Science fair attracts young learners

Tue, 11/18/2008 12:37 PM  |  Bali

LET ME EXPLAIN: A participant (right) at Bali’s school science fair presents her project to a judge at Dyatmika School in Denpasar on Friday. More than 20 primary and high schools from across Bali took part in the event that featured 72 exhibits. (JP/Indah Setiawati)

I.G. Bagus Gloria Kasuma Pradana and his friends, aspiring scientists from Denpasar's State Junior High School 7, experimented with fermented carrots with one goal in mind: to create a healthy, appetizing snack for Indonesian children, and secure a spot in the third annual science fair over the weekend.

Like all great scientists, they suffered initial setbacks. Instead of developing sweet, puffy fermented cake as intended, their first trials resulted in dozens of rotten, smelly carrots. But they were not deterred.

"We learned that unlike cassava, carrots do not contain enough gluten to be fermented. So we thought, what else could we do to make carrots a great snack for children? Then, we developed the idea of crispy carrot chips," Bagus told The Jakarta Post at the science fair at Dyatmika school.

Bagus' group, which brought along cooking utensils and their ready-to-eat carrot chips, won the junior high school prize for the best project in this year's annual event. Their experiment was chosen from 72 projects from more than 20 state, private and international schools across Bali.

"We want to promote investigative science projects to children in national schools. Teaching science through experimentation is more interesting for students than teaching it in school rooms," Dyatmika's school director Katie Jones said.

Jones said she was happy with the participation of schools at this year's fair considering the first time it was held less than 10 schools contributed projects.

With dozens of competitors, the atmosphere was electric this time around as students explained their projects, with the assistance of colorful diagrams and demonstrations, to judges and visitors.

The participants from EIFB School, known as the French school, were in particularly high spirits whenever a spectator approached.

While some groups fielded questions from those inquiring about their projects, students from the French school wasted no time trying to grab the attention of everyone in their midst.

"Would you like to see our project?" fifth grader Danie Le Bourhis enthusiastically asked the Post.

The moment he had finished explaining his group's work, which tested the agility of female and male hamsters, his fellow scientists took up his lead and started presenting their ideas.

Putu Sri Artini, a science teacher at Dyatmika school, said she was hoping for even greater participation in next year's competition.

"We provide workshops for teachers before the competition. I hope all schools will join next year's competition to make it the best ever Bali school science fair." -- JP/Indah Setiawati

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.