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Alanah Levasseur, a Grade 12 student at Sisler High School, was one of 10 aboriginal students from across the country selected for a prestigious internship. (RYAN CROCKER)

Alanah Levasseur won’t be spending her Grade 12 spring break partying with her friends — and she couldn’t be happier.

The Sisler High School student is one of just 10 aboriginal students chosen through a Canada-wide search for the best and brightest potential food researchers. From March 14 to 20, she’ll be working with some of Canada’s top scientists conducting food and nutrition research at the universities of Toronto and Guelph and Ryerson University.

Levasseur says she was excited to learn she had been selected for the Be a Food Researcher for a Week program.

"I am looking forward to going on a plane for the first time and going on a trip on my own," she says.

"I want to enhance my knowledge on how our bodies works and why we do certain things. I expect to learn more about nutrients and how our genetics affects the things we do."

Maria McMurray, Levasseur’s guidance counselor, describes her as a positive role model and someone who deserves an opportunity to give even more back to her community.

The program, organized by the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, will be led by Ahmed El-Sohemy, Derick Rousseau, and Dr. Rickey Yada — two well-know food and nutrition experts. The program honours Dr. Verna Kirkness, a member of the Order of Canada and advocate of education for aboriginals.

Louise Jessup, communications manager for the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, says the program is valuable because it offers high school students exposure to scientific method, teaching them what it means to be a researcher.

"It also familiarizes them with university campuses, to university life in general, to make it a less scary place for when they go to apply," she adds.

Jessup hopes Levasseur and her peers earn an appreciation for science and strengthen their interest in learning. She suspects they may even learn about new careers they didn’t know existed.

"We value the students in our network very much," she says.

"We want to peak the interest of the next generation so that they, too, may add to the scientific research that will benefit Canadians and, ultimately, make us healthier."

ryan.crocker@canstarnews.com