Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Technology Combine for Brilliant Labs

Students will be able to foster creativity and entrepreneurial spirit during the 2015-2016 school year.

Premier Stephen McNeil and Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey announced today, April 7, that Brilliant Labs will open in all eight school boards across the province in September.

"This government is working to improve Nova Scotia's education system," said Premier McNeil. "Though we are in times of financial restraint, our students and their education are one of the best investments we can make. They are the future of this province."

Brilliant Labs offers students opportunities including:

• labs where students work with technology first-hand such as 3D printers and can gain skill and experience in engineering, metal and woodworking, fashion, textiles, electronics, robotics, rapid prototyping and fabrication, computer programming, video-audio engineering and more
• a project-based learning fund designed to assist teachers by providing resources and support for science, technology, engineering-entrepreneurship, arts and math projects
• programming, special events and collaboration with industry.

Brilliant Labs supports the 3 Rs: Renew, Refocus and Rebuild in Nova Scotia's Action Plan for Education, by providing students with a hands-on way to explore science, technology, engineering-entrepreneurship, arts and math-related fields.

"Brilliant Labs helps teachers incorporate technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship into the classroom," said Ms. Casey. "Students are encouraged to be creative and explore new ways of using technology, helping prepare them for the type of innovation needed to have success in any field."

Government will invest $400,000 in Brilliant Labs.

The Annapolis Valley Regional School Board, Chignecto-Central Regional School Board, Halifax Regional School Board, South Shore Regional School Board, Strait Regional School Board and Tri- County Regional School Board will each have a permanent lab. The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board will have a mobile lab and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial will have a pop-up, portable lab. Brilliant Carts, which are portable mini-labs, will also be available to students in all school boards.

Brilliant Labs, a not-for-profit organization, and its partners have been highly successful in New Brunswick where they work with more than 200 schools.

"This is about encouraging students to think of new solutions and look at challenges from a different perspective," said Jeff Willson, executive director of Brilliant Labs. "Through hands-on learning, students get to express their creativity, find innovative new ways to use technology to solve problems and put their ideas into action."

This is an example of the initiatives the oneNS Coalition has said will help create opportunities for youth by equipping them with the entrepreneurial, math, science and technological skills they need in today's world.