Page 4040 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 September 2017
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Activities on the day included building model solar cars with the help of the ANU Sol Invictus solar car team, learning about biodiversity and food webs from representatives from Mulligans Flat, counting macro-invertebrates with ACT Waterwatch, seeing how bushfires spread and are extinguished with the ACT Rural Fire Service, and much more.
The SciScouts project aims to reach an entirely new audience not traditionally reached by science engagement programs, and young people who, by their nature, are eager to investigate and learn new things. This is the third year of the project. Previous events have included an astronomy night at Mount Stromlo Observatory in 2015 and a chemistry day at the ANU Research School of Chemistry in 2016. This year’s theme of “Environment” was specifically requested by last year’s participants. Based on the enthusiasm on the day, it is safe to say that the goal of giving young people a chance to inquire and learn about science in a hands-on way was overwhelmingly achieved.
On 10 September, I had the pleasure of joining the Girl Guides at their presentation day. The day is a celebration of Guides who have achieved their junior BP award, BP award or Queen’s Guide award. Recipients of the awards are presented with their award, and their achievements are formally acknowledged. To achieve these awards, Guides set themselves a challenge to be carried out to the best of their ability. The challenge might be something they have never done before; something they learn to do in a better way; something they really do not like doing; or something that requires a particular standard to be met.
This year 26 Guides received awards. It was great to hear from the Guides about all the varied things they had challenged themselves to do. Qian Vizjak, who received her junior BP award, participated in relay for life and realised she could walk 50 kilometres and raise more than $700 for a good cause. Qian also learned to ride a unicycle, saw seals on Kangaroo Island for the first time, and collected books to donate to the doctors surgery to replace their old, shabby ones.
Amelie Allen, who received the BP award, organised and ran a World Centres night for her unit. Amelie also took part in orienteering and found that she really liked it. She now orienteers each weekend with her grandpa. Amelie noted that until you try something you will not know if you like it, and recommended that we all try new things.
Nicole Georgopoulos received the Queen’s Guide award with an outdoor focus. She earned the camping trefoil 3 for indoor camping by running a camp at Jindabyne; then she further challenged herself to complete the trefoil 3 for outdoor camping by facilitating a camp at Bowning.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of Girl Guides in the ACT. As part of the birthday celebrations, Girl Guides ACT have organised a series of activities. One of these activities has, today, brought Girl Guides to the Legislative Assembly to meet members and discuss all the work that Girl Guides groups are doing locally, nationally and internationally. I, along with many of my colleagues, had the pleasure
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