Waterford Valley High hosted the 2018 Science and Technology Fair for the early April weekend event, organizing what was, by all accounts, a great weekend of discovery. Students attended tours offered from several departments and research facilities at Memorial University and the Ocean Sciences Centre in Logy Bay, followed by initial judging of their projects by some of the more than 80 judges including professors, instructors and graduate students at Memorial.

There were 130 junior and senior high school students from 15 schools on the Avalon Peninsula competing, including teams from Cresent Collegiate, Gonzaga, Holy Heart, Holy Spirit, MacDonald Drive Junior, Mount Pearl Senior, St. Kevin’s Junior, St. Michael’s High, St. Peter’s Junior High, Villanova Junior Highand Waterford Valley HIgh.

More than 500 people attended the public viewing and awards ceremony on Saturday, emceed by Erin Baker and Yvonne Dawe of the Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council, (ENSFC) - the group that voluntarily organizes the fair each year. Representatives from the fair’s major sponsors were onhand to assist with the presentation of awards, including Huskey Energy’s Jim Piercey; Memorial Univeristy’s Dean of Science, Dr. Mary Courage; C-NA representatives from the School of Health Sciences and the School of Engineering Technology, Dr. Irene O’Brien and Yvonne Lannon; The Province’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Dr. Dale Kirby, and Newfoundland and Labrador English School District representative Larry Eddy.

During the ceremony six students were selected to represent Eastern Newfoundland at the Canada Wide Science Fair in Ottawa, this coming in May. Four of those students are from the NLESD, including, Oishi Hawlader from Gonzaga, and Holy Heart High School students Mitchell Hynes, Chris Peacock and Aaron Sarkar. Chris Peacock also received the Marine Institute Entrance Scholarship ($1000) and Oishi Hawlader received MUN’s Faculty of Science scholarship.

Of the 105 projects, over half were recognized with medals and awards. There were 15 honourable mentions and 56 medals presented. As well, over 50 special awards from a number of MUN faculties and departments, CNA, and other organizations were presented. The monetary value of all prizes, including the all-expenses paid trip to the national competition, totaled over $20 000. As well, the 6 grand award winners were each presented with a stuffed husky dog from Husky Energy.

A list of all winnners can be found at here, on the Eastern Science Science and Technology Fair's website.  

The Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council extends a sincere thank you for the generous support of our sponsors and supporters.