The BNL primary school fair celebrates the curiosity of students

The annual competition of the elementary science exhibition organized by the Brookhaven National Laboratory of the US Energy Department (DOE) on June 7, presented a range of hypotheses that students decided to test by following the scientific method.

The students presented questions inspired by their daily life, their interests and their subjects in a timely in science. This year’s project titles included: “Alexa, do my homework!” “Does Taylor Swift help make my dog ​​less anxious?” “How does the atmospheric pressure of a football ball affect it when it travels when launched?” And “the words count: how encouragement affects performance”.

Scientists from the Brookhaven laboratory and local teachers volunteered to judge 258 projects and award the best places and honorable mentions for each school level, from kindergarten to sixth year. The competition also included a prize for choosing judges for creative questions.

“Our elementary science fair is to celebrate the first steps of students in the STEMs and provide positive memories that will inspire them by considering future career paths,” said Daniel Trieu, competition co-coordinator and representative of educational programs at the Brookhaven Lab Office of WorkForce Development and Science Education (WDSE). WDSE offers educational opportunities that highlight laboratory research initiatives, preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

A number of projects have attracted family and friends, including on all fours. The student of kindergarten Savanna Stidd from the Riley Avenue primary school wondered: “Am I really my dog’s best friend?” And discovered that her puppy named Penny ran the fastest when called. His favorite part of the process? “I was able to play with my dog,” she said.

Some students have combined science and art, exploring how different types of music play in plant growth, which music affects the way we dession and what conditions contribute to the ideal place to hang their paintings. Others have asked questions about food, including a project that has tested what substance the best mummified apples – with a life -size display mom – and another that studied why the favorite ice cream flavor of a student, chocolate, melts quickly in summer.

Overall, the scientific fair is a chance to highlight students’ curiosity for the scientific process.

“My favorite part of being at the Science Fair is to look at my scientific fair project and to see how difficult I worked,” said Elijah David, a third student from the Coram elementary school who conducted an experience to see which liquids dissolved different types of fastest candy.

Students who won first place in their level have received medals and ribbons, as well as banners to hang in their school to recognize success. All the participants received a ribbon in recognition of having won their school level competition in their school. Brookhaven Lab and Teachers Federal Credit Union spared the competition.

Scientific Fair Prize

The following students won first place at their school level:

◆ Athena Corso kindergarten, Lincoln Avenue primary school in Sayville for “Don’t wake up a sleeping baby.”

◆ First, John Jantzen, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville for “Electromagnet Avenue”.

◆ Second leveler Christopher Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Monkey bars or Ouchy scars: what playing surface absorbs the most impact?”

◆ Third level Erios Pikramenos, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School at Rocky Point for “Lami against Eddy”.

◆ Fourth level Lyla Drucker, Tamarac elementary in Holtsville for “paper of recycled seeds”.

◆ Fifth Grader Taran Sathish Kumar, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Waste to Blaze: which eco-biqette burns the best”.

◆ Sixth year Luke Dinsman, Northport Middle School in Northport to “defeat drought: can hydrogels help?”

Choice of judges

Kindergarten: Nate Doherty, Miller Avenue School in Shoreham

First year: Jack Gottesman, Tamarac primary school in Holtsville

Second year: Indie Crooke, Hampton Bays Elementary School in Hampton Bays

Third year: Colton Christian, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fourth year: Mabel Gross, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fifth year: Morgan Proscia, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville

Honorable mentions

Kindergarten: Arjun Yelika, Laurel Hill school in East Setunket; Savanna Stidd, Riley Avenue primary school in Calverton; And Peyton Lauten, Frank J. Carasiti Elementary in Rocky Point

First year: GRADY MCHUL, PINES ELEMENTARY SCOOL in Smithtown; And Cecilia Singh, Edna Louise Spear Elementary in Port Jefferson

Second year: Maggie Ruddick, Ridge Elementary School in Ridge; Rudhvin Maheshkumar, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; And Nathan Kenny, Hiawatha Elementary in Lake Ronkonkoma

Third year: Emilia Rutigliano, Tamarac Elementary in Holtsville; Adalynn Bishop, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; George Miyagishi, Park View Elementary School at Kings Park; Christopher Powell, Fifth Avenue School at East Northport; And Siena Roseto, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue.

Fourth year: Kate Unterstein, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue; Myles Savage, RCK primary school in Islip Terrace; Lily Argyros, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; Vincent Calvanais, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; And Ruby Tafflock, Ocean Avenue School in Northport.

Fifth year: Sofia Balcels, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; And Ashleigh Bruno, Northport Middle School in Northport.

Sixth year: William Zeiger, Peconic community school in Cutchogue; and Colette Breig, William T. Rogers Middle School at Kings Park.

Scientific fair exhibition

While the showcase of the project was underway, participants in the science fair and their families also visited science fair expo, which presented information on Brookhaven Lab, scientific demonstrations and practical activities related to physics, nanometric science, etc.

The Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Science Bureau in the US Energy Department, the biggest supporter of fundamental research in physical sciences in the United States. For more information, visit Science.energy.Gov.