From left, Peter Wallis, Science Fair mentor; Daphne Thompson; Isabelle Ferdais; Sidra Ahmed; Pakeeza Mushtaq; and Ken Sauer, Medicine Hat Kiwanis Club.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi
The Medicine Hat Kiwanis Club is selling tickets for its online 50/50 cash raffle in support of the Kiwanis Regional Science Fair. The winning ticket can win a grand prize of $5,000 or a minimum of $2,000.
The 2021 science fair is over, which included Debasri Jena, a Grade 10 student at Medicine Hat High School, winning with her dehydration sensor project where she took extracts from different fruits and vegetables. Jena took part in the virtual national science fair this week, which would normally take place in Ottawa.
Barry Finkelman, a Kiwanis club member, says the success students in the Hat have at science fairs shows the importance of supporting them.
“When you look at the track record for Medicine Hat over the last couple of years, we’ve done extremely well,” he said. “These young people have done a tremendous job. They’ve done incredibly well at the science fair and they’ve made us very proud year after year.”
Finkelman says young people can make a difference in science and it’s important for them to believe they can do that, and the science fair gives them that opportunity.
“The young people involved in the science fair seem to be among our best promoters. They get real excited about what they’re doing, the people they’ve met and the opportunities they’ve had that they might not have otherwise,” he said.
Pakeeza Mushtaq is another supporter of the science fair and has represented Alberta at the National Science Fair three times from 2017-19. She also won gold for her solar cell research and silver for her cancer research using plant-based oils.
Mushtaq continues to pursue science and during a trip to Pakistan she was inspired to research water filtration systems after seeing children drink dirty water in the street.
“I have the potential to change lives and be able to see the real-world impact. This is what makes me pursue science as a career,” she said in a news release.
Finkelman says COVID-19 has forced the club to fundraise virtually and more aggressively, but it seems to be catching on.
People who want to support the regional science fair can buy 50/50 tickets until June 13 at the Medicine Hat Kiwanis Website or directly at https://www2.rafflebox.ca/raffle/medhatkiwanis. Tickets are available in different quantities at a cost of $10, $20, $50 and $100.
