Attention Squamish students interested in citizen science — the Squamish Environment Society might just have a deal for you.
The society has recently worked with the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair (GVRSF) society to establish an annual $200 prize available only to students of the Sea to Sky school district.
"It is to encourage and acknowledge the potential science fair work that can be done by school district 48 students," said the Squamish Environment Society's Larry Murray, adding that the society hasn't been reaching as many young people as it would like to let them know that environmental research is a positive activity for them to do.
"Kids are all involved in robots and artificial intelligence and such and we said, 'You know what, there is a real world out there at our front door and we have got to somehow encourage kids to get involved with genuine authentic research within our own environmental area, including our wonderful estuary.'"
Murray said he imagines it will be best suited to students from Grade 7 and upward.
Students get involved by taking part in a science fair locally and then regionally. Sea to Sky students can also enter directly into the Greater Vancouver Regional Fair.
If their project gets to the regional fair and wins, then the student gets the $200 from the Squamish Environment Society,, Murray said.
The annual funding comes from a donation made by a member of the Squamish society who wishes to remain anonymous.
The fund will continue each year for the next five years and then be revisited, Murray said.
More information on science fairs and the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair society is at: gvrsf.ca/about-the-fair/schedule/.
For more on the Squamish Environment Society, go to www.squamishenvironment.ca.
**Please note, additional information about how to apply after this story was originally posted.
