DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / January 22, 2000

PAULINA – The Paulina Elementary gymnasium was packed last week, not for sports but with science projects. The school’s annual science fair wasin full swing, with first- through sixth-graders participating in the event.

The first through fifth grades worked with science subjects. There werevarious topics, such as what materials kept ice cold the longest, the rate of heart beats per minute for people holding their breath under water, how to cut onions without crying and which brand of microwave popcorn will produce more pop per kernel.

Sixth-graders were allowed to branch out into the categories of behavioral and social studies, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, computer science, earth and space sciences, engineering, environmental science, gerontology, mathematics, medicine and health, microbiology, physics, zoology and team projects, which allow two or three students to work together in any category.

The sixth -graders covered topics of both local and global concern.

Historical and economic projects on sugar harvesting were present as well as the changing hands of the Panama Canal, the possible similarity of fingerprints in family members and the history of the Statue of Liberty.

Fifth-grader Rodney Clayton did his project on the history of The White House, providing interesting facts like which room some presidents’ children roller skated in.

Clayton said he had no problem presenting his project to the judges. Hespent the last three weeks gathering information from the internet and encyclopedias from the public library.

The judges for the fair were comprised of teachers and former teachers as well members of the surrounding communities.

Principal Michael Avant brought in people from Kaiser Aluminum, IMC Agrico, Occidental Chemical, ShellMotiva and the Reserve Telephone Co.

Many judges were return participants. “I just love it. I do it every year,”said Debra McCreary from IMC Agrico.

All the judges seemed to enjoy working with the students. The studentswere a lot of fun, one judge commented. The younger ones were so nervousthey kept tearing their notes. “It was very cute,” he said.There were more judges this year than in the past. Jenny Thomas ofOccidental said to fair organizer Jennifer Podufalski that judging was very efficient. It was a lot easier having so many more judges, Thomassaid.

Podufalski is a fifth-grade, first-year teacher who joined Paulina Elementary after student teaching there through Nicholls State University.

Assisted by her fellow teachers, Podufalski organized the science fair.

Student who take first through third place, as well as first honorable mention, in each category move on to the parish fair at St. James. “We also use special awards as incentives to enter the fair,” Podufalski said. Each student gets a certificate of participation, and there are prizesfor best use of color, best photography and others.

Awards were given as follows: First grade: Brison Louque, first; Mallory Duhe’, second; Rae Lynn Roussel, third; Jenee’ Farlow first honorable mention and Mason Duhe’, second honorable mention.

Second grade: Catherine Melancon, first; Auston Roussel, second; Kendall Albert, third; Ashlie Cockburn, first honorable mention; Dustin Roper, second honorable mention and Brandy Troxclair, third honorable mention.

Third grade: Mya Zimmer, first; Lacey Gravois, second; Jennifer Gravois, third and Clyde Gravois Jr., first honorable mention. Fourth grade: Tyrus Harris, first; Irvin Louque Jr., second; Caleb Poche,third; Christopher Melancon, first honorable mention; Jordan Duhe’, second honorable mention; Jordan Roussel, third honorable mention and Dustin Roussel, fourth honorable mention.

Fifth grade: Kyrie Bourgeois, first; Joyce Gravois, second; Katie Duhe’, third; Alan Gravois, first honorable mention; Cade Fontenot, second honorable mention; Robert Zimmer, third honorable mention and Jennifer Lasseigne, fourth honorable mention.

Sixth grade: – Earth and space sciences: Whitney Dupuy, first; no second place; Jonathan Roper, third; Sadie Bourgeois, first honorable mention and Amber Jones, second honorable mention.

– Chemistry: no first place; Tramika Tureaud, second; Quinnez Anderson, third; no first honorable mention and Blake LeBlanc, second honorable mention.

– Engineering: no first place; Brenton Crawford, second.

– Team: Jasmin Nicholas and Cassie Martin, first.

– Behavioral and social sciences: Megan Oubre, first, and Keith Gravois, second.

– Medicine and health: Richard Bourgeois III, first, and Lindsey Luersen, second.

– Physics: Christopher Bourgeois, first; Atia C. Moore, second; JessicaMcBride, third; and Heather Vessell, first honorable mention.

Outstanding project awards were given to Mya Zimmer, third-grade student, and Richard Bourgeois III, sixth-grader.

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