Science Fair Celebrates C-PP Junior Scientists

On April 5 and 6, 2008, the halls and gymnasium of West High School will fill with students and their families, as C-PP hosts What in the World?! -  the 19th annual District-wide Science Fair.

Students will register and set up their projects on Saturday morning. Students in grades Pre-K to 5 will be interviewed by a single evaluator, and those in grades 6-8 by two evaluators. Each student evaluation will include the following questions: What did I learn? How do I know? What would I do differently? How can I communicate my learning?

On Sunday afternoon, students will have an opportunity to share their projects during an hour-long Public Science Fair. To recognize their hard work, every child who participated will receive a certificate and a first, second or third place ribbon. Participating middle school students will be awarded additional recognition for excellence and achievement, in the form of Barnes and Noble gift certificates.

We hold the Science Fair each year to encourage students to develop greater interest and awareness of Science and Technology, as well as to develop skills in critical thinking, research, problem solving and the use of scientific methods, says event coordinator Eileen Bowen. Students will use these skills throughout their lives.

Participation in the Science Fair encourages all students to make real-world connections with their learning through scientific exploration, creative demonstration and oral presentation. The event is open to all students who live or attend school in the District, and is one of the numerous opportunities offered by the District to increase and enhance student exposure to potential career choices, and to ensure that emphasis on relevant skill areas becomes integral to the learning process at every stage of education.

In 2008, more than 300 students participated in the fair, and 62 evaluators from the faculty and community shared their time, enthusiasm and experience interviewing each and every student in the fair.