Jacquie Gulevich, a Grade 11 student from North Peace Secondary in Fort St. John, won a $25,000 scholarship today as the grand prize winner of the Year of Science "Choose Science, Go Far, Win Big" contest.

Dr. Moira Stilwell, Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Research and Innovation, made the presentation to 17-year-old Gulevich, who was elated with the win. Gulevich is undecided about which B.C. university to attend, but plans to use the money to study health sciences and eventually medicine.

Contest judges evaluated 85 YouTube video entries. Six semi-finalists were chosen and awarded a $250 science-themed prize package. Gulevich won the competition with a video submission that asked this question, "Can naturally occurring blue-green lake algae be turned into green gold in the form of biofuel?"

Entries were judged based on enthusiasm, originality of idea and ability to carry out the idea as an experiment or put a 'mythbusters' type of question to the test.

The Year of Science is holding its Grand Finale today at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Quick Facts about the Year of Science:

• Last fall, the Province proclaimed the 2010-11 school year the Year of Science in B.C. to raise awareness among B.C. families, particularly young people, about the many exciting, and rewarding careers in science-related fields.
• Over the next 10 years, approximately one in every eight job openings will be in a science-related occupation.
• With its partners - Science World, Vancouver Aquarium and the Science Fair Foundation - the Year of Science took science on the road to communities throughout B.C.

View the winning entries under "Results" on the Year of Science YouTube page:

www.youtube.com/yearofsciencebc

For more information on the Year of Science, go to: www.yearofsciencebc.ca

View the Year of Science Flickr slideshow (flickr.com)

Contact:

Lauren Mulholland
Public Affairs Officer
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation
250 889-3922
Lauren.Mulholland@gov.bc.ca