The old adage’ If There’s a Will, There’s a Way’ certainly applies to the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair (QRSTF), which will reconvene as an online entity again for 2022.
The 62-year tradition will continue — albeit virtually for the second consecutive year — from April 1 to 3. The decision was made to continue the science fair online in order to keep kids safe from COVID-19, said Christopher Spencer, co-chair of the QRSTF.
The pandemic “certainly has presented some problems, but I think we’ve managed the transition (to virtual),” said Spencer, who has a longtime association with the science fair.
Pivoting to a virtual science fair has definitely hurt in terms of entries, as there were 25 online project received last year, down from a high of approximately 150 projects the previous year, noted Spencer.
“It’s quite a drop, but COVID has thrown everybody for a loop,” said Spencer, who’s hopeful the number of entries will rebound this year. Quinte scholars from Grade 4 to 12 are encouraged to do a science project, and then upload their work onto a secure website called ProjectBoard. ProjectBoard provides pages for each section of a science or technology project. Once all sections are complete (with text, video, graphics, photos, etc.), the student can submit it to the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair.
Spencer said one of the good features to emerge from hosting the science fair virtually is for each project to be given its own unique online URL. “So that means when we assign a URL to the judges, and when they go on the internet there’s just one click and they’re at the project. It makes for a very smooth operation in that way.”
This year, said Spencer, a new user-friendly instructional website for the science fair was created by Austin and Ethan Williams — two former Quinte-area students who were winners in previous science fairs. This teaching tool outlines, in crystal-clear language, the steps students need to follow to navigate the new virtual science fair process. It can be found on the homepage of the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair website www.qrstf.ca. It can also be located by typing ‘Quinte science fair-a website for students made by students’ into your browser.
“It’s very clear, step-by-step instructions so that if you follow them, you will get your job done,” said Spencer.
The QRSTF experiments, studies, or innovations can be seen by anyone with the link https://projectboard.world/ysc/region/quinte on April 1 to 3. Spectators on the site can ask questions via a chat process.
The Quinte Science Fair has been a member of the community since 1960. The organization credits its start to forward-thinking science teachers from Belleville Collegiate, Quinte Secondary, and Moira Secondary. They also recognize the Rotary Club and its members for supporting the fair during its first 17 years.
Today, the science fair is a non-profit charitable organization that operates with support from schools, volunteers, and many local sponsors.
Sponsors provide cash prizes for top projects. In fact, students can nominate themselves for up to 3 of these special prizes. There are also prizes for the best project in each grade, and a cash prize for the top project at the junior (Grade 4-6), intermediate (Grade 7-8), and senior (Grade 9-12) levels. Grade 11 and 12 students are also eligible to compete for scholarships from Loyalist College and the University of Ottawa. New this year is a $250 gift certificate for schools that enter five or more complete projects.
A total of five students from the QRSTF will win the prize of moving on to the Canada Wide Science Fair. This national fair is also virtual and is from May 16 to 20 from Fredericton, New Brunswick. Projects that move on to the Canada Wide Fair will be chosen from Grade 7 to 12 entries. These 5 students will compete for almost $1,000,000 in prize money and scholarships.
Any student in the Quinte region in Grade 4 to 12 is eligible to submit a virtual science or technology project to the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair. Deadline for submissions is March 30.
Spencer said he hopes this will be the last virtual science fair and the event can return to a normal footing in 2023.
“We’re hoping to get back to in-person fairs,” said Spencer. “There’s nothing like the collegial interaction between kids and between interested adults face-to-face. In lieu of that, we’re doing the best we can with the virtual setup and it’s good in many ways, but it lacks that face-to-face interaction. We’re hopeful that next year we can have it in-person.”
For more information regarding the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair, email qrstf@live.com.
(Written by: Alan Rivett)
