Science Fairs are occasions to share months of dedication and hard work with friends, family and community. On January 21 Waimea Canyon Middle School held its 3rd Annual Science Fair. Participants from the sixth, seventh and eighth grades competed for
Science Fairs are occasions to share months of dedication and hard work with friends, family and community. On January 21 Waimea Canyon Middle School held its 3rd Annual Science Fair.
Participants from the sixth, seventh and eighth grades competed for points and selection to the Kaua‘i District Science Fair. Projects ranged in topic from engineering to power and electricity, renewable resources and alternative energies.
The school’s science teachers noted that the quality of the projects was higher than in previous years and nearly all of the projects were connected to helping people and communities. The volunteer judges from various businesses within the community praised the students for their excellent displays of relevant topics and for their scientific knowledge.
Students’ projects were judged based on several criteria with an emphasis on the relevance of topics, scientific procedures, collecting, analyzing, and interpretation of data.
Students participated in personal interviews with the judges to explain their projects. The judges were from Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., General Dynamics, Strategic Theories Unlimited, LLC, Computer Sciences Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation, Syngenta, BASF Plant Science, PMRF and the Department of Education.
Given the science, technology and engineering background of the judges many of the students were nervous and excited about the interview portion of the competition. The nervousness turned into cool confidence as the students enthusiastically explained their experiences with scientific procedure.
For many of the students this was the first time they presented their work to someone other than a teacher or parent. Science teachers Susan Togioka, Lisa Nishizuka and Justin Yamagata were pleased with the students’ poise and professionalism.
Of the 93 projects entered only ten can be selected to move up to the Kaua‘i District level competition. By the end of the evening the judges determined the following student teams would represent Waimea Canyon Middle School: Alex Hashimoto and Alexys Bermudez; Lani Green and Shalyn Jim; Tia Bongolan, Zach Peck and Chandee Kubo; Bryson Cayaban and Wendi Tokuuke; Bradley Ceballos and Nick Salas. Individual winners were Alyssa Jardin, Weston Souza, Kayla Ishida, Kawena Warren and Christina McLaughlin.
They will be competing for a shot at the best in the state in the Hawai‘i State Science and Engineering Fair which will take place in April on O‘ahu.
• Cinthy Kagawa is registrar for Waimea Canyon Middle School.