Science Fair Explodes All Expectations

Meg Waage, left, and Kayleigh Horton are stunned and proud to win the “Richie Moore Rocket Ship of Wonder Award” at the 2013 Funhouse Commons Science Fair

By Margie Doyle

With its fire-starting, coin-melting, barrel-crushing, rocket-launching exhibits, the 2013 Funhouse Commons Science Fair was every boys’ paradise, but the show’s special “Richie Moore Rocket Ship of Wonder Award” was won by sixth-graders Kayleigh Horton and Meg Waage. The girls took away the special honor for their complex and thorough experiment on seed sprouting.

It was a glorious day outdoors in the sunshine watching experiments, with free hot dogs and burgers. Inside, the public, the young scientists and the Wizards who judge the exhibits roamed the Funhouse, observing the data and reporting collected by the exhibitors.

First-prize winning exhibit by Kahana Pietsch, showing mycelial growth on different strata collected by Kahana

Most were on three-fold displays such as the one by Kahana Peitsch picture here, and clearly laid out the questions, the hypothesis, the research, supplies and procedures used, and the conclusions.

Other top winners in the event were:

Mackie Cardinell and Gwydion Marreth for their rocket launch experiment won third-place $360 award;

Reed Ledgerwood and Holden Griskey-Watson for their experiments with wind energy and winged dynamics won second-place $650 award;

Kahana Pietsch for his research into “Acceleration into Mycelial Growth through Optimal Substrate Selection” won the first-place prize of $1,000.

Alex Brown displays laser function using Tesla coils

Adults took to the theme of this year’s event — “Science and Maker Fair” with Andrew Youngren and Brett McFarland showing the effects of focused solar power using a solar collector and a Fresnel lens, Alex Brown experimenting with lasers and electricity using Tesla coils, and San Juan’s Bob Warren illustrating the effect of the removal of air by vacuum on traditional Easter “Peeps.”

Krista Bouchey, Pete Moe and Jen Vollmer lead the Funhouse Commons staff in expanding the Science Fair on its 10th anniversary to include “The Maker movement” — an invention of the internet age. Ideas and technologies are no longer secrets, but powerful and easily accessible tools for anyone with the interest and an internet connection.

Many of the students took to The Maker movement with a vengeance, and teachers told Krista Bouchey that they had to “put the nix” on some projects they found on the internet — because they were illegal.

In addition to individual students and “team” projects, teacher Marilyn Storey’s  Middle School class did a complex experiment with the assistance of Kwiaht on “recycling ammonia-rich frog water to grow frog food.” The Middle School Science Club, which meets on Saturdays, researched Orcas’ historic orchards, identifying old and new fruit varieties, testing for flavor and best uses, grafting and propagating and testing for nutrition and food safety. The the middle school science club and the elementary school science club, which meets on Sundays) are both Kwiaht projects, funded by the Orcas Island Community Foundation. The Science Club meets at the Funhouse Commons, and is further sponsored by FoodMasters.

For more information about the Funhouse Commons, go to www.FunhouseCommons.org or call 376-7177.