PORT McNEILL—Danielle Lacasse of Avalon Adventist Junior Academy and Julianna Nielson of Gold River Secondary School each earned berths in the B.C. Science Fair last week when they were awarded the top overall spots in the North Island Regional Science Fair at the local Community Hall.
Lacasse, entered in the Grade 7-8 experiment category with her entry Testing Streams, also won the B.C. Science Teachers’ Award and a $100 cash prize. Nielson’s entry in the Grade 9-10 study category, titled Fatal Factors, won the SCWIST Award, which also carries a $100 prize.
Students from across the North Island, from grades 3 through 10, were graded by a panel of judges in experiement and study categories. In addition to first-, second- and third-place ribbons in each category, 14 of the students were awarded special sponsored prizes, many of which came a trophy, plaque and/or cash award.
During the day, students were also tasked with an engineering challenge, in which they worked in teams to create a device to protect an egg from breaking when dropped from height. Before the awards ceremony, they were treated to the instructive — and occasionally incendiary — Science Magic Show by teacher John Groff and Port Hardy Secondary student volunteers Brett Walker and Brodie Johnson.
2013 North Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair
Award recipients
Al Appleton Worksafe Award ($100): Trent Beek, Sunset Elementary
BC Agriculture in the Classroom Award ($100): Clayton Harder, Sunset Elementary
BC Hydro for Generations Award ($100): Mica Donaghy, Sunset Elementary
BC Nature Award ($75): Abbi Kervin, Fort Rupert Elementary
BCIC Student/Teacher Recognition Award ($100): Students Troy Bruce and Cole Aitken; teacher Kristi Graham.
BCIC Young Scientist Award (trophy, iTunes card): Freya Reed, A.J. Elliott School
BC Science Teachers’ Award ($100): Danielle Lacasse, Avalon Academy
Heart and Stroke Foundation (plaque): Tony Zapp and Braxton Flottvik, Fort Rupert Elementary
Michael Crooks Physics Prize ($75): Dexter Lash-Burrows, A.J. Elliott School
SCWIST Award ($100): Julianna Nielson, Gold River Secondary
DAWEG Award ($50): Stephanie Lacasse, Avalon Academy
Erica Slack Memorial Award (plaque): Molly Lash-Burrows, A.J. Elliott School
Sylvia Gaudet Memorial Award ($100): Gwantilakw Hunt Cranmer, T’lisalagi’lakw School
Assn. of Professional Biology Award: (2x$50): Connor Van Will, Sunset Elementary; Stephanie Lacasse, Avalon Academy.
Category winners (top 3)
Grade 3/4 experiment: 1. Connor Van Will, Sunset; 2. Joey Grant, Sunset; 3. Owen Johnson, Sunset.
Grade 3/4 study: 1. Lucas Prong, Avalon; 2. Sarah Carey/Lyra Fletcher, Alert Bay; 3. Larissa McGillawee/Emma Watson, Fort Rupert.
Grade 5/6 experiment: 1. Clayton Harder, Sunset; 2 (tie). Stephanie Lacasse, Avalon, and Mica Donaghy, Sunset; 3. Niall Weyer, A.J. Elliot.
Grade 5/6 study: 1. Hannah Henschke/Ocean Argyle, Eagle View; 2 (tie). Tony Zapp/Braxton Flottvik, Fort Rupert, and Alan Townsend, Sunset; 3. Mady Harris/Ashley Cadwallader/Kaiya Seto, Fort Rupert.
Grade 7/8 experiment: 1. Danielle Lacasse, Avalon; 2 (tie). Dexter Lash-Burrows, A.J. Elliott, and Molly Lash-Burrows, A.J. Elliot; 3 (tie). Aidan Mohan, Sunset; Trent Beek, Sunset; Gwanti'lakw Hunt Cranmer, T'lisagali'lakw.
Grade 7/8 study: 1. Cole Aitken/Troy Bruce, Fort Rupert; 2. Talia Markin, Avalon; 3. Nathan Meise, Gold River.
Grade 9/10 experiment: 1. Matt McDonald, Avalon; 2. Lauren Corsi, Avalon; 3. Andrea Newman, Gold River.
Grade 9/10 study: 1. Julianna Nielson, Gold River; 2. Emma Tarasoff, Gold River; 3. Lucinda Grant, Gold River.