Brandon student off to science fair finals

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Nia Smith, a student from Brandon, will compete in Canada’s largest annual youth science, technology, engineering and mathematics event this spring.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/04/2024 (765 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nia Smith, a student from Brandon, will compete in Canada’s largest annual youth science, technology, engineering and mathematics event this spring.

After an initial virtual round of the 2024 Canada-Wide Science Fair, which took place in January, Smith and Mark Norregaard, who comes from Balzac, Alta., won their way to the final of the event against six other participants at the Olds College of Agriculture and Technology in Olds, Atla. on Feb. 28 to March 3.

This year marked the first time that Smith, 14, took part in the 4-H Canada Science Fair. Her project focused on improving the success of home hydroponic systems – where plants are grown in water rather than soil. She compared four different mediums for starting seeds and demonstrated which one worked better to achieve the highest germination rate for a hydroponic system.

This year is 17-year-old Norregaard’s fifth time winning a spot at the finals at the fair. This year’s project compared the response between vaccinated and unvaccinated calves before grass and weaning time. He was inspired to undertake the project to help mitigate outbreaks of Bovine Respiratory Disease in calf populations.

Hugh Maynard, 4-H Canada’s interim chief executive officer, extended congratulations to Smith and Norregaard in a press release sent out on March 21.

The fair showcases the innovation and creativity youth apply to real-life challenges in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“We’re very proud to offer opportunities where our 4-H youth leaders can effect positive change in the world around them,” Maynard said.

Ashley Smith, a market manager for crop protection at Bayer Crop Science Canada, was one of the judges at this year’s fair at Olds College. Both Snith and Norregaard have demonstrated tremendous leadership and innovation for the future of food production, she said.

“Through STEM opportunities like this, we get a first-hand glimpse into the next generation of scientists, policy contributors, engineers, and visionary catalysts in agriculture.”

» mleybourne@brandonsun.com

» X: @miraleybourne

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