Camp hopes to spark aboriginal interest
Minds in Motion branches out to reserve

Minds in Motion Science and Engineering camp has taken their show on the road, to a new audience this time.

In an effort to create greater aboriginal student exposure to the opportunities that science and engineering can offer, Minds in Motion recently set up camp on the Tsuu T’ina Reserve.

The camp was open to all children on the reserve, and the kids took a definite interest. Stan Rivers, a Grade 5 teacher at the Nation Junior/Senior High School and liaison for the camp, says the students have been clamouring to attend. Rivers has dedicated much of his own time and effort to the camp helping drive participants to and from the camp for the week.

“We’ve had 20 to 25 students every day,” Rivers said. “We easily could have had 50 kids here if we had a larger bus.”

While Minds in Motion makes trips to various communities every summer, this is the first year the camp has been to the Tsuu T’ina Reserve.

“The camp is a great tool to provide awareness of science and engineering. Most importantly, it allows participants to learn and have fun,” says Jennifer Hay, Schulich School of Engineering recruitment and retention manager.

“An aboriginal reserve was an area that we had not visited before, so we saw an opportunity to raise awareness of science and engineering through our summer camp. In general, aboriginal students are underrepresented in engineering programs.

The Schulich School of Engineering has a great interest in seeing these numbers grow.”

The camp’s week-long excursion to the reserve was funded by a $5,000 community grant provided by the Calgary Foundation.

The Calgary Foundation is a community foundation that works together with donors, charitable organizations and the broad community to provide charitable support to the greater Calgary area. (www.thecalgaryfoundation.org)

Minds in Motion is a non-profit and student–supported organization co-hosted by the Faculties of Engineering and Science since 1999.