Jefferson Elementary Hosts First Annual STEM Science Fair
WARSAW, IN - Jefferson Elementary hosted its first annual STEM Science Fair, bringing together students, families and community partners to showcase dozens of students’ hands-on experiments, engineering design projects and real-world problem solving. The evening also included a STEM Book Fair and family activities.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade presented projects that followed the scientific process, asked meaningful questions and demonstrated strong presentation skills as they shared their learning with judges, families and community members.
The “Best in Show award” was presented to Kate Rivir for her project, Phones or Thrones, which investigated the amount of bacteria found on cell phones compared to toilet seats. Kate’s project stood out for its strong use of the scientific method, detailed data collection, and clear presentation of results.
Science Fair Award Winners Included:
Grand Champion K–2: Sarah Rivir
Reserve Champion K–2: Hazel Herendeen
Champion Grades 3–6: Gwen Miller
Reserve Champion Grades 3–6: Hannah Cochran and Quinn Sands
Best Engineering: Kenli Detlefsen
Best Scientific Process: Elizabeth Faroh
Judge’s Choice Award: Malachi Shorter
Jefferson Elementary extends a special thank you to the community members who volunteered their time to serve as judges, including Mark Sproles and Harry Goodman from Da-Lite Legrand, Derek Pike, Jefferson STEM Instructional Coach and Scott McClintock, former Jefferson teacher. Their support helped make this event a meaningful and authentic experience for students.
Mark Sproles from Da-Lite Legrand shared, “Participating in the Jefferson Elementary School Science Fair as part of our Better Communities initiative was truly inspiring. The students presented their projects with such enthusiasm and creativity, and it was rewarding to see the hard work and thoughtful exploration behind each one. Serving as judges was both an honor and a pleasure, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support and encourage the next generation of innovators.”
Jefferson STEM Instructional Coach Derek Pike added, “I was amazed at the cool science projects that Jefferson students came up with. Each student I spoke with had a strong understanding of the scientific process and explained their findings with confidence.”
Jefferson Elementary and Warsaw Schools are proud of all students who participated and are looking forward to growing this event into a lasting tradition.
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Photo Provided: Judges (Mark Sproles, Derek Pike, Harry Goodman, and Scott McClintock) observing student projects
Photo Provided: Grand champion, Kate Rivir with her project