St. Michaels University School students earned top honours at the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair (VIRSF), held at the University of Victoria on April 12-13. The fair showcased innovation, curiosity and scientific excellence across both the Middle and Senior Schools. With an impressive medal haul and multiple students advancing to the national stage, SMUS continues to demonstrate its strength in inquiry-based learning and research.
“SMUS’s Middle School science fair ensures that every student engages in authentic, hands-on research,” highlighted Richard Brambley, Director of Middle School. “Each student submits a project individually or with a partner, reflecting our commitment to meaningful STEAM learning. With more than 130 projects showcased at SMUS, the achievements of those recognized at the regional level are especially meaningful.”
In total, 36 SMUS students earned 31 awards across the Middle and Senior School divisions, reflecting the depth and diversity of scientific talent at the school. Awards included first-place finishes in both the Intermediate (Grades 6–7), and Junior (Grades 8–9) divisions. Grade 7 student Kara Chen was first overall in the Intermediate division for her project on The Life-Saving Layer: Finding the Most Resilient Emergency Insulation Materials for Victoria’s Wet Climate. Isaiah Pereira, a winner from the national fair in 2025, repeated as Junior division winner with his project that was a smart device that focuses on reminding the elderly of their many doctors' appointments, medications, and daily tasks in a simple and intuitive way.
“Students benefit from dedicated time in class, as well as invaluable support from their teachers and our Learning Resource teams,” added Brambley. “That depth of participation makes the achievements of our award winners especially meaningful, and we are deeply grateful to our Middle School science teaching team for their expertise and guidance in fostering curiosity, resilience and innovation in every learner.”
Senior School students also delivered outstanding results, with several earning top placements and special awards. Jared Qin (second place), George Wang (third place), as well as Alvin Tsao and Ruibo Wu (fourth place) distinguished themselves as overall winners and will represent the region at the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) in Edmonton from May 23–30.
“We wanted to create something that could genuinely help people and make a difference in everyday life,” said Rubio Wu and Alvin Tsao, whose project, Smart Pill Dispenser, was designed to support seniors in managing their medications safely and independently. “Knowing that our work could improve someone’s quality of life made the entire experience especially meaningful.”
Success at the regional fair is especially meaningful as SMUS is also a proud partner of the 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair. This national collaboration underscores the school’s commitment to fostering scientific exploration while supporting Canada’s next generation of innovators. Hosting and partnering with CWSF reflects SMUS’s dedication to providing students with opportunities to engage with the broader scientific community on a national stage.
"am immensely proud of how our students have looked beyond the classroom and curriculum to design projects that address complex, real world issues," added Denise Lamarche, Director of Academics. "They are not just learning science; they are engaging with future-forward thinking, developing the process of inquiry and problem-solving that will define the next generation of innovators. Our senior students in particular have engaged in the Science Fair as an additional challenge, which has provided the opportunity for them to take a deeper dive into an area that allows them to apply higher level inquiry and research. This commitment to academic excellence is a point of great pride in our community."
Beyond the awards and accolades, the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair provided students with an opportunity to share ideas, collaborate with like-minded peers and deepen their passion for discovery. Their achievements reflect not only academic excellence but also creativity, perseverance and a commitment to solving meaningful problems.
A full list of SMUS award recipients from the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair is included below:
Middle School Awards
Overall Winners Advancing to the Canada-Wide Science Fair
Edmonton, Alta., May 23–30
Junior Division (Grades 8–9)
First Place Overall — Isaiah Pereira (Halo: Your A.I. Care Aide)
Third Place Overall — Shaan Arneja (The effect of light physical activity on blood glucose: a pilot study)
Intermediate Division (Grades 6–7)
First Place Overall — Kara Chen (The Life-Saving Layer: Finding the Most Resilient Emergency Insulation Materials for Victoria’s Wet Climate)
Second Place Overall — Thea Picardi (Macroalgae vs. Ocean Acidification)
Third Place Overall — Korbin Parker (Does changing the fluid affect the height of bean plants?)
Fourth Place Overall — Violette McDonald and Charlotte Steele (Bacteria, Be Gone!)
Special Awards
BC Agriculture in the Classroom Award — Korbin Parker
BC Game Developers Innovation Award — Isaiah Pereira
BC Science Teachers’ Association Award — Violette McDonald and Charlotte Steele
Genome BC Award — Violette McDonald and Charlotte Steele
BC Institute of Agrologists Award — Korbin Parker
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Award — Lucy Crooks and Agiya-liv Verraich
Gordon Pattison Award — Emma Budd and Callia Lewis
Rotary Club of Victoria Environmental Award (First Place) — Violette McDonald and Charlotte Steele
Rotary Club of Victoria Environmental Award (Third Place) — Thea Picardi
Association of Professional Biology Award — Violette McDonald and Charlotte Steele
Miniature World Award — Justine Zhou and Alma Zilber
Technology Professors Award — Tessa Cheung and Rakshith Arun
Volunteer Choice Award — Ahlia Gill and Arianna Lalani
Munro’s Books Award — Rakshith Arun
Science Teacher Award — Joan Gaines
Senior School Awards
Overall Winners Advancing to the Canada-Wide Science Fair
Edmonton, Alta., May 23–30
Second Overall — Jared Qin
Third Overall — George Wang
Fourth Overall — Alvin Tsao and Ruibo Wu
Major Awards
UVic Science Chair Award — Alvin Tsao and Ruibo Wu
Special Awards
BC Game Developers Innovation Award — Alvin Tsao and Ruibo Wu
BC Hydro Pioneers Award — George Wang
BC Hydro Pioneers Award — Edmond Aphiwetsa and Sting Zhang
Vancouver Royal Astronomical Society Award — Jared Qin
BC Institute of Agrologists Award — Edmond Aphiwetsa and Sting Zhang
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Award — Jared Qin
Nature Victoria Award — George Wang
