On February 22, 2024, approximately 60 Grade 6 girls and gender diverse students across the Black Gold School Division (BGSD) took part in the University of Alberta’s Choices Conference – WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology). 

“The goal of the conference is to expose students to the many fields in STEM they may wish to pursue further,” said Tarynne Cable, Assistant Principal at Willow Park School. “Giving our students the opportunity to see the many possibilities available allows them to consider these interests as they move through junior and senior high school.”

WISEST has impacted over 19,304 students and 4525 teachers since beginning in 1991.

This annual one-day event provides opportunities for teams of students to take part in a series of lab activities, such as coding, DNA extraction, robotics, environmental sciences, engineering and more. 

As part of the traditional team engineering challenge, the student teams were tasked with  designing the fastest bobsled they could using only the supplies available. The teams competed against each other to build for speed. “I am pleased to say that many of our students made the top ten for race times,” said Cable. 

Transportation and the costs to attend were subsidized by corporate sponsorship for the BGSD Girls in STEM initiative, which brings Grade 7-11 girls from across the Division for a similar one-day conference every second year. 

Check out the highlights from our last Girls in STEM event: www.blackgold.ca/black_gold_family/2023-girls-in-stem-helps-them-push-the-limits