Challenge NS event coming to Pictou Campus and seven others Friday

More than 200 students across eight NSCC campuses will participate in Challenge Nova Scotia on Friday. The annual, 12-hour event calls on students to come up with innovative solutions to real issues affecting Nova Scotia.

“There is an entrepreneurial spirit in each of us that, given motivation and inspiration, can influence culture and ignite community prosperity,” says NSCC President Don Bureaux. “Through this competition, our students are being given an opportunity to make a real impact in the incredible province we call home.”

Challenge NS will be held at NSCC’s Pictou Campus in Stellarton as well as Annapolis Valley, Burridge, Cumberland, IT, Ivany, Kingstec and Lunenburg and campuses. The event invites students to tackle a social problem facing Nova Scotia by spending 12 consecutive hours, working in teams and using online collaboration tools, to create a 90-second video outlining their proposed solution.

As in previous years, the Stephen McNeil, premier of Nova Scotia, will deliver the challenge question to participants via a prerecorded message.

“Each year I am impressed by the curiosity, creativity and excellence shown by the students who take part in Challenge NS,” says McNeil. “We want to nurture this entrepreneurial spirit in our future leaders so they can go on to be successful in their careers and make our province stronger.”

Team submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges. This year’s judges are: Carly Campbell, account manager, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Ed Leach, director of education, Centre for Entrepreneurship Education Development; Erinn Smith, executive director, Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations; and Lisa Lowthers, Southwest Region social enterprise developer, Common Goods Solutions.

In addition to cash prizes, the top three teams will also have their videos presented to McNeil for consideration.