AWC hosted the 2010 Yuma County Science Fair, April 30 and May 1, with 365 entrants ranging from 4th graders through high school competing for $3500 in cash prizes ranging from $25 to the grand prize of $250 and a scholarship award.
Tom Tyree, Yuma County Superintendent, was the coordinator of the five member committee that organized the event, appointed 75 judges and developed the categories and criteria for points on each project. The volunteer judges ranged from students, military personnel, college professors, YPG engineers, and Yuma Regional Medical Center employees. Teachers also volunteer as judges; Yuma Elementary School District 1 is very much appreciated for the many employees that volunteer from there every year. Students could enter their projects into one of seven categories: Chemistry and Biochemistry; Environmental Science; Botany; Zoology; Engineering and Technology; Health, Medicine and Microbiology; Physics. The specific criteria for each project, based on Scientific Method, were 1) Scientific thought, 2) Skill, 3) Thoroughness, 4) Creative Ability, and 5) Presentation.
Friday was the first day of judging. From the 365 entrants, three were selected best of each category. Saturday, tension filled the room as the crowd waited in nervous anticipation for the final judging. As I walked around the gymnasium where all the students had their projects displayed, I saw presentations about vocal range data, magnetic generation, home built electric guitar pickups, power drinks for workouts, shaping of airplane wings, and size of parachutes, to name only a few. Each experiment was displayed on tri-fold back-drops with written details and photos of their work. Katy Compton, a 4th grader from Sunrise Elementary, stood in front of her display, waiting for the judges to speak to her. She did her experiment on the effects of different chemicals in plants we grow. “I would rather be breathing healthier than be breathing the chemicals that we have been giving (the plants),” she said. In her experiment she added such things as Sprite, aspirin, preservatives, fertilizer, and regular water to carnations. She was surprised to find that none of these really helped except plain water.
In the end, Selena Shelton won the grand champion award for best of show. Shelton is an 8th grade student at Centennial middle School. Her presentation was similar to Katy’s, except she used cherry bell radishes, vinegar and ammonia to test the harm of acid rain. Her results found that acid rain actually improves the Ph in sandy soil, rather than harms it.
The Science Fair is a great way for students to learn critical thinking skills by continually asking why and how things happen. These critical thinking skills are important tools for individuals to succeed throughout life.
