02/09/2006
Coventry High honor students taking on interesting science fare
By: Greg Elias


WASHINGTON VILLAGE - Coventry High School honors students participated in the school's annual science fair this week, with the winners headed to the state competition.
Students set up displays throughout the school library, with subjects ranging from studies on the force of gravity to friction, paint tests and the effects of acid rain on home exteriors.
Approximately 137 students from grades nine through 12 participated in the event, according to Science Department Chairman Ernest DiMicco. A Science Department release described the event as an opportunity to improve students' research and experimental skills.
Teachers from throughout the science department and former educators judged the projects, according to teacher Michaela Thompson, and finalists were interviewed by three of the judges on Wednesday. The top 10 student projects are set to compete in the state science fair on March 11 at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick.
DiMicco said the fair has been held for approximately 30 years, and described this years' projects as comparable to last years' in quality, including what he said he thought were good projects involving rocketry and butterfly habitats.
Thompson, who is in her second year at the high school, also said this years' projects were as good as last, which featured some students who ended up doing well at the state competition.
"A few are very original," Thompson said, while noting that some students tackled typical science fair fare.
Science teachers do not judge their own students at the competition, she said. Rather, three different judges look over each project using a number of different rubrics when cutting the projects down to finalists. The first cut brings the total number of projects in contention to 72, she said, with another bringing it to 20 and a final review yielding the top projects.
Judges look at factors such as thoroughness and clarity, as well as the implementation of the scientific method, Thompson said.
Winners at this years' competition included Michaela Tracy taking home honors for Top Freshman Project for her work with "Fores, Scores and Golf Ball Cores." Karissa Neira received Top Sophomore designation for "The Force of Gravity," Kara Jalbert won Top Junior for "Butterflies: Winging Their Way from Habitat to Habitat" and Top Senior honors went to "Do-it-yourself Soundproofing" by Mary Barden. Jalbert also took home "Best of Fair" honors, with Barden coming in second place overall and Jenny Lau winning third for her "Lead in Calcium Supplements" project. In all, 19 Coventry High School honors students took home awards.