Science fairs are as flawed as my solar-powered hot dog cooker

[KamaAina]

https://www.statnews.com/2016/04/13/science-fairs-white-house/

The experience turned out well, but it also left me queasy. The only reason Veronica was able to carry out her experiment was that I had the flexibility to spend hours struggling through paperwork, and because I had a social network of scientists I’ve developed as a science writer. This was an exercise in privilege.

If Veronica had been the daughter of a single parent with a couple jobs and no connections to the world of science — if she had been like a lot of American kids, in other words — her idea would have gone up in smoke. She might not have even bothered thinking about the science fair at all.

I was reminded of Veronica’s experience when I saw President Obama planned to host his final White House science fair this week. Obama held the first fair in 2010, and each year he has continued to celebrate the work of some very talented students. This year should be no exception. There will be kids showing off homemade spacecraft, Ebola test kits, and environmentally safe batteries.

It’s great to bring so much attention to kids doing science. But when you look over the projects that win the Google Science Fair and the Intel Science Talent Search these days, it’s clear that they’re mostly the products of very bright, motivated students lucky enough to work in university labs where they can take advantage of expertise and equipment.

[haikugal]

1. Another good one, thanks!

[benld74]

2. Oldest daughter went thru 8 fairs in grade school,

with a grade given in Science for the actual project. It took us until 8th grade to get a B!
Project MUST be approved by the teacher.
Paperwork is indeed ridiculous.
Meticulous journals? for grade schoolers? Each one I saw looked like chicken scratches, but each got a higher grade!
The proverbial volcano WON her first year
The last year was What AA battery lasts the longest? That was the B grade

[linuxman]

3. Science fairs harm interest in science more than they help.

Next to group projects, they are one of the stupidest aspects of public school.

[msongs]

4. science fairs pretty much award kids with parents willing to do the work nt

[Odin2005]

5. I think the same thing with elite young musicians.

When I listen to the MPR Classical show "From The Top" most of the kids on the show come across as being from economically privileged backgrounds.

[dembotoz]

6. my kid participated in Destination Imagination all during high school

it seems to be aimed at stem students

the kids form a team, pick a topic
put together a hopefully entertaining way to present their data.

you have a regional competition then a state comp, then if your good, global finals in late may in knoxville tn
they are careful that the teams do their own work, raise their own money for entrance fees and lodging.
there are coaches to make sure no one gets hurt or burns a house down.

my kids team was beyond good

I can not tell you how much good these competitions did for my son
most of the kids(all in college now) from my sons team still participates in di
several of them now coach their own teams in the towns where they go to school
my son was a judge at the last regional competition a few weeks back

i could go on and on and on

science fairs???? i dunno
i do see ted talks on occasion about some high school kid who created this or that miracle thing
but for mere mortals like my kid....di was wonderfu

[PasadenaTrudy]

7. Glad I didn't have kids.... nt