On January 30th Praxis will be hosting our 20th annual Operation Minerva for invited grade nine girls in South East Alberta. This conference provides grade 9 girls with the opportunity to job shadow women in our part of the province that work in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical (STEM) fields during the morning and participate in workshops in the afternoon.
Each school (and in most cases the grade 9 Mathematics and Science teachers) in Medicine Hat and surrounding area has received a copy of the invitation and application letter. It requests that they nominate participants from their school. Most schools are limited to 2 particpants; larger schools up to 8. Available spots are assigned on a first come first served basis. After January 8 unclaimed reserved spots will be offered to girls on our waiting list and then to schools who already have filled their allocation of registered participants but may wish to send more participants to our conference.
If you are a grade 9 girl and are interested participating in this Conference please speak to your Principal, or your Mathematics or Science teacher, or follow this Operation Minerva link for more information and to access the application form.
Please contact us if you are a women working in South East Alberta in a STEM related field and are interested in having a grade 9 girl job shadow you. If you are a business in our end of the province and wish to donate momentos and other advertising items to our participanting girls, please contact us.
Katie van der Sloot and Rachel Brown December 12 issue of Maclean's
 Way to go Rachel and Katie! Excellent promotion that increases the publics awareness of the dangers of triclosan; demonstrates the exceptional quality of people and projects in our Kiwanis Regional Science Fair; shows first hand the positive aspects of our common goal of benefits of studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (the STEM subjects); showcases the city of Medicine Hat and the young people in it in a positive light and reinforces why our up-and-coming Operation Minerva (the involvement of young women in the STEM subjects) is a very good thing. Click here or download the accompanying picture to read the full size article.
MHC Praxis Workshop
 Thanks to the invite of Ms Sharon Allan, 33 MHC Education Students participated in a mini-workshop explaining Praxis and our services. The student were able to see first hand the motivation technique of cognitive dissonance (discrepant events) and the contents of some of our education kits prior to their professional round of teaching in SE Alberta schools.
Scientist & Engineer in the Classroom
We have had some excellent guest speakers talk to students about a variety of subjects.
Contact us if you'd like us to find a speak for your class or to volunteer to talk to students on Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (the STEM curriculum areas).
Family Science Olympics
 October 15, 2011 - Our 18th Annual Family Science Olympics was a huge success. This event was hosted by Praxis in the
Richard E. Taylor Science Wing of MHHS (5th Street entrance). Families (at least one participant older than 18) competed in ten Science events. Each event's participating family qualified for a draw prize. Families completing all ten events qualified for the major draw prize, a 22" computer monitor/tv. The Education Emporium on North Railways Street provide some of the prizes and the National Science & Technology Museum provided some free posters, t-shirts and light bulb stress toys that were handed out to volunteers and participants.
A thank you goes out to all the teachers who helped make our October Family Science Olympics the big success that it was. Informal surveys of the kids who participated indicated that APEGGA’s newspaper dome was the most popular event and in second place was a tie between the SEAWA water shed and the “Shakin’ and Quakin’” seismograph. You might have seen the over half page spread the Medicine Hat News ran with 5 full colour pictures on the Monday after the event. Click here to see the text of their article: http://www.medicinehatnews.com/local-news/the-family-business-hat-native-teaches-fun-and-fact-at-the-science-olympics-10172011.html
A huge thank you also goes out to both APEGGA and SEAWA for becoming our partners in this event. Additional thank-you must extend to our guest scientist Shalon McFarlane, the Praxis Board members who either attended or volunteered (or did both), the Medicine Hat College Students (and to the instructors and Karla at EUS who found the them) and the MHHS students(and to their teachers who found the them) who volunteered their time and effort.
Pictures and videos of the event will eventually be posted on our website.
September 24, 2001 Southridge Astronomy Club Sky Party
 Praxis was most pleased to attend the successful Astronomy Star Party (click link for poster) at the Astronomy Club's Sunridge Observatory just East of Medicine Hat on the Number 3 Highway.
August 15, 2011 - New Staff
Praxis is please to announce the hiring of Mr. Lorne A. Cooper as the Regional Executive Director and Miss Linda Davidchuk as the Assistant Regional Executive Director. Both Mr. Cooper and Miss Davidchuk have long and successful careers in teaching in the Medicine Hat School District #76 system at Alexandra Middle School. They look forward to meeting and working with students and their teachers and other significant adults in the life of a child.
June 23, 2011 - Southern Alberta Summer Games
The Southern Alberta Summer Games are coming to Medicine Hat on July 6-9. There will be lots of athletes and volunteers coming to the Hat to celebrate sport and active living. Praxis is proud to be a part of the Games this year. We will be sponsoring the chess event taking place on Friday July 8 at the Esplanade starting at 10 am.
Praxis will have a hands-on science display at the Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre for the majority of the Games. So while you are participating or viewing the games, come stretch out your brain with Praxis.
For more information about the games, check their website.
June 6, 2011 - Successful Spectrum
The sun made a welcome appearance at Medicine Hat's annual Spectrum Sunshine Festival this past weekend. As usual Praxis was there to entertain children (and adults) with some fun and free science activities. This year we had a forensic theme and children and adults were commissioned to help gather evidence to solve the crime. Please take a moment to view more photos of the event.
Powder Identification #1
Powder Identification #2
If you are hosting a community event and would like Praxis to join you or you need some fun science activities for a summer camp, call Praxis at 403-527-5365.
May 26, 2011 - Praxis AGM
This is a notice to the members of Praxis that the Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday June 8, 2011 at 7pm in room 704 in Medicine Hat High School. All members are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Praxis at 403-527-5365
May 19, 2011 - Cinema Politica and Praxis Present: Vanishing of the Bees
Vanishing of the Bees is a current documentary that focuses on the recent and drastic decline in the honeybee population in North America and the implications this has on both the commercial farmers and the everyday person. This film drives home the importance of this humble insect. One out of every three bites of food on your plate is there because of a honeybee. Join Cinema Politica and Praxis for the screening of the film Vanishing of the Bees. Special guests for the evening include Ron Linowski, a local entomologist, who will be leading discussion about Colony Collapse Disorder as well as the importance of the honeybee to agriculture. www.vanishingbees.com
Monday May 30, 2011
Medicine Hat Public Library Theater
7:00 pm - Free Admission
Vanishing of the Bees - Trailer from Bee The Change on Vimeo.
May 2, 2011 - Flash! Bang! Boom!
Join Praxis, ASLA and the Medicine Hat College in a celebration of the International Year of Chemistry. Dr. Lucio Gelmini will be at the Medicine Hat College Theatre Monday May 9 at 7pm to demonstration the amazing world of chemistry. For more information, please click here.
May 2, 2011 - Medicine Hat College Summer Camps
Registration is now open for the 2011 MHC summer camps. For more information please visit the summer camps page.
March 18, 2011 - **Kiwanis Regional Science Fair Update
New registration deadline. Please ensure your registration for the 2011 Science Fair is complete by 12noon on Sunday March 20, 2011. After this time you will no longer be able to register for the science fair. If you are having problems registering please email karly.burr@praxismh.ca and we will assist you with your registration.
March 15, 2011 - Jay Ingram in Medicine Hat!
Join the Medicine Hat College for a great night of research presentations as well as a lecture by Jay Ingram, host of Daily Planet on Discovery Channel. March 30, 2011 Ingram will be at the College to present his lecture on The Prion Diaries - Fatal degenerative diseases in humans and animals. The event is free to the public and starts at 4:30 pm with the student presentations and runs until after 8:00 pm. Please come early to reserve a seat. For more information click here.
March 2, 2011 - Praxis is on Facebook
Look for the Praxis: Science and Technology Hotline page on Facebook and become a fan. Receive updates on upcoming events and interesting science information. A new and exciting way to stay connected to your science outreach centre.
Check here often for news updates |
This Month's Calendar
Jan. 5 Astronomy Club Meeting at the Observatory
Jan. 6 Christmas Day (Julian Calendar - the 12th day of Christmas, Dec. 25 to Jan. 6)
Jan. 9 Many students return to class from their Christmas break
Jan. 9 Science Fair Committee Meeting - MHC
Jan. 11 Sir John A. MacDonald Day (he was born on this day in 1815)
Jan. 18 Praxis Society Board Meeting - MHC
Jan. 30 Operation Minerva Conference for Grade 9 girls hosted at MHHS Dr. Richard E. Taylor Science Wing
Kiwanis South East Alberta Regional Science Fair web page is now open for registrations for the 2012 Science Fair.
 
AWSN 2012 Calendar
... helping Science Teachers in S.E. Alberta for 20 years
c/o 200 7th Street S.W.
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 4K1
Ph: 403-527-5365 Fax: 403-528-6570
praxis@praxismh.ca www.praxismh.ca
Facebook: PraxisMedHat Twitter: @PraxisMedHat
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