Some of central Alberta’s brightest young minds will show off their work at the Central Alberta Rotary Science Fair this weekend.
The 36th annual event, which began Friday and continues Saturday at Red Deer College, features students from as north as Lacombe and as south as Carstairs.
“The main thing is for them to learn how to experiment and … study a subject they’re interested in,” said Ruth Roedler, science fair president.
“This gives them an outlet to do what they want. … In school you have to do what you’re told, but some of these kids come up with some really neat ideas.”
Roedler has been involved with the science fair for about 30 years. She said the the event has seen plenty of changes over the that time.
“It was a lot bigger at first, attendance had gone a bit down, but now it’s starting to come back up again. We’re getting new schools and we’re getting students from schools that don’t necessarily participate.”
Roedler said there are some interesting projects to see at this year’s event.
“There are a lot in the psychology line, like gender bias and whether you should listen to your gut or brain,” she said. “A lot of kids build their own things too, which is something I like to see. They come up with some neat stuff.”
Students from Grade 5 to 12 participate in the science fair. The top six students in Grade 7 to 12 are eligible to participate in the annual Canada Wide Science Festival, which is being held in Fredericton, N.B. in May.
Public viewing for the science fair runs from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and the awards ceremony is 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
For more information visit www.centralalbertasciencefair.com.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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