Independent Science Research students and their teachers from Northbrook Junior High received 18 Gold and 5 Silver awards during the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Fair on May 4 in Decatur.
According to a news release, NBJH each year participates in the science fair by offering a semester-long course where students can pursue their interests in a research project following the scientific method. Science teachers Lauren Johnson, Fred Yoon, and Amber Paull guide the students through their projects.
The 7th- and 8th-grade students participate in a school science fair where they present their research and findings to a panel of three judges, the release said. The judges evaluate the oral presentation, the written work, and the scientific method of the experiments based on the Illinois Jr. Academy of Science rubric. Students who receive a silver or gold award can advance to a regional science fair and then state.
“This group consistently worked hard. They love science, they asked wonderful, thoughtful questions and they worked together so well. Our ISR students learned so many skills and I have no doubt they will use them as they move on to high school,” Paull said in the release
.In addition to the gold and silver awards, several students received special recognition.
Special awards included:
Exceptional Project in Category (EPIC): Henry Gartz (Aerospace), Simon Pick (Environmental Science)
Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Award (Top 10%, Invitation to more competitions): Maggie Griffith, Eric McCaughan, Simon Pick, Gia Swinger
Exceptional Project in Agriculture (presented by Ball Seed Company) – Eric McCaughan
Illinois Soybean Association Second Place in Microbiology – Evan Silver-Schack
Illinois Soybean Association First Place in Behavioral Science – Gia Swinger
Illinois Soybean Association First Place in Electronics – Olivia Pekala
