Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
February 20, 2009
Youth across Canada will embark on
a journey of discovery in 2009. They will put their young minds
to work designing and constructing roller coasters. They will
harness the power of the wind by making turbines, and discover
the power of the sun by making and racing solar powered cars!
Some will even extract DNA from strawberries or make and test
their own toothpaste. Others might dabble in a little
bio-medical engineering and construct a robotic hand, nimble
enough to pick up a candy bar!
This year the Monsanto Fund will play an important role in
helping all this happen through its infusion of $75,000 in
support for Actua, a Canadian national charity with a mission to
inspire youth through hands-on science, engineering and
technology programming. Support is directed specifically for
programming reaching underrepresented youth audiences, namely
Aboriginal youth, girls, underprivileged youth and at-risk
youth.
"Our goal is to build confidence and interest among youth in the
areas of science and technology. By engaging youth in
experiences that demonstrate how science is exciting and fun,
they start to see the potential role that science can play in
their future," says Jennifer Flanagan, Actua President and CEO.
"We are very pleased to have the support of the Monsanto Fund in
2009."
Research demonstrates the importance of early engagement in
science and technology activities - before attitudes about these
fields have developed. Most youth do not have the opportunity to
interact with scientists and engineers and therefore are unaware
of the diverse opportunities available in these fields. By
engaging underrepresented audiences, at a critical early age
before career decisions are made, Actua helps ensure that all
youth become life-long learners while contributing to the
development of a diverse talent source from which to draw for
future work in science, engineering and technology.
"Helping young people explore science is one of the key focus
areas of our corporate giving program. As a science-based
agricultural company working to bring new technologies and
solutions to farmers throughout the world, it is important to
Monsanto to expose youth to all the possibilities that exist in
science and how it impacts every aspect of our daily lives,"
said Trish Jordan, public affairs director with Monsanto Canada
based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Actua is Canada's leading science, engineering and technology
youth outreach network. Over 2.9 million young Canadians have
been inspired through their participation in Actua's positive,
hands-on educational workshops, camps and community outreach
initiatives. Each year, Actua's growing network of member
organizations reach over 225,000 young Canadians in over 450
communities nationwide. For more information about Actua visit
www.actua.ca.
Established in 1964, the Monsanto Fund (www.monsantofund.org)
is Monsanto Company's philanthropic arm. It aims to bridge the
gap between people's needs and their available resources.
Monsanto is an agricultural company and a leading global
provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products
that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto
remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale
farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of
our world's natural resources such as water and energy. You can
learn more about Monsanto's business and commitments at
www.monsanto.ca. |
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