As a first generation Canadian, I can fully appreciate the trials and tribulations that must be endured by so many newly arriving immigrant families and their children. I have always had a great thirst for science and its mysteries, however as a young boy I did not have the appropriate vehicle to explore such concepts, due to the struggle my parents were forced to experience as they attempted to become established here in Canada. Without any guidance it would be a long time before I was able to find opportunities and organizations that would be able to appease this need. Today, I and a partner (Bushra Rizwan), are the creators behind Eureka Science, an organization that attempts to bring science to the less privileged, particularly those children within a hospital setting. We wish to provide the children with a means of acquiring the knowledge, I and numerous underprivileged youth desperately seek, in a fun and interactive show. The shows involve skits (comedic in nature) and engaging scientific experiments which require the children to formulate hypotheses and draw conclusions regarding key scientific concepts. We are closely partnered with VoSNL(a non-profit organization based in Toronto which has made its mission to educate minorities, i.e. young African American children, on the wonders of science) and the Hospital for Sick Children (recognized as one of the world's foremost paediatric health-care institutions and is Canada's leading centre dedicated to advancing children's health). Bushra and I are responsible for the creation of fun and interactive skits, as well as experiments that illustrate scientific principles. We also function as the actors, the editors, and the financiers of our small production.
I feel my life experiences and deeply seeded interest in science make me a prime candidate to pursue such an endeavor, allowing me to sympathize with the patients and communicate concepts I am familiar with. My sister, a severe asthmatic, would often be whisked away to the hospital in the dead of night. I can appreciate and relate to the discomfort experienced by the patients and their families. Furthermore, I harbored a great interest and understanding of the scientific field through my years in high school and university, taking courses that examined varying aspects of science (chemistry, biology, geology, hydrology, etc) and performing optimally in them. This allowed me to communicate concepts in a clear and concise fashion, and to address questions from the audience as they arose. Finally, I have a great deal of experience working with children (as a peer tutor and at "Tails"--a play run weekly at SickKids) and have come to understand their interests and perceptions of the world. This familiarization with my target audience aided me during the script writing process, as well as the after-show experimentation process that was not scripted and was simply improvised.
