Deninu School students win bronze at Canada-Wide Science Fair

FORT RESOLUTION, NT – Deninu School students Laney Beaulieu, Grade 10, and Isaac Simon, Grade 10, were in Montreal, Quebec over May 15-20 to participate – and go on to place – at the annual Canada-Wide Science Fair held at McGill University.

Beaulieu and Simon had already won first place in the South Slave Regional Science Fair with their project "On the Pathway to Healing: Risk Factors of Severe Alcoholism in Fort Resolution, NWT” before winning bronze in Montreal in the intermediate division. The students also received $1000 entrance scholarships to Western University after placing in the national competition.

Their project looked at a variety of risk factors of severe alcoholism in Fort Resolution, and found that ages 18-31 were significantly associated, while factors such as childhood economic insecurity and parental alcoholism were close to being strongly associated.

“We were inspired to do this project because we wanted to effect positive change in our community. In the future we plan to expand this study to continue to fight alcohol addiction in our community and perhaps other similar communities as well,” said Beaulieu.

Principal Kate Powell added, “Laney and Isaac worked for months to produce an extremely high quality project. We are so proud that their hard work and dedication has paid off, and that they had the opportunity to represent Fort Resolution at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.”

While in Montreal, Beaulieu and Simon also had a chance to taste the local cuisine including Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, visit local attractions such as the Notre Dame Basilica and also had the opportunity to meet fellow young scientists from across the country. They would like to thank the community of Fort Resolution for their participation and support.