Chevron Open Minds Science School

Hands-on science exploration, learning and skill-building for an entire week!

Get out of the classroom and into the science centre!

Spend a week at Spark with the entire class! Chevron Open Minds Science School is a week-long educational experience that provides students the opportunity to explore and develop skills to help them grow, collaborate to solve problems and answer some big authentic questions. This unique learning opportunity also helps to spark a passion for learning through STEAM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, art and math) in many ways:

Collaborative design projects help students explore the design process and discover the connections between engineering, innovation, technology and art.
Risk taking in a safe environment ignites excitement for STEAM disciplines, using activities that build courage.
Free play in Spark's many interesting spaces fuels creativity and learning.

Chevron Open Minds Science School at Spark is celebrating 25 science-tastic years!

The 2022-23 school season marks the 25th anniversary of Chevron Open Minds Science School, one of the longest-standing partnerships in the larger Open Minds Program!

For 25 years, the Chevron Open Minds Science School at Spark has been a source of inspiration and learning for over 18,500 students in the greater Calgary area, in collaboration with nearly 700 teachers. And there's no end in site: through 2022-23 and beyond, Science School will continue inspiring young minds to think big, stay curious and use the sheer power of their imaginations to invent a better world, with science at the core.

Learn more about 25th anniversary of Chevron Open Minds Science School.

Learn more about the Spark Team designing K-12 educational programs.

Applications for the 2022/2023 school year are closed.

But, fear not! Applications for the 2023-24 school year will open at the end of February 2023. Stay tuned for more details!

Learn more

A very special thanks to Chevron Canada for their incredible support of educational programming at Spark, and their dedication to hands-on, community-based learning for students. Chevron Canada has proudly supported Open Minds Science School at Spark since its inception in 1997, as part of their larger cross-Canada Open Minds Program. And by doing so, Chevron Canada has helped inspire thousands of Calgary kids to be curious, collaborative and creative.

Chevron Open Minds FAQs

- Who can apply for Chevron Open Minds?
  Any Calgary teacher can apply! Applications are typically accepted starting in February or March (for the following school year), and are typically due in May.
- How much does Chevron Open Minds cost?
  For the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District, the cost is $1,250 per week. This includes bussing! For independent schools, the cost is $1,500 per week (including bussing).
- How do I apply?
  Details about the application process are found here. Applications are typically accepted starting in February or March (for the following school year), and are typically due in May.
- What happens once a class is accepted?
  Successful applicants will be required to attend orientations to prepare for their Open Minds week at Spark. Professional development opportunities are also provided to support educators who are accepted into the program.

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