THE STEM JOURNEY | July 2026
Your monthly connection to youth STEM in Canada
It’s hard to believe a month has already passed since CWSF 2026. Now that summer’s here, it feels like a good moment for something we don’t always make time for… reflection.
This year’s Community Impact Report highlights something worth holding onto:
Every finalist who arrived in Edmonton did so because a community believed in them.
Behind every project was a parent, teacher, mentor, volunteer, sponsor, alum, or supporter who helped a young person realize that their questions were worth pursuing.
And that sense of community will be felt long after the fair ends. In fact, 89% of finalists rated their connection to the STEM community at 4 or 5 out of 5.
Perhaps even more telling was how students’ priorities changed over the course of the week. Before the fair, 1 in 5 students ranked winning awards as their top priority. Afterward, it didn’t even crack the top three. What mattered most was having fun (91%), making new friends (87%), and gaining confidence (68%).
The competition is what brought them all to Edmonton, but it isn’t what they took home.
What people remember are the moments in between: reconnecting with old friends, conversations sparked by shared curiosity, and the countless interactions that remind us why this community matters. Those moments don’t end when the fair does… and as you’ll see, we’re just getting started.
Celebrating the Community Behind CWSF 2026
The numbers tell one part of the story. Nothing illustrates the power of this community better than hearing directly from the students whose confidence, curiosity, and growth it has helped shape.
Being at CWSF has given me a chance to meet new and exciting people and truly open up a new side of myself I never knew was there. This research and time I put into this project was all worth it in the end when I saw what CWSF truly was, a bunch of highly talented individuals showing what our generation is capable of where ever, whatever, even to finding out how to save us from something we’ve never seen. CWSF has it all. – Dryden M.
Being at CWSF has inspired me enormously, giving me the chance to learn about dozens of incredible projects ranging from zebrafish to ion thrusters to RNA elucidation. I will forever by grateful for all of the students, ambassadors, and scientists I met and bounced ideas off of, and I know I’ll be going home with many new perspectives in mind. This experience has been life-changing for me. – Nara H.
Being at CWSF has made me realize the importance of STEM and STEM fairs, as well as how far we as a species has come. Although I won’t be able to attend again, this has made me realize how much I like researching something I’m interested in. I’ve also noticed the gaps between rural-urban communities, and what opportunities they bring. I am so glad you are part of the reason us children/youth are able to compete in regional/national sci fairs, even in rural areas. I hope that as the year go on, we can close the gap and make resources available to youth all over the country, more than we already have. Keep supporting science fairs and remember it’s not about the awards or recognition, it’s about supporting Canada’s future, one fair at a time. We are Canada’s future! – Kaylee B.
Thank you to everyone who contributes their time, expertise, encouragement, and support to make experiences like CWSF possible. This community exists because of you.
Browse the full CWSF 2026 media library
What’s Happening at YSC
CWSF 2027
Next year’s Canada-Wide Science Fair will be held at the Hamilton Convention Centre and McMaster University, May 29 to June 5, 2027.
Once a STEM Fair Nerd, Always a STEM Fair Nerd
*We’re using ‘nerd’ as a term of endearment. We’re proud nerds over here!
Your STEM fair journey may have ended, but your connection to the YSC community doesn’t have to. Whether you participated in a regional fair, competed at CWSF, or represented Canada internationally, you remain part of a remarkable network of alumni whose curiosity continues to shape communities across Canada and beyond.
We’re building new ways for alumni to stay connected: share your story, reconnect with old teammates, mentor the next generation, or volunteer.
What’s Happening This Month
Upcoming Opportunities
- Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme (Deadline: July 31): Full funding for undergraduate studies at the University of Oxford for exceptional young innovators, including a paid summer internship. Learn more at eit.org
- MILSET STEAM Photo Contest (Deadline: September 1): Submit up to three photos demonstrating a STEM phenomenon. Winning entries are showcased in the MILSET SPC Virtual Gallery and considered for JOSE publication. Learn more at milset.org/spc
See all opportunities for more details
Worth Your Time
- Summer is a reminder that growth doesn’t only happen in busy seasons. No Walls Required: How Franklin College’s 2026 Grads Followed Their Curiosity Everywhere looks at how this year’s Franklin College grads followed their curiosity everywhere, from ocean science and philosophy to art history and computer science. A reminder that curiosity doesn’t belong to a single discipline.
This Month’s Thought
The end of the fair season marks the beginning of something equally important: reflection.
Questions don’t disappear when we step away from them. Given time, they settle, evolve, and return with perspectives we might not have seen mid-season.
So if you’re wondering whether you should already be moving on, remember that reflection is part of the process too. The questions will still be there, often more interesting after some time away.
Have a great summer. Rest, recharge, and stay curious.
— Paris
P.S. This is my last day as YSC’s Comms Specialist; my two months as a Canada Summer Jobs student wrap up today. Thank you for being part of a community I’ve loved getting to know over the past two months. I’ll leave you with the question Stuart usually asks: what moment from this year’s STEM fair season has stayed with you? Hit reply and let us know.