January 2009 issue
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Contest Challenges Children About Earth’s Offerings
In celebration of International Year of Planet Earth, the first annual WHERE Challenge wants to get children excited about their world and the things it provides. The concept is simple: Canadian children aged 10 to 14 are being asked two questions.
What on Earth is in your stuff? the contest wants to know. And WHERE on Earth does it come from?
More than $17,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to regional and national winners, as well as schools. The non-profit WHERE Challenge is sponsored by EnCana Corporation and Teck Cominco Limited.
The idea is to challenge bright young minds to not only think about the many ways the Earth’s resources support humans, but also to contribute to future discoveries and ground-breaking innovations by considering Earth sciences as an exciting educational and career opportunity.
“The WHERE Challenge is designed to foster curiosity and ingenuity through innovative story-telling as kids discover the wonder of the Earth’s resources and WHERE on Earth they come from,” says information from the organization.
The challenge invites kids and schools to compete for regional and national cash prizes by letting their imaginations run wild. Students are asked to create a story about what on Earth is in their stuff and WHERE on Earth it comes from. Participants pick a favourite object in their home, school or playground, identify one or more non-renewable Earth resources used to make the object, and WHERE on Earth those resources come from.
The story can be told can be told through an essay, a poem, a song or a play, a painting or a poster, an audio, video or multimedia presentation or anything else kids can dream up. Individual and group entries are allowed.
Entries may be submitted between Jan. 15 and Feb. 28, 2009. Judging is based on creativity, accuracy and originality, and winning entries will be used as promotional tools to raise awareness about Earth sciences.
Regional cash prizes ranging from $100 to $250 will be awarded in each of seven regions. Three national grand prizes of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 will also be awarded, and each of the top three school entries will receive $1,000.
MORE INFO
Visit www.earthsciencescanada.com
Contact Jennifer Lyall, lyalljennifer@shaw.ca
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