Sarasota County students had the opportunity to shine at the 2018 STEM Fair Expo.
By
Samantha Chaney
| 9:17 a.m. February 1, 2019
Sarasota
Schools
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Robards Arena was bursting with proud students, their families and more than 600 tri-fold display boards for the STEM Fair Expo on Jan. 31.
11th grade Sarasota High School student Bella Brush, for example, was among the hundreds of students who wandered the rows of boards with her parents, looking curiously to see what other students had researched.
Brush herself, though, had launched forward with "Measuring the effect of gene silencing on lipid yield in spirulina platensis."
“It helps research into renewable resources,” Brush said. “I’m interested in environmental engineering and especially the renewable resources.”
Nearby, her father commented on the complexity of her project.
“She lost me on the first turn,” he laughed. “I just started reading it and I said, ‘Holy moly!’ ”
The Sarasota County STEM Fair is an annual school event that provides the opportunity for students to apply the scientific method to concerns or questions of their choice.
First, participants who are in grades 3 through 12 compete at the school level. Then, the top 18 projects from each school come to the STEM Fair Expo where the elementary school projects are on display and the middle and high school projects compete for the opportunity to advance to statewide competition.
“[The Expo] has become my favorite part of the STEM Fair,” said Bev Stancel, one of three co-directors of the STEM Fair. “We’ve kind of gone away from having a family night and this year we decided to implement it again. And the response has been happy faces and we have vendors here tonight who are making it an even better experience for the families.”
Projects themselves showed a wide variety of topics, ranging from "Will flaps on a paper airplane effect how far it flies?" to "Solar-powered salt removal."
Many students chose to gravitate toward their personal interests.
For instance, fifth grade Hendrix Nunnery, who attends Fruitville Elementary says he has an interest in sculpting. As a result, when it came time to decide on his project, he chose to explore "What happens to different types of clay at different temperatures?"
“I chose to do this project because, like many clay sculptors, I am one myself. I am actually very much an artist,” he said. “And I decided, ‘Hey, might as well do something that I love,’ as they say. So, I decided to do clay at different temperatures. And I even found out some new modeling techniques.”
Vendors were also present to entertain and teach students and families.
Tracy Calla from Selby Gardens played Jenga with kids to teach them “how a rainforest ecosystem is like Jenga.” Jordan Miller and Kaelyn Dobson represented the Sarasota Jungle Gardens, holding a snake and a rabbit that kids could pet while they learned more about the site.
For most of the evening, though, parents beamed as their young students stood by their projects, proudly explaining their hypotheses, processes and conclusions. Cookies, K’Nex and cool games aside, the excited chatter was what was truly infectious about the Expo.
“It’s really cool to talk to a third-grader who’s 8 years old and they spout science to you,” Stancel said. “It’s just... oh my gosh!”
The winners of the middle and high school STEM Fair projects are expected to be announced by Feb. 5.
The top 18 elementary, middle and high school STEM projects in Sarasota were on display at the STEM Fair Expo.
The Robard Arena was lined with rows upon rows of student STEM Fair projects on the evening of Jan. 31.
Takumi Fenderson, a fourth grader from Gulf Gate Elementary stands beside his project, "How does brightness of light affect the performance of a solar power car?"
Tyler Wolfinger is a third grade student from Southside Elementary School. He stands beside his project, "Will flaps on a paper airplane effect how far it flies?"
Aaleeyah Munoz is a third grade student from Atwater Elementary. She did her project on "Plants vs. water: The battle of soil erosion."
Fourth grade student Reece Lanum, who attends Garden Elementary and competes in triathlons, did his project on "How can my bike help me fly through my tri?"
Fourth grade student Reece Lanum, who attends Garden Elementary and competes in triathlons, did his project on "How can my bike help me fly through my tri?"
Isabella Santelli, a fifth grade student from Tuttle Elementary, completed her project on whether or not eye colors affects a person's personality.
Isabella Santelli, a fifth grade student from Tuttle Elementary, completed her project on whether or not eye colors affects a person's personality.
Kaelyn Dobson (right) and Jordan Miller (left) were in attendance from the Sarasota Jungle Gardens to teach students about animals and give information about the zoo.
Jessica Young represented the YMCA at the STEM Fair Expo and helped kids to make three-dimensional shapes with toothpicks and gummy bears.
Bella Brush, an 11th grade student from Sarasota High School, completed her project on "measuring the effect of gene silencing on lipid yield in spirulina platensis."
Bella Brush, an 11th grade student from Sarasota High School, completed her project on "measuring the effect of gene silencing on lipid yield in spirulina platensis."
Fourth-grader Daniel Quevaedo attends Laurel Nokomis Elementary School and decided to do his project on "Solar-powered salt removal."
Kate Landry, a fifth grade student from Lakeview Elementary, comleted her STEM Fair project on where people are less likely to get sunburned on the beach.
Fifth grade Hendrix Nunnery, who attends Fruitville Elementary and has an interest in pottery, completed his project on "What happens to different types of clay at different temperatures?"
Fifth grade Hendrix Nunnery, who attends Fruitville Elementary and has an interest in pottery, completed his project on "What happens to different types of clay at different temperatures?"
Fourth-grader Lilly Pederson-Hornacek from Laurel Nokomis wanted to learn more about how people can use "sand clocks," or hourglasses, to tell time. Here, she stands with a home-made prototype.
Various vendors and science-related merchants brought toys and experiments for the students and their families to play with.
Elise Hodges from Gocio Elementary plays with "tornado tube" brought by Experience Daliona.
Hannah Gore, a sixth-grader from Woodland Middle School, decided to do her project on "Does SPF of sunscreen matter?" to learn more about how people can prevent skin cancer.
Hannah Gore, a sixth-grader from Woodland Middle School, decided to do her project on "Does SPF of sunscreen matter?" to learn more about how people can prevent skin cancer.
Fifth grade Goya Sleit from Gulf gate Elementary completed her STEM Fair project on which types of oranges have the thickest skin.
Sarah Burkett (right), Cheri Dame (middle) and Bev Stancel are the Sarasota County Schools science program specialists for elementary, middle and high schools.
Fourth grade Addie Ross plays Jenga with Selby Gardens Senior Manager of School and Family Programs Tracy Calla.
Tracy Calla plays Jenga with Addie Ross to teach her more about how the rainforest ecosystem is like Jenga.
Curtis Craig, Jenny Shaw, Alisa Craig and Alex Martin represented STEMania at the STEM Fair Expo.
