Students and Parents invited to information session on Jan. 8 for Regional Science Fair

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 3, 2005)--- The Cumberland Plateau Regional Science and Engineering Fair is offering an informational/training workshop on Saturday, Jan. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at Tennessee Tech University’s Bruner Hall, Room 119, for Putnam County teachers, students enrolled in grades 4-12 and parents who wish to attend.

The fair provides the opportunity for students to have part of their first year of college paid for and have the chance to compete at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair in May. With biological, mathematical and physical sciences categories, students can create projects in such diverse fields as biochemistry, space science, and behavioral/social sciences. Students also compete for cash and prizes.

“High school students who plan to compete at the regional level may have already begun their projects,” said Debra Bryant, director of the fair. “If not, now is the time to start the process in order to have sufficient time to conduct research, draw conclusions, and prepare the display in time for local and/or school fairs.”

All 4th- 12th grade students attending a public, private, parochial, or home school within the Upper Cumberland region whose projects have received an award or honorable mention in a school fair are eligible to enter a science project in the regional fair. All high school students are eligible to enter projects, whether or not they have received an award from a school fair. Students whose schools do not have a school fair are also eligible. A student may enter only one exhibit. Teachers and sponsors may advise students, but all work must be done by the student. Winners will be chosen without regard to sex, race, or national origin.

The regional fair, scheduled for April 1-2 at the Roaden University Center, is sponsored by Tennessee Tech, American Legion Post 135 and Ladies Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6277, and Bob Harwood and Wooddesigns Inc. It is affiliated with the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair and Science Service.

Two Grand Award winners selected from the senior division will be awarded freshman scholarships of $4,000 to TTU and an expense-paid trip to enter their exhibits in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Ariz., next May. Teams in the senior division are also eligible for the trip, and the TTU scholarship would be divided among the members.

Two Grand Reserve Award winners will also be chosen and these students will receive $2,000 freshman scholarships to TTU and an expense-paid trip as observers to the International Fair. There will also be awards for the teachers of the Grand Award winners.
Information for students may be obtained from the Science Service web site at http://www.sciserv.org/isef/students/index.asp, from the TTU Science Fair web site at http://www.tntech.edu/physics/ or from local high school science teachers.

For more information, contact Bryant at 372-3668.

--Karen Lykins
This information posted 03 January 2005