Exploration Place will be hosting a pilot program aimed at "merging classrooms with communities" in the name of encouraging development of young peoples' skills for futures in knowledge-based fields.
The museum will be working as the "northern hub" in partnership with Science World B.C. and U.S.-based STEM Learning Ecosystems to deliver the program, dubbed Symbiosis.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Art and design will also be part of the program.
"It's intended for networking all of the other people that are doing educational work in the areas of STEM," Exploration Place executive director Tracy Calogheros said.
"Exploration Place and Science World are becoming anchor institutions for the province and we're going to start to bring together a network of people at CNC, at the school district, at the university and we will start to have coordinated efforts in a variety of areas.
"So, for example, if they want to target engineering and we're offering a program at the post-secondary level and we want to make sure kids are registering for it down the road, then perhaps we can create a structured process by which we can inspire kids at a very young age to start looking at that stream."
The program is in its infancy, Calogheros said, but the support from STEM Learning Ecosystems will provide a strong launching point.
"The advantage is there is an established network already," Calogheros said. "They've already gotten some trial and error under their belt and so we can avoid any of the pitfalls that they've run into and really start at the head of the game."
Science World chief executive officer Dr. Scott Sampson will be in Prince George on July 9 and 10 to help launch the program here. Those interested can contact Calogheros at [email protected].
