General News
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) was well represented at the Vaiala Beach School Science Fair this month with former student, SPREP's Youth Ambassador, Brianna Fruean, as one of the judges alongside Ms Amanda Wheatley, Ecosystem and Biodiversity Officer at SPREP.
Vaiala Beach School Principal, Ms Lorraine Williams, said that while they had always taught science at the school, they thought that by hosting a Science Fair, it would encourage the students to think like a scientist, research like a scientist, and act like a scientist by doing experiments in preparing their scientific displays.
Over five weeks, the Year 5, Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 students worked on their own and in pairs to find a topic that interested them, follow a scientific method to record and prepare their experiment ready to present to parents, other students and the judges.
Elijah Tominiko, Year 8 winner of the Vaiala Beach School Science Fair. Photo: SPREP.
"You have done really well with your experiments. The variety and depth of your study and research is excellent," said Ms Wheatley.
"That is the great thing about science, you learn something new every day," Ms Wheatley added.
"I have learnt something new today, and I hope you continue to have an interest in science now and into the future because the Pacific needs scientists."
Elijah Tominiko won the Year 8 prize for the best experiment.
"I'm so surprised I won," he said. I didn't think my experiment was good enough compared to all the others."
Milk Cartons - Saving Space by Rosa Meredith. Photo: SPREP
The judges complimented his project for meeting all the requirements for scientific reporting by clearly having a hypothesis, method, results and conclusion.
A special award was given to Rosa Meredith. Her presentation had a very strong message about protecting the environment through recycling and waste management, which Ms Wheatley hoped could be displayed at the SPREP Campus.
Vaiala Beach School Science Fair was held on the 25 August 2016, and will become an annual event for the school to raise the interest of students in science and the environment.
Vaiala Beach School Principal, Ms Lorraine Williams, said that while they had always taught science at the school, they thought that by hosting a Science Fair, it would encourage the students to think like a scientist, research like a scientist, and act like a scientist by doing experiments in preparing their scientific displays.
Over five weeks, the Year 5, Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 students worked on their own and in pairs to find a topic that interested them, follow a scientific method to record and prepare their experiment ready to present to parents, other students and the judges.
Elijah Tominiko, Year 8 winner of the Vaiala Beach School Science Fair. Photo: SPREP."You have done really well with your experiments. The variety and depth of your study and research is excellent," said Ms Wheatley.
"That is the great thing about science, you learn something new every day," Ms Wheatley added.
"I have learnt something new today, and I hope you continue to have an interest in science now and into the future because the Pacific needs scientists."
Elijah Tominiko won the Year 8 prize for the best experiment.
"I'm so surprised I won," he said. I didn't think my experiment was good enough compared to all the others."
Milk Cartons - Saving Space by Rosa Meredith. Photo: SPREPThe judges complimented his project for meeting all the requirements for scientific reporting by clearly having a hypothesis, method, results and conclusion.
A special award was given to Rosa Meredith. Her presentation had a very strong message about protecting the environment through recycling and waste management, which Ms Wheatley hoped could be displayed at the SPREP Campus.
Vaiala Beach School Science Fair was held on the 25 August 2016, and will become an annual event for the school to raise the interest of students in science and the environment.