Experiencing Genetics in the Yukon
On May 7th to the 10th, four Let’s Talk Science Outreach volunteers from the University of British Columbia travelled to the Yukon to visit three communities and talk genetics with high school and elementary students. Martin Kang was among these volunteers and has shared his story with us:
In early May, four of us headed to the Yukon as part of Genome BC’s Geneskool Program. Our goal was to fulfill Genome BC’s mandate of promoting public outreach and educational leadership in the field of genetics to students and teachers in the communities of Whitehorse, Haines Junction, and Teslin.
I had met the three other Let’s Talk Science volunteers just days before we flew out. For all of us, it was a chance to talk about genetics to elementary and high-school students, while also visiting the territory north of our province for the first time. We comprised a diverse group from UBC. Emily recently completed her undergraduate degree and was waiting to hear if she was accepted into medical school, Catalin had just defended his MSc thesis in Botany, Katherine was starting the PhD program in neuroscience, and I was in the middle of revisions to my PhD thesis in Medical Genetics.
We all flew into Whitehorse on Sunday, a day before we were scheduled to visit the schools. The views from the plane were mountains, trees, and large sheets of ice as far as we could see. For the next few days we would be living in a hotel in downtown Whitehorse, and making trips to all three high schools in the city as well as one elementary school.
Monday morning, Emily and Catalin visited grade 9 and 11 students at FH Collins Secondary School with Mini CSI Mysteries. Meanwhile, Katherine and I were at Porter Creek Secondary to talk with Grade 11 and 12 Biology students with activities that included: DNA extraction from Kiwi fruit; Lost in Translation (mutations); DNA code bracelets; Alien babies (genotype-phenotype); and everyone’s favorite lesson - Edible DNA. Whether they were in Grade 2 or 12, making edible DNA out of licorice and marshmallows was a big hit with all the students, especially as they could eat their candy alpha helix at the end.
The following day, Emily and Catalin visited Grade 11 and 12 Biology students at Vanier Catholic Secondary, while Katherine and I were at FH Collins Secondary in the morning followed by Elijah Smith Elementary in the afternoon. The local CBC radio station came in to interview us and the students, as well as to record the sounds of the students carrying out the different activities. The students were sad to see us go and asked Katherine and me to stay longer. Unfortunately, we were all out of supplies and had to leave. That evening we had our final dinner as a group. Emily and Katherine would stay behind in Whitehorse to visit the students at Elijah Smith before heading to Teslin, while Catalin and I were heading west to the community of Haines Junction which borders the majestic Kluane National Park. With all this wilderness, there also comes wildlife. Driving to Haines Junction we spotted either a Grizzly or Brown Bear at the side of the road!
The next day we had a full schedule so we prepared the lessons that evening and went to bed early. St Elias Community School services the entire community of Haines Junction encompassing Kindergarten to Grade 12 students. On the Wednesday, we had five separate classes that ranged from Grade 2/3 students to a small class of four grade 12 Biology students. There was a minor alarm that morning when a Grizzly Bear was spotted near the school. The students were still allowed outside for recess and lunch but they were kept under close supervision. Thankfully, this is not a common problem we have to deal with in Vancouver!
As always one of the biggest hits was the Edible DNA activity. Even though it was a long day, the appreciation the students and teachers demonstrated for the activities and for the visit by Let’s Talk Science Outreach was humbling. We drove back to Whitehorse after our final class at St Elias and flew back into Vancouver the following day. Emily and Katherine stayed for one extra day in the Yukon as they visited the community of Teslin on Thursday before flying back into Vancouver on Friday.
Looking back I think I can speak for all four of us in saying that this was a memorable experience because of all the great students and teachers we met in the Yukon.
