Multiple science fair wins help earn P.E.I. student $20K scholarship
CBC
Neleah Lavoie's science fair career in school saw her examining a range of topics, from making biodegradable plastic to stopping cancer growth, and now it has landed her a major scholarship from 4-H Canada.
Lavoie is a three-time winner at the 4-H Canada Science Fair. Her accomplishments won her one of four Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction scholarships from 4-H.
Lavoie says she had a lot to thank 4-H for even before winning the scholarship.
"4-H provided me with a huge platform that has allowed me to reach out to so many individuals, and I then had the resources to do different research, as well as the people to compete against and to be able to travel the country to compete in different science fairs," she said.
"It's been a really amazing opportunity."
Lavoie attended her first national science fair when she was in Grade 8, with a project that explored extracting substances from lobster shells that could be used to create biodegradable plastic.
In Grade 11, she experimented with broccoli, kale, radish, and mung bean sprouts, examining their antiangiogenic properties — that is, their ability to inhibit the growth of blood vessels. Antiangiogenic substances can be used to treat cancer, by cutting off blood supply to tumours.
Math is not Berry Genge's strongest subject, but she credits her desire to solve problems and her interest in how things work for making her want to study engineering. The fourth-year UPEI student was one of 10 chosen in Canada this spring to become 3M National Student Fellows. The honour, administered by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), recognizes students who demonstrate leadership qualities both on and off campus.