By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
Maybe Old Man Winter doesn’t realize his days are numbered and spring is just around the corner. But even he can’t stop Science Fair season.
It was no surprise to witness a beehive of activity at the Bucyrus Secondary School on Wednesday night. Students were rushing around preparing their projects, judges were being checked in and ushered to prep stations, and teachers were overseeing proceedings to make sure everyone and everything ended up in the appropriate places.
Out on the show floor students and parents were making last-second adjustments to their projects before judging began. Down one of the center aisles, Miranda Mee was going through final inspections on her project: Temperature and the Lifespan of Bubbles.
Miranda, an eighth grader, tested how long bubbles lasted at different temperatures. Using a room temperature of 69-degrees Fahrenheit, Miranda tested bubbles and warmer and colder temperatures and found that the colder the bubble the longer it lasted. She considered this a major surprise as this cuts against the grain of most typical science of the colder temperature increasing the lifespan.
Sixth grader Kael Scott was on the outer of the edge of the display area, but with his parents shadowing him he too was putting final gloss on his work. His project sought to examine which melted ice faster: salt or sugar? He placed salt in bowls; one with sugar, one with salt, and a bowl with just salt serving as a control. Conventional wisdom was confirmed as it was proved that salt does indeed work the best.
While contestants were busy on the show floor, a group that is often overlooked was busy out front helping make sure that everything ran smoothly. Members of the science club who were not participating in projects had volunteered to serve as an ushering/logistics team. They made sure everyone involved with the evening was checked in properly and directed to the appropriate places.
When asked why they were volunteering, Emmelia Bloomfield quickly responded, “Because I love science!”
The students did eventually let on that tonight’s service was not entirely an act of charity. Members of the science club are rewarded with a trip to Cedar Point at the end of the school year if they have accrued the necessary level of points. Helping usher the science fair added a precious two points to each student’s tally.
Science coordinator Amanda Kent was a whirlwind of activity as usual, but her charges were performing admirably; a testament to her direction. The school was a beehive of activity, but it was organized activity. Students, teachers, judges, and parents all were moving around to their appropriate stations and the judging commenced at 6.
Recipients of Superior Grades will move on to the district level competition in Marion.