JASON SETNYK
The United Counties Science Fair returned to St. Lawrence Secondary School recently, bringing together students from across Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry for a full day of inquiry, presentation, and competition.
The annual event featured 52 projects and 87 participants from 12 schools, spanning Grades 6 to 12. Projects ranged across environmental science, engineering, health, and technology, with students presenting their findings to judges and the public throughout the day. “This year we have 12 schools, which is 52 projects with 87 participants,” said Jason Marshall, chair of the United Counties Science Fair. “We have projects ranging from Grade 6 to Grade 12… some single projects and paired projects.” The fair reflects the interdisciplinary nature of STEM learning. “Some of them are science, some of them are technology, some of them are engineering and all of them apply math,” he said. “It’s that perfect kind of creative aspect where they need to apply English, analysis, and creativity.”
Judging was conducted by approximately three dozen volunteers from across the region, with projects evaluated on understanding, communication, and the ability to answer questions. More than $5,400 in awards and scholarships were distributed, along with up to four trips to the Canada-Wide Science Fair.
Among the projects on display, Grade 7 students Aurora Savoy and Madi Paquette of Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School explored whether household liquids could replace commercial fertilizer. “We chose this project because liquid fertilizer is usually $15 to $30, which is a lot of money,” said Paquette. “We wanted to test liquids to see what would grow plants best… cheaper.” Their experiment found that diluted coffee produced the healthiest plants. “Coffee worked the best because of the high nutrients and the low sugar and acid rates,” said Savoy.
The students said their findings could help households reduce costs. “Coffee is probably in every household,” Paquette added. “It’s a cheaper item, and it’s healthier for your plant.” Judge Mary Lalonde, an occupational therapist, said the level of work on display was striking. “It’s incredible what some of them are thinking and what some of them are doing about it,” she said. “It’s refreshing to see what the young kids are doing.” Top honours went to Maeve Windle of Seaway District High School, whose project on enhancing geopolymer concrete earned Best in Fair along with multiple major awards, including a trip to the national competition. Her work combined environmental science and materials engineering, highlighting innovative approaches to sustainable construction. Also advancing to the Canada-Wide Science Fair were Vensun Nguyen and Souhail Agouzoul of Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School. Their project focused on designing a cost-effective prosthetic hand using recycled materials, earning top engineering recognition and a university scholarship.
Saanvi Uniyal of St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School was another standout, winning Best Senior Project for research into measuring tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease using motion sensors. Her work also received recognition in human biology and a scholarship. In the junior division, Ithaca Silva of Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School earned top honours for developing bioplastics from potato waste. The project demonstrated both environmental awareness and practical application, earning multiple awards including Best Junior Project.
Younger students were also recognized for innovation. Denith Silva of St. Peter Catholic School earned top atom-level honours for a project exploring energy generation, while Shivani PS of Bridgewood Public School was recognized for her work on filtration and water quality. Additional awards highlighted a wide range of topics, from memory and learning strategies to environmental sustainability, chemistry, and physics. Several projects from École secondaire publique L’Héritage and Seaway District High School earned multiple distinctions, reflecting strong participation across the region. Following public viewing, students spent time exploring each other’s work before reconvening for the awards ceremony. “It took 49 years to get here,” Marshall said. “We’ve been growing slowly post-COVID, and we hope to continue to grow and make our 50th even bigger.”
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