1998 School Magazine

Ginger ammar ;^ichoot agrisbane 1998

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Tnn CANADA WinE SCXENCE FAER.

tanding in the train station ice-cream line, I detected movement in the background. Focused quickly, my attention revealed the carriages of 11}e Ontario Northland accelerating from the platform - without me aboard. Separated from tlTe other Australians attending the Canada Wide Science Fair, alone and stranded at North Bay station - for the first time in my life, I was in a situation where I truly had no-one to depend Lipon except myself. in many ways, this incident represents a lot of what I learnt during my whirlwind two week trip to Canada

research partners left the fair with seven to eight thousand dollars. Prizes also included trips to Israel, industry research placings and $4000 grants. Throughout the fair, and dunno our 'Tour Canada Week' afterwards, the Australians were exposed to the Canadian countryside and culture. During one trip to a pine forest, we were treated 10 an unusual lunch of bear stew, moose steaks, beaver stew, lynx casserole and moose Iasagne. On a separate occasion, I was introdLiced to the French-Canadian delicacy, Poutine, which consisted of oil drenched chips drowned in gravy then smothered in cheese Following the fair, we travelled up to Moosonee at James Bay. One month after the thaw, the frosty conditions were ideal for a late night jump into the Arctic Ocean. Moosonee was the first point of North American settlement and remains very much a frontier town - isolated and remote at the fringe of Canadian civilisation. Poignantly, it is a community of fringe dwellers. Shack-like houses on the Native Reserve were owned by peo re with litrle to do but wander the streets. My conscience realised that the situation for some Aboriginal communities is similar We were escorted from Moosonee Native Reserve by a once- maiT in a bullet proof vest in the back of a paddy wagon, in the company of a group of blood-stained decapitated chickens. 11 was neither safe nor appropriate for us to be TITere OUT pace was furious. Niagara Falls in a day, Toronto in two days. And then it was time to Iea\, e the land of maple syrup, oreo ice-cream and $50 Levis. Travelling overseas ITas had suclT an awe-inspiring Impact on my mind. in only two weeks, I learnt so much. The o1her Australians, most of WITom live outside major cities, exposed me to IUTal life - I can probably sino most of the Crocodile Roll and get a good three seconds out of the

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Kan'e CSecond/join r, gbO rut'tb F1'of lory @71d the Airstr@fign COM1, 'rigent On Friday morning, 8111 May, six students from all over Australia as well as Professor Rodney lory from the Australian National University gathered at SydneylnternationalAirport. in January, we had all attended the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra. From there, we were invited bacl< by ProfessorJory as staff for this year. And now - we were Canada bound Our main purpose in travelling to Canada was to attend the Canada Wide Science Fair. This is a competition for Canadian students between the ages of twelve and nineteen who have conducted scientific research projects. For the ITigh profile national competition, over seven ITUndred students and super- visors, the Governor General and Dr Roberta Bondar, the first female Canadian astronaut, gathered in the city of Timmins As international Delegates, the Australians did not compete with a project. Our task was to learn from the fair in order 10 develop our science forum in Australian. Armed with \, egemite, nags, koalas and a didgendoo, we added a little international flavour to the fair. SurprisingIy, we ended up as near celebrities for a week. Ben\g introduced to the Governor Genetal, reading the weather on the news and only having 10 say the magic words, "I'm one of the Australians", to ha\, e almost anviliino done was quite an experience TITe quality of the projects was truly amazino. Higli school students were investigating the causes of GIIronic Falloue Syndrome, designing gloves to convert a sign languaoe into sound and developing computer programs to predict election results. For their efforts, they were rewarded richly. Several

didgendoo. But I also learnt a lot about myself In particular, I learnt that if you miss a train at North Bay station, look distressed enough and say loudly enough to the unhelpful clerk, "Is there no-one who can help me in this situation?" - some- one will come and help. and, if you're lucky like me, tlle train will come back to get you I would like to thank the

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school, Mrs Hancock, Mrs Lynch and all my teachers for 111e tremendous support they provided for me to go to Canada. I reltirned from Canada feeling invigorated , pumped and driven if any of you are ever given the opportunity to travel overseas - I implore you to seize it willl botlT hands and don't ever let go

KATIE MENDRA

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