22-02-2025
Schlarman Academy in Danville shows off new generation of STEM students
DANIVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Schlarman Academy in Danville gave the public a look at the next generation of STEM on Friday through an event.
Students from 7th-12th grade got to show off their knowledge and hard work at the science fair. The Schlarman Academy students produced science projects and presented them at their gym.
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'It's really fun, I like doing this every single year,' said Freshman Emberlyn Schull. 'I also like when I get to interact with other students who are doing the projects.'
She was one of around 100 students who participated in the science fair. Her project is on fingerprints. Schull wanted to find out whether prints were passed down genetically.
'I found out that fingerprints are inheritable,' she said. 'It's only like the certain patterns, but all of like the ridges and arches are not the same, it's only the patterns.'
But she's not the only one with an impressive project.
'They have constructed an air tunnel for Hot Wheels cars,' said Math and Science teacher Kristopher Andrew. 'So, they're looking at the air profile as it travels over different shaped cars.'
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Schlarman has been doing this science fair for a couple years now, and judges said what the students make has only gotten better with time.
'The range here is just absolutely amazing, right?' said Judge Keith Andrew. 'We have meteorology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and the kids, they think of all kinds of things to test. So, it's really quite a riot.'
Andrew said top projects from this group will go on to compete at other science fairs across the state and will have the chance to win scholarship money. He said that's a tangible benefit, but it's not the only one.
'Allowing students to explore their passions and see some of the things that they do inside of the classroom in a new context really allows them to see how these things matter,' Andrew said. 'In jobs and career opportunities.'
Schlarman students said this is one of their favorite ways to learn and they hope the school keeps doing the science fair in the future.
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