A Celebration of Academic Excellence, Social Responsibility and Community!
Curiosity takes flight at our recent STEM For A Better World Fair! Students delved into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, empowered to leverage their new STEM expertise to create a better world.
Linden's budding scientists chose issues of personal interest, using the scientific method to navigate the intricate pathways of hypothesis, experimentation, and analysis, unveiling insights and discoveries that ignited their imaginations. From innovative hand-made prosthetics to path-breaking environmental studies conducted in our nearby ravine, each project is a testament to the boundless potential of young minds engaged.
A confident Grade 5 student proudly showcased the prosthetic hand she constructed and detailed her research findings. An apprehensive classmate visibly eased as she presented her project to a community member she wasn't familiar with, her confidence soaring. A kindergarten student radiated joy as a middle schooler patiently explained their project in terms understandable to their younger friend.
Continuously, community members marvelled at the projects' complexity, their relevance to worldwide issues, and Linden students' articulate, passionate presentations.
Students, staff, families, alumni and community members came together at Thursday’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) for a Better World Fair (S4BW) to celebrate academic excellence, curiosity, innovation, social responsibility, community and generosity of spirit.
The students' projects showcased weeks of extensive preparation, leveraging their STEM expertise to tackle local and global issues. Many opted to explore the relationship between health and factors like economic standing and ethnicity. Niamh scrutinized the connection between household income and lead pollution in the water system. Tabitha investigated the interplay between water chlorination, pH levels in drinking water across Ontario's urban areas, and the proportion of non-white residents in the population.
Biodiversity was Grade 6’s theme, and many high school students explored the biodiversity of Linden’s nearby ravine system. Students investigated the impacts of natural and human disturbances on its trees, plants, fungi and wildlife.
In addition to Linden families, members of the class of 2023 returned to act as “Willing Listeners” for the younger students. Ali Grant, now studying mechatronics engineering at the University of Waterloo, enjoyed seeing the Grade 4-5 students’ prosthetics models and learning about their investigations, as well as Grade 6 students biodiversity experiments.
According to “Willing Listener” Siobhan, a senior bioresource management student, “Students were deeply engaged with their topics. They were brimming with ideas for future exploration.”
“Linden does an amazing job teaching the scientific method,” she continued. “Students of all ages were very disciplined in their approach.” Many listeners remarked on the ease with which our Grade 1 students used their scientific vocabulary as they described their studies of the brain and how we learn. Their experiments measure how external factors such as light, sound, and meditation affect their learning ability.
Innovation took center stage long before the S4BW Fair kicked off. Senior students Emma and Paige spearheaded the development of an app for our volunteer "Willing Listeners," streamlining feedback submission through electronic means and even integrating an electronic map for easy location tracking of their matched students! This marked a significant departure from the previous paper-based system.
"Being part of the S4BW Fair for the first time truly underscores the spirit of creativity and dedication that defines our school community," remarked Zahra Valani, the newly appointed principal.
