Regional science fair showcases student projects

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on April 4, 2023.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Juliana Ngo showcases her solar system model during the Lethbridge Regional Science Fair at on Saturday Lethbridge College.

For the first time since 2019, the Southern Alberta Technology Council hosted an in-person Lethbridge Regional Science Fair on Saturday at Lethbridge College.

Approximately 85-90 local students showcased 70 science projects at the fair.

Science fair projects ranged from robotics and physics to environments, chemistry and biology to name a few.

“There’s a lot of neat projects,” said Locke Spencer, SATC president and board chair.

“A lot of great of ideas and enthusiasm, there’s some beautiful presentations. There’s a very nice model of the solar system that’s decorated incredibly well. Lots of great things to look at.”

Spencer said it’s just good to open students’ eyes to what their peers are doing.

“And that kids can learn things, kids can do things on their own,” said Spencer.

“It’s not just textbooks and what teachers tell them to do in 50-minute periods. I think also seeing that there’s friends and peers and others that are interested in some of these same things, it’s good exposure and people from lots of different schools. Come look around and see the enthusiasm, it’s contagious.”

Grade 6 Our Lady of the Assumption School student Juliana Ngo did her project on the solar system and was the one who made the model that was mentioned by Spencer.

Her project was to learn about the planets, their names, temperatures, shape, colour and the distance from the sun.

Additionally, Ngo explored if people could live on these planets rather than on Earth.

“I also learned about their orbital period and their diameter, “said Ngo.

“I also learned that you can help protect that uniqueness and keep it safe and healthy.”

What she enjoyed the most about the project was making her solar system model.

“Because it actually shows how the planets spin around the sun,” said Ngo.

What surprised her about her project was that some people could live on Mars for a short time because the planet’s air is 96 per cent carbon dioxide.

“Mars does have a bit of atmosphere to protect people,” said Ngo.

“But Earth is still a better place to live than Mars because Earth has everything, unlike Mars.”

Sara Brodrick of Father Leonard Van Tighen School had on display her Fruit Fun project.

In her observation summary, she observed that limes and lemons lit the light brightly better as a battery and the orange did not work as well.

When Brodrick connected the voltage meter she saw 3.67 volts from the lemons, which was the highest.

“It has more citric acid,” said Brodrick, on why the lemon worked the best as a battery.

Students had the opportunity to participate in interactive hands-on events through the Science Olympics.

“They don’t know what they’re going to do,” said Spencer.

“They’re put on teams and given the same challenge and have an hour-and-a-half to solve a problem. And then we get to test all the things that people build and yeah it’s just a great day to celebrate science. And it’s been neat to kind of open up to those younger grades and just to see the broad group of participants we have at the event today.”

The grand prize was to represent the region at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton from May 14-19.