Ignition Newsletter Spring 2010

Come Alive with Science 2010

This years Come Alive with Science is fast approaching, due to happen over National Science and Engineering Week (NSEW). This year, we have over 30 schools involved, with primary feeder schools getting involved in the array of activities that the students, scientists and creative practitioners are planning. There will be more to report on following NSEW, but please follow the link below to find out all the activities happening in the East Midlands over this week. http://www.emstempartnership.org.uk/nsew/

Activities from last years CAWS

CAWS and STEM Fluency Lab sharing event

This year, we are hoping to bring together the creative ideas, resources and experiences of participants from both Come Alive with Science, 2010 and this years' STEM Fluency Lab participants at a sharing event in Nottingham on April 16th. The event will be a fantastic opportunity to build both new and existing relationships, develop new ideas, both with teachers and practitioners, and learn a little more about other strands of the Ignition* programme. Please contact amy@ignitefutures.org.uk if you would like to find out more, or confirm your attendance at the event.

STEM Fluency Lab teachers sharing ideas

Galapagos, anyone?

The Survival Rivals competition has launched! And we can confirm that the prize for the competition is a once-in-a life time experience - Two weeks in the Galapagos Islands for the winning team and their teacher! To enter, simply upload a 2 and a half minute film, or up to 12 images, showing how you have used a Survival Rivals kit. Creativity is key!! The competition deadline is 21st May 2010, and the winning team will be announced at the Celebration Day, to be held at the Wellcome Trust on the 30th June 2010. Get uploading, for your chance to win this fantastic prize! We are also offering an additional free kit to the first 24 entries to be uploaded to the Survival Rivals competition site. Even more reason to enter now! for further information, rules, and how to upload, please visit www.survivalrivals.org/competition/about.

Win a trip here!

Lab 13 launch

The second Ignition* Lab 13 had its official opening last week, and even gained a spot in Central News! Crownhills Community College won the bid to have a Lab 13 installed into their school, which is based in central Leicester, for 11-16 year olds. The Management Team chose Tom Carter as their Scientist-in-residence, and Tom has been at the Lab since December 09. The Lab opening included some scientific demonstrations from the students, along with a tour of the Lab for visitors plus press involvement. Our third Lab 13, at Peele Community College, Lincolnshire, will be opening officially on 30th March. For further information, please contact Lindsay, the Scientist-in-residence, lab13@peele.lincs.sch.uk. We will be opening up the application round for 2010/11 Lab 13 applications soon, so keep checking our website for more details.

The Crownhills Lab 13 Management Team

Igniting the Creative Spark!

February saw the first ever Creative Sparks residential lab at Whitwell in Oakham, and what a weekend it was! Ignite! and Ignition* Creative Sparks, four of the Prime Ministers Global Fellows, along with 5 creative practitioners attended the Lab, and it certainly set a standard for labs to come! Creative writing was juxtaposed against tracking career paths, and an introduction to architecture led to developing sustainable communities of the future! Each participant of the lab brought something new and fresh to the experience, and it certainly inspired new ideas and networks to develop. We are currently looking to recruit more Creative Sparks, and if you think you know someone who fits the bill, contact the Ignition* team to find out more. To find out more about Creative Sparks, have a look at our website, www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/creative-sparks.

Creative Sparks, both old and new!

Sci Art Fusions

Watch this space as we will be looking for more film makers to work with schools in the coming year.

The Mighty Creatives Board Member

The Mighty Creatives, our collaborators, are looking for new board members to join their team. Ideally, their new board members will be from aged 16, and interested in creative education, and helping the organisation grow. for more information on this opportunity, please visit the Ignition* website, where there are full details available in our People section, in our Blog.

Ning

For those of you involved directly with an Ignition* strand, we have set up dedicated Ning sites, to allow networking and sharing resources to happen easily. We currently have Ning networks set up for Come Alive with Science, Lab 13, Creative Sparks and STEM Fluency Lab. Contact the Ignition* team to get access to the Ning networks.