Making a Splash!
Thursday, March 20, 2025, 9:30 am – 2:00 pm @ the Manitoba Museum’s Alloway Hall
*NOTE: The official World Water Day is on Saturday March 22, but we are hosting our event a couple of days earlier so you can debrief with your students after the event!
The Manitoba Museum, and Science First, are celebrating World Water Day 2025 with our third annual World Water Day youth event – Making A Splash!
***NEW FOR THIS YEAR!!*** Previous years’ participants – you said you wanted more interaction and hands-on engagement with our presenters, and we heard you! More small-group breakout sessions, more dynamic activities – all geared towards engaging youth about water conservation, water-related issues, and actions towards collaborative water stewardship.
Content of the event is geared towards senior years (Grades 9-12), however, keen and engaged students from Grades 6-8 are welcome. Currently, we are asking for one adult to attend for every 9 youth participants. Please note – we are hoping teachers will consider bringing youth who have specifically shown engagement towards the environment, social justice, and science-related issues, rather than bringing entire classes or grades.
ON-SITE GROUP CHECK-IN: Starts at 9 am
EVENT START: 9:30 am
LUNCH: Participants should bring their own boxed lunch and will eat at tables in Alloway Hall
EVENT ENDS: 2 pm
The event kicks off with a welcome by the Manitoba Museum’s CEO, Dorota Blumczyñska, and a welcome and quick reflection by Ivana Yellowback, a Cree writer, producer, and musician. Following our brief opening ceremony, participants will head out for the first of two interactive breakout sessions taking place in the morning. Each breakout session will be approximately 30 minutes in length.
After lunch, participants will hear from our partner, Science First, on what they do before heading out to the third and fourth interactive breakout sessions. And finally, all participants will come together to reflect on the day’s events and discuss possible actions to help them along a potential path towards youth advocacy, reconciliation, and water stewardship!
Admission to this event is FREE thanks to the generous support of the Graham C. Lount Family Foundation. This event is done in partnership with Science First.
Looking to register youth? Complete our registration form here.
For inquiries, email WorldWaterDay@ManitobaMuseum.ca
Breakout Session #1
Welcome to the Churchill Marine Observatory
In this session, students will undertake a journey to the Churchill Marine Observatory. They will go through what you might pack and plan for as a scientist doing an experiment in the subarctic winter. Then they will split into groups to do experiments in CMO pools – where each group will have an experiment and a control pool (tubs of water) where we can conduct oil spill experiments or sample ice.
SESSION LEADER: Emma Ausen is the Science Coordinator for the Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO), a first-of-its-kind research centre designed for conducting Arctic seawater studies using water sourced from the Hudson Bay. Emma also participates and supports science and field campaigns across the Canadian Arctic for the Centre for Earth Observation Science, a research institute at the University of Manitoba. Emma has a master’s degree in science, which focused on the Western Hudson Bay beluga population, and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science. She loves to travel, play rugby, and has two cats: Feta and Pesto.
Breakout Session #2
Every Drop Counts – Protecting Water in the Context of Climate Change
Join us to discuss water protection with Brigette DePape from Narratives Inc.! Narratives Inc. is a planning firm specializing in Impact Assessment, Conflict Transformation, and Climate Resilience. We will explore the questions: What is your connection to water? How do climate change and water protection intersect? What tools can communities use to protect water? Tools that will be explored include impact assessment, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, Guardians programs, conservation, and more!
SESSION LEADER: Brigette DePape is a project manager and climate planner at Narratives Inc. She strives to ground her work in the values of collaboration and kindness. She brings expertise in climate change, partnerships, funding and grants, capacity building, strategic planning, creative communications, and community engagement. She holds a Master’s in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership, a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honors in international development, a Certificate in leadership, organizing, and social change, and a Graduate Certificate in climate science and policy. Brigette loves learning about languages and cultures. She also enjoys being in nature with family and friends.
Breakout Session #3
Lake Monitoring with the Experimental Lakes Area
Participants will gain a background/overview and history of the Experimental Lakes Area and whole ecosystem research. They will go through various stations representing ELA science teams with a respective hands-on activity that reflects the field work they do (lake sampling/chemistry, fish, plankton).
SESSION LEADER: Noelle Wood is an Education and Relations Officer with IISD Experimental Lakes Area. Noelle is the ‘boots on the ground’ education staff at the ELA field site, leading various programs and events, and overseeing the Artist in Residence program. Noelle has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and is passionate about experiential outdoor learning. In her free time, you can usually find her at the climbing wall or in front of a sewing machine. Noelle’s favourite thing to do at ELA is night sampling for zooplankton!
Breakout Session #4
Connections to Water with the Experimental Lakes Area
Participants will learn about Experimental Lakes Area water policy work, Indigenous ways of knowing, education and science communication, and ways to get involved with ELA. They will participate in making a water collage/journal, using magazine cutouts and prompts that get youth reflecting on their connections to water. Throughout the day, each group will build onto the collage with words, art, photos, etc.
SESSION LEADER: Cassidy Mazur is a senior education and relations officer with IISD Experimental Lakes Area, focused on northwestern Ontario. Cass leads out ELSE and LEAF courses and builds local partnerships. She has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a passion for experiential education and connecting people to the environment. In her free time, she enjoys any excuse to get outside, and can be found in a hammock or out for a paddle on a lake!
Breakout Session #5
The Journey of a Water Droplet
Join us on an interactive exploration of the water cycle, where participants embody water droplets traveling through different “stations” such as clouds, rivers, oceans, and groundwater. At each station, participants will engage in hands-on activities or answer thought-provoking questions to determine their path. This immersive journey highlights the interconnectedness of water systems and the profound impact of human activities.
Additionally, this session incorporates Indigenous knowledge and perspectives on water, fostering understanding of traditional ecological principles. Together, we will reflect on our responsibilities to protect and sustain these vital systems for future generations.
SESSION LEADER: Akhil Ramdoyal is a student of medicine at the University of Manitoba with a robust background in earth sciences and a dedicated environmental activist. This passion ignited during his participation in Students on Ice’s Canada C3 voyage in 2017. Passionate about planetary health and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, he bridges scientific insight with Indigenous perspectives on stewardship and sustainability, while exploring innovative ways to foster community resilience. When he’s not immersed in his studies or advocacy, Akhil enjoys hiking, being by water and savoring a warm drink at local coffeeshops.
Breakout Session #6
Making a Splash – Treaties and Water
This session will focus on water teachings and their relations to the treaties, and advocacy. Participants will learn about nipiy (the water) from an ininew (Cree) perspective through song, storytelling, and teachings.
SESSION LEADER: Ivana Yellowback is a member of Manto Sipi Cree Nation (Treaty 5) and a relative to Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Treaty 6 ) and was born and raised in the inner-city of Winnipeg, Manitoba (located in Treaty 1).
Ivana is an Associate Producer, Writer, Cree host, and English co-host of Eagle Vision’s 7th GEN. She also acted as principal characters in both DJ Burnt Bannock and Little Bird, all of which are available to watch on APTN Lumi. Ivana is also a co-creator, host, writer, and executive producer of the Indigenous supernatural podcast show: Creepee Tepee.
Ivana completed a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree with an Honours in Sociology at the University of Winnipeg, and a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Manitoba. She is currently working on her Masters of Social Work degree at the University of Manitoba.
Along with her film work and academics, Ivana is an Executive Training Facilitator with Indigenous Leadership Development Institute Inc., an Executive Board Member of Sākihiwē Festival, a Registered Social Worker with the Manitoba College of Social Workers, and a presenter with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba. She is also a co-creator of the venture: miteh atôskê (heart work), which provides various trainings, workshops, and healing programming through individual and group counselling through a two-eyed seeing, and Indigenous-based lens.
Ivana is also a traditional hand-drum and rattle singer of the family group: Kind Hart Women Singers, who performed on Tanya Talaga’s The Knowing on CBC Gem. Kind Hart Women singers have also recorded with Anishinaabe DJ – Boogey the Beat for his awaited upcoming album.
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