The Aviva Community Fund competition is giving away a total of $1 million to reward the best ideas for creating positive change in Canada. This year, Folie Technique, the science camp for children aged 7 to 17, is entering its project, Défi du Professeur Polynume, in the competition. The project, developed by Richard Labib, adjunct professor in the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, is being carried out by members of Folie Technique and offered for free in several disadvantaged and multiethnic schools on the Island of Montréal.

The Défi du Professeur Polynume is a teaching activity that's innovative, fun and educational. It requires both mathematical knowledge and the skills set out in the high school mathematics program. Undertaken as a team effort, the Défi enables each member to make a personal contribution. During two math quizzes, students accumulate pieces of various shapes that will be used for the final construction that determines the winning team. The primary goal is to have the students tackle challenges in order to carry a project through to its conclusion, and in so doing boost their self-confidence. The Défi builds self-esteem, inspires a sense of accomplishment, and gives these young people a chance to try out practical, educational learning experiences that are normally out of reach for them. This positive reinforcement is, among others, beneficial in terms of combating the school dropout phenomenon.

You can vote for the Défi du Professeur Polynume project at www.fondscommunautaireaviva.org/ideas/acf13376. The first-round voting period starts October 1, 2012. The ideas that garner the most votes will move to the second round, and then to the third and final round. The 30 finalist ideas that reach the last round will all receive $5,000. The winners will be announced on January 29, 2013.

Polytechnique Montréal wishes the best of luck to Défi du Professeur Polynume and invites all members of the Polytechnique community to vote for the idea (15 votes maximum, once per day).

See also:
Professor Labib's expertise  
Folie Technique website