Like many people who cruised past service stations last year, Jarrod Smeyers couldn’t help but check gasoline prices each time he saw a Gulf or a Shell.
Unlike most people who checked those prices, however, 11-year-old Smeyers can’t drive, and doesn’t have to worry about the cost of filling his tank each week.
Still, the fluctuations in fuel prices concerned the Clarendon School sixth grader, and gave him an idea for a science experiment.
“I decided to test a hydrogen fuel cell at different temperatures, to see if it worked at all different climates,” Smeyers said last week. “I was trying to prove that the government should go more into hydrogen cars, because they’re better for the environment and might be cheaper than gas.”
Smeyers is one of nine Secaucus students who competed in the Hudson County Science Fair on March 23, and one of three who received medals for their experiments. Smeyers and fellow Clarendon School student Alessandra Tringali both received silver medals for their science projects, while Huber Street School fifth grader Breana Celebrano won gold.
Students throughout the county compete in the fair against others at their grade level. The judges award three medals – bronze, silver, and gold – for each grade. Since gold medalist Celebrano and silver medal winner Tringali are both fifth graders, Secaucus nearly swept the awards given at that grade level.
What size is your parachute?
While Smeyers focused on earthly concerns, Tringali, 11, turned her attention skyward.
“My project was [titled] ‘Does Parachute Size Matter?’ and I researched if changing the parachute canopy affects how fast the parachute falls to the ground,” Tringali explained.
“My conclusion was that it did matter, and you want the bigger parachute because that takes longer to get to the ground than a smaller parachute.”
She added that the weight of the person using the parachute also affects speed, as does the number of seams and the material used for the parachute.
Tringali and Smeyers – who both want to pursue careers in science – said they were encouraged by the feedback they received from judges and other students at the fair.
Fleece for winter
The impetus for Celebrano’s project was the very basic need to stay warm when it’s cold.
“I took bottles and filled them with hot water and put different materials around [the bottles]. Then I put the bottles in a refrigerator to see which [materials] had the best insulation,” said Celebrano. “I wanted to know which [material] would be better to wear outside in the cold weather.”
Fleece, wool, denim, leather, and cotton were among the materials she tested.
Somewhat surprisingly, perhaps, fleece won out over wool. The bottle wrapped in cotton lost its heat the fastest, Celebrano said.
“Students have to present a project based on the scientific method.” – Pamela Wurst
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Like Smeyers and Tringali, Celebrano said she loves science and thinks teachers should incorporate more hands-on projects into science classes to make it more fun for students who don’t have a natural inclination for the subject.
Best in show
Being selected to represent the school district at the county fair isn’t easy. It requires a sophisticated understanding of how to conduct a science experiment and give an oral presentation on the research and conclusions.
“Students have to present a project based on the scientific method,” said Clarendon science teacher Pamela Wurst. “They have to investigate a problem that they attempt to solve or address through research.”
Aside from the three experiments that won medals, Wurst said other stand-out projects this year included one titled “The Microwave Oven: A Blessing or a Curse?” and another that investigated whether video games affect pulse rate. Yet another experiment explored how multi-tasking affects human behavior.
To participate in the Hudson County Science Fair, students begin months in advance, typically around November, said Wurst, who has been teaching science at Clarendon for 25 years. After the winter holiday, students present their projects to a panel of science teachers from the district who decide which students will represent Secaucus at the county competition.
The nine students selected to represent Secaucus stood out because, “Their research and experiments were thorough,” Wurst commented. “What we’re looking for are projects where the student used the scientific method, had a good display, and presented their project well.”
In addition to the county competition, students throughout the school district participate in the Secaucus Science Fair, held each spring for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
Reach E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.