A group of five standout students from the Quinte region is set to represent their community on the national stage, having qualified for the highly competitive 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair.
Charlotte Guan, Miranda Pellow, Eli Poyner, Surya Narayan Santhakumar, and Alicia Zhang secured their invitations following impressive performances at the Quinte Regional Science & Technology Fair.
The national competition, organized by Youth Science Canada and hailed as the country’s largest youth STEM gathering, will take place from May 23 to May 30. Primary venue will be the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
Nearly 400 student finalists from across Canada are expected to participate, presenting original projects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They will compete for a prize pool valued at roughly $2 million in scholarships, awards, and grants.
“Team Quinte has been working hard preparing for this event,” said Scott Berry, one of the delegates accompanying the group. The students will spend the week immersed in a rigorous schedule at the University of Alberta and the Expo Centre, which includes formal project judging, exclusive networking opportunities with industry and academic leaders, hands-on lab experiences, and a variety of STEM-related enrichment activities.
A key feature of the fair is public engagement. Public viewing of the student projects will commence on May 24. Following that, the STEM Expo on May 28 and 29 will expand the experience, featuring interactive exhibits from more than 50 universities, corporations, research organizations, and government agencies alongside the student displays. Youth Science Canada reports that last year’s hybrid event drew over 8,000 in-person visitors and more than 10,000 online participants through virtual programming, underscoring its significant reach and impact.
The culmination of the week will be the awards ceremony, scheduled for May 28 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. There, top projects will be recognized, and major scholarships will be awarded.
For the Quinte students, this journey marks a important moment in their young scientific careers, offering not only the chance to win substantial prizes but also to connect with a national network of innovators and gain exposure to cutting-edge STEM fields.
Their success at the QRSTF and subsequent advancement to the CWSF highlights the strength of local science education and the exceptional talent developing within the region.
