Scholarship competition fierce at schools' Science Expo
Paper: Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT)
Title: Scholarship competition fierce at schools' Science Expo
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 5, 2005
The competition at Bridgeport schools' annual Science Expo was so fierce that even a lengthy head start on the projects wasn't enough to guarantee victory.
While most competitors started their projects a couple weeks into the school year, Truong Ho and Maurice Barclay, both juniors at Harding High School, began their botanical experiments last summer.
"We spent a lot time on this," said Barclay, showing off his plant project at the University of Bridgeport's Student Center on Friday. "We began it in the summer and spent at least five hours on every Saturday since then to complete it."
Their project, "Woody Invasive Plant Life Under Canopy Cover at Various Forest Depths," was a detailed look at plant survival, analyzing growth and longevity.
Other experiments on display included "The Relationship between Sunspots and Dendrochronology" and "Estuarine Bacteria."
The Science Expo featured about 160 projects from student scientists in seventh through 12th grades in the city's public schools. But it was the 11th-graders who had the most to gain from the competition--the winning team is awarded four-year scholarships to UB.
"The scholarship is why we've spent all summer on this," Ho said.
The top prize in the 11th grade competition went to Patricia Sandoval and Leah Pierre Noisette, also from Harding, who did a project studying lichen, various small plants composed of fungus and alga.
In fact, all of the winning groups from the 11th grade were Harding students.
The first-place winners continue on to the state-level scholastic science competition to be held in March at Quinnipiac University in Hamden.
The local projects were presented to about 50 judges, including professors from the UB and Fairfield University, as well as engineers and other professionals from around the state.
In addition to receiving a congratulatory certificate, the winning students will be given a cash prize for their efforts at a future awards ceremony. First-place winners will get $100; second, $75; third, $50; and honorable mention, $25.
The science fair is a great way for students to express themselves and see how they compare with others in a competitive environment, according to Andrew Cimmino, the principal at Thomas Hooker School.
"The students have a real passion for this. We give them something else to compete against other schools with other than basketball," Cimmino said.
"Students need to compete on all these levels. The quicker you get them in here, the more you get them exposed to this, the better they do," he said.
Portia Scott, who teaches seventh and eighth grade at High Horizons Magnet School, has been involved with the event eight years.
"I think it's a wonderful activity because it makes science real for these students and makes them question the world around them and how it works," she said.
Dr. Asaad Samaan, a UB professor as well as a judge and organizer of the event, commended the teamwork involved in bringing the event to fruition each year.
"This takes a lot of effort between the university and the schools, as well as the Board of Education," he said.
Assistant Supt. of Schools Henry Kelly announced the award winners.
"I usually deal with a lot of problems all the time," Kelly told the students, "but when I came into this room, you all really made my day."
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
Title: Scholarship competition fierce at schools' Science Expo
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 5, 2005
The competition at Bridgeport schools' annual Science Expo was so fierce that even a lengthy head start on the projects wasn't enough to guarantee victory.
While most competitors started their projects a couple weeks into the school year, Truong Ho and Maurice Barclay, both juniors at Harding High School, began their botanical experiments last summer.
"We spent a lot time on this," said Barclay, showing off his plant project at the University of Bridgeport's Student Center on Friday. "We began it in the summer and spent at least five hours on every Saturday since then to complete it."
Their project, "Woody Invasive Plant Life Under Canopy Cover at Various Forest Depths," was a detailed look at plant survival, analyzing growth and longevity.
Other experiments on display included "The Relationship between Sunspots and Dendrochronology" and "Estuarine Bacteria."
The Science Expo featured about 160 projects from student scientists in seventh through 12th grades in the city's public schools. But it was the 11th-graders who had the most to gain from the competition--the winning team is awarded four-year scholarships to UB.
"The scholarship is why we've spent all summer on this," Ho said.
The top prize in the 11th grade competition went to Patricia Sandoval and Leah Pierre Noisette, also from Harding, who did a project studying lichen, various small plants composed of fungus and alga.
In fact, all of the winning groups from the 11th grade were Harding students.
The first-place winners continue on to the state-level scholastic science competition to be held in March at Quinnipiac University in Hamden.
The local projects were presented to about 50 judges, including professors from the UB and Fairfield University, as well as engineers and other professionals from around the state.
In addition to receiving a congratulatory certificate, the winning students will be given a cash prize for their efforts at a future awards ceremony. First-place winners will get $100; second, $75; third, $50; and honorable mention, $25.
The science fair is a great way for students to express themselves and see how they compare with others in a competitive environment, according to Andrew Cimmino, the principal at Thomas Hooker School.
"The students have a real passion for this. We give them something else to compete against other schools with other than basketball," Cimmino said.
"Students need to compete on all these levels. The quicker you get them in here, the more you get them exposed to this, the better they do," he said.
Portia Scott, who teaches seventh and eighth grade at High Horizons Magnet School, has been involved with the event eight years.
"I think it's a wonderful activity because it makes science real for these students and makes them question the world around them and how it works," she said.
Dr. Asaad Samaan, a UB professor as well as a judge and organizer of the event, commended the teamwork involved in bringing the event to fruition each year.
"This takes a lot of effort between the university and the schools, as well as the Board of Education," he said.
Assistant Supt. of Schools Henry Kelly announced the award winners.
"I usually deal with a lot of problems all the time," Kelly told the students, "but when I came into this room, you all really made my day."
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
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