The grade school science fair has come a long way since the days
of baking soda and vinegar volcanos. Nowadays, you’re more likely
to see experiments with titles like
”
Biodiesel vs. Diesel,
”
”
How Clean is Your Water?,
”
or
”
Activities That Make My Dad’s Blood Pressure Go Up.
”
San Juan Bautista – The grade school science fair has come a long way since the days of baking soda and vinegar volcanos. Nowadays, you’re more likely to see experiments with titles like “Biodiesel vs. Diesel,” “How Clean is Your Water?,” or “Activities That Make My Dad’s Blood Pressure Go Up.”
These projects were just a few of the 245 finalists entered in the county science fair at San Juan School Tuesday night. Each experiment had been chosen out of the numerous entries from 10 San Benito County schools’ individual science fairs, representing the best and brightest young scientists in fourth-eighth grades throughout the county.
Judges spent all day Tuesday studying the experiments and handing out prizes in different grade levels and categories: physical science, botany, microbiology, behavioral physiology, environmental science, earth science and zoology. Judges included local science teachers, and representatives from the Pinnacles National Park, Graniterock and the University of California extension school.
“They’ve been judging since 8am,” said science fair coordinator Charles Oles Tuesday night. “This year there was a huge turn-out, it’s a big increase over last year.”
While the winners haven’t been announced yet, the Grand Prize recipient will receive a cash prize of $500 from San Benito County Waste Management, the second and third place winners will get free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the fourth-prize experiment will win one lucky junior scientist a scientific calculator, according to Oles.
In the individual categories by grade, students will win movie passes and tickets for free meals at McDonald’s.
But, most importantly, participants in Tuesday’s science fair each learned something new and actually enjoyed it.
“I had a lot of fun doing it,” said Ladd Lane fifth-grader Chloe Patton of her project, which experimented with different kinds of liquid to see which would dissolve a penny. By testing Coca Cola, lemon juice, and even lye, Chloe found nothing would dissolve a penny entirely, though she was surprised to find the lemon juice came closest.
“It’s hard to tell because I didn’t have a lot of time…I just started three days ago,” she added sheepishly.
Other students concocted home-made biodiesel, compared battery life-spans to see if the Energizer Bunny really does keep going and going, experimented with electro-magnetics, and built various roof trusses that support up to 45 pounds.
One Spring Grove sixth-grader, Abigail Allen, even made her project a family affair, hooking her father up to a blood pressure cuff and monitoring what happened when she talked about bad grades she had received or speeding tickets her brother had gotten.
Oles said he hopes Tuesday’s winners for best in show and the winners in each category by grade will be announced some time soon although due to some unforeseen difficulties, there’s no set date yet.
Jessica Quandt covers politics for the Free Lance. Reach her at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or at [email protected].
