Some of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ brightest young scientists will be showing off their studies to the rest of the region following the completion of the Lowden E. Anderson district science fair.
The district science fair assembles dozens of students from across all grade levels to demonstrate their insights into the scientific fields that shape the world. These scientists run weeks of experiments and create presentations before offering their findings to the judges, including district science leaders, teachers, and members of the Alpha Phi Lambda fraternity. It’s one of the biggest opportunities of the year for students to apply what they learn in class in front of an outside audience.
“We have so many exhibitions around athletic competitions. We never have enough around academics,” Chief Academic Officer Paula Wilkins said. “The science fair is one of those few that we relish because it gives us a moment to celebrate what learning is all about.”
This year’s top finishers in each category will move on to the North Carolina Region 5 Science and Engineering Fair, which will be held on Saturday, February 15 at Parkland High School. Those projects will cover crucial scientific pursuits, including maintaining sustainable soil systems, repurposing food waste, managing the impacts of artificial intelligence, and even diagnosing brain tumors. Director of K-12 Science David DeLade is always amazed by the sophistication of the projects that show up at the district fair.
“I was telling my team that there are projects here today that, when I was this age, I wouldn’t have even known where to begin,” DeLade said. “I learned a lot today.”
Even reaching the district science fair is a major achievement. Darrel Clodfelter of Alpha Phi Lambda says that students who compete at this level have to hone multidisciplinary skills to conduct good research and communicate it effectively. The science fair prepares them for the rigors of working in academic fields later in life by testing them in so many different ways.
“Science fairs are not for everybody,” Clodfelter said. “You have to be good at writing, you have to be good at math… you have to come through with a lot of work.”
All of the struggles are worth it to feel the pride that comes with a polished final product. Srinidha Pg, a senior from Atkins High School who won first place in the 9-12 Senior Division: Biological Science B category for her project on machine learning models, says that she’s become a better scientist over the years because of her work in the fair. Just as importantly, she’s become a more confident person.
“I’ve had to adapt a lot,” Pg said. “I’ve learned a lot about presentation skills, and I’ve learned to think outside the box. I’m not afraid to do anything now.”