'A whole world opens up' for kids at Science Rendezvous in St. John's

Seven-year-old Seth White says he likes to learn — and he was excited about attending a Memorial University event engaging kids in science.

"It teaches you stuff that you probably didn't know," he explained.

Seth watched a 3D printing demonstration, learned about computer programming and, at an exhibit run by the Manuels River Interpretation Centre, made a pledge not to pollute the ocean.

"'Cause there's animals living there," he explained.

Seth was one of hundreds of kids at Science Rendezvous, a free annual event at Memorial University in St John's on Saturday, one of more than 300 held across the country. The event included public demonstrations, like a chemistry magic show.

Lisa Breen, chair of Science Rendezvous at Memorial University, said the event is meant to get kids engaged in science from a young age.

"As kids get introduced to science, it's generally a topic that they learn in school and it's confined largely to a book or to watching something," she said.

"Science is really the kind of topic that you really need to get your hands on, you need to see it for yourself, you need to try it for yourself."

Breen said Science Rendezvous celebrates STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math. This year, the event focuses on the intersection between science and art.

"Arts is really important to include because art is very intimately integrated with science," Breen said.

The Manuels River Interpretation Centre exhibit, one of more than a dozen at the event, included a collection of trilobites found near Manuels River, and a game meant to demonstrate the difficulty of pollution cleanup.

"It's important to teach kids about pollution because, really, they're the ones that are gonna be helping us in this fight against climate change," said Emma Power, who works with the centre.

Nine-year-old Harriet Offia said she saw a lot at the event.

"Plants, of course. We've seen real laminated brains," she said.