As part of the upcoming 10Peaks Innovation Xchange (10PIX) event, the 10Peaks Innovation Exchange Breakfast will be held on Oct. 17, at Red Deer Polytechnic.
And students from Lacombe Composite High School's EcoVision project will have a chance to showcase a few outstanding projects.
The event - which is open to the public - offers an opportunity for students, professionals and community members to engage in discussions about clean energy and innovation, said Dagmar Knutson, 10Peaks’ executive director.
The breakfast runs from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Cenovus Energy Learning Common of RDP, and this year’s keynote speaker is Jeanine Vany, co-founder of Eavor Technologies.
Students from Oilfields High School and Lacombe Composite High School, with teacher Steve Schultz, will also be showcasing their award-winning projects in vertical farming and robotics.
"He's a rock star - I think the world of Steve," said Knutson.. "I think that he is an inspiration to students, and an inspiration to anyone in general - he's got this energy to keep all of these projects going, and still connect with the kids. Also, they are student-led projects.
"They are super-excited about those projects, and Steve supports them."
Tickets for the breakfast are $50 for adults, and complimentary tickets are available for middle and high school students.
To register, visit 10Peaks Breakfast Xchange.
"It's also a fundraiser for us, as we are a not-for-profit," said Knutson.
Meanwhile, the breakfast leads into the 10Peaks Innovation Xchange (10PIX), a free, day-long conference which educates and inspires students with the possibilities of sustainable energy, said Knutson.
"We will be having 525 kids coming. Right now, they are from 11 different schools across the province," said Knutson, adding the conference is already full.
"We are excited for them to come and listen to some amazing speakers. They will have the opportunity to speak with, hear from, and engage with people who are at the forefront of clean tech and innovation," she said, adding speakers come from all sorts of areas from academia and industry to the not-for-profit sector.
"Everyone is thrilled to have this opportunity to connect with the kids. I think we all want to share the good news stories about innovation and technology," she said.
"So the kids will have an amazing experience. We will have 16 break-out rooms, and our two keynotes. The kids get to choose three break-outs, and there is a choice among 12 hands-on, interactive workshops," she explained.
From sustainable environmental projects to solar, oil and gas with net zero goals, and sustainable forestry practices, this is a chance for Alberta’s youth to be part of innovative solutions and discussions for their future, she noted.
"It's a thrill of mine. It pumps me up every single time," said Knutson of the ground-breaking event.
"It thrills me to bits because I think that there is so much innovation and technology that is being worked on and developed in the real world, and our kids don't know about it.
"So anything we can do to share the stories - the clean tech, the innovation, and that the environment matters, and here's what we are doing to reduce our emissions and our carbon footprint - I think it matters. It matters to us, and it matters for us as a society," she said.
"We also want to inspire kids. I'm hoping when we are done on that day, they've learned more about clean tech, innovation, technology, the environment, and the choices they can make to reduce their footprint. But also about what we are all doing to reduce our carbon footprint as well.
"We are going forward together."
The keynote speaker for the conference will be Raylene Whitford, a finance professional and Cree-Métis entrepreneur. Whitford boasts a well-established career in the international energy industry.
"Kids are smart, and they ask the big questions," said Knutson.
"We also record all of our sessions. In November, we put them up on our website in our Learning Library so that teachers and students can re-watch them."
