What we've been up to this month

LTS at the University of Guelph has already run 28 activities since the start of the semester! Here are just a couple highlights of what our wonderful volunteers have been up to so far.

Monday, September 30th
Liz took 4 brand new volunteers to an after-school group in Guelph to show them the ropes and wow the kids with some Chemistry Magic Show fun!

Thursday, October 17th
4 fabulous volunteers visited a tiny rural school in Dublin, Ontario to run events in all 5 of the school's classrooms. Our volunteers took two special guests along with them for the day to help teach the kids about habitats, animal life cycles and animal adaptations.

Meet our visiting axolotls, Fred and George!

Let's Talk SPOOKY Science is officially Famous!

I'm thrilled to announce that our 
Let's Talk SPOOKY Science 
booth at the Elora FrightFest is officially famous! 
(well, "famous" in Wellington County at least)

Check out:

http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/comments/index.cfm?articleID=18908

It also caught the attention of head office, who posted a story on the national LTS site:
http://www.letstalkscience.ca/news-and-events/news/1595-let%92s-talk-spooky-science-at-the-elora-frightfest.html

Saturday am: 5 volunteers from Waterloo and I entertained the kiddies.

Saturday night: Katie B, Derek T and Tanya M amped up the spooktacular-ness of our booth with glow in the dark and UV glowing slime!

Sunday: Keith P, Heather G, Shuang L and I mesmerized the masses with mysterious self-inflating (frozen) ghost balloons and hands on, super gross alien snot they could take home!

Way to go! We couldn't have done it without the help of these fabulous volunteers! Thanks everyone! Based on the success of this first run, I'm pretty sure we'll be making it an annual event!

Let's Talk SPOOKY Science

Let's Talk Science at the University of Guelph ran a booth all weekend at the Elora Fright Fest! 

U of Guelph volunteers were joined by some LTS volunteers from U of Waterloo to offer some special spooky Halloween-themed science demos for kids! Including:

• making coloured or glow-in-the-dark alien snot
• examining the density of 'eye balls'
• creating spooky self-inflating ghost balloons using liquid nitrogen or vinegar & baking soda
• monster toothpaste!
• lots of other fun activities

LTS at U of Guelph volunteers Keith, Heather, Ann (coordinator) and Shuang on Sunday!

LTS at U of Guelph volunteers Katie, Derek and Tanya on Saturday afternoon!

LTS at Waterloo volunteers Grace, Serena and Selina helping at our Let's Talk Science booth on Saturday morning. Photo compliments of Mike Robinson from the Wellington Advertiser: https://twitter.com/WellyAdvertiser/media

Featured Volunteer: Sana Khan!

Sana Khan is one of our most dedicated volunteers, and this month, we are featuring her in both our educator newsletter and on our blog site!

Sana routinely brings an enthusiasm and passion to LTS activities that impresses both kids and educators (and us!) alike! She is always looking for ways to help us plan and deliver new programs and activities and is always willing to lend a hand with our special events -- even if that means driving through a torrential rain storm from Mississauga to Fergus to help run an all-day LTS booth at the Fergus Fall Fair! Sana was the 2013 LTS at Guelph All Science Challenge Quizmaster, delivering questions to our keen ASC participants.

Last year, we nominated Sana and another volunteer, Justine, for the Let's Talk Science CIHR-Synapse Award, which recognizes an outstanding, innovative, health research-related activity done by a Let's Talk Science Outreach volunteer or pair of volunteers. Sana & Justine's Non-smoking Awareness activity for the Guelph Public Library was selected as one of the top three finalists, and ultimately as first-runner up by the National selection committee.

Q. What are you studying and what have you studied in the past?

A.  I completed my undergraduate degree at McMaster University in Bio-Physiology. I am currently in the 2nd (and last) year of the Masters of Public Health program at University of Guelph.

Q. What has been your favourite part of volunteering (or what is the best activity that you've done so far)?

A. Throughout my volunteer work with Let's Talk Science, I have met a lot of enthusiastic and curious kids. I love watching kids light-up and be fascinated by the activities we conduct. And there is no greater joy than watching these children thoroughly enjoy the activities you have prepared and being told the kids are already look forward to your next visit! I have really enjoyed conducting the Chemistry Magic Show as most of the chemistry tricks completely surprise the kids and they are left with a passion to learn more about science.

Q. Why did you become a Let's Talk Science volunteer?

A. I absolutely love working with kids in any capacity and I am extremely passionate about Science. So when I heard about the opportunity to get involved with Let's Talk Science, I couldn't imagine a better fit for myself. I have been a volunteer with Let's Talk Science for more than a year now, and I have genuinely enjoyed every aspect of being a part of this group.  

Q. What are your goals for the future?

A. I have recently applied to Medical School and am interesting in the field of General Surgery.

Good luck Sana! We're rooting for you!!!

Let's Talk Science likes to party!

LTS at Guelph made a VERY special visit on the weekend to a VERY special boy for his VERY special 8th birthday party!

When he grows up, he wants to be a Chemist so our wonderful LTS at Guelph volunteers helped make him a Chemist-for-a-Day and do some fun and exciting Chemistry Magic Show activities with his friends!

Happy Birthday Peter from LTS at the University of Guelph!

Here comes Halloween! Let's Talk Science at the University of Guelph will be at the Elora Frightfest

We'll have Halloween themed demos and hands-on activities for kids, so come on out for some spooky science!