visitors or scheduling finalists to visit each others projects before school groups arrive; revising the student passport to encourage interaction with finalists to learn about their project rather than a signature scavenger hunt; provide I speak English and Je parle français buttons or nametag ribbons and project signs to finalists who choose to wear/ post them replacing the Bonjour buttons, which have been provided since We asked finalists and delegates to rate their level of enjoyment for each of the CWSF activities. The table on the next page summarizes the percentage (of those who participated) that rated each activity as quite or extremely enjoyable, ordered by the finalists rating

8 Participant Survey 2014 Participant Survey 2014 CWSF 2014 ACTIVITY Awards Evening (Dance & Various Activities) Quite or Extremely Enjoyable Finalist Delegate 93% 88% Touring Windsor 92% 51% Awards Banquet 91% 96% Awards Ceremony 89% 97% Point Pelee Tour 88% 95% Opening Ceremonies 77% 63% Great Sunparlour Sendoff 77% 47% CSI Campus Science Investigation Discovery Day Finalist Interaction Activity 76% 83% 74% N/A Orientation 63% 59% Campus Tours 62% 54% Project Set-up & Safety Check 59% 86% Public Viewing (Sunday Afternoon) 59% 78% Project Take-Down 58% 87% School Tours / Public Viewing (Thursday & Friday) 58% 80% Arrival/Registration 48% 55% We are pleased to see a significant increase from 2013 in the enjoyment of the Awards Banquet, a 10% increase for both finalists and delegates. The CSI Discovery Day received that same enjoyment level from the finalists however, showed significant increase (14%) from the delegates this year. Several activities were specific to delegates. The table below summarizes the percentage (of those who participated) that rated each activity as either quite or extremely enjoyable. CWSF 2014 ACTIVITY Quite or Extremely Enjoyable Delegate Workshop and Forums 84% Exhibit Hall Sponsor Booths 65% YSC Special General Meeting 64% Note: Exhibit hall sponsor booths were not exclusive to delegates; the question was excluded from the finalist survey to avoid redundancy as the finalist interaction activity had a heavy focus on visiting sponsor booths and the enjoyment from finalists is reflected in that percentage. As Youth Science Canada is responsible for the selection and design of CWSF identity and promotional items, we asked finalists and delegates to rate this year s items on a four-point scale from poor to great. The table below lists the percentage of finalists and delegates who rated each item as good or great, ordered by the finalists rating. (N/A indicates that the finalists or delegates did not receive the item.) CWSF 2014 PROMO ITEM Good or Great Finalist Delegate Microsoft USB Key Bracelets 87% 85% CWSF T-Shirt 85% 85% CIHR/Synapse Water Bottle 85% 80% Tote Bag 84% 71% CWSF Pin 80% 85% Youth Science Canada Pin 76% N/A BlackBerry Sunglasses 75% 75% We re pleased that every item except the tote bag was rated highly by at least 75% of both the finalists and delegates. In previous years, the CWSF T-shirt featuring an angled and distressed CWSF logo on the front and a concert tour listing of past CWSFs on the back was always the highest-rated promo item by both youth and adult participants. This year, Microsoft Canada provided USB key rubber bracelets that were extremely popular amongst both finalists and delegates, rating 3 percentage points higher than the T-shirts among finalists. There was a 13% increase from delegates on the CIHR/Synapse Water Bottle rating this year. In 2013, delegates rated the Water Bottle as their least favourite item at 67%. We are happy to see the increase in interest from delegates. Judging We are pleased to report that 89% of CWSF 2014 finalists agreed or strongly agreed that they were well prepared for judging. New this year, Youth Science Canada implemented Judging 101 videos that were provided to finalists electronically before the fair began to replace the sessions that we offered on-site in previous years. A total of 88% of finalists and 82% of delegates who took the survey reported having watched the CWSF 2014 Judging 101 videos. 68% of finalists and 96% of delegates reported the Judging 101 videos to be helpful, very helpful or extremely helpful. In 2013, 75% of finalists who attended our on-site session reported that their session was useful. This decrease could be reflected in the 24% of finalists who have already attended one or more CWSFs prior and therefore, had already been aware of much of the information presented. We are pleased to see the increase in usefulness of this session reported by finalists up from 76% in Programming Initiative: We will continue to refine the CWSF Judging 101 session content, structure, and delivery to increase its value for finalists and delegates. The National Judging Committee makes a considerable effort each year to streamline and improve the judging experience for both finalists and judges. Thus, we are extremely pleased that 80% of finalists rated their experience with judging as quite or extremely enjoyable. For many years, finalists reported anecdotally that the written feedback they received from judges was of little value. For the second consecutive year, judges were specifically instructed to provide oral feedback at the end of each judging interviews. This year, the survey showed that a little over half (55%) of finalists found the oral feedback quite or extremely useful. An additional 30% of finalists rated this feedback this feedback somewhat useful totaling 85%. This number is up 6% from 2013 (79%), the first year the oral feedback initiative ran. Anecdotal comments from finalists suggest many judges struggled to provide concise and useful feedback. Although many finalists had a good judging experience, others preferred to receive feedback that was less vague and more constructive. The judge orientation presentation strongly reinforces the importance of being positive and encouraging when interviewing finalists and when giving feedback; however, it appears that for at least some finalists, this guidance significantly restricts the benefit they receive from the interaction. Some suggestions from finalists included having more time to spend with judges one-on-one to receive oral feedback, and knowing their judge s specialization ahead of time to ensure their presentation touches upon factors that could be important to their judge

9 About Participant CWSF Survey Future Directions Programming Initiative: As indicated in previous years, written feedback is also ineffective, primarily because so little time is available during and after judging. Written feedback is also extremely labourintensive; in past years each comment has been reviewed, revised, and in some cases, rewritten by the National Judging Committee members. It appears that oral feedback could be effective, but judges would need permission to give constructive feedback and specific guidance on how to frame such feedback for grade 7-12 students. Finalists rate their interaction with judges as one of the most valuable aspects of the CWSF; we will continue to work toward making the experience as valuable as possible for them. CWSF 2014 judges rated their overall experience very highly, with 96% reporting good or excellent, with 67% reporting excellent. A remarkable 89% of judges attended a Monday evening orientation for Excellence Award judging and most (90%) agreed or strongly agreed that they fully understood the process for Excellence Award (medal) judging by the end of the presentation. The percentage of judges who agreed or strongly agreed that they understood subsequent phases was relatively similar and substantially up from last year: 95% for Excellence Award Cusp judging and 84% for Interdisciplinary and Special Awards judging (71% & 67% in 2013). When asked to rate specific portions of their experience, 91% of judges agreed or strongly agreed that they were very satisfied with the medal judging process. All of the cusp judges reported that they fully understood the process and 94% indicated that the process was conducted fairly. The Challenge Award judges gave slightly lower ratings 76% fully understood the process and 71% reported that the process was fair. Most Special Award judges (90%) understood the process and 90% found the process to be fair. At a drastic increase from last year, 88% of Interdisciplinary Award judges reported that their team captain clearly explained the process. 92% reported that the process was fair. Programming Initiative: Anecdotal comments from judges suggest that there is still room for improvement in the process of preparing judges, including: providing clearer and more concise materials in advance; making project assignments and reports available earlier; refining the orientation presentation to focus less on structure and process and more on how to be an effective judge and assign levels and ratings; and refining the transition from morning Excellence judging, which goes very smoothly, to five different types of afternoon judging. Consolidation of award types, particularly Special and Interdisciplinary Awards, will be considered. CWSF Ambassadors The CWSF Ambassadors program was introduced in 2011 with the goal of engaging alumni to provide support and serve as role models for finalists, and to play a significant role in Youth Science Canada s delivery of a superb CWSF experience. For 2014, five alumni were selected from the large applicant pool to assist with the various responsibilities including finalist support, judging support, and running the Information Booth at the Exhibit Hall throughout the week. Over 85% of finalists agreed or strongly agreed that the Ambassadors: made their experience more enjoyable (94%); provided helpful and/or useful information in the exhibit hall (93%); encouraged them to participate in activities (86%); and inspired them to continue in science fairs or science (88%). In addition, 78% agreed or strongly agreed that the Ambassadors reduced their anxiety or nervousness during judging and made them consider applying to be an ambassador for a future science fair. 73% stated the Ambassadors helped them interact with other finalists and 65% stated that the Ambassadors encouraged them to connect through social media. Anecdotal comments from finalist heavily praised the efforts of our Ambassador team this year. Many finalists felt their designated ambassador played a large role in their positive experiences at the fair and we are very proud of our mentors and their ability to build personal relationships and contribute to the overall success. Programming Initiative: The CWSF Ambassador program is growing more competitive each year. To keep up with the interest and create a more accurate outline of the roles and responsibilities, we are looking to revamp the selection process for 2015 to include the Ambassadors as key members for the CWSF volunteer team. We intend to keep up the awareness of the Ambassadors team at the CWSF as their positive impact is proves beneficial to the finalist s experience each year. Sponsor Recognition The support of CWSF sponsors makes the event possible and Youth Science Canada works to ensure that they are recognized at the event. We asked finalists and delegates to recall three sponsors, as a measure of their visibility and impact. The top five are listed in the table below, sorted by finalist recall. TOP 5 SPONSORS RECALLED BY FINALISTS & DELEGATES Finalist Delegate BlackBerry 93% 94% Microsoft 70% 72% Nuclear Waste Management Organization 24% 15% University of Windsor 23% 19% CIHR /Synapse 15% 18% It is clear that sponsor recall by both finalists and delegates is a function of visibility, and the sponsor s activation of their CWSF support through awards, an exhibit booth, promotional items, and direct interaction with participants. It is also clear that the host university made a significant impact on the finalists nearly 500 of Canada s brightest young minds. We encourage all our sponsors to explore activation opportunities at CWSF and in other Youth Science Canada programs. CWSF 2014 and Beyond... Returning to Windsor, Ontario to host the Canada- Wide Science Fair this year was an amazing and memorable experience for everyone involved. Looking forward, we are extremely excited for what our organization has in store for the upcoming fairs. Next year, we are thrilled to be bringing Canada s brightest young minds to Fredericton, New Brunswick the only remaining province to have never hosted the event. Our host committee has been working hard to ensure that 2015 will be our best year yet and we are especially pleased to be working with the University of New Brunswick, and the City of Fredericton to complete the cycle. In 2016, we will be headed back to Central Canada and bringing our event to Montreal, Quebec before Western Canada and Regina, Saskatchewan in As part of this planning, we will continue to explore opportunities for expansion of the CWSF to a larger and more publicly-oriented science and technology festival, including an expanded interactive exhibit area, featured presentations, and greater integration of STEM education initiatives, including Youth Science Canada s Smarter Science/Éducasciences. The Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges, along with our Getting Started / Stepping Up Guides, will continue to be the focus of our Invent the Future and Youth Science Month campaigns that reach 15,000 schools with grades 7-12/Cégep across the country. We look forward to working with our partners and sponsors to activate these programs in more direct and interactive ways challenging Canadian youth to tackle important issues and problems through inquiry and project-based science. Thank you to our sponsors and partners. Your support has enabled Youth Science Canada to significantly increase the value and profile of the Canada-Wide Science Fair and build the foundation for a bright future

10 Conclusion Conclusion An Amazing Experience... Looking back over 53 years of the CWSF, its impact on young Canadians may be best reflected in the thoughts of Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar a finalist in the second CWSF, held in Toronto in 1963: As a Grade 13 student, I participated in the City Science Fair in Toronto and then went on to represent my region at the Canada-Wide Science Fair. It was an experience that would ultimately define my life. Fifty-three years later, the CWSF continues to place an indelible mark on those who participate, best described by the 2014 finalists themselves: I loved everything about it. Pin trading, interacting with people from all over Canada, judging day and more made my experience there so memorable. I love how events like the Canada-Wide Science Fair brings all of Canada together to focus on the youth of our country. It really encouraged me to want to further my learning about science. I would strongly recommend to my friends or anyone else to do a science fair project, so they too can have the chance to get to go to the Canada-Wide Science Fair. I had an amazing experience at CWSF, because I constantly felt motivated and inspired by everything we did. I gained a lot of new knowledge, and met very interesting people including inspiring judges, ambassadors and fellow finalists. In all, the CWSF experience has pushed me forwards into the scientific field and I aspire to develop my career in the field of science. I deeply express my gratitude towards our regional science fair organizers and the CWSF organizers, as well as the sponsors. I am proud to call myself a participant of CWSF! CWSF was one of the best experiences I have ever had! The finalists, judges, and volunteers were all amazing as people and scientists. «L Expo-sciences pancanadienne était extrêmement amusant! J ai passé une très belle semaine et j ai fait plusieurs nouveaux bons amis à travers du Canada qui ont tous une passion pour les sciences comme moi. Merci pour une semaine inoubliable de beaux souvenirs!» My experience at Canada-Wide Science Fair was one of the most memorable weeks of my life! I will never forget that week! I hope I will be lucky enough to go again in further years. It was a truly excellent experience. I enjoyed the trip very much. It was an honour to be there and hope that I can come again. I enjoyed presenting my project and meeting other finalists --- young scientists in Canada. It was awesome to be able to discuss with people who understood what I was doing. Judging was also an excellent experience for me. I was able to discuss my project with experts in my field. The organization was mostly excellent. The best part about the science fair was the friends I made. This type of opportunity to interact with other like-minded students is really rare. I cannot stress enough how meaningful my week in Windsor for the CWSF was. Quite honestly, the memories I made there will last a lifetime. I now have a better knowledge of the paths that science and engineering can take me, and have an even greater passion for the science industry. I now have a clearer understanding of what I would like to do later in life, and the diverse opportunities science brings. I can`t even explain how amazing it was to spend the week with like-minded individuals of my age, who are unfortunately seldom found. CWSF has motivated to continue participating in science fairs as long as I am eligible!! «C est une énorme motivation pour les jeunes scientifiques à se surpasser, ça donne envie de travailler encore plus pour revenir l année d après.» At CWSF, I made great friends and I got a chance to meet students who were just as willing and prepared to learn as I was. I realized that, as the youth of Canada, we can make a difference. The best thing was having a week off of school to get recognition for something that I had worked on for a long time while hanging out with one of my closest friends who also was a finalist. «L ESPC m a fait découvrir pleins de nouveaux aspects de la sciences et j ai rencontré pleins de gens formidables! C est un expérience que je vais me rappeler toute ma vie!» Perhaps one of the best experiences in my life, CWSF was an excellent way to meet brilliant students from all over the country. I have made many new friends and connections that will be beneficial in the future and believe others have too. «J ai adoré cette expérience mémorable et elle a été très enrichissante pour moi. J ai rencontré de nombreuses personnes extraordinaires avec lesquelles j espère rester en contact dans le futur. Cette expérience m a permis de me surpasser et je compte bien participer aux expo-sciences à nouveau l an prochain.» I was always extremely interested in the science field and that s what I am pursuing in the future. This was a great opportunity for me to learn and be surrounded by like-minded individuals. I would recommend this experience to everyone as it does indeed help one grow in the field of science. «J ai extrement apprécié mon expérience à l exposciences pancanadienne, les liens que j ai crées sont inoubliables. Je suis définitivement motivée à vouloir mettre en marche une meilleure expérience afin d avoir la chance de retourner l année prochaine et de gagner un prix. J aimerais remercier tous le comité qui a organisé mon aventure à Windsor.» Science fairs have changed my life and really set in stone the beginning of my path in life towards making a real difference. Thank you to everyone who made this possible! Go CWSF! 18 19

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