SWE-NY News

June 2011

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SWE-NY volunteers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Fair

by Mina Agarabi

Every spring the winner of each grade level (kindergarten to 6th grade) from over 100 Suffolk County schools takes part in the Elementary School Science Fair at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island. This year the Fair was held on Saturday, May 7 and approximately 470 projects were submitted. The student projects included charts, experiments, demos, diagrams, and collections with a scientific objective. Brookhaven Lab scientists, local elementary school teachers and SWE members (I, Gail-Ann Wakefield and Monique Delmar) volunteered their time to judge the projects. For each grade level a winner was chosen and awarded a medal and a banner which can be displayed alongside the schools' sports banners. Honorable mention medals were also awarded. Students who participated in the fair received a ribbon and all judges received a blue polo shirt with the BNL logo.

I was with a team of five; a mix of experienced judges and new judges (including myself). We evaluated approximately 40 poster board presentations submitted by 1st graders. Topics ranged from testing “Efficacy of different toothpastes”, and “Do dogs have a hand-dominance?” to “Impacts of plant soil on plant growth” and “Does a heavier hen lay a larger or heavier egg?” At the start of the judging process I was a little nervous because I couldn’t quite remember what it was like to be in the first grade. Reading through a number of projects and personal diaries jogged my memory of some fun science experiments that I had conducted when in elementary school. Enthusiasm, curiosity, hard work and originality are a few words I would use to describe a large number of the student projects I viewed.

My vote was for a young girl who conducted a scientific study on an original idea, presented a hand-written journal, and specimens of “Gluten Free Paper Mache.” Peyton Schilling of Bellerose Avenue Elementary School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, was diagnosed at an early age with a gluten allergy which prevented her from playing with play-doh or Paper Mache. She decided not to let her illness impact her activities and conducted a scientific study to determine which gluten free material could replace flour.

A big applause and “Hurrah” is in order for Bernadette Uzzi Coordinator at the Science Learning Center of Brookhaven National Laboratory. The Fair was a success, lots of fun, well organized and a rewarding experience.