Regional Science Fair

the Show Me Center will be transformed today into a house of knowledge as months of work attempting to unravel the mysteries of science will be displayed at the 49th annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair.

Seventh- through 12th-grade students from 20 schools across the area will set up their colorful posterboard projects for the judges, who will decide which of the 189 projects advance to the 56th annual International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, May 8 through 14, and which will receive awards from local donors. The event is sponsored in part by Southeast Missouri State University, the Southeast Missourian, Drury Southwest and Hathaway Consulting.

Projects vary from the practical to the creative as students compete to advance.

John McLain, a seventh-grader at St. Vincent de Paul Parish School inCape Girardeau, is a first-time participant. McLain studied the effect of acid rain on cement, an idea inspired by his father, who works for a local cement company.

"He's always coming home and talking about these kinds of things," McLain said. "I thought it was important to study because of the increase in air pollution, which is the major source of acid rain."

The experiment involved soaking dozens of cement samples in simulated acid rain for 20 days, and then letting the cement dry for several days before examining them for damage.

Even though the St. Vincent de Paul students voluntarily participate, there is an extra spirit of competition because a project from the school won last year, and they hope to keep the record running.

"It's all their choice. They've chosen to do this on their own," said Marilyn Peters, science teacher at St. Vincent. "They've done it all for extra credit and the love of science."

At Cape Christian School, the science projects are mandatory and consume a large portion of the year for the seventh-graders. They involve in-depth background research, as well as descriptive methods and research reflection papers.

Nikki Graham's personal curiosity lead her to test the common assumption that darker hair takes longer to bleach than blonde hair. Although the data supported Graham's hypothesis, she believes there were factors such as using a light bleach and cool temperatures which may have effected the outcomes. She wants to try again in the summer when she will have more time to experiment.

Graham and her classmates have conducted science experiments in previous years, but she says the Regional Science Fair is a big step up in the research hierarchy.

"Last year you got your idea out of a book. This time you made it up and see what you can find out," said Graham.

Nell Holcomb school holds its own science fair, and the projects are an important part of the science curriculum because of the hands-on experience. It is a requirement for eighth grade, while sixth- and seventh-graders are encouraged to take on the task.

"They have the opportunity to use the scientific method. Some kids embrace it," said Kent Miller, Nell Holcomb science teacher. "Others struggle through it. But it gives the students a chance to do some real science."

Only the three best projects from the school fair are heading to the Show Me Center today.

"There is going to be a lot of competition," said eighth-grader Audra Dillingham.

Dillingham placed second at the school fair for her experiment, which tested the strength of different sandwich bags by filling them with water and dropping them from 2-inch increments until one brand outlasted the rest.

But while some schools have had the science fair weighing on their minds for months, Scott City students have been preoccupied with the Science Olympiad, an alternate science competition held in February.

"The science fair has taken a back burner since the students discovered the Science Olympiad three years ago," said Kay Hendrix, Scott City High School science teacher.

Only two students are participating in the Regional Science Fair this year. Sophomores Natasha Watson and Jessica Payne took on the project of making cement. It was a personal quest for the two, and they are proud to single-handedly represent their school tonight.

"We learned a lot of stuff in making it, more than we thought," said Watson.

cpierce@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127