Science was found in things like gum, video games and lumps of clay during the recent Science Fair held at Elphinstone Secondary School.
About 75 Grade 9 students took part in the Feb. 16 fair, fashioning their experiments after whatever moved them.
"The only criteria was that it had to be an experiment," science teacher Astrid Beyser said.
Students either teamed up or worked on their own to develop and deliver their experiments.
Student Josh Eadie decided to show how moulding clay into a different form could make it float, while Connar Peers and partner Conner Dempster created a solar rover out of an old pop can and a solar panel.
Partners Stephanie Slingerland and Jessica Luporini demonstrated how to make monster bubbles, and Zoe Basil set up a hands-on experiment to differentiate various rocks and minerals.
The dozens of displays were as unique as the students who made them, creating a difficult job for judges.
Beyser managed to have 24 judges working in the field of science come out to the fair to cast their ballots for the best. Judges in the field of geology, medicine, optometry and audiology made the event a priority that afternoon.
"I like encouraging young minds," said neuroscientist Shannon MacLean. "It's good to bring science to the general public to show that it's accessible, fun and interesting."
Some students from Gibsons Elem-entary School were also able to come and see just how much fun science can be, and their smiles were telling.
"This is so cool," one of the elementary students exclaimed upon seeing the fair.
Beyser said the event went very well and was well received by teachers, students, staff and the public.
"It's something I hope to do again," she noted.
The winners of this year's science fair were Zoe Basil for her experiment titled Rock & Roll and Cecelia Hollier with her project Lovely Locks.
Second place went to Kailyn Pritchard and Teegan Boyd for their experiment Take It or Leave It, and Roshanara Dias took the third place finish with Papaya Pumice. Fourth place was a tie between Sabrina Korsch for her Cat Grass Experiment and partners Taylor McKenzie and Julia Milne for their Big Belly, Small Girl project. Stephanie Slingerland and Jessica Luporini took fifth place with their Big Bad Bubbles experiment and Mason Doyle and Will Johnstone came in sixth for their experiment The Waiting Game.
All these winners are now eligible to compete at the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair at the University of British Columbia, to be held April 12, 13 and 14.
