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By Sherry F. Pruitt

JONESBORO — The Northeast Arkansas Regional Science Fair is the highlight of the school year for Annie Camp Junior High School science teacher Melinda Cobb.

Students in grades seven-nine come up with their own ideas for science projects. Sometimes during science class, a question will follow Cobb’s lecture.

“I don’t know, but it might make a good science fair project,” Cobb answers.

Other students develop projects based on ideas from family or friends, and some search the Internet for projects.

If students find something they like, Cobb makes them modify the project by changing variables, so the experiment will not be exactly like one they’ve seen, she said.

It’s about a 5-month process, said Cobb, who is in her 12th year at Annie Camp.

Students started researching, making background checks and planning experiments in October. Cobb follows a timeline and has students turn in related assignments periodically so they are not overwhelmed when the due date arrives.

Donna Wallace, a science teacher at Douglas MacArthur Junior High School, said she began familiarizing students with the science fair at the beginning of the school year.

“We do most of the science project in class,” Mandy McFall, Buffalo Island Central Junior High science teacher, said. “And they spent their own time on it, too. I make sure what they’re doing for school is similar to what they do for the competition.”

The Northeast Arkansas Regional Science Fair “shows (students) projects on all scales,” said Wallace, who is in her third year teaching at MacArthur.

Wallace plans to take a dozen students to the regional fair Friday and Saturday at the ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Student Union.

McFall said a couple of BIC students might enter the regional contest, but there are conflicting events.

This year will be the first time for her students to participate at the regional level, she said.

However, McFall has worked the ASU science fair before and understands the process.

The regional fair provides experience and opportunities for her students, and they see science exhibits done by other students, she said.

Some of Wallace’s students will attend the regional contest for the first time, but others are veterans. She said the students get ideas and see winning projects.

“It encourages them there’s another step to go to,” she said.

Cobb said competing with their peers in other schools is one of the contest’s draws. Students learn to carry out scientific methods in a practical manner and are able to conduct investigations and see the results, she said.

They develop inquiry and reasoning skills important for Benchmarks, added Cobb.

At the regional event, individual students and teams in grades seven-12 will receive recognition for outstanding science fair projects in various categories of science, math and engineering.

The two top winners and their sponsoring teachers will be eligible to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta in May.

Students will set up their science fair projects Friday morning.

Science fair exhibits will be closed to the public Friday from noon to 5:30 p.m. during judging. Fair exhibits will be open to the public and students from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.

An awards ceremony will be held in the auditorium of the Student Union on Saturday at 2 p.m. with Dr. Lynita Cooksey, associate vice chancellor for academic services, officiating.

sherry@jonesborosun.com