Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 12, 2007

REPULSE BAY - More than 60 students entered projects at Tusarvik school's science fair this past month, trying to earn the right to represent their school at the annual Kivalliq Regional Science Fair.

Repulse Bay Rocks by Kimberly Tegumiar, right, and Jolene Angotingoar (not shown) took top spot at the Tusarvik school Science Fair in Repulse Bay this past month. - photo courtesy of Leonie Aissaou

And, when the test tubes had bubbled, the facts had been presented and the northern lights flickered one last time, Kimberly Tegumiar, Jolene Angotingoar, Sarah Sivanertok and Anna Marie Putulik earned the right to advance to the regional fair in Arviat this coming March.

Principal Leonie Aissaoui said the science fair is aimed specifically at the high school students, but younger students are also encouraged to take part in the event.

She said Grade 4 to Grade 6 each submitted a group project in the 2006 fair, and the school's Grade 7 students submitted a group project at this year's event.

"For the judging of the competition, only the senior students in Grade 10 to Grade 12 are eligible to move on to the Kivalliq Regional Science Fair," said Aissaoui.

"Overall, this was probably Tusarvik's best science fair.

"We had a nice mixture of projects and they were all well thought out, put together and displayed.

"It seemed like the students put more work and effort into this year's projects, and that made for quite an interesting fair."

Aissaoui said the students are getting more used to the science fair every year, and are learning more about what the judges are looking for in their projects.

She said the students also receive solid support from their teachers and that's paying dividends in the overall calibre of the projects being produced.

"Another reason the kids are working harder at their projects is that they want to be the ones selected to move on to the regional fair.

"The kids like going out to other communities to display their projects and see what the other kids across the region are doing.

"They also like getting the chance to travel and see old friends again and, perhaps, make some new ones along the way.

"They're putting more heart into their work so they can advance and that's showing in the final results."