Yellowknife (Apr 26/06) - Students from the NWT won't be going to the national science fair this year because there's not enough funding, organizers say.

C.J. Eggenberger, 12, from William McDonald school did his science project on snowmobile safety equipment. - Jessica Gray/NNSL photo Science fair winners: Grade 4 Hanna Lowing, DNA, N.J. Macpherson Braden Koslowski, How far germs travel, N.J. Macpherson Allen Pascal and D.J. Doak, The strength of air, N.J. Macpherson Grade 5 Eric Froment, Gender and memory, N.J. Macpherson Kristen Knutson, Carpet cleaners, N.J. Macpherson Brandon Walz, Shoe insoles, Range Lake North Grade 6 Tyler Quinn, The electric motor, William McDonald Kim Stewart, The effects of growth using different liquids, William McDonald Anthony Anderson and David Dahn, To bean or not to bean, Range Lake North Grade 7 Alexandra Heine, Stain removers, N.J. Macpherson Carly Wilson, The Eggstraordinary Experiment, N.J. Macpherson Tyler Comeau, Wood burning, N.J. Macpherson Grade 8 Amelia Harman, Drip, drip, it never stops, Range Lake North Laura Moir and Kristina Weir, What's left, Range Lake North Sophie Brennan, No more spills, Range Lake North

Last year, two Yellowknife science project winners won the chance to go to the national science fair in Vancouver at a cost of $6,000 - a price tag that doesn't benefit enough students, said Regional Learning Fair co-ordinator Sean Levenson from Range Lake North school.

"We had to ask if this was the best way to spend that much money for such a small group," said Levenson.

It was Levenson who started the regional science fair up again after a three-year hiatus. This is only the second year it has been run again, he said.

Last year, Yk Education District No. 1 and the Yellowknife Catholic Schools sponsored the event by donating $1,000 each, said Levenson, adding that there were some other donations, too.

After looking at the projected budget for this year and the fewer than expected science projects entered, fair co-ordinators decided it would be best if students were sent to the science fair every other year.

Levenson said the department of education, culture, and employment was willing to help with funding, but the committee in charge of the fair thought sending students every other year would work better.

The projects are judged at the Regional Learning Fair along with students' history projects. Students from Yk 1, YCS and Allain St-Cyr participated.

This year's fair was held at Range Lake North school April 7 and 8. There were more than 120 projects to be judged by between 30 and 40 community volunteers.

Delilah Doak's son D.J did a science project on the strength of air.

She said she was surprised at how expensive it was to send students to a national science fair.

Doak said it was too bad winners wouldn't be able to compete nationally considering how much work these projects can be.

"The night before the fair, my son was working on (his project) again. He was up late," said Doak.

Range Lake North principal Sandra Bowden said if the federal government is taking science studies seriously, funding should be made available.

"Students should never be limited by a lack of funding," said Bowden.

The Canadian-wide Science Fair is to be held in Saguenay, Quebec, this May.

Winners of the history portion of the fair will still get a chance to compete nationally.

The Yellowknife winners must go through the territorial Historica Fair in May at the Legislative Assembly for a chance to represent the NWT at the national Historica Fair in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this July.

Funding for the Historica Fair comes from the Historica Foundation, supported in part by Heritage Canada, said Sean Daly, a Grade 5 social studies and language arts teacher at N.J. Macpherson.

"Five projects will go to the national Historica Fair in Halifax," said Daly.