Fair 41° F

Home > Archive > Apr 3, 2008

Science Fair Recognizes Students
By Ashley Langston
Contributing Editor
The Southern Utah Science and Engineering Fair took place Friday, March 28 at Southern Utah University, giving students the opportunity to earn a spot at the international science fair and offering one $10,000 scholarship from software company Symantec.
Trevor Boardman, of Delta High School, was awarded the Symantec scholarship. Ed Walters, a Symantec senior development manager, said to qualify for this scholarship, the students must have written some software as part of their science project.
Last year there were four students who qualified to compete for the scholarship, and this year there were seven students, Walters said.
Symantec gives out one $10,000 at each of the four regional science fairs in Utah. Last year’s Southern Utah winner was Tyson Boardman of Delta, Trevor’s brother. Tyson is now using his scholarship at Brigham Young University.
Walters said Symantec is the fourth largest software company in the United States, and employs around 700 people in Utah. Don Kleinschnitz, one of the company’s vice presidents, works in Utah and is very interested in education, Walters said. They hope to continue offering the scholarship each year.
The four winners who were chosen to take their projects to the international fair were Cameron Hanson, Thomas Cook, and Faith Martinez of Carbon High School in Price, and Emily Thomas of Dixie Middle School.
Emily’s project was titled “Expending Longevity in Drosophila Melanogaster.”
These students were all chosen from the senior fair, which includes students in 9th through 12th grade.
Those selected go to the international fair will have all expenses paid. It is a week-long trip, and will be in Atlanta, Ga., this year, she said. Parents and teachers are also invited to go if they pay their own way.
According to a pamphlet about the Southern Utah fair, the Intel ISEF is the biggest pre-college science celebration in the world, “with up to 1,500 science fair projects from over 40 nations from around the world on display.”
The junior fair took place at the same time, and one eighth grader, Hailee Holt of Delta Middle School, was chosen to go to the international fair with the senior fair winners and be an observer.
Kris Bronsema, Southern Utah Science and Engineering Fair director, said Hailee will not take her project to the international fair, but will go to experience the fair. There will be specific activities for observers.
There were also many special awards given out from a variety of groups and agencies. Bronsema said there are entities that are involved with the international science fair, and offer awards at all the regional fairs. There were also some local groups that awarded students. Intermountain Healthcare, the SUU Geology Club, and the Utah Veterinary Auxiliary gave out awards. Several included cash awards.
They also gave out many donated prizes at the fair’s awards ceremony.
The Southern Utah Science and Engineering Fair is affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
She said the region is geographically about 77 percent of Utah, but it is only about 15 percent of the population.
The Southern Utah Science and Engineering Fair’s mission statement reports that its goal is to advance science education in rural counties by promoting student participation in the scientific process.
“(The fair) supports the Utah Science Core Curriculum, which states in part, ‘It is not enough for students to read about science; they must do science.’ Our mission is to offer students a learning opportunity incorporating science and math, written and oral communication, organization, and critical analysis,” according to the mission statement.
Southern Utah University has played host to the regional fair since at least 1974, when it became affiliated with the ISEF, Bronsema said.

---