Held on Thursday, Jan. 15, the annual Cortez Middle School science fair, for example, included electrified salt experiments, the use of red cabbage to test acidity, reaction time comparisons between individuals that played violent versus non-violent video games, the distance gained via various ramp angles when jumping a dirt bike, the best terrain for a home-made hover board, a battery made from U.S. coins and the impact of background noise on student concentration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of exciting things going on,\u201d Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 board president and science fair judge Jack Schuenemeyer said from the judging floor. \u201cThe diversity of the projects from agriculture to social science is just neat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked to describe which project was most impressive, Schuenemeyer said he eyed multiple electricity generating experiments, endeavors that examined texting while driving and a project that measured the elasticity of rubber bands at various temperatures. Schuenemeyer added that he was \u201cincredibly impressed\u201d with all of the students\u2019 scientific experiments.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really exciting, and hopefully this will encourage the students to continue studying math and science,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Stating math was his favorite subject area, eighth grader Jacob Reedy constructed a three-inch tall Tesla coil to wirelessly power a fluorescent light bulb for his science fair project. Reedy said he discovered the 19th Century technology while visiting the library.<\/p>\n
\u201cNikola Tesla made some pretty cool inventions,\u201d Reedy said, citing he too would like to become an inventor.<\/p>\n
Reedy said his favorite aspect of the science fair was the ability to share the knowledge he\u2019d gained with others as well as witnessing what his peers were able to discover.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s some cool stuff here,\u201d Reedy said, pointing to a classmate that designed an artificial pancreas that produced insulin.<\/p>\n
A baritone saxophone player in the school band, Reedy attributed his scientific curiosity to retired teacher Sam Eckhart.<\/p>\n
As a first grader, Reedy was one of Eckhart\u2019s students while attending Manaugh Elementary, and over the years, the duo has constructed numerous gadgets, including catapults and mousetrap vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cJacob has progressed a whole lot,\u201d said Eckhart, who also volunteered to serve as a science fair judge. \u201cHe has a bright future ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without question, both Eckhart and Schuenemeyer agreed that the school\u2019s annual science fair restored their hope for the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade get involved in these projects does indeed reinvigorate my belief in the future,\u201d said Schuenemeyer. \u201cThis is what we need.\u201d<\/p>\n