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 \u2014 the largest the campus has ever hosted.<\/p>\n
Rows of cardboard displays labeled with terms like hypothesis, data and conclusion line the competition space, each representing a student-led project.<\/p>\n
Students tackle real-world questions<\/p>\n
Projects ranged from testing the effects of radiation on plant health to studying how distilled water impacts mold growth in the water cycle.<\/p>\n
West Hancock student Presleigh Singley tested whether the price of nail polish affects its durability.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat the cheap nail polish wouldn\u2019t be much different from the expensive nail polish,\u201d 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 \u2014 and found the cheaper option lasted longer.<\/p>\n
Judges and educators look for curiosity and creativity<\/p>\n
Carol Paola, a Discovery teacher with the Long Beach School District, said she judges projects on originality and the drive to keep questioning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking for creativity, that idea that they come up with others haven\u2019t thought of, or even something that they\u2019ve done before and they\u2019re building on that idea, and that question to see what they can discover next,\u201d Paola said.<\/p>\n
Tara Skelton, outreach program manager for the USM Center for STEM Education, said the fair reinforces what science is at its core.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese kids are learning that science is discovery and science is investigating, exploring and testing,\u201d Skelton said. \u201cThat\u2019s great because they will grow up to be our problem solvers.\u201d<\/p>\n
STEM careers offer financial advantages, organizers say<\/p>\n
Skelton said the event also connects students to future career opportunities in high-demand fields.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have enough students majoring in STEM,\u201d Skelton said. \u201cThe beauty of it is if you go into a STEM career, you\u2019re going to make on average $20,000 more a year, and you\u2019ll be less likely to be laid off in an economic downturn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students take home more than ribbons<\/p>\n
Beyond the competition, participants said the experience offered lessons beyond the lab.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t need to stress as much as you think, it\u2019s really calming and even if it\u2019s your first year, it\u2019s okay,\u201d said Sacred Heart student Stephanie Van Orsdol. \u201cYou\u2019ll learn from your mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winners of the regional competition advance to the state science fair.<\/p>\n