Science Fair 2018
This past February 20th, SciXchange organized its first ever Science Fair, bringing students, teachers, judges, and staff together at Taylor Creek Public School for an afternoon of hands-on science learning and teaching. We saw around 70 Grade 7 and 8 students present over 30 projects on topics aimed at addressing the Global Sustainable Development Goals, including clean water and sanitation, climate action, affordable and clean energy, and more.
With a plethora of clubs, initiatives, and programs to supplement learning done in the classroom, Taylor Creek Public School is and has perpetually been proudly dedicated to supporting its students however possible. It was no surprise, then, that when we proposed to Principal Anja Belter and Grade 7/8 science lead, Chris Barkley, the idea of organizing a Science Fair for their students, they jumped on board with no hesitation. Months of planning and coordination ensued, as volunteers attended weekly after-school mentoring and work sessions graciously facilitated by Chris.
Following Family Day, the students returned to school with their projects in hand. Set up in the small gym of Taylor Creek, rows of tables were lined with three-panel poster boards prepared by the students. Judges, teachers, and volunteers circulated the room as poster presentations were underway! After calculating scores and a moment of deliberation amongst the judges, award recipients were finalized:
Top 5 Projects (based on highest overall scores), which were given the opportunity to present their projects at the Toronto Science Fair on March 24th:
● Arpit and Kavisha — Trash collecting water wheel
● Rishika and Sarah — Hygiene kit for women and girls
● Sabrina — Energy generator
● Nilima — Project on non-communicable diseases: Mental health
● Manuel and Dany — Trash clarification app
Best Presentation: Mus’ab and Emaad — Smokestack filtration
Best Design: Rishika and Sarah — Hygiene kit for women and girls
Best Innovation: Farzine, Sabrianna, and Ciara — Hydraulic lift
Top 5 awardees, Arpit and Kavisha, write in Taylor Creek’s monthly newsletter, “Huge thank you to Mr. Barkley, our science teacher, who organized and hosted the science fair and also introduced the project to the students. Not only did he sacrifice time after school, but he also provided all the resources and building materials for the students. He worked extremely hard to set all this up and we are very grateful and thankful for all he has done.”
Chris added, “I think the Science Fair went very well. It was a great way for my Science students to showcase what they learned and what they had been working on for the past few months...Overall my students really liked the experience and I hope that Taylor Creek can continue a relationship with Ryerson in the future.”
