Vina High School has never had a science fair, in recent memory. Or at least – not until last week.

Vina third through sixth grade students set out to question, hypothesize, test and analyze with science projects of all sorts for last week’s science fair. Held in the Vina multi-purpose building, the fair set out to show parents a little bit of what their children are learning and allow the students a chance to express what they had learned.

Fourth grader Emily Barnette, for example, made a lava lamp.

“I like lava lamps, and I wanted to figure out how to do it,” Emily said. “I learned that alka seltzer makes it fizzy.”

Annie-Kayte Scott, fourth grade, made magnetic slime using glue and iron filings.
“I tried it a lot of times at first, and it didn’t work out,” said Annie-Kayte. Her testing involved discovering the effective ratio of glue to filings.

Other projects included rocket balloons and volcanoes, planets and chemical reactions. Live animals even made an appearance, including a rabbit and a guinea pig. Cayden and Cai Lawler made “elephant toothpaste,” from hydrogen peroxide and yeast, and a gelatin Coke.

“The kids have loved it, and they’ve learned so much,” said teacher Leigh Burks. “I’m proud of the way they have come out and are speaking in front of people – that’s a great thing.”

“It was better than what I could have imagined,” added teacher Jamie Payne.

Burks said Annie-Kayte, for example, is one who has particularly blossomed through the science fair.

“She is one who didn’t even hardly talk,” Burks said. “She has learned a lot, and you can tell she knows what’s she’s talking about.”

Judges for the science fair were Lee Brownell, RBHS science teacher Hugh Johnston and Shannon Uptain.

“They communicated very well about their ideas. I was very impressed with them,” Johnston said. “They showed enthusiasm – that was very good to se