West Ridge Science Fair Students Get Judged by Real Scientists

Shannon Bakich has been volunteering to judge elementary school science fair projects at for five years.

"It's really great to listen to them explain their project and then answer our questions," she said.

As a project manager with SC Johnson, Bakich knows her stuff. So does Felicia Vaughn, an air-care technician at Johnson who was reviewing a solar panel project at the school.

"The detail in your work is very good," she told the student. "I think you're going to make a great scientist some day."

Bakich and Vaughn are real-life scientists who volunteered their Friday afternoon to meet with West Ridge fourth- and fifth-graders to judge the school's annual science fair.

"This is required for their grade," said Mary Kay Laing, a science teacher at the school. "But they're also excited for it and really interested in what their fellow students produced."

John Surendonk, director of the planetarium at , was impressed with the level of detail and imagination.

"These kids are amazing," he said. "The work they've done on these projects is a real credit to the teachers and to their parents for helping their students come up with testable questions."

Not only does the science fair help promote critical thinking and exploration following the six steps of the scientific method (problem, hypothesis, materials, procedure, data, conclusion), but having outside professionals serve as judges gets kids talking, too.

"By having to explain the project and answer the questions, students get practice speaking their process," Laing said. "And they are really impressed that real-life scientists are who they're talking to."

Students and their parents will participate in a science fair open house at West Ridge, 1347 S. Emmertson Road, from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. All projects will be on display at that time.