‘Destination Exploration’ honoured

A nation-wide youth science agency has honoured the University of Lethbridge.

“Destination Exploration,” designed to encourage teenagers to consider careers in science, began with a week-long “summer camp” in 2002. During a recent awards banquet in Ottawa, the U of L was presented a mentorship award by Actua, the organization behind similar initiatives across Canada.

Today, the U of L program reaches about 4,500 southern Alberta students each year through school visits, workshops and those continuing weeklong summer programs.

“We were very excited to be nominated for this award,” says Valerie Archibald, the Arts and Science Faculty’s director of youth outreach.

“We do a large amount of work with mentoring and connecting mentors into our programming, so to be acknowledged for that work is just phenomenal.”

By connecting teenagers with graduate students and professionals, she adds, they learn about the educational paths their mentors have followed, and the kind of work they’re doing today.

“Providing role models of what young people can do and be in the future is paramount to the programming that we do,” she says.

“We’re preparing the next generation of the workforce and making sure that they’re critical thinkers and problemsolvers, and high-functioning members of society.”

And meanwhile Actua — a network of 35 universities and colleges conducting youth outreach encouraging careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — has granted the U of L $95,000 from the federal government’s “CanCode” program. It’s part of a $50million fund included in the 2017 federal budget, aimed at developing the coding and digital skills of the next generation.

“Coding is the next big job,” said Navdeep Bains, the federal minister of innovation, science and economic development, in announcing the fund.

“By teaching kids to code today, we’re positioning Canada for future success across all industries and sectors.”

U of L officials say the grant will be directed at expanding Destination Exploration to reach still more Lethbridge and southern Alberta teens. An emphasis, she adds, will be on attracting girls and First Nations students — two groups that remain under-represented in computing and engineering classes.

“Canada needs to address the upcoming skills shortage in areas related to information technology,” says Jackie Rice, an Arts and Science associate dean. “This is a step in the right direction.”

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