ILA’s 2024 Black STEM Literacy Week 
ILA’s Science Literacy Week celebration for this year is themed: Space – and will comprise two parts.

Part 1: Mission to Mars Hands-on Space Activity for Grades 4-9 learners!

Two Fun space-themed activity kits will be provided to all registrants in preparation for the workshop so that students may follow along with ILA Mentors who will deliver the activities in person. This event is scheduled for Friday, October 25th, 2024, 5:00 pm-6:30 pm ADT at the ILA Makerspace (1360 Barrington Street, Sexton Campus).

Part 2:  ILA will hold an in-person STEM Quiz Tournament event tilted Nebula Knowledge Knockout on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm ADT, at the Irving Oil Auditorium (5257 Morris Street, Halifax).

Imhotep’s Legacy Academy has held an annual STEM Quiz Tournament since 2018. The STEM Quiz Tournament provides African Nova Scotian junior high and high school students with an opportunity to compete in a test-of-knowledge contest on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects, including biodiversity, inventions and innovations, and achievements of scientists and cultural icons throughout Africa and the diaspora.

The STEM Quiz Competition will be open to students from Grades 6 – 12 of African heritage who register for the event. Students may register as a team of 4 players or individually.

Each team must have all high school students OR all Junior high school students.

    • Junior team- grades 6-9(as of fall 2024)
    • Senior team- grades 9-12(as of fall 2024)

Individual registrants without a team will be assigned to a team by ILA, and teams will be assigned a Coach if necessary.

ILA will use the Kahoot! platform to deliver the Space-related questions (e.g., straight answer, multiple-choice, true or false, fill-in-the-blank). Student participants will log in to Kahoot! to answer questions posed by the Quiz master or mistress.

The registration deadline is September 12th, 2024 at 11:59 pmUse this link to REGISTER!

For answers to any questions, please contact ILA’s Outreach and Communications Officer by phone (902-494-2742) or by email (outreach.imhotep@dal.ca).

  • Must be in Grades 6-12.
  • Must be in a team of 4 (see above for team rules).
  • Participants must review ILA’s Stem Quiz Study Guide to study topics in preparation for the competition.
  • Question formats may include straight answer, multiple choice, true or false, and fill-in-the-blank.
  • Each team must have a coach.
  • If attending the event virtually, the team must meet in person in their respective location with their coach present.
  • All teams must operate with honesty.
  • All team members must identify as Black or African Nova Scotian.
  • Previous Tournament Champions and/or Tournament MVPs CANNOT compete in this year’s STEM Quiz Tournament. However, we encourage these students to participate as coaches for the current tournament participants.

Members of the top 3 teams will receive the prizes below.

  • 1st Prize – The Tournament Champions
    • TBD
  • 2nd Prize
    • TBD
  • 3rd Prize
    • TBD
  • The Tournament MVP, i.e. the highest scoring individual
    • TBD
  • The top three teams will receive medals
  • All participants will receive certificates, T-shirts and ILA swag.
  • Judges will review the Kahoot! answers from the students.
  • Judges may review the rough work of the long answer.

Judges – Other Judges to be determined

Dr. Pemberton Cyrus:
(Chair of the Judging Panel )

  • Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, ILA President, is Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University. He is a Fellow of Engineers Canada, has taught industrial engineering for 30+ years, and held various administrative positions at Dalhousie University. His expertise includes scheduling, routing, networks, information systems, seaport operations and manufacturing operations.