Ontario Science Centre expands Weston Youth Innovation Award with renewed support from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
First-place cash prize increases to $15,000
TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Science Centre announced new funding to the Weston Youth Innovation Award to help further encourage youth to pursue science, technology and innovation. The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has committed $180,000 over three years to recognize and support young Canadian inventors through increased prize amounts and an expanded prize structure.
Starting in 2019, the Weston Youth Innovation Award includes new award levels, for a total of five cash prizes:
- First-place prize – $15,000 (up from $2,000)
- Second-place prize – $8,500
- Three finalists – $3,500
"This exciting new commitment from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation will help recognize and support youth in making a positive impact in the world through science and technology," said Maurice Bitran, PhD, CEO and Chief Science Officer, Ontario Science Centre. "Today's youth will be faced with incredibly complex challenges, and science, technology and innovation are integral to solving them. Youth innovation is a strategic pillar of the Ontario Science Centre, dedicated to supporting an ecosystem that builds future leaders."
The Ontario Science Centre accepts award submissions beginning January 1, 2019. In addition to the increased cash prize, the first-place recipient receives a Science Centre membership that also provides free admission to more than 300 science centres and museums worldwide. In addition, a video animation featuring the recipient is broadcast online and in the Weston Family Innovation Centre at the Science Centre.
"Education and innovation are key elements of our mandate," said Eliza Mitchell, Director, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. "We are excited to continue working with the Ontario Science Centre to make the Weston Youth Innovation Award more dynamic and far-reaching, and to celebrate remarkable young Canadian inventors."
The Weston Youth Innovation Award recognizes and supports young Canadians who apply science and technology creatively with the goal of making a positive difference locally or even globally. Youth ages 14 to 18 are invited to put their names forward, and teachers and community leaders are asked to encourage potential candidates to apply. An external jury will select the winners who will be announced on the Science Centre website in June 2019. Detailed information about the Weston Youth Innovation Award and past winners can be found at OntarioScienceCentre.ca/InnovationAward.
About the Weston Youth Innovation Award:
The Weston Youth Innovation Award was established in 2008 to encourage and recognize young Canadian innovators. It was named in recognition of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation's $15 million lead gift to the Ontario Science Centre's Agents of Change initiative. This national award builds on the Foundation's longstanding tradition of support for the education of Canadian youth.
About the Ontario Science Centre
Guided by our mission to inspire passion for the human adventure of discovery, the Ontario Science Centre strives to be a global leader in lifelong learning; a vital link in Ontario's education and innovation ecosystems; and a convener of public dialogue about technology, science and society. The Centre has welcomed more than 52 million visitors since opening as a Centennial project in 1969, pioneering an interactive approach now adopted by science centres around the world. An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Centre relies on funding from the province, as well as donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations who share the Centre's vision to contribute to a more curious, creative and resilient world. Learn more at OntarioScienceCentre.ca.
About The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
For three generations, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has pursued its mission to enhance and enrich the lives of Canadians. With a focus on medical research, the environment, and education, the Foundation aims to catalyze inquiry and innovation to bring about long-term change. As the Foundation marks its 60th anniversary, it continues to collaborate with a broad range of Canadian charities to further world-class research, explore new ideas, and create tangible benefits for the communities in which it works.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: Facebook.com/OntarioScienceCentre
Twitter: @OntScienceCtr
Instagram: @OntarioScienceCentre
YouTube: YouTube.com/user/OntarioScienceCentre
Hashtag: #ontariosciencecentre
SOURCE Ontario Science Centre
Media Contact: Anna Relyea, Director, Strategic Communications, 416-696-3273 | c: 416-668-1967, [email protected]
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