Exploration, Innovation at Buchanan-Verplanck's Science Expo

From the Hendrick Hudson schools:

Why doesn’t the ocean freeze? Do breath mints really cool your mouth? And how does one create a “ghost” in a test tube?

The answers to these questions and many more could be found at the Buchanan-Verplanck Science Expo, which took place on March 10th in the school gym. From potato and lemon batteries to bending bones and self-inflating balloons, the range of projects was impressive, with students from every grade level eager to share their hard work and the many fascinating science facts they had learned.

During the school day, classes cycled in and out of the gym as students excitedly rushed around to take in as many presentations as possible. A number of projects were interactive, with hands-on activities, and students could be observed mixing food coloring into milk, making quicksand or operating a balloon-powered car.

In the evening, friends, families and community members were invited back to the school to take in the presentations. “The event was very well attended, and many left the Expo commenting on how each and every scientist with whom they spoke was able to explain what they had done and what they had learned,” said B-V teacher and Science Expo co-coordinator Sarakay Eyring.

“They also commented on the quality and depth of the topics chosen this year. “ B-V teacher Catherine Holzman also served as co-coordinator of the event.

According to Mrs. Eyring, the science fair was taken to a whole new level this year. “We asked the students to think beyond the typical model volcanoes and green slime experiments,” she said. “We actually turned down some proposed projects and pushed the students to think deeper about what they wanted to explore.”