— by Cara Russell —
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The 15th Annual Science Fair at the Funhouse Commons on Saturday March 28 was big fun and a big success.”Good high energy event,” said Funhouse Director Krista Bouchey. “I can tell by the hot dog sales!” Always free and open to the public, nearly 100 visitors were able to check out the many inspired exhibits, as well as enjoy some interactive hands-on fun.
The judges were wizards in white lab coats and colorful caps, wandering from exhibit to exhibit to hear of each student’s entry.
Submissions came from students from Orcas and the surrounding San Juan Islands. Age of entries ranged from kindergarten to grade 12. The science projects consisted of:
- Mapping
- Exciting Salt Crystals
- Baking Soda Volcanoes
- Hovercrafts
- Submarine Cables
- Thrust per Watt Propeller Proficiency
- Music for the Brain
- Robots
- Nose Weight to Distance of Flight
- How Random is Really Not that Random, and much more.
Interactive exhibits included such fun activities as:
- Music Powered by Riding a Bicycle
- A Bed of Nails
- Smelting
- How to Start a Fire using Friction
- Remote-controlled Robots.
The “best of show” Richie Moore Rocket Ship of Wonder Award was awarded to Alanna Lago for her Fish project.
1st prize Luke Pietsch: “Spinning Yarn”
2nd prize winner Tim Jenson “How Random is Random?”
3rd prize winner Luke Bronn for ‘The Chemistry of Glazing.’
The Elementary award given to Lael Watson for Mapping.
Everyone who entered received a certificate and a science-related prize.
I have been a judging wizard for many years and have never seen a more exceptional trio of upper school prize winners. Luke Pietsch, Tim Jenson, and Luke Bronn all deserved to be first prize winners. I was so impressed. And two of them are not yet into high school!