For Students

 

Important Dates

 

January 29: Registration Opens
March 4: Registration Closes
March 11: Project Submission Deadline
March 12: ProjectBoard Project Freeze (you will no longer be able to edit your project)
March 16: Virtual Interviews
April 6: In-Person Interviews, Fair, and Awards Ceremony

Steps

 

Step 1: Register

Registration for the West Kootenay Science and Technology Fair opens January 29 and closes March 4. *Registration is capped at 50.*

Register here!

  • Participant Information
    - Full Name
    - E-mail
    - Age & Grade
    - School Name
    - City/Town of Residence
    - Region

    Parent/Guardian Information
    - Full Name
    - E-mail
    - Phone

    Teacher Information
    - Full Name
    - E-mail

    Project Information
    - Project Title
    - Are you doing a project with a partner? If yes, your partner's name
    - What category best describes your project? (Biotechnology / Earth & Environmental Sciences / Engineering & Computational Sciences / Health Sciences / Life Sciences / Physical & Mathematical Sciences)
    - What type of Project are you conducting? (Experiment / Innovation / Study)
    - Please provide a brief description of your project (200 words or less)

    Other Information
    - Ethics information (see Step 2)
    - Confirmation of access to a computer/internet

  • Register here for the 2024 West Kootenay Science & Technology Fair.

Step 2: Obtain Ethics & Safety Approval

Projects involving humans, animals and hazards have ethics requirements. For example:

  • You may be required to fill out and submit ethics-related forms before you start your project to obtain ethics approval.

  • You may be required to use ethics-related forms during your project (e.g., to obtain informed consent from any people involved).

  • You may be required to fill out and submit ethics-related forms after your project is finished, but before the science fair.

You can download ethics forms below. All ethics-related inquiries and ethics forms and requests can be sent to westkootenay@sciencefairs.ca. You must submit your forms as soon as possible; it takes time to review and consider your project.

  • Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with right and wrong and the development of guidelines that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Scientists who carry out research projects involving humans, animals and hazards spend a lot of time thinking not only about the scientific content of their work, but also about the potential impact on the health, privacy, and dignity of the subjects participating in their studies.

    All projects must meet the Youth Science Canada ethics policies, which also apply to projects at the national Canada-Wide Science Fair. We encourage students and teachers to become familiar with these guidelines – not only to avoid disqualification and disappointment, but also to understand the basic principles of research ethics.

  • Youth Science Canada has developed ethics policies that apply to science fair projects completed by all elementary and high school students in Canada. You must follow these guidelines in order to qualify for participation in the West Kootenay Regional Science Fair and the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

    Complete guidelines regarding the use of humans and animals in student research projects can be found on the Youth Science Canada website. To help you determine whether these guidelines apply to your project and which forms you need to fill out, please review YSC’s policies. To avoid any surprise, review the guidelines before you start working on your project and before you prepare your display for the fair!

    Using animals in your project? Review the guidelines from the Canadian Council on Animal Care.

  • You can download the West Kootenay Science Fair Request for Ethics Approval here or in the Resources & Forms section below.

    All ethics-related inquiries and ethics forms and requests can be sent to westkootenay@sciencefairs.ca. You must submit your forms early. The deadline for ethics approval is end of January each year, but it takes time to review and consider your project.

    A full list of the Youth Science Canada ethics forms can be found here.

Step 3: Submit Your Project

You will have until March 11 to complete it and submit it to the fair. After March 12, you will no longer be able to edit your project, as we will be preparing it for judging.

Step 4: Present Your Project

Interviews will take place in two-rounds: virtually on Saturday, March 16 and at the in-person fair on Saturday, April 6 in Nelson, BC at Selkirk College’s Mary Hall on Tenth Street. The in-person fair will include science activities, public viewing of projects, and an awards celebration. There will be activities on site for youth and adults to participate in.

It is the student's responsibility to provide visual aids during the interview process, whether you are standing in front of your backboard, or sharing a presentation on the screen for the judges to see. Your judges may or may not be familiar with the materials you submitted during the Project Submission process.

Step 5: Celebrate!

Now is the time to celebrate what you have accomplished. We will come together in-person on April 6 at Mary Hall in Selkirk College on Tenth Street (Nelson) to announce our 2024 West Kootenay Regional Science and Technology Fair award winners and Canada-Wide Science Fair finalists.

Safety Regulations: Prohibited items and hazardous materials
You are not allowed to have any biohazardous, combustible, ingestible, or sharp materials in your possession at the fair.

Canada-Wide Science Fair

This year, the Canada-Wide Science Fair is a hybrid event and requires both an electronic project (on ProjectBoard) and a physical board. If you want to be eligible for entry to the Canada-Wide Science Fair, you will need both of these components.

Resources & Forms

FAQs

 

What does it mean that this will be a “hybrid” fair? 

Part of our fair will be held online and part of our fair will be held physically in Nelson, BC at Selkirk College Tenth Street Campus.
The online part of the fair will be the judge interviews on March 16. The physical part will be the project showcase, celebration and awards ceremony on April 6. 

If I face financial challenges in completing a STEM project, is there any available support?

You bet! Check out the STEM Project Grant available through the Science Fair Foundation BC. Youth can receive between $50 - $200 towards their STEM project including resources, registration fees, travel fees, and more!

Do I need to make a physical board to display my project? 

All participants must create their projects on ProjectBoard to allow for online judging. Participants who want to be eligible for the Canada-Wide Science Fair must also have a physical display board for their projects. For all other participants, having a physical display board is optional but encouraged for the public showcase. 

What happens if I get selected to go to the Canada-Wide Science Fair? 

Congratulations! You have impressed the judges and now you are advancing to Canada’s national STEM competition taking place in Ottawa, ON, from May 26-31. We will get in touch with you directly after the West Kootenay Science & Technology Fair to get you ready for the next stage of your journey. 

Do I have to be at the fair on April 6 to receive awards? 

Yes, you must be present at the fair and Awards Show on April 6 in order to receive any awards. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for students who live in rural/remote areas of the Kootenays and are unable to travel to the fair. Please contact us at westkootenay@sciencefairs.ca to request an exemption. 

 

I am traveling from out-of-town to be at the fair. Where can I stay? 

We have partnered with a few hotels in Nelson for this year’s fair visitors. You can view our document for hotel discounts, information and details.