Day of Project Setup & the Welcome Event

With our late arrival last night, Susan and I decided to let our Finalists sleep-in and miss the first serving of breakfast at 7AM. Instead we gave Team South Fraser a wake-up call at 8AM and would meet in the lounge at 8:30AM. Breakfast was the regular western fare of eggs, sausages, pastries, toast etc...

Lady Dunn Dining Hall..this is where most of our meals have been served.

Shortly after breakfast concluded for the group, we ventured down to the Richard Currie Centre Exhibit Hall. The setup of the projects in the new style booths really has been a great improvement over the last two years. Most of our Finalists had completed their displays in a couple of hours. They look absolutely fabulous.

James is meticulous with the placement of his panels.

Om high up on the step stool so he can get all the pieces square and level.

Natasha's little trimmings and details will prove to be a beautiful display in the end.

Shelby standing proud after completing her project display.

Abhi proudly standing by his completed project display. Happy Birthday kid!

Tony smiling away about finishing his project.

The girls chilling while waiting for Natasha to finish her display.

All those little precise measurements have paid off with a fabulous looking display.

Natasha's beautifully coloured display with a pH rainbow glowing from its heart.

Sonia, James, and Abhi had a few final touches left on their projects so they tended to them after lunch. The others went for walks to familiarize themselves with the small campus. We re-grouped at 5:30PM in our dining hall where the organizers handed all  Finalists noise makers and rallied them to cheer loudly for their respective regions. This energized all Finalists as we walked the short distance to the Welcoming Event & Dinner at the Student Union Building (SUB).

All the Finalists in the Lady Dunn Dining Hall with noise makers in hand.

The atmosphere was loud and highly energized

It started to sprinkle lightly as walked across campus. As we entered the open hall in the SUB, the humidity from the light sprinkle, along with 900 people being packed into the first floor made for a warm and sticky atmosphere. It was buzzing however with excitement and in the background Acadian folk music being pumped from the speakers.

Team South Fraser entering into the first floor hall of the SUB.

It was hot, humid and sticky in the room after the light rain showers.

The setup was truly amazing. Shortly after the opening remarks, all participants dispersed throughout three floors representing all corners of "New Brunswick". That's right, the CWSF Fredericton Organizing Committee was able to recreate the warm hospitality of the Atlantic Coast province throughout this entire building. There were food stations offering samples of Fredericton's best culinary delights. There was a pair of folk music performers strumming the rhythm guitar and playing the fiddle to those familiar tunes the Canadian East Coast is so famous for. Michael Smith, the famous chef from Chopped Canada gave a presentation on Gastronomic Science. Artists were available to give chalk caricature drawings or henna tatoos of science symbols. A games lounge was open for intellectual challenge among our country's brightest youth. Easels with blank canvases were ready for 3 rounds of painting contests. The evening was full of new found friends and cultural experiences. Team South Fraser experienced all the elements: the food, the art, and the people.  This was truly a first class affair done with the warmth and hospitality of the people of New Brunswick.

Can you hear that folk music playing?

Chef Michael Smith, a local celebrity.

Henna artist tattooing E=mc2

The Sundae bar

A banana split

A pair of guitarists jamming away some modern tunes.

Chef Michael Smith churning butter from heavy cream.

The perogie station.

Finalists intellectually sparing in a friendly game of Chess.

Round 1 of the painting contest.

Om and Abhi mesmerized by the painters

Roommates.

The crepe station. There was a really large choice of flavours here.

That chafing dish full of Atlantic lobster macaroni.

Chef carving servings of wild Atlantic salmon

Two individuals learning how to play the Celtic drum.

Chef Michael Smith signing copies of his recipe book

This is the baked potato station.

Round 2 of the painting contest.

Our fellow delegates from the Greater Vancouver Science Fair and Science Fair Foundation of BC. Anne-Marie Simard, Madeleine Guenette, Caeddy Nash.

James, Meaghan, Natasha, Shelby, and Sonia

The same crew with crepes, chocolate cake, and apple crisp.

Our girls posing with Chef Michael Smith.

Tomorrow is the big day.  Judging begins at 8:30AM. With the day full of excitement,  South Fraser has called in an early night with the team off to their rooms by 9PM to get their well needed rest. The team will be up between 6:30AM and 7:00AM to get themselves ready to go for breakfast by 7:30AM.

The Delta School District has posted a news release of our team. You can find that release here.