Teen helpers have become a positive addition
It’s been 20 years since I attended my first science fair as a reporter for The Cornwall Local. The event has changed since then. But one thing is still true.
Participants benefit more than you would imagine.
Third and fourth-graders from all over the district exhibited their work at the middle school gym on Monday night, Jan. 31. That’s a change from the past.
When I started, each building had its own fair at the end of the school day. And the fairs involved competition. Judges selected the best exhibits or experiments. In later years, participants received different levels of commendations. But that also changed. Now everyone gets a certificate for their effort.
As a result, the entries can now be a family affair.
Parents can help without being unfair to other participants. And students who stand alongside their work can relax. They’re not competing with anyone else.
The Monday night event was the first Science Fair in two years. COVID put the kibosh on the activity last year. Faculty member Caryn Mante has been organizing the fairs for a long time. When asked if there were any differences from the past, she didn’t hesitate to answer,
“There are fewer volcanoes and less slime,” she replied – a reference to two of the most popular experiments in science fair history.
Unlike 20 years ago, most of the kids get their ideas from the Internet. It’s not unanimous, however. Rae and Sherry demonstrated “Tornado Bottles.” When asked where they got the idea, they were glad to credit Mrs. Hogan, a third grade teacher at Willow Avenue School. Rae had her own experience with tornadoes when she lived in Highland Falls and a twister damaged her home.
Ada McEwen and Avery Miele produced a foamy concoction they called “Elephant Toothpaste.” When asked who came up with the name, the girls shrugged, smiled and said “an elephant.”
There’s a lot of interaction between exhibitors and their guests. And young participants benefit from the experience. It’s like an expansion of what we used to call “Show and Tell.”
The school principals roamed around the middle school gym and watched several demonstrations.
They weren’t alone. Several high school students volunteered for the occasion. They helped set up the gym, brought kids to their tables, and then visited exhibits to hand out certificates.
Elementary school kids interact well with teens. And the high schoolers appeared to be absorbed in everything they were told. They spent several minutes at some of the locations.
That’s a change from 20 years ago, which encourages kids to explain their work – which is a valuable byproduct of any science fair.
Congratulations to the Science Fair participants:
Raigen Armstrong, Christian Baideme, Avery Bellber, Jack Cabrera, Letty Campbell, Raegan Clark, Victoria Clayton, Charlotte Colsant, Gavin Crews, Riley Danaher, Rafferty Dill, Eliza Dmytrow, Corina Dmytrow, Lucy Egan, Anna Espitia, Cash Farhback, Jack Fogarty, Tristan Frambach, Joseph Gagnon, Lincoln Gonzales, Emma Ireland, Evan Kishpaugh, Mackay Kofoed,Benjamin Loverde, Kathryn Loverde, Nicky Martinisi, Ada McEwan, Avery Miele, Drew Moulton, Asher Nieves, Jonathan Oppelt, Clayton Pearsall, Evelyn Pepe, Noah Pepe, Seth Pfluger, Anna Piqueras, Julian Quinones, Kylie Rakov, Eliana Ramirez, Chaitanya Raval, Dhruv Raval, Christian-Charles Rhoden, Maximilian Roig, Daniel Roopchand, Hayley Rutenber, Caitlin Sherry, Lilah Shooman, Kaylee Singh, Henry Stafford, Olivia Taylor, Ella Thompson, Jackson Weigelt, Lylah Weis
