#highschoolscience

WHAT IS IT?

The Society for Candian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) is a society with the vision to “create an environment where women and girls in Canada can pursue their interest, education, and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) without barriers.” They aim to provide activities, mentorship, and leadership that encourages women and girls to accomplish their dreams, to create inclusion, connection to professional networks, and more!

DO I NEED TO BE A GIRL/FEMALE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH OUTREACH?

SCWIST is inclusive to other gender identities as well! SCWIST says:

Please note that we use the terms women and girls with a broad meaning that includes people who identify themselves as women, girls, trans, gender queer, non-binary, two-spirit, and gender questioning.

CAN I BENEFIT AS AN INDIGENOUS FEMALE STUDENT?

Yes! Along with all the other outreach programs listed below this section, there are two opportunities aimed specifically towards the indigenous community.

Become a Marine Biologist in Training! If you are an indigenous youth aged 10-14, learn what it’s like to be a Marine Biologist virtually on a 5-day online after school camp. The participants will be able to... “learn about he scientific method, the cool critters that live in our oceans, and the exciting work that marine scientists do.“ Additionally, you’ll be able to be exposed to role models—professionals in marine STEAM fields! If you would like to learn more, visit the following link: https://seasmartschool.com/mbit-scwist

Indigenous Youth Skills Award: (See below for more information about all awards and scholarships offered by the SCWIST!) SCWIST also offers an award to the Indigenous community known as the Indigenous Youth Skills Award. If you are a student from this community, and are exploring STEM fields through a project or by starting a science/math club at school, you may be a candidate for this award!

If you would like to participate, visit the award’s page: https://scwist.ca/programs/ms-infinity/youth-skills-development-scholarships/. You will need to attach a brief biography and description of your proposal to the given addresses. Good luck!

HOW CAN I BENEFIT OR TAKE PART AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN ONTARIO?

The SCWIST offers many youth support for canadian female students, which we will show you below. There are two categories for the outreach aimed at students such as yourself: outreach programs, and youth skills development scholarships. SCWIST scholarships are offered to students in higher education and will not be covered in this article.

WHAT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT DOES SCWIST OFFER?

The SCWIST team has launched the ms infinity (math and science = infinite options) programs to introduce girls to “a wide range of exciting career options and positive female role models in STEM”! The programs that they offer are:

eMentoring program: If you would like to be in touch with a professional woman in a STEM career who is closely matched to your own interests for career advice, mentorship, and guidance? This program is for you.

According to SCWIST,

“You’ll connect over email or Skype over a six-week period, and your mentor will be available to you for around an hour per week. You’ll discover the rewards of careers in STEM and get helpful advice from a professional on different career paths, finances, work life balance, and more.”

($500 Grant) Quantum Leap Conferences: these conferences are aimed to “inspire students to consider STEM careers—including the exciting, uncommon careers.” You can experience fun workshops, motivating keynote speeches from women working in STEM careers, etc. If you would like to host a STEM-focused conference at your school available in-person and online, apply or contact an ms. infinity coordinator.

APPLY NOW ➡️ https://scwist.ca/forms/quantum-leaps-application/

You can also contact an ms. infinity coordinator. Please visit their page for contact information!

Interactive Workshops: Aimed to high school students in all grades! These workshops show you how real hands-on science is done. 

According to SCWIST, 

“your presenters could include a neuroscientist, a stem cell researcher, a software developer, a mechanical engineer, or a physicist!”

APPLY NOW ➡️ Ask your teacher, school, or leader to contact an ms. infinity coordinator to create a workshop that’s right for your group! Please visit their page for contact information.

Northern BC Youth Engagement Program: “We want to reach you, wherever you are!” In this program, SCWIST is reaching out to girls in rural communities and northern areas of British Columbia. Currently, they are learning more about how they can help, inspire, and support women and girls in these communities. 

If this applies to you, you might be interested in contacting the ms infinity team coordinator. Please visit their page for contact information!

WHAT ARE THE YOUTH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS?

SCWIST offers youth scholarships in two cycles, each covering a 6-month period of programming. To find the specific dates, please visit their page!

The awards offered by SCWIST are the following (to learn each award in detail, please visit their page!

($1000) Youth Leadership Award: Open to female students in grades 10-12. Win an award by designing STEM project that requires approximately 60 hours (or two weeks) worth of work. This project is aimed to promote careers in STEM! Think of innovative ways to get people thinking about careers in stem, such as youtube videos, card games, and more!

APPLY NOW ➡️ https://scwist.ca/forms/youth-leadership-award-application-form/

($500) Youth Skills Development Scholarship: Open to girls and young women, ages 16-21. The requirement for this project is that you must have participated in SCWIST’S Quantum Leaps Conferences or eMentoring. It is awarded to and must cover the costs of professional development, attending Science Fair, or participating in STEM-related camps or courses.

APPLY NOW ➡️ https://scwist.ca/forms/youth-skills-development-scholarship/

($100) SCWIST Science Fair Award: Open to female students in grades 8-10 who are participating in their region’s science fair. This cash award is given to a winner at each of the 14 district Science Fairs for a project demonstrating curiosity, ingenuity, and innovation.

Learn more about your region’s science fair ➡️ https://www.sciencefairs.ca/science-fairs/

HOW DOES THE OLYMPIAD WORK?

The competition is split into two parts or rounds:

Round 1/Part A: A portfolio, showcasing your laboratory skills in biology.

Round 2/Part B: The University of Toronto National Biology Competition, to test your theoretical skills.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COMPETITION?

According to the official website, competitors of the CBO must:

Be residents of Canada and Canadian Citizens or Landed Immigrants.

Be a part of a regular high school in Canada. First year CÉGEP students are eligible to participate.

Not have graduated high school and be enrolled in university before a set time. This changes from year to year. For 2020, this was July 1st 2020. Competitors must also be under the age of 20 by this time.

Not have already participated in the International Biology Olympiad. Competitors can only participate once.

Cannot train for more than one week or do their biology portfolio (Round 1/Part A of the competition) at an Olympiad school/specialized school/study group of less than 50 students.

Cannot participate in another International Olympiad in the same year.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN ROUND 1? ROUND 2?

For specific instructions on how to complete each round, visit the official website. At the following page... https://www.canadianbiologyolympiad.ca/competition.html, if you click on the link indicating that the portfolio is available (at the time it is made available), it will direct you to specific instructions and directions.

Here are excerpts from the 2020 CBO document and University of Toronto National Biology Competition:

Round 1:

The skills portfolio is designed to select candidates best suited to compete at the International Biology Olympiad. The IBO is more than just a knowledge competition; competitors must possess lab skills and the ability to work under pressure. By creating this portfolio students are expected to demonstrate exemplary laboratory skills, design and analysis, and the ability to complete tasks within set parameters.

There are different categories that focus on different skills for biology and other activities as stated in the excerpt.

Round 2:

The exam is 75 minutes in length and must begin between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. ET. [Location:] at participating schools. The National Biology Competition Office will send the exam materials one week prior to the exam date. [There are] 50 multiple-choice questions; prepared and reviewed by faculty members in the departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto. (Competition materials are available only in English.) Each of the multiple-choice questions will have five answer choices, for which only one choice is the best answer.

HOW IS THE REGISTRATION PROCESS?

In order to participate in the CBO competition, schools (any students that are interested in the same school) must be registered with the CBO as well as the University of Toronto National Biology Competition.

Make sure you register before the listed deadline.

Registration for the CBO.

Registration for the University of Toronto National Biology Competition.

ARE THERE ANY COSTS?

There is a cost for registration for both parts of the competition, $50 registration for the CBO and $7 for the University of Toronto National Biology Competition.

If you are successful in the first two rounds, you can be eligible for the National Skills Training Camp and the IBO. The cost is $4,500.

The managers of the Olympiad are aware that this is a high price and hope to refund a portion of the cost if grants become available.

NATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING CAMP:

According to the Canadian Biology Olympiad, here is a short description about the training camp:

A unique residential camp experience for students to work alongside professionals examining various biology fields and developing laboratory skills through intensive hands-on activities.  The week is spent with like-minded students completing biology labs, attending lectures and seminars enriching your biological experiences.  Each day will include knowledge based material, labs to complete, and research opportunities to explore. This camp runs parallel to Team Canada’s preparation for the International Biology Olympiad. Camp is open to students from Grades 9-12.

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE CANADIAN BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD?

Here are some other resources from the official websites as well as other sources to help you prepare for the path of your choice!

The syllabus and rules for the IBO can be found at http://www.ibo-info.org/rules-syllabus

University of Toronto National Biology Competition Exam Content page.

Past exams for the UofT National Biology Competition.

ptable.com for an online periodic table.

Textbook: The recommended textbook for the 2020 Biology Olympiad is: “Biology, 9th Edition” by Neil Campbell and Jane Reece

Bioloympiad’s list of resources for studying for the Biology Olympiad.

Bioloympiad’s blog! Start from the tab “Where to Start”

Content resources for the USA Biology Olympiad.

AoPS’s list of resources for Biology Olympiads.

The Study of Life wiki and list of resources to expand your learning, directed to Biology Olympiad participants!

The British Biology Olympiad’s website.

We hope we were able to help you find a STEM leadership opportunity that’s right for you! The OYS Council wishes you luck ⭐.

WHAT IS THE CCC?

According to the official page for the CCC: 

The Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) [is a contest that] fosters an appreciation of chemistry as a career for talented young people and promotes national excellence in chemistry at the high school/CÉGEP level. Over 600 students write this exam annually, in conjunction with the CCO exam. The CCC is aimed at the top 10% of Canadian high school and CÉGEP students under 20 years of age taking chemistry. The CCO is aimed at the top 5% of these students.

The activities for the CCC include preparing for and writing the exam.

WHAT IS THE CCO?

As mentioned in the previous section, the CCO is aimed at the top 5% of the students participating in the CCC. According to the official page for the CCO: 

The Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (CCO) is an annual event that aims to promote interest in chemistry amongst high school students. Participation in the Canadian National Olympiad Finals or an International Olympiad is a tremendous experience and a unique opportunity to travel and meet fellow students from around the world who have similar interests.

The activities for the CCO include:

Training program: Submitting answers to a problem set every month up until the competition, with a practice exam. This is required in order to be considered for the Canadian National Olympiad Finals.

Preparation: Preparing for and studying advanced topics on your own time.

CCC: Writing the Canadian Chemistry Competition (CCC). This is the Part A exam.

Note: Depends on student participating. Participating in Part B of the Olympiad, which includes laboratory skills. Students participating in the Ontario Chemistry Olympiad (OCO) or the Canadian National Olympiad Finals must have these skills.

Writing the Part C exam.

If the student is considered, participation in the Canadian National Olympiad Finals, and the following activities which are detailed further.

HOW DO I KNOW WHICH PATH IS RIGHT FOR ME?

As the CCC is written in conjunction with the CCO, you will be writing the exam regardless of which path you choose.

The participation requirements include the following for a competitor:

Age under 20 in July for the year the exam is written. This is an eligibility requirement for the selection of students to the Canadian National Olympiad Finals.

Have spent at least two years in a Canadian school (e.g. grade 11 or CÉGEP).

Cannot have taken any chemistry courses for credit at the university level.

If you would like to only participate in a written contest, the CCC might be a good option for you. Additionally, if you would like less competitive pressure and would not like to complete the requirements to enter the canadian team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (link for the 52nd IChO’s website available here), this contest will appeal to you the most.

If you are a high school student who has a deep interest in chemistry, and would like to participate in more than one event, participate in and compete with like-minded individuals in an international olympiad, and so on, you might be interested in taking the CCO path.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE PATH OF MY CHOICE?

Registration is required on the official website of the CCC. Additionally, if you are participating in the CCO and would like to be considered for the Canadian National Olympiad Finals, you will need to register for the online preparation program.

Please note! You must register through your high school teacher in order to participate. If you know any other students who might be interested in participating in this event as well, you should ask if they would like to register with you as multiple students participating can be listed during this registration.

WHEN DOES THE CONTEST/OLYMPIAD TAKE PLACE? WHAT ARE IMPORTANT DATES THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER?

The date might be subject to change, as it did in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensure that you are always checking the official webpage for the path of your choice to check up on important news and dates!

WHERE DOES THE CONTEST/OLYMPIAD TAKE PLACE?

The location of the contest might also be subject to change. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exam was taken online. Ensure that you are always checking the official webpage for the path of your choice to check up on important news and dates!

WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED?

There are no costs involved in taking the CCC or the CCO.

According to the official webpage for the CCO:

The Canadian Chemistry Olympiad Organization endeavours to minimize costs to students. From year to year, the amount the CCO organization receives in sponsorship and funding impacts student participation costs. Students selected for the national team may be expected to contribute up to $2000 to the cost of attending the international competition, although we expect the amount to be lower. The team is selected by merit. For students unable to pay, the CCO will do its utmost to secure additional funding to cover transport and accomodation costs for students participating in the national and international competitions.

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE CONTEST?

If you are taking the CCO, completing the monthly problem sets will help guide your preparation. They are available on the website, and if you only participating in the CCC, you might find these problem sets beneficial to you as well.

Here are some other resources from the official websites as well as other sources to help you prepare for the path of your choice!

Top 10 preparation techniques for the Chemistry Olympiad

Knowledge of the provincial and territorial Canadian Grade 12 curricula.

Resources page on the official CCO website.

The UK Chemistry olympiad Support Booklet.

List of past papers and provisional curriculum for the CCC.

The UK Chemistry Olympiad past papers.

A Guide to Everything Chemistry Olympiad from a Former Camper. Talks about the US National Chemistry Olympiad, but includes a lot of helpful information and resources!

Chemistry Olympiad Exams from the American Chemical Society.

AoPS resource page for the Chemistry Olympiad.  

ISO resources page

Principles of Chemical Science from MIT Open Courseware.

Chemistry 1 and 2 from UCIrvine open courseware.

ChemLibreTexts for support on problems that are tricky or for learning.

The Organic Chemistry Tutor on Youtube.  

ptable.com for an online periodic table

Resources from OmegaLearn

Chemistry resources from Balliol College

Chemistry Olympiad preparation - Textbooks by subject

TIP for topic: Choose a subject that you struggle with the most, for example, organic chemistry, or physical chemistry. The problem sets can help you with this.

FREE: OpenStax Chemistry Textbooks.

Textbook: Atkin’s Physical Chemistry

Textbook: Organic Chemistry (Author 1)

Textbook: Organic Chemistry (Authors 2)

We hope we were able to help you find a STEM leadership opportunity that’s right for you! The OYS Council wishes you luck ⭐.