A group of Northbrook Junior High School students recently returned home from the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Fair with an impressive collection of 18 gold and 5 silver awards. The students, who are seventh and eighth graders, participated in the fair as part of an independent science research program. Their hard work and dedication to their research projects paid off as they excelled in the competition.

According to science teacher Amber Paull, the students in the independent science research program showed a genuine love for science, asked insightful questions, and worked together effectively. She believes that the skills they learned through this experience will serve them well as they progress to high school. Each year, NBJH students participate in the science fair by enrolling in a semester-long course that allows them to explore their interests through research projects. With guidance from science teachers Lauren Johnson, Fred Yoon, and Amber Paull, the students followed the scientific method to conduct their experiments. Judges evaluated the students’ projects based on oral presentations, written work, and adherence to the scientific method criteria outlined by the Illinois Jr. Academy of Science.

In addition to the gold and silver awards, several students received special recognition for their exceptional projects. Henry Gartz and Simon Pick received the Exceptional Project in Category (EPIC) award in aerospace and environmental science, respectively. Other students were honored with awards like the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Award, presented by the Illinois Soybean Association, for outstanding projects in various categories.

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