INNISFAIL – As in most competitions for the young it should not always be about winning.
It is about making the effort to put your best foot forward.
That notion played a major part in this year’s science fair at Innisfail High School that saw 48 projects from Grade 9 students.
In the end when judges announced 10 placed winners for the Applied, Environmental, Life Science and Physical categories, and finally the names of four students chosen as overall winners, the most important benefit for every participant – win or lose – was that they took part and experienced a special learning journey.
It all began in September and concluded on March 7 with a marathon day of presentations, judging and hundreds of viewings by fellow students and the public.
"It is not a case of always winning. I think it’s a case of participation, taking part, and it’s not just with the science part of it, it’s also the public speaking because they are judged five times by their peers, grades 11 and 12s,” said Peggy Freeman, a Grade 9 science teacher and fair organizer for the past 15 years. "In the afternoon there was an open house for the elementary and middle schools and the rest of the high school students.
"This place was packed all afternoon with all these students coming in and looking at them. They had to play host to the people coming in,” added Freeman. "It’s not just science. It’s other life skills that take part in the science fair that I think is very important.”
And while there was no surprises from the high quality of projects presented by top tier students, Freeman said she was inspired by others who were not expected to produce top-level entries.
"Even some of the middle or lower end students came up with some good ideas and I can give them a pat on the back,” said Freeman. "With some I wondered if they were going to show up with a project. And they showed up today with their projects so I think that is fantastic.”
Of course there were winners from the four categories, with Justine Motley, Ashley Arthur, Mackenzie Mountain and Jaden Bowe placing in the best overall category.
Meanwhile, Freeman said between 15 and 20 highest marked Innisfail High School students will have the chance to go to the Regional Science Fair being held on March 23 and 24 at Red Deer College. From there, they could go to the 2018 Canada-Wide Science Fair being held in Ottawa from May 12 to 19.
Science Fair Winners 2018
Applied
1. Justine Motley – The Effects that Chewing Gum have on Concentration
2. Ashley Arthur and Mackenzie Mountain – Touch vs. Technology in playing Games
3. Teryn Dodd – Men vs. Women, Hygiene Products
Environmental
Blake Schneider and Wyatt Beaudoin – Environmental Friendly Scrubbers
Life Science
Sara Rutherford and Jade Ellis – Jogging your Memory
Carson Jacobs and Nicholas Ramrattan – How well does SPF protect yeast cells from UV
Amy Schuckburgh and Darby DeRuyter – Affects that sports drinks have on your heart rate
Physical
Jaden Bowe – What Shell Propels a .22 Bullet Faster
Connor Sveinson – Electromagnetic Levation
Arland Foy – Turbo vs. Supercharger
Peggy Freeman, Grade 9 science teacher and organizer of the 2018 science fair
"It is not a case of always winning. I think it's a case of participation, taking part, and it's not just with the science part of it, it's also the public speaking because they are judged five times by their peers, grades 11 and 12s."
