CASTLEGAR – Young scholars looking to ease the financial pressure of a post-secondary education will get a shot at $5,000 in scholarships at the annual Selkirk College High School Exam Competition.
The chance to out-test the best takes place at the Selkirk College Castlegar Campus on Friday, June 30.
The annual event is open to all Grade 11 and Grade 12 students who can choose from one or more of 12 subject areas.
“This is a great opportunity for high school students from our region to get a little taste of college life,” says Tracy Punchard, the chair of the School of University Arts &Sciences. “It’s not meant to me a high-stress environment, but the students who take it seriously will have a chance to walk away with a great start on their post-secondary education.”
The exams are drafted by Selkirk College instructors and include Biology, Chemistry, English, Math, Comparative Civilizations, Geography, History and First Nations Studies. There are Grade 11 and Grade 12 level exams designed to challenge students at an appropriate level.
Three separate exam periods are scheduled between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with each student able to write a maximum of three tests. Students are given one hour to complete each exam.
“It’s a real pleasure getting to host these high school students at the Castlegar Campus each year at the end of June,” says Punchard. “Many of these students will choose Selkirk College for their post-secondary start and this is a perfect way for everyone to get a little more familiar.”
The Selkirk College High School Exam Competition has been recognizing regional excellence for the last two decades with between 40 and 60 students participating each year. A maximum of $1,500 in tuition scholarships can be won by any one student over a two-year period. Students who have taken the Grade 12 level of a course cannot take the Grade 11 level exam.
To register for the competition please contact Sarah Fawcett by email at sfawcett@selkirk.ca or by phone at 250.365.1310.
There is no cost to participate and students must indicate what exams they wish to write.