Keri Courtnage, News Editor
Students who wish to express their scientific talents will get the chance to show off at the second annual science fair this year.
On March 16, Penn-Trafford High School will hold a science fair for middle and high schoolers in the cafeteria. The fair will run from 5-7:30 p.m.
Biology and Chemistry teacher Niklas Campero said he wanted to hold the science fair this year because he was inspired by a senior project from last year.
“Rachel Rizzardi did it as her senior project last year, and I went to it. I saw what was going on, and I thought it was motivational,” Campero said. “It was cool to see middle schoolers interested in science.”
Campero said he thinks the science fair will become an annual event, and more students will grow interested in it through the years.
“I will be able to make more money through the science fair, which will go back into the science department,” Campero added.
“The funds [Rachel Rizzardi] raised last year, I filled out a grant for. She told me I could do anything I wanted with the money — I could buy new science equipment — but I told her I wanted to continue this idea because it was so cool, and hopefully it would keep going.”
The science fair will be accompanied by a bake sale with various cookies and baked goods for participants to enjoy.
Flyers advertising the science fair are displayed around the school.
Overall, there will be four winners, categorized in two sets. Two of the winners will be selected by raffle. Family members and others who come to the science fair can buy raffle tickets and put them in the jar of the project they think is best. The other two winners will be selected by a small panel of science teachers. This eliminates winning by popularity.
The winners of the fair will be announced around 7:15 p.m.
There will be a gift card prize to reward the winners of the fair.
Campero said, “The No. 1 thing is just to have fun. I just want kids to be in science and enjoy it, not to make it so formal or stressful, I don’t want that.”
Campero added that he wants students to be inspired by other projects and see things they have never seen before.
“It will give them a place to display their talents in science,” Campero said. “Some kids can’t show that in class, in front of everyone. You can take tests and show your talents in science, but you don’t have the opportunity to make something physical and explain to a crowd what is going on.”
Campero did not have the opportunity to show his talents in a science fair when he was in high school, which he said is another motivation for him to continue what Rizzardi started.
Chemistry teacher Pat Fallon said she attended last year’s science fair and was very impressed with the attendance of students and the quality of their projects. Fallon also said she is looking forward to attending this year’s fair.
“I would encourage all students to participate,” Fallon said.
The deadline to sign up for the science fair will be March 3. Sign-up sheets can be found in any science teacher’s room.