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“Classroom activity is a way that I think we can engage a lot of students before they make that decision in what they want to do,” Michell says. “It’s a great way to show kids what STEM is, what STEM activities are, and to show that they can do them.”

“I liked how the Let’s Talk Science volunteers created hands-on science activities that were relevant to what we were learning about in the Outdoor Education class."

For Vicol, the Challenge wasn’t just somewhere to study science but also a chance to put it into practice. “During the engineering challenge, we had to create a mechanism that could pick up a marshmallow off the ground using popsicle sticks and tape,” recalls Vicol. “It seemed so easy at first, but once we started, it was quite difficult!”

My success is because of passionate, committed leaders and colleagues who want to impact equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility worldwide. Their vision, leadership, and values align with mine, and the work becomes a collaboration between experts who use their gifts.

“Education is the great equalizer, and the power and pursuit of it is beyond just knowledge, wealth or a credential,” says Longtin. “People don’t realize how much it can transform an individual, how it transforms communities, families, and society.”

Over her nearly 25 years at Let’s Talk Science, Casimir has held many positions ranging across several departments, from Volunteer engagement to Human Resources to Alumni and Community Partnerships. She has seen it all.

“We have an opportunity to introduce more young people to the wonders of science,” says Bonnie Schmidt, founder of Let's Talk Science. “We must evolve how we teach STEM to make it more inclusive, accessible, and relevant to young people."

“When you’re delivering workshops to kids, you have to be quick on your feet and be creative... These skills were definitely helpful for entering the workforce during Covid.

“Throughout my time at Let’s Talk Science, I got to go to different communities and had some authority to plan projects in the north,” he says. “I enjoyed getting to build something. The program allowed me to share my voice and build something from the ground up.”

“I remember getting to high school and being really nervous because I loved science, and I was thinking: ‘Oh my gosh. I need to do super well.’ And then I realized that half of the content in high school I had already covered in the Let’s Talk Science Challenge.”

Joelle has strong feelings about inclusion in STEM, a philosophy that was sparked by a high school physics teacher who empowered his female students to consider futures in science. Volunteering with Let’s Talk Science was a natural progression and Joelle joined the University of Toronto’s Scarborough site in 2003.

Joseph wasn’t a typical Let’s Talk Science Outreach site volunteer and coordinator when he joined the team at the University of Calgary in 2008. For one, he was working full time in a non-STEM career in communications and fundraising. And while he may not have seemed like a natural fit at first glance, according to Joseph, the fundamental characteristic required to find joy in science outreach is simple. 

Volunteering for Let’s Talk Science gave Abdi the oppurtunity to get out of the classroom and enabled her to bring her passion for science to youth across Ottawa. “Hands down, my favourite part of volunteering is working with the kids,” says Abdi. “They are so much smarter than you could ever imagine, and I've never had a negative experience. I always have kids coming up to me during visits, telling me how much fun they are having and asking when we are coming back. It’s amazing.”

Kevin Little remembers the start-up mentality that fuelled the early development of McGill’s Let’s Talk Science Outreach site in the late nineties, “It was fun. We just had to roll up our sleeves and go and make things happen.”