NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — A trip to see the Town of New Glasgow’s water treatment facility sparked an interest in Abby Coleman and started a journey that would eventually take her to the United Nations in New York City.
As the then Grade 8 student at New Glasgow Academy learned about how water is taken from Forbes Lake and purified for use by New Glasgow residents, her brain began to think on a broader scale.
“This got me to thinking about how people’s water from around the world are filtered,” she says.
So she decided to do a science fair project on the topic and began testing local water supplies and bottled water. With the help of Nova Scotia Community College teacher Daryl Ingram, she tested the quality of water from her own home, the stream in back of her house, the Town of Stellarton and some different water bottle companies. She even had the opportunity to tour the Big 8 plant in Stellarton and learn how the water is sourced.
Her work earned her a second-place finish in the regional science fair and a trip to nationals in Ottawa. But it didn’t end there. Her project caught the attention of someone involved with the Fourth Commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the UN and she was invited to speak at the event along with dozens of other young women from around the world with a similar interest in sciences. She was there for the event on Feb. 11 and 12.
“New York City was breathtaking, it is so different from here. With how the whole city runs as well as being at the UN to hear world leaders speaking about issues happening in our world and working towards the 17 Global Goals,” Coleman said. “A few of my most memorable moments was walking into the large conference room where delegates meet, to hear amazing people speak, that I would never have experienced in person had I not had this opportunity. I made the most amazing friends within an hour of being there.”
During her speech, Coleman shared about her own interest in science as well as the importance of clean water and why she is so passionate about it.
She said it was exciting to be able to talk to others with similar interests and to hear them speak.
In addition to the conference, she also had the chance to see an early screening of Paramount Theatre’s new movie Wonder Park, which is being released on March 15 and tells the story of a magnificent amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive. Coleman said it was neat to get to see it ahead of time because it’s about a girl with an interest in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics that so many of the participants in the conference also share an interest in.
Ingram, who had mentored Coleman as she worked on the project said he was proud to see where it ended up leading her. He said Coleman has a keen sense of science and is always looking for new opportunities.
“Her project was a stellar project, but she also took the opportunity to pursue going to nationals.”
Through the work she did in his lab, he said it was evident she had a sincere interest in water quality.
“She sees it as a resource that has to be cared for.”
Coleman is now in Grade 9 at North Nova Education Centre in New Glasgow. She’s thought about a career working with animals in the past and later thought about being a doctor. Now, she’s unsure but knows she has time to decide. But there are two things she is sure of – she loves science and she wants to help people.
