There are some projects which, despite their apparent simplicity, set themselves apart by the influence they exert on the people they seek to reach. This is true of Scientitruc, a popular scientific journal aimed at making the sciences and engineering more accessible to youngsters between the ages of 9 and 15. Launched by student members of the École Polytechnique’s Folie Technique organization, the annual publication features scientific articles, experiments and games that seek to arouse the curiosity of its young readers and help them increase their knowledge of different subjects. Distributed free of charge to young elementary and high school students via the Internet, Scientitruc is also a training medium for the project’s student promoters who, in their determination to pass on their knowledge and passion, have also been able to develop their communication skills. And its popularity, on both sides, is undeniable. The 1,000 copies of the first edition quickly found takers and one teacher has even shown a keen interest in having subsequent editions after his students literally snatched up the first publication. Without a doubt, Scientitruc meets a genuine need and is a source of inspiration for Québec’s future scientists.
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For some youngsters, especially those suffering from learning disabilities, the transition from the sixth grade of elementary school to the first year of high school can be a crucial step in their learning path. At this significant turning point, some can no longer see the benefits of education. This is where the special agents of the Base d’opération en récupération et intégration scolaire (B.O.R.I.S) project step in. Set up in 1998 by students in primary school education at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the project is taken up year after year by new volunteers who are committed to offering youngsters activities that give meaning to their academic studies. In the form of a day camp, B.O.R.I.S receives up to 20 youngsters every summer during two three-week sessions with 10 participants each. During the camp, the two people in charge rapidly determine the specific difficulties of each youngster and direct their efforts towards solving the problems. To date, the rate of satisfaction for both the youngsters and their parents is extremely high and all agree that the project has had a highly positive impact on the attitude of the students.
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By converting a shopping centre for one weekend into a space in which student researchers could meet with the general public and thus make knowledge more accessible, a group of students enrolled in the graduate studies programme (ÆLIÉS) at the Université Laval accomplished a veritable tour de force. Lab-oratoire public 2004 — La mosaïque des connaissances was both a contest and promotional event and a unique opportunity for 20 students to exhibit the results of their research to an inquisitive and attentive public. In total, over 2,000 people listened to the various speakers explain their work and came to appreciate the contribution of university research to their everyday lives and, above all, its diversity and relevance. A true learning environment for all, this exceptional forum also enabled the participants’ studies to obtain greater visibility. This was the case, for example, for Guillaume Ruel whose research on the effects of drinking cranberry juice caught the attention of the local and national media. The student organizers agree that, in the long-term, Lab-oratoire public could even have a positive impact on the number of enrolments in all graduate studies programmes.
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