Clarke Middle School eighth graders Mason Malec (left) and Ezra Irwin (right) pose in the CMS Media Center on Feb. 21. The Clarke County School District had 20 student projects from CMS and Hilsman Middle School that won medals at the Northeast Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair, including Irwin and Malec’s: “A Flavorful Illusion.” “We took a group of participants and had them try a set of different drinks and we wanted to see how dyeing the drinks different colors would affect how people perceived the flavor,” Irwin said. Photo by Grady Dunston
Thirty-two Clarke County School District middle schoolers received medals at the Northeast Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Feb. 8.
Clarke County School District middle schoolers ventured to Piedmont University on Feb. 8 to compete in the Northeast Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Of the 32 CCSD students, 21 students and their 13 projects advanced to the 77th Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. from April 3-5 at The Classic Center.
To qualify, participants had to receive a gold medal or place among the top 10 silver medalists at the regional competition. Three of CCSD’s qualifying projects received gold medals for their work, one of which was Clarke Middle School eighth graders Ezra Irwin and Mason Malec’s project: “A Flavorful Illusion,” which explored whether a drink’s color changes the way a person perceives its flavor.
“We did not think we would get gold. They announced bronze, silver (and) gold, and when they announced all the bronze and silver (winners), we were not confident about getting gold, but it ended up happening and that was pretty exciting,” Irwin said.
Clarke Middle School Science Technology Engineering and Math fair coordinator Audrey Hughes speaks in the CMS Media Center on Feb. 21. This year, CMS sent 11 projects to the state fair after sending five last year and three during the 2022-23 school year. “We’ve grown every year and that speaks volumes about the science program that we have at Clarke Middle,” Hughes said. Video by Liza Larson
Eleven of the 13 projects advancing to the state competition were created by students at CMS, more than double last year’s five, while Hilsman Middle School is sending the remaining two.
“We’re really proud of this group of students. We’re proud of them for embracing science and just going with an idea and following it. There’s a joy and a discovery in that,” CMS STEM fair coordinator Audrey Hughes said. “Students that are leaning towards science, we’ve got a place for them and we’re here to support them.”
Unlike in previous years, Hughes wasn’t alone in working with students interested in the competition. CMS math and science instructional coach Kathryn Brown partnered with her, and the two worked to allow more students to participate in the science fair.
“Making sure that all the kids had access and that we’re not just sending one type of child was a priority,” Brown said. “We had more teachers involved this year with supporting kids (and) that’s a game changer. That’s what made the big shift (to) more kids participating.”
“Making sure that all the kids had access and that we’re not just sending one type of child was a priority.”
— Kathryn Brown,
CMS math and science instructional coach
With a support system at CMS behind him, Irwin is cautiously optimistic about competing in April at the state level.
“We’re not setting our sights too high,” Irwin said. “We’re gonna go out (and) try our best, but have fun.”
