May 2024: News and Inspiration from Newfoundland and Labrador
Be inspired by “Inspiration Makers!” and upcoming events, highlights & programming for Newfoundland and Labrador in May!
Inspiration Makers!
This year Brilliant Labs is looking for teachers and students who inspire others to be their best and who are taking chances to innovate education through hands-on STEAM learning. As students work on their projects for the Innovation Fair 2024, we’re pleased to share these Newfoundland and Labrador ‘Inspiration Makers’ and their projects!
Exploits Valley Intermediate school, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
The Grade 8 art students at Exploits Valley Intermediate are creating quillows from recycled materials that have been donated by the community. The students along with their teacher, Ms. Simmons, have taken on the circular making challenge to create these quillows and once finished they will be donating them to the homeless in their communities. The students have seen that there is a high number of homeless in the community and wanted to find a way to help but keep materials out of the landfills.
These creators will be using the Cricut machine to place images or words of affirmation, others will be using embroidery to put personal touches on the quilt. This project is one of two projects from NL that attended the Atlantic Canadian Innovation Fair in Miramichi NB in April 2024.
A Hackathon in Exploits Valley Intermediate School, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
In partnership with CNA/MICA Group, and Calibre, Brilliant Labs brought a hackathon to Exploits Valley Intermediate in Grand Falls-Windsor. CNA and Calibre explained to the students what a typical day at a mine site may look like and situations the employees may encounter. With the changing workplace and many different diagnosis becoming popular, the students were given the scenario of a diagnosis that a person may have while working on a mine site (Valentine Lake Project in particular), these were diagnosis were one such as hearing impairment, parkinson’s disease, limb amputation, ADHD, and social anxiety. Once the students examined the symptoms of the diagnosis they chose, they came up with a scenario in which the person may require adjustment in their workplace.
The students then created a solution and a prototype for this situation. Different solutions that were created were things such as a robot that could deliver a meal to a person who has social anxiety and does not want to enter a busy cafeteria. This would require the person to place their order with the kitchen staff, the kitchen staff would then enter the location of the employee and place the tray on the robot and the robot would proceed to bring the meal to the employee. Another solution was for an employee with Parkinson’s disease, the student created a weighted glove that the employee could wear to help with tremors and to steady the head while working, as well as an attachment for a steering wheel to help them grip better.
This is a partnership we will continue to have and bring to other schools in our area to increase student awareness of not only the current mining careers but also the future for everyone regardless of their disability.
Special thank you to the Department of Education and the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology for supporting NL Teachers & Students through Brilliant Labs hands-on STEAM learning activities/experiences.
Want to nominate a teacher or student working with Brilliant Labs in Newfoundland and Labrador? Send your nomination to us!
