On Saturday, March 21, 2026, Anglophone North School District welcomed students, families, educators, and community partners to James M. Hill High School in Miramichi for its annual STEM Fest to celebrate student learning, curiosity, and innovation.
The event brought together over 80 learners from across the district to showcase their scientific investigations and design projects, highlighting the strength of inquiry-based learning in ASD-N classrooms. Throughout the day, students demonstrated their ability to ask questions, investigate real-world problems, and communicate their findings. The day also included public viewing, interactive STEM partner sessions, and a closing science show and awards ceremony. Community partners and organizations were on-site, providing hands-on experiences and highlighting STEM opportunities available to students.
Gold medals were awarded to:
Gr 3-5
- Charlotte Wheaton – Paint Science (Jacquet River)
- Morgan Daley – Can You Tell the Difference? (Jacquet River).
Gr 6
- Ariana LeGresley and Emma MacKinley – The Nose Knows or Does It? (Nelson Rural School)
- Charlee-Rae Hughes – Nourritive et sentiments (Dr. Losier Middle School)
- River Pictou and Carter Johnson – Sturdy Bridges (Dalhousie Regional High School).
Gr 7-12
- Renee Martin – Rendre l’invisible visible (Nelson Rural School)
- Ingrid Watling – The Most ‘Eggcelent’ Toothpaste of All (Superior Middle School)
- Alexa Chamberlain – Chill Out (Superior Middle School)
All projects demonstrated strong observational skills and thoughtful experimentation and students’ ability to design investigations and apply scientific understanding to real-world contexts.
Three outstanding Gr 7-12 projects that also received gold medals, were selected to represent the district at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton, AB May 23-30 2026:
- Jonah Flanagan – DIY VR Headset (Jacquet River School)
- Jude Murphy – Mycelium Might (Nelson Rural School)
- Trent Collins – Stitching for Strength (Superior Middle School)
These projects demonstrated exceptional innovation, depth of inquiry, and real-world application.
A huge thanks goes out to our session facilitators: Brilliant Labs, The Gaia Project, Let’s Talk Science, Science East and the ASD-N ICE Center (Aviation). Our day also wouldn’t have been possible without our community sponsors and judges: APEGNB, Sunny Corner Enterprises, MREAC, EECD, City of Miramichi, Miramichi Salmon Association, Retired ASD-N Educators, NBCC and Centres of Excellence.
STEM Fest continues to reflect the district’s commitment to developing scientifically literate learners who can investigate, make sense of, and communicate their understanding of the world around them. Through events like this, students are empowered to see themselves as scientists, engineers, and problem-solvers who are ready to contribute to their communities and future careers. Thank you to all the teachers and parents/guardians who supported students in this endeavor and to our ASD-N Science Team for hosting STEM Fest 2026.
