The announcement was made today at Polytechnique Montréal ,with representatives from TELUS, the Chaire Marianne-Mareschal, Folie Technique and the Fondation de Polytechnique in attendance.

Launched in 2009 by the Chaire Marianne-Mareschal, the Magnifiscience project is a contest for elementary school classes in Greater Montréal. Students are invited to write a story of at least 1,000 words about science and technology. The goal: to be the class that wins a science workshop led by the Folie Technique team. Teaching kits developed by Polytechnique students are given to all participating classes.

“TELUS has an important slogan — ‘We Give Where We Live' — that guides the activities and donations of its Community Investment Committee,” says Patrick Loulou, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Development, at Domtar, and a member of the TELUS Community Investment committee in Montréal. “The TELUS Community Investment Committee believes it is important to help awaken scientific curiosity and encourage young Montrealers to develop their enjoyment of the sciences. The Magnificence project helps motivate young people to reach a stimulating goal, by giving them all the scientific information they need to develop their knowledge.”

Diane de Champlain, Executive Director of the Fondation de Polytechnique, adds: “Thanks to TELUS and to generous donors, we are able to ensure the longevity of the activities initiated by the Chaire Marianne-Mareschal. Only 10% of engineers working in Québec are women. While the situation has improved in the last 10 years, it is necessary and crucial to promote initiatives that introduce young people to science starting in elementary school,”

At Polytechnique Montréal, surrounded by members of a Grade 5 class from École Henri-Beaulieu, as well as representatives of Folie Technique and the Chaire Marianne-Mareschal, the TELUS Community Investment Committee for Montréal gave a $30,000 donation to the in-class Magnifiscience project. Also in attendance at the event were Patrick Loulou, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Development, at Domtar and a member of TELUS's Montréal Community Investment Committee, as well as Bernard Lamarre and Christophe Guy, respectively Chair of the Board and CEO of Polytechnique Montréal, and Diane de Champlain, Executive Director of the Fondation de Polytechnique.