Science Fair At St Rose School

By Laurie Borst

Wednesday evening, May 31, the St Rose parish hall was transformed into a science center. Dozens of presentation boards were assembled on tables filling the middle of the hall. Around the perimeter, tables displayed hands-on activities.

Seventh and eighth graders staffed he hands-on activities, helping younger students explore fossils, chromatography, volcanoes, trees, the ocean, rocks and minerals, dissection, and microscopy. A “dark room” was set up to view rocks under ultraviolet light. Minerals in the rocks would fluoresce, or glow, under the UV light. Two guest scientists did presentations. Martin Hamar ran a telescopic observation station where students could look at the moon and Salvatore put on a display of rocketry.

Fifth and sixth graders had performed science experiments and presented their findings for competition. Students explored various topics in science including: popcorn, pHantastic fungi, effects of salt on the boiling temperature of water, and salt’s effect on the freezing point of water, color and heat absorption, wattage and heat output.

The top four projects for each grade were selected by a panel of judges. The judges were Mary Maloney, St Rose principal, Joan Thomas, science teacher at Hillcrest Middle School, and. Robert Hawley, chief ranger, Trumbull.

Fifth grade winners are: first place, Nick Gerbo for CO2 Flies; second, Adrianna Mihalek for Towel Talk; third, Kevin Culligan for Down, Down, Down It Goes; fourth, Ethan Hayden for Aerodynamic Impacts. Sixth grade winners are: first place, Johnny Kerins, What Is the Best Wrap Around?; second, David Tortora, Crumpling Construction; third, Elyse Bokuniewicz for A Cool Fashion Statement; and fourth, Kevin Morrissey, It’s a Miracle.

The science fair was organized by science teacher Marde Dimon. Mrs Dimon joined the St Rose faculty in late January. She has taught in New Haven, Trumbull, and PS 189 Brooklyn before coming to Newtown.