Kern County Science Fair

We just got home from the Kern County Science Fair in Bakersfield. Saint Ann School because of it's small enrollment is only allowed to send 5 students. One each from each grade 4 - 8. One child is selected to be each grade's representative by winning the school science fair that was held about 4 weeks ago. This year it was my daughter - Chaos's opportunity to represent the seventh grade.

So yesterday afternoon we made the quick trip over the pass to Bakersfield. We checked into the Holiday Inn right next to the Convention Center and then went next door so my daughter could set up her display. There wasn't much to set up. Her project was comparing the vitamin C level in several fresh fruits and vegatables. So there wasn't much to set up. She had her triboard with it's pictures and graphs, her log book, and a small sample of each fruit and vegatable just for looks.

After set up we met my niece and her husband for dinner at the Outback Steak House. The prime rib was delicious. So was the boomerang shrimp that I snitched off my daughter's plate. My niece who is 5 months pregnant with her first child is looking great. She is still burning the candle at both ends with her teaching, going to school, swim coaching and being a new wife. I wish she would slow down a little and rest more, but she has always been on the go. I doubt that she really knows how to slow down. But as this pregnancy progresses I suspect that she's gonna learn......

We spent all of today at the Science Fair. I recommend you go to go one of these if you ever get the chance. Even if you don't have a kid entered. The displays were great. The variety of scientific study that these kids try is amazing.

Well, as I said Saint Ann's had five children entered in the 4th through 8th grade competition. Out of about 800 projects we took home one honorable mention (5th grade) and two second place awards (4th and 8th). Unfortunately my daughter wasn't one of the three award winners. She was bummed which also makes her daddy sad. But I guess it was to be expected. It was her first county competition and we didn't really know what to expect. Plus there were at least 5 other experiments similar to hers. So it was hard to really stand out.

Well, it was then a 2 hours windy ride back home to the high desert. I'm looking forward to crashing in my own bed with my own pillow tonight. Getting old sucks - I just don't sleep as well in an unfamiliar bed as I used to.