Science fairs first became popular in the early 1950s as interest in the sciences was high after the world witnessed the use of the atomic weapons and the dawn of television. As the decade progressed, science stories in the news brought science fiction to reality and attracted increasing number of students to fairs.

A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grades kindergarten through twelfth to compete in science and/or technology activities exploring areas of the science standards, test a hypothesis and reach a conclusion based on data. At Desert Sands Unified School District, students, parents, teachers, administrators, and science fair coordinators collaborate in the coordination and the selection of school projects that culminate in the district-wide science fair that took place on Jan. 23, 2019 at the Taj Mahal Building at the Riverside County Fairgrounds.

This year’s community partners included Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, Coachella Valley Water District, The Living Desert, Friends of the Mountains Conservancy, and the estate of Diane McClary. Projects topics ranged from bacteria to slime to water to energy and everything in between.

Close to 200 students from grades kindergarten through high school participated in this year’s event and 39 were selected to head to the RIMS Inland Science and Engineering Fair taking place on April 2 and 3.

Students moving on to the county level for their science projects are:

  • Brian, James Carter Elementary School, 4th grade with Soil vs Water Beads and Water Crystals
  • Kalika, Amelia Earhart Elementary School 4th grade with Washing Away…Germs
  • Tallula, Ronald Reagan Elementary School with Blubber Wubber
  • Nadia, James Carter Elementary School, 5th grade with Colors Matter
  • Brenden, James Carter Elementary School, 5th grade with My Zeus Project
  • Chloe, James Carter Elementary School, 5th grade with Do Dogs Have A Color Preference
  • Cecelia, Herbert Hoover Elementary School, 5th grade with Popcorn Kernels
  • Taylor, Ronald Reagan Elementary School, 5th grade with The Claw
  • Lily, Ronald Reagan Elementary School, 5th grade with Ball Launcher
  • David, Ronald Reagan Elementary School. 5th grade with The Effects of Osmosis and pH on a Gummy Bear
  • Jewell, Ronald Reagan Elementary School, 5th grade with Magnets & Temperature
  • Jayden, Ronald Reagan Elementary School, 5th grade with Rocking the Boat
  • Allister, George Washington Charter Elementary School, 5th grade with Coffee Grounds
  • Tess, Washington Charter Elementary School, 5th grade with Amazing Hamster
  • Ariel, George Washington Charter Elementary School, 5th grade with Is Your Seat on Fire?
  • Art, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 6th grade with The Incredible Crane Robot
  • Monserrat, Desert Ridge Academy, 7th grade with Do chemicals in water help plants grow?
  • Nicole, John Glenn Middle School, 7th grade, Save the Salton Sea
  • Marilyn, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School, 8th grade with Homework Blues
  • Miles, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School, 8th grade with Sugar Power
  • Alexa, John Glenn Middle School, 8th grade with Media Mindlessness
  • Ashly, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 8th grade with Color Separation
  • Emily, Harry Truman Elementary School, 4th grade with Ketchup Be Gone
  • Xittlali and Xitlalli, Herbert Hoover Elementary School, 5th grade with Life Begins With Water
  • Tyler and Kyah, George Washington Charter Elementary School, 5th grade with Magnetic Levitation
  • David, Santiago, and Evan, Thomas Jefferson Middle School,7th grade, with Use Super Strong Magnets to Make a Simple Motor
  • Daniella, Luz, and Lissette, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 8th grade with Lip Balm Project
  • Erika and Sinthya, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 8th grade with Bugs vs You
  • Gabriel and Julian, Indio High School, 12th grade with More Caffeine=More Energy
  • Isabel and Vianney, Indio High School, 12th grade with Egg-speriment on Teeth