You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

– Maya Angelou

Hello my creative friends,

As we dive into the heart of summer, I invite you to embark on a thrilling journey through the magical realm of creativity. Let your imagination soar, as we unravel the importance of creativity and how it can be a powerful tool in your STEM projects.

Creativity is the spark that ignites the flame of innovation. It is the ability to see things differently, to challenge the status quo, and to create something new and valuable. Creativity is essential for STEM, as it enables you to discover new possibilities, solve complex problems, and communicate your ideas effectively.

🔑 You can boost your creativity by exploring new topics, fields or domains that interest you. By exposing yourself to different sources of information, inspiration, and insight, you can broaden your horizons and discover new connections between seemingly unrelated things (*cough* sounds like a great place to start thinking about a new STEM project *cough*).

🧑‍🎨Explore & Challenge🧑‍🎨

Creativity is like a canvas waiting to be painted with ideas and innovation. It’s the spark that ignites when you dare to dream beyond the boundaries of convention. Embrace your inner creative, and let your imagination run wild. Whether it’s sketching, writing, coding, or experimenting, allow creativity to be your guiding star on this STEM adventure.

 purpleSTEMwave

CWSF alum, Ava Fischer of Collingwood, Ontario will represent Canada at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition in Sweden from August 19-23 with her project, “exSTREAM FUNgi” in which she found that oyster and maitake mushrooms were effective in reducing pollutants like lead and phosphorus from water in a simulated stream bed. Canada has won the prestigious international competition three times since 1995, including last year when Annabelle Rayson took top honours. Canada’s previous winners were Alexandre Allard and Danny Luong in 2010 and Hayley Todesco in 2014.

Fun Stuff That’s Caught My Attention Recently

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• What Bigfoot teaches us about the public mistrust of science – and how did even credentialed scientists fall for the hoax?
• An international team of scientists have declared a tiny lake in southern Ontario as the global example of the beginning of the Anthropocene.
• Last month’s newsletter on ‘Play’ seemed to resonate well with a few of you, so here’s another fun link for you –  Science is for everyone, kids included
• How scientists decide what to study – I’ll give you a hint, the theme for this month’s newsletter might be involved.

STEM projects are the perfect canvas to showcase creativity. Whether it’s working on a STEM fair experiment, a robotics project, or a coding challenge, infuse your work with imaginative solutions. Think beyond the expected and challenge yourself to innovate. Your creativity will elevate your projects from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

As Canadian youth with a passion for STEM, we hold the power to shape the world with our creativity. Cultivate this invaluable skill, and let it be the driving force that propels you towards a future of innovation and impact. Let creativity be the brush that paints the world with solutions, colours it with wonder, and shapes it into a better place.

Before we conclude this chapter of our STEM journey, I want to hear from you! How has creativity played a role in your STEM projects? Have you encountered any exciting challenges that demanded an imaginative approach? Share your stories and insights by hitting reply.

May your summer be filled with inspiration, ingenuity, and creative superpowers!

💜 Much love!

Stuart McKelvie

Communications Manager

Youth Science Canada

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