UNews - Actua

Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives $186,000 in funding from Actua to support youth STEM programs

caroline.zentner — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:15:30 +0000

Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge announced roughly $186,000 in funding from Actua, one of Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organizations. As part of Actua’s national network, Destination Exploration (DE) engages youth through STEM workshops, camps, clubs and special events. Part of this funding comes from a significant investment in the Actua network through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Science Fund, totalling $38.4 million over five years.

The Actua network includes over 40 colleges and universities across the country providing STEM learning opportunities for youth while breaking down barriers to access. Destination Exploration has been a member of the Actua network since 2002. Through specialized programming, Destination Exploration engages diverse youth, including Indigenous youth, girls and young women, Black youth, youth facing socio-economic challenges and youth from other equity-deserving communities in programming that builds essential employability skills and confidence. In addition to the Government of Canada, Actua deeply values its esteemed industry partners whose long-term investment has been and continues to be essential in our collective mission to equip and inspire youth to lead Canada’s future science and innovation economy.

“Each year, the Actua network engages 375,000 youth in 600 communities across the country. Destination Exploration at ULethbridge is an integral part of this national impact and together, we will continue to relentlessly remove barriers so that all youth can be engaged in STEM," said Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of Actua.

“The support of Actua since our program's inception 22 years ago has been incredible,” says Steph Elder, DE interim director of Youth Outreach. “With this year's funding announcement and support through the Strategic Science Fund, we'll be able to continue to grow and provide more opportunities to youth in Lethbridge and across southern Alberta.”

Funding is only one part of the support provided to Destination Exploration from Actua. In addition to significant investments such as the one announced today, Actua provides day-to-day support, training, professional development and best-practice resources in STEM outreach. Additionally, Actua is the national voice representing the local network to advance STEM engagement, diversity and inclusion within science culture in Canada.

“This collaborative effort underscores the significance of community and national support in fostering an environment where young minds can explore, innovate, and thrive in the ever-evolving fields of science, technology, engineering, and math,” says Elder.

About Destination Exploration

Destination Exploration is Lethbridge’s foremost youth science outreach organization. DE strives to provide participants with a positive and exciting educational experience in science, technology, engineering and math programs. DE offers interactive classroom workshops, stimulating summer camps, inspiring afterschool clubs, as well as special events and science-themed birthday parties. Programs have been growing steadily since they originated in 2002, and now reach over 8,700 youth each year in Lethbridge and surrounding areas. Visit the DE website for more information.
About Actua

Actua is a leading Canadian science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization. Each year, the Actua network engages over 375,000 youth in 600 communities across Canada in transformative STEM learning experiences that build critical skills and confidence. Actua focuses on engaging equity-deserving youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, Black youth, youth facing economic barriers and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Its major funding partners include the Government of Canada, RBC Foundation, Suncor Energy Foundation, TD Bank Group, Google.org, Toyota Canada Foundation, Enbridge, Cenovus, CIBC Foundation, Coveo, Scotiabank, Mastercard and Imperial. For more information, visit actua.ca.

Destination Exploration celebrating 20 years of STEM outreach activities with community open house

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 May 2022 20:27:54 +0000

Started as a one-week science camp and a handful of school workshops in 2002, Destination Exploration (DE) has blossomed into the flagship STEM youth outreach program in southern Alberta. On Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Science Commons Atrium, DE will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a family-friendly open house.

Operating under the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Faculty of Arts & Science, DE provides hands-on, engaging science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs for youth and their families. For Valerie Archibald, director of youth outreach at ULethbridge, the goal of DE has always been focused on unlocking the incredible potential of all participants.

Destination Exploration has been igniting curiosity in youth for 20 years.

“All our programming, all our experiences are designed to provide youth and their families with opportunities to engage with STEM in a way that creates a self-awareness of their abilities in these fields. Science, technology, math and engineering are accessible to everyone, and they can be fun,” she says. “By getting youth excited about STEM and bringing the whole family into this journey of exploring, we hope to set the basis for lifelong learning.”

Over the last 20 years, DE has grown immeasurably by forging key partnerships within the southern Alberta community and beyond. In 2010, DE and Let’s Talk Science formed a relationship that now delivers kindergarten to Grade 12 STEM programming throughout the region. Also in 2010, DE became a part of the Actua network, a national organization devoted to unlocking the potential of youth through STEM.

As well, DE has been buoyed by relationships with the Lethbridge Public Library, which has created collaborative clubs like Mini Tech-Heads and been the downtown pick-up spot for STEM bags, thereby expanding DE’s reach to Lethbridge families, and industry supporter Pratt & Whitney Canada, with which they have received generous funding and partnered to offer Family STEM Nights.

“The support we have received from our partners has really allowed us to reach many more youth and families in southern Alberta in new and innovative ways,” adds Archibald.

Saturday’s event will showcase everything that makes DE great, including games, robots and science experiments. People will get the chance to meet their summer staff and take a look at the many summer camp offerings and you might even get an opportunity to do some Sphero Bowling. Free parking is available in Lots S or N, adjacent to Science Commons.

Visit 20 Years of DE Celebration! For more information.

Destination Exploration receives CanCode funding through Actua to expand digital programming for youth

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 20:29:06 +0000

Actua, the national organization that represents Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, has been named the largest recipient of funding from the Government of Canada’s new CanCode program.

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development espouses the benefits of STEM programs.

CanCode is a $50-million fund, announced in the federal budget 2017, that supports the development of coding and digital skills for youth across Canada.

“Coding is the next big job. Industries ranging from automotive and agri-food to the life sciences and clean technology need coders, given their increasingly digital nature. That’s why our government is equipping Canadian youth with the digital skills they need for the jobs of the future. By teaching kids to code today, we’re positioning Canada for future success across all industries and sectors,” says the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

As a network member of Actua, Destination Exploration is pleased to receive $95,000 from Actua’s CanCode funding. The funding will be directed toward scaling up Destination Exploration’s community programming to reach even more youth in Lethbridge and southern Alberta with inspiring, hands-on coding and digital skills experiences.

“Canada needs to address the upcoming skills shortage in areas related to information technology, and this is a step in the right direction,” says Faculty of Arts & Science Associate Dean and Professor of Computer Science, Dr. Jackie Rice. “I’m thrilled to see this is coming through Actua with their emphasis on STEM programming for girls and indigenous communities, as these groups are still significantly underrepresented in areas related to computing and engineering.”

Destination Exploration is one of 35 network members receiving CanCode funding through Actua and will work with colleagues across the network to develop and exchange content that will help inspire Canada’s next generation of innovators.

“We are honoured to be a recipient of CanCode funding and thrilled to provide additional support to Destination Exploration to engage more youth in building digital skills,” says Jennifer Flanagan, President and CEO of Actua. “This support means that thousands more youth in Lethbridge and southern Alberta will have the opportunity to access free, deep-impact, face-to-face learning experiences which are critical to their future success and our future Canadian workforce.”

Through the CanCode funding, Actua’s 35 network members will reach 500,000 youth and over 10,000 teachers across every province and territory.

About the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Alberta’s Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the U of L attracts approximately 8,700 undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to our campuses in Lethbridge and Calgary each year. We offer more than 150 undergraduate and 60 graduate programs in seven Faculties and schools: Arts & Science, Education, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, Management, Graduate Studies and Liberal Education. The U of L will soon be home to a new science and academic building – the Destination Project – which will advance research and learning opportunities for generations to come, and will shape the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and southern Alberta.

About Actua

Actua is Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach network representing 35 university and college-based members. Each year 250,000 young Canadians in over 500 communities nationwide are inspired through hands-on educational workshops, camps and community outreach initiatives. Actua focuses on the engagement of underrepresented youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Actua’s major funders include: Government of Canada, Google Canada, Suncor Energy Foundation, GE Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Finning, Toyota Canada Foundation and Lockheed Martin. For more information about Actua, visit actua.ca.

About CanCode

The CanCode program will invest $50 million over two years, starting in 2017-18, to support initiatives providing educational opportunities for coding and digital skills development to Canadian youth from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12). The program aims to equip youth, including traditionally underrepresented groups, with the skills and study incentives they need to be prepared for the jobs of today and the future. Canada's success in the digital economy depends on leveraging our diverse talent and providing opportunity for all to participate investing in digital skills development will help to achieve this.

Summer camps for everyone

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:22:33 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to be a hub of activity throughout the summer months thanks to a variety of summer camp options available on campus:

Life, You, Mathematics and Computer Science (LUMACS)

LUMACS exists to encourage interest in and awareness of Mathematics and Computer Science as a part of everyday life. In addition to being important in almost every field of work, they play a huge part in cool things like movie special effects, in everyday things like how we talk with our friends, and in amazing things like space exploration. Just think how exciting it would be to help design a spaceship to visit Mars, or a new iPhone, or a program to help kids in Africa learn. And it's not hard, because we use math and computer science ideas every day – we just don't realize it.

Sport & Rec

Sport & Recreation Services camps offer elementary aged children and young adults the opportunity to learn and broaden their horizons acquiring fundamental skills in a variety of activities which range from wall climbing, swimming, gymnastics, hiking to sport specific and to our ever popular multi-activity camp. Your child has an opportunity to participate in all these different activities. All of our instructors encourage and promote social interaction skills, emphasizing cooperation and individual improvement rather than competition. Participants are grouped relative to their age and physical ability levels. This ensures all youth are learning and challenged in an appropriate way.

Conservatory of Music

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music offers music instruction to musicians of all ages and levels. During the summer months, the Conservatory schedules programs that are exclusive to the summer semester. Make sure to add these to your summer plans: Rock On! – a rock camp for all musicians with 2 years experience (ages 9-18). This camp also includes a beginner guitar component; Let's Sing – a junior voice camp (for ages 6-8 or 9-12); Kindermusik Adventures – music and movement for 18m-3yrs and 3-5yrs; and our most intensive summer workshop, Southern Alberta Vocal Experience (SAVE), for ages 13-16 and 17-23. Check us out online, call us at 403-329-2304 or email at music.conservatory@uleth.ca to find the program that's right for you.

Destination Exploration

Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge provides programs to encourage interest and participation in science for children grades one through nine. We offer Learning Quest Science Camps during Reading Week and throughout July and August. We also offer programs throughout the school year including our Bunsen and Beaker and Little Elements Science Clubs. Please call us at 403-382-7161 or visit our website at uleth.ca/sciencecamps for more information.

Destination Exploration is a proud member of Actua. Actua provides training, resources and support to a national network of local organizations offering science and technology education programs. Actua members reach over 200,000 youth per year. Please visit Actua on the web at www.actua.ca.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Summer camps for everyone

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:25:35 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to be a hub of activity throughout the summer months thanks to a variety of summer camp options available on campus:

Life, You, Mathematics and Computer Science (LUMACS)

Sport & Rec

Conservatory of Music

Destination Exploration

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Actua

Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives $186,000 in funding from Actua to support youth STEM programs

Related Topics

Destination Exploration celebrating 20 years of STEM outreach activities with community open house

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Destination Exploration receives CanCode funding through Actua to expand digital programming for youth

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Summer camps for everyone

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Summer camps for everyone

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Destination Exploration at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives $186,000 in funding from Actua to support youth STEM programs