The 2019 Kentucky American Water District Science Fair was held on Saturday at Frederick Douglas High School.
The event marked the 35th consecutive year that the Kentucky American Water Company has partnered with Fayette County Public Schools to host the fair, which showcased 533 entries from students in grades four through twelve.
“These participants represent the best of Fayette County,” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. Caulk said it’s important that Fayette County be a leader in STEM—science, technology, engineering and math.
The participants in the district fair are chosen from a much larger pool of fayette county students, which includes students that attend private schools and that are homeschooled. Volunteer judges select the first and second place projects across fourteen different categories, such as chemistry, computer science and engineering.
“In the big categories, it’s tough—it’s really tough,” said FCPS Science Instructional Specialist David Helm, who coordinates the fair. “It’s a challenge. The judges actually go into debate sessions, and they’ll come back out onto the floor and have scientific arguments with one another.”
In addition to choosing first and second place winners for each category, judges select overall grade winners, and representatives from Kentucky American Water choose winners from each grade for projects that involve an aspect of water science. All award winners will be allowed to compete in the regional science fair, which will be held on March 2nd at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.
Superintendent Caulk said that all of the students that participated should be proud.
Superintendent Caulk said conducting experiments helps students develop critical thinking skills that will make them successful in the 21st century. “It allows them to explore their curiosity,” he said, and for students to ask the question, “what are the problems yet to be solved?”