Wellington County was well represented at the 41st annual Waterloo-Wellington Science and Engineering Fair, with nine local students taking home awards.
The event on April 8 at the Bingeman’s conference centre in Kitchener involved 256 students, with over 150 judges from local schools, universities, colleges, businesses and industries volunteering their time to judge the 189 projects.
The students’ work was divided into five categories: biotechnology, earth and environmental science, engineering science, life science, and physical and mathematical science, and judged based on factors such as scientific method, visual impact and research.
Gold, silver, bronze and pewter medallions were awarded, with a select few chosen to represent the region on an all-expense paid trip to the Canada-Wide Science Fair at the University of Windsor.
Local winners included the following.
Silver
Renee Cottrell, Grade 8, St. John Brebeuf Catholic School in Erin, for “Drop That Heart Beat.”
Bronze
Vanessa Thongsomsanith, Grade 8, John McCrae Public School in Guelph, for “Effects of Acid Rain on Living Organisms.”
Jessica Wassens and Libby Alger, Grade 8, John McCrae Public School, for “Is Music Class Contagious.”
Pewter
Liam Whalen, Grade 7, St. John Brebeuf Catholic School, for “Tire Pressure’s effect on soil compaction.”
Megan Robart-Morgan and Marissa Condo, Grade 7, St. John Brebeuf Catholic School, for “It’s a Long Way Down.”
Tyler Toomey and Moses Brajkovich, Grade 7, St. John Brebeuf Catholic School, for “Fact or Friction.”
The science and engineering fair is organized by volunteers from around the region. For more information, visit www.wwsef.ca.
