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All's Fair in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

May 15, 2004 – Students of all ages from 18 schools in the St. Thomas-St. John district gathered Thursday and Friday at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center for the territory's first Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fair.
An expansion of previous science fairs run by the Education Department, the event showcased about 130 projects in four age groups and in nine categories.
"Our real goal is to get participation from every school," Gerald Walters, district science coordinator, said.
Under the intended format of the fair, each school is allowed two entries in each division. But since some schools did not submit entries, the field was opened to additional projects from participating schools this year.
"Ideally, this would be an intermediate fair," Walters said. "Then the winners from both districts would face off in a territorial competition." But efforts to get the two districts to come together fell through, he added.
"Some of these kids have been through the mill a few times now, and we're seeing some of the best projects from them, especially," Walters said.
With the addition of new divisions this year in engineering and mathematics, judging of the fair has become more complex. Each general subject area employs a different rubric against which projects are judged.
In the case of science, students were judged on a 100-point scale: a possible 50 points for Scientific Thought-Creative Ability, 20 points for Display, 20 points for an interview of the student concerning the project, and five points each for the quality of the student's project notebook and a report pre-submitted to the judges about the work involved and concepts covered by the entry.
To attain a top score, a project had to represent "a highly original approach," meticulous attention to proper citation, integration of the complete project, a keen graphic sense and ability on the part of the student to explain it well and answer all questions clearly and logically.
The multimedia judge, Joyce Thomas, district coordinator of student affairs, explained that students in her category, in addition to having their entries evaluated as to quality, had to explain the reasons for choosing their projects and demonstrate the process by which they created their displays.
Concurring with Walters, Thomas said the overall quality of this year's fair was "excellent." "I see a lot of new faces this year, with a few repeats," she said "Some of our best entries are coming from new students."
Charlotte Amalie High School junior Clytie Brown spoke about her winning joint entry with partner/classmate Jessica Sibilly. The project, a demonstration of Visual Basic Programming, was an outgrowth of a year's worth of class work for their computer programming course at CAHS. "I like this project because it allows you to develop any sort of program," Clytie said. "It deals with everyday problems."
The girls created a game for daycare children to learn to recognize shapes and colors. Clytie, who hopes to major in childcare management, said they chose the project in part because it tied in with her career aspirations.
This year's STEM Fair was named in honor of Kathleen Turbe, longtime science teacher at Ulla Muller School on St. Thomas, who died last summer. Among the displays which attracted the most attention was a small tribute to her near the entry to the science display section, put together by Muller students Krythema Edmead and Victoria Burgess.

STEM Fair Winners
The winners of the 2004 Kathleen Turbe Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fair are as follows:
Science Division
Primary (K-grade 3)
Demonstrations:
First – "Dober's Weather Station" (Leonard Dober), Jeisi Batista, Jolene Maynard
Second – "Lifting Heavy Objects" (Joseph Sibilly), Adam Berry
Third – "Where is the Fat" (Michael J. Kirwan), Aaliyah Wheatley
Experiments:
First – "Wonderful World of Worms" (Peace Corps), Antonique Hughes
Second – "The Mustard Seed Garden" (E. Benjamin Oliver), Nikiesha Crooke
Third – "Effects of Plant Growth" (Leonard Dober), Jonique George
Intermediate (grades 4-6)
Demonstrations:
First – "Simple Hover Craft" (Joseph Sibilly), Gabriel David
Second – "Wind Generator" (Ulla Muller), Michael Vante
Third – "Magnetism Laws" (Sts. Peter & Paul), Chelsea McAllister
Experiments:
First – "Effect of Smoke on Lungs" (Ulla Muller), Sherise Lake, Orhys Benoit
Second – "Fire Beneath the Sea" (Michael J. Kirwan), Jada Concepcion
Third – "Aquatic Respiration" (Ulla Muller), Jahlia Lloyd
Junior High (grades 7-8)
Demonstrations:
First – "Dissolving Rocks" (Bertha C. Boschulte), Sapphira Anishka
Second – "Potato Clock" (Prophecy), Trevon Richards
Third – "Living Coral Reef" (Bertha C. Boschulte), Gregory Xavier
Experiments:
First – "Which Is the Best Laundry Detergent" (Sts. Peter & Paul), Casandra Quetel, Celina Edwards
Second – "What's Really in Your Water" (Addelita Cancryn), Delrease Gifft, J'nelle Lake
Third – "Photoelectric vs. Smoke Detector" (Seventh-day Adventist), Chanelle Kuntz
Senior High (grades 9-12)
Demonstrations:
First – "Two in One Robotics" (Sts. Peter & Paul), Alana John, Elton Rickets
Second – "Sprinkling Eggsperiment" (Charlotte Amalie), Vernon Jones, Lindelle Davis, Vincent Dawson
Third – "Windmill Generator" (Charlotte Amalie), Alberto Benjamin, Malcolm Jones
Experiments:
First – "Water Potential in Potato Cells" (CAHS), Tora Greene, Malori Callender
Second – "Particulate Matter" (Seventh-day Adventist), Veron Greenaway
Third – "Separating Food Coloring" (Ivanna Eudora Kean), Walter Hutchins

Mathematics and Engineering Division

Real World Problem/Investigation
Primary (K-grade 3)
First – "How Do You Use Your Money?" (Seventh-day Adventist), Amelle Williams
Second – "Reading vs. Television" (Leonard Dober), Nadira Blondell, Shaquim Fredericks
Intermediate (grades 4-6)
First – "One Stop Vegetarian Shop" (Seventh-day Adventist), Ronnie Greenaway
Second – "Coastal Clean-up" (Ulla Muller), Kadeem Thomas, Devon St. Hilaire
Third – "Cell Phones" (Seventh-day Adventist), Lavonn Elcock
High School (grades 9-12 )
First – "Can You Create A Package?" (Charlotte Amalie), Patricia Robinson, Jessica Sibilly, Willisa Pinney
Second – "Minimum Surface Area" (Charlotte Amalie), Britini Lettsome, Max Bangs, Megan Eusebe
Third – "10 Ounces of M&M" (Charlotte Amalie), Joia Adams, Ananeika Claxton, Chantalle Pierre
Real World Model/Demonstration
First – "The Apafoa Rover" (Eudora Kean), Orlando Amaro, Alfredo Prince, Alexander Forbes
Second – "How Big Is Your Cistern?" (Eudora Kean), Kelvin Francis

Technology Division
Multimedia
Primary (K-grade 3)
First – "April Highlights" (Leonard Dober), Jonelle Rohan, Cody Hendrickson
Second – The Solar System (E. Benjamin Oliver), Nisha Hodge
Third – "What's On My Calendar?" (Peace Corps), Cherisma Callwood
Intermediate (grades 4-6)
First – "The Legend of Osamu Tezuka" (Joseph Sibilly), Rafael Smith
Second – "Virgin Islands Food Chain" (Ulla Mullerl), Johnela Dickerson
Third – "Gabriel's Pirates" (Joseph Sibilly), Gabriel David
Junior High (grades 7-8)
First – "Best of the Los Angeles Lakers" (Bertha C. Boschulte), Jefferson Faustin
Second – "Jungle Ecosystem&
quot; (Seventh-day Adventist), Janeel Gumbs, Alvinus Charles, Jerome Rogers
Third – "Presenting BCB Middle School" (Bertha C. Boschulte), Leba Smith
High School (grades 9-12)
First – "Future Business Leaders of America" (Ivanna Eudora Kean), Odale Charles
Second – "Miss All Saints DVD" (All Saints Cathedral), Deidra Hewitt
Third – "Solar Electricity" (Charlotte Amalie), Toswie Elliott, Kenny Thomas
Graphics/Publishing
Primary (K-grade 3)
First – "ABC's of Adjectives" (Leonard Dober), Ameen Rachid
Intermediate (grades 4-6)
First – "Tropical Swimwear" (Herbert Lockhart), Kanlene Angol
High School (grades 9-12)
First – "Haunted House" (Julius E. Sprauve), Shadé Powell
Second – "Technology & Elegance Simultaneous" (All Saints Cathedral), Minal Sampat
Third – "Litter Posters" (Julius E. Sprauve), Rochell Alford
Individual Web Page Design
Junior High (grades 7-8)
First – "Islands, Hotels & Beaches" (Prophecy), AnNesha Hecha, Denae Callwood
Second – "Angelica's Page" (Bertha C. Boschulte), Angelica Claxton
High School (grades 9-12)
First – "Jus Blaze!" (All Saints Cathedral), Delisa Abdenego, Ashleigh Abbott
Second – "The Final Frontier" (Seventh-day Adventist), Lamarr Parsons
Third – "Stages of Development" (Seventh-day Adventist), Terrance Bartley, Luanda Casimir, Trenette Donovan
High School Web Page Design (grades 9-12)
First – "All Saints Cathedral School Web Page" (All Saints Cathedral), Stephannie Oriel, Kayla Murphy, Keli Chongasing
Programming (grades 9-12)
First – "Visual Basic Programming" (Charlotte Amalie), Jessica Sibilly, Clytie Brown

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