LONG BEACH, Miss. (WLOX) – More than 200 students from schools across the Coast and the Pine Belt are competing this week in a regional science fair at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus — the largest the campus has ever hosted.
Rows of cardboard displays labeled with terms like hypothesis, data and conclusion line the competition space, each representing a student-led project.
Students tackle real-world questions
Projects ranged from testing the effects of radiation on plant health to studying how distilled water impacts mold growth in the water cycle.
West Hancock student Presleigh Singley tested whether the price of nail polish affects its durability.
“That the cheap nail polish wouldn’t be much different from the expensive nail polish,” Singley said of her hypothesis. She said she painted nails and a ping pong ball with both a 98-cent and a nine-dollar polish — and found the cheaper option lasted longer.
Judges and educators look for curiosity and creativity
Carol Paola, a Discovery teacher with the Long Beach School District, said she judges projects on originality and the drive to keep questioning.
“I’m looking for creativity, that idea that they come up with others haven’t thought of, or even something that they’ve done before and they’re building on that idea, and that question to see what they can discover next,” Paola said.
Tara Skelton, outreach program manager for the USM Center for STEM Education, said the fair reinforces what science is at its core.
“These kids are learning that science is discovery and science is investigating, exploring and testing,” Skelton said. “That’s great because they will grow up to be our problem solvers.”
STEM careers offer financial advantages, organizers say
Skelton said the event also connects students to future career opportunities in high-demand fields.
“We don’t have enough students majoring in STEM,” Skelton said. “The beauty of it is if you go into a STEM career, you’re going to make on average $20,000 more a year, and you’ll be less likely to be laid off in an economic downturn.”
Students take home more than ribbons
Beyond the competition, participants said the experience offered lessons beyond the lab.
“You don’t need to stress as much as you think, it’s really calming and even if it’s your first year, it’s okay,” said Sacred Heart student Stephanie Van Orsdol. “You’ll learn from your mistakes.”
Winners of the regional competition advance to the state science fair.
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