Youth can explore, experiment for James Clemens Science Fair

MADISON – Elementary students in kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible to enter the James Clemens 2023 Science Fair.

The James Clemens Science National Honor Society is hosting their second annual science fair on Feb. 18, 2023. James Clemens students will not enter this event. The honor society’s goal is to give savvy science students in grades K-8 another venue to promote their technical aptitude in the field of science.

Emily Harris, who teaches chemistry at James Clemens, is coordinating the fair.

One goal for the honor society is to use science to do good in the world. The science fair will allow older students to give back in sharing their interest in science and inspire the next generation. James Clemens students are planning the fair, mentoring younger students with their projects and explaining setup/takedown.

The fair has two categories:

* Exploration – Researching a scientific topic or presenting a science-related project that the student has built.

* Experimentation — Conducting an experiment to answer a scientific question.

One change for this year’s fair is the elimination of an accompanying report. Students only need to create a display board.

This year, two classes, Competition and Exhibition, will be available. In the Competition class, two judges will review and score projects.

In the Exhibition class, judges will not review the project. These students will participate in the fair with a display table and discussing the project with guests, but no one will evaluate the project or consider it for an award. The student will receive a certificate of participation.

The fair’s date will allow students to use their project as practice for the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Students in the Competition class can request a copy of their judging scorecard, which identifies corrections to incorporate before the regional fair.

Students who want to enter the fair must read the entire information packet and then register. Registration deadline is Dec. 14.

The fair will open at 8 a.m. on Feb. 18 for students to set up projects. Following judging and exhibition, the awards ceremony will be held in the auditorium. Students will clear the exhibits and clean up at 11:30 a.m.

Due to space limitations, the fair will have 175 entries maximum.