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By Chris Brown

Praxis cutting science programs, citing lack of funds

Feb 8, 2023 | 3:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – An organization that has been inspiring young minds in southeastern Alberta for more than 30 years is being forced to make cuts.

Senior scientific consultant Patty Rooks says Praxis Science Outreach Society has largely been sustained through consistent funding from the provincial government. She says that dried up in recent years and the board made the difficult decision to stop offering some programs and services.

“I feel that especially our rural students will miss out because the funding quite often is not there to stretch those resources into the rural communities,” Rooks says.

“At the height of our programming, we were reaching 10 to 15,000 students a year just through our hands-on learning kit program alone. And with those students not having those resources they’re missing out and being able to develop those skills and encourage them in the STEM fields.”

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Hands-on Learning Resource Kits, field trip assistance and science workshops are some of the programs and services being eliminated.

She says they won’t be able to be out in the community at events like Stampede and Canada Day and recently had to turn away an opportunity for a dinosaur event here in Medicine Hat.

“It just breaks our hearts not to be able to encourage and share our passion of science with the community in the fullest degree,” she says.

Over the past four or five years community partners have been amazing and allowed them to continue as well as they have, Rooks says. They rely heavily on casino nights but those are only every 18 months.

Rooks says the board is committed to trying to continue its core programs and services and finding new funding to restore those that are being cut.

“We’re a vital part of southeastern Alberta and the outreach here for the students and the educational community so we don’t want that to be lost,” she says.

Rooks asks anyone who can support Praxis to reach out to them at praxis@praxismh.ca or call 403-527-5365. Rooks asks to be patient if you call, as they’ve also had to cut regular office hours.