Rathika Balthasar-Preston Coordinator, Youth and Transitions Programs

By Cheryl Jahn

Active Minds

UNBC gets kudos for science program

Jan 30, 2026 | 2:25 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — A program offered at UNBC is getting some major kudos. Active Minds is geared to the community’s younger community, prompting fun and science. It’s also been recognized with the 2025 Actua Award for Excellence.

“The program was actually established by one of our faculty here in chemistry on using external grant funding,” explains Rathika Balthasar-Preston, Coordinator for Youth and Transitions Programs. “It was really a flagship program to encourage youth to attend post-secondary education. And it has evolved over time.”

“Kids can learn all about things like Oobleck at an Active Minds camp, which hosts science, engineering and computer programming through camps targeting those budding scientists between the ages of 6 to 16.

“It’s now become a program to inspire youth with a sense of belonging, a STEM identity, really to encourage them to pursue post-secondary education, to embrace science and technology and engineering and math,” says Balthasar-Preston.

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The Actua award is part of a network of 43 universities that target STEM programming for young minds.

“It is part of a network of 43 universities that target STEM programing for young minds and for UNBC to be recognized as leading the best for all of them within the past year is a phenomenal achievement,” says Michel Beaulieu the Vice President for Academic.

And for UNBC, it could be seen as a means to inspiring future alums.

“The idea being is hopefully, that many of these individuals will actually come to UNBC in the future,” says Beaulieu. “But more importantly, being exposed to different options not only for careers, but just that curiosity that comes from science, and exploring things that they may not have been exposed to before.”

But the organizers have not been resting on their laurels. The program has been broadened in scope: UNBC is no longer solely home. It has also broadened it range, moving into different communities throughout the university’s umbrella, which can make for some customized programming.

“We do work very closely with our community partners, the community partners, the education workers in each community, the teachers, the school districts,” says Balthasar-Preston. “We work with all of them in order to make sure that our programing aligns with their community needs.”

So whether it’s to make Oobleck Go, or blow things up, Active Minds is inspiring young minds.