​KDSS student has amazing time at national science fair in New Brunswick

Jade Lowry has a better idea of what a career in science could look like, after travelling to New Brunswick to participate in the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

The 16-year-old Kincardine District Senior School (KDSS) student joined Team Bluewater, to present her science project on the national stage, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, from June 1-7.

“My mom drove me to Desboro and I travelled in a van to Toronto with six other students from the Bluewater District School Board,” says Jade. “We had two chaperones who were super chill and very nice.”

Jade’s project, which focused on which method of hand-drying is cleanest, had been printed on vinyl and put into tubes to take on the plane. The contingent left Desboro at 2 a.m., and arrived in New Brunswick around 7 a.m.

“We were hosted at the University of New Brunswick which is a beautiful campus and well cared for,” says Jade. “We set up our science projects; we each had two large boards to lay out our project.”

She joined 395 finalists from 100 regions across Canada, displaying 330 projects in nine challenge categories, with $1.3-million in awards and scholarships up for grabs.



Members of Team Bluewater at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredricton, New Brunswick; photos courtesy of Jade Lowry

The judging took three days, followed by public viewing of the projects. The students had some free time and labs. Jade took two labs – Science in the Stacks, and the Wacky World of Light – and a tour day.

“We had beautiful weather, and we spent time walking around the displays,” she says. “We also did lots of pin-trading. I had plenty of pins to trade – the Province of Ontario, Bluewater Technology, and the Kinetic Knights – and I received lots.”

Two students from Team Bluewater won medals – a silver and a bronze - but only the gold-medal winners advanced to the International Science Fair in Japan.

Jade was thrilled to make it to the national event, as it was her first time travelling to New Brunswick.

“It was a spectacular opportunity,” she says. “Everyone was so amazing and nice. It was so cool to be surrounded by other like-minded people.

“Now, I want to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) at KDSS and encourage more students to get involved. I want to start a Science Fair Club and get kids interested.

“It was so exciting to see these people presenting their science projects. It certainly opened my eyes to what a career in science could look like.”




Science projects on display at the Canada-Wide Science Fair