Three of the seven Kiama High School Students who attended the National Youth Science Forum in January had success with their applications to go to London for the International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF).

“This is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity for three of our Year 12 students – Alexa Farland, Nina Teague and Ella Johansson – to attend such a highly esteemed event at the Imperial College London and The Royal Geographical Society,” says Ruth Power, science teacher at Kiama High School.

Alexa, Nina and Ella will join over 500 students from 70 different countries for 15 days from late July.

The Forum will include lecture demonstrations from leading scientists, keynote lectures from Nobel Prize winners, and scientific visits to world class laboratories and science universities, combined with cultural interaction.

Alexa wants to be a psychiatrist, and Nina and Ella are both interested in engineering.

The trip will cost around $5-6000 per student so the girls have started a Go Fund Me to help raise money for their journey to the UK.

“We’re lucky that Kiama is so supportive of youth in the community so we’re hoping to reach out to individuals or organisations and businesses to help us reach this goal of attending the Forum,” says Nina.

“We’d be so grateful, and we’re not expecting anything, but we’d really appreciate it to help us reach our goals,” says Alexa.

The girls along with four other Kiama High students got a sneak peek at what is in store when they attended the National Youth Science Forum earlier this year. Their attendance was partially funded by The Rotary Clubs of Kiama and Gerringong, Kiama High’s P&C and the Kiama Leagues Club.

Ms Power with students who participated in the National Youth Science Forum

“The National Youth Science Forum is a highly prestigious national event,” says Mrs Power.

“It was all virtual this year but the students attended a 12 day program with a focus on digital science, technology, engineering and mathematics experiences with other like minded students from across Australia.”

Alexa, Nina and Ella say they are very grateful for these opportunities and give extra thanks to their science teachers Ruth Power and Hayden McKay for the push.

“Not everyone gets these opportunities and because we’re in a public school system it’s harder for us to be exposed to such prestigious opportunities. But with teachers like Mrs Power and Mr Mckay, it’s great and it’s made it possible,” says Alexa.

There is precedent for Kiama High producing outstanding science students, with Professor David Balding, who sat his HSC there in 1978, being inducted into the Australian Academy of Science in 2019.

To help fund the girls’ trip to the LIYSF, donate here: https://gofund.me/2eb94e36