100 high school students in grades 9-12 from SCDSB participated alongside 100 students from the Rainbow District School Board in a first-of-its-kind STEM event hosted by NOYSE (Northern Ontario Youth in Science and Engineering) at Laurentian University. Seeking to connect youth in grades 9-12 with possibilities in STEM that stoke passion, “Hear NOYSE Stoke Fest 2019” provided students with an opportunity to develop a greater awareness of unconventional careers in STEM.

Dean Osman Abou-Rabia of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture and Mayor Brian Bigger greeted the students and encouraged them to further explore unique careers borne from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The day began in the Fraser Auditorium with a keynote by world-renowned Canadian free skier and product developer Eric Hjorleifson (better known as “HOJI”) who talked about how his passion for skiing led him to a career related to the applied sciences. Led by Laurentian University student ambassadors, student teams moved into hands-on experiential breakout sessions (called “stokes”) led by STEM professionals working in the Greater Sudbury community. Stoke sessions were delivered by various community partners such as Vale, NORCAT, Living with Lakes, Heath Science North, Greater City of Sudbury, as well as Laurentian University and Cambrian College faculty.

“NOYSE is meant to help youth take a peek through the STEM lens. We hope this enriches future career and life experiences and that it helps position our students for wherever technology and the future of work take us,” said Amanda Barry, Secondary Curriculum Consultant at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and founding Board Member of NOYSE.
Students from Sudbury Catholic District School Board can anticipate many more opportunities to participate in events aimed at both career exploration and experiential learning in the coming school year through the unique programing and community partnerships that have been developed at each of Sudbury Catholic’s secondary schools.