Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques took time from his busy schedule on the International Space Station today to encourage young students to pursue science – telling them they are the future.
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Hundreds of students from across Canada are gathered in Fredericton this week for the 2019 Canada-Wide Science Fair at the University of New Brunswick.
Saint-Jacques spoke to the students via a live video link and announced the two winners of the Little Inventors – Inventions for space contest.
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More than 3,000 students entered the contest, but Connor Brown from Acton, Ont., and Amy Claerhout of Beaumont, Alta., both Grade 7 students, were selected the winners.
Brown designed different imprints for the bottom of space boots to identify the footprints of different astronauts on the moon or other planets, while Claerhout designed a mini Canadarm for the washroom on the space station to keep personal hygiene items from floating away.
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Both students said they would like to see their inventions put to use, and they plan to continue with their interest in science.