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INUVIK - Which snowmobile oil is most effective? What drinks are most damaging to your teeth? Does an orange or a grapefruit contain more water?

Those were just some of the thought-provoking questions posed and answered by some of our region's budding student scientists at the annual Beaufort-Delta Education Council (BDEC) Regional Science Fair on Saturday, March 14.

Dolly Carpenter, left, and Cherise Felix of Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk are all smiles as the pair capture third place at the regional science fair with their project, "Ski-Doo Oil." - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

Held at the Samuel Hearne Secondary School gymnasium, the day-long event featured a total of 26 projects shown by 36 students competing in Grades 4 to 12, from Tuktoyaktuk, Aklavik, and Inuvik. Each participant had already won their local science fair to qualify for the Saturday event.

With fantastic prizes up for grabs, and even a little cash for the top projects, each participant was eager to show their scientific mettle.

Judging lasted throughout the day and curious residents streamed in to take in the fair.

Cherise Felix and Dolly Carpenter of Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk captured third place with their project "Ski-Doo Oil." By exposing a variety of oils to different temperatures, as well as other tests, they were able to see which ones would perform best in different seasons. The result: stick with Quaker State oil in the winter and Trax oil in the spring.

Both said they found the experiment satisfying. In fact, Felix said she wants to pursue a career in snowmobile engineering.

"It feels good to be noticed," said Felix. "It feels cool and I'm proud that me and my partner won first place in Tuk."

Steven Gruben of Moose Kerr School in Aklavik was equally pleased. He and his partner Tom McLeod studied water densities by adding food colouring to a variety of water samples at different temperatures and then mixing them. The model helps explain the "ocean conveyor belt" which influences world temperatures.

"It took us about a week to finish," said Gruben. "But one of the most interesting things I learned is how the oceans trap and distribute heat around the world."

Reg Carpenter, Math and Science Consultant at BDEC, said the fair was a success because of the superior quality of the projects, adding the judges had difficulty narrowing down the winners.

"Not only have the projects become more sophisticated over the past years, but also the students have an understanding of the science behind their experiments," he said.

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Top projects

Grades 4 to 6:

First Place - Raven Firth, Sir Alexander Mackenzie School: "Pollution de l'eau."

Second Place - Natasha Watters, Sir Alexander Mackenzie School: "Water in Fruit."

Third Place - Jennifer White, Sir Alexander Mackenzie School: "Which Liquid Does the Most Damage to Your Teeth?"

Grades 7 and 8:

First Place - Shayna Greenough and Caroline Kaufman, Samuel Hearne Secondary School: "Perfume Scent Endurance."

Second Place - Roald Langford, Samuel Hearne Secondary School: "How Clean is Your Drinking Bottle?"

Third Place - Cherise Felix and Dolly Carpenter, Mangilaluk School : "Ski-Doo Oil."

Grades 9 to 12:

First Place - Ryan Walker, Mangilaluk School: "A Switch to a Brighter Tomorrow."

Second Place - Meridith Baskin and Jessica Pierot, Samuel Hearne Secondary School: "Human vs Dog Mouth: Who is Cleaner?"

Third Place - Allison Baetz and Brittany Watters, Samuel Hearne Secondary School: "How Cold Weather Affects Physical Performance."