The biannual Science Fair, regarded almost synonymously with the Alpha STEM program at Lane, takes about a whole semester worth of work, planning, and dedication. Senior Payman Rajaie, an Alpha student who won the recognition of “Alpha-tastic” for his first two years in the program, said: “I think [Science Fair] is an excellent platform for people to explore their passions or explore new fields.”

Science Fair is a CPS wide event required for Alpha underclassmen. This year, 4 seniors participated and 4 juniors participated, while the rest of the participants were made up of the freshman and sophomore classes.

 Throughout the course of preparing for each fair, students carry out their own individual research projects and experiment with topics of their choice, analyze their findings and construct 30+ paged papers on their research. Projects range in specificity and include a wide variety of focuses, and can be experimental or design based. Students are in charge of designing their own experiments, and make extensive prototypes covering their choice from the 20 topic categories ranging from electronics to microbiology. 

When asked if this process generates stress, Rajaie said that it absolutely does. He pointed out that time management and dedication are important factors, but said the process can definitely be stressful. “If you really want to present something that is reaching its full potential, you never stop. You never stop,” Rajaie said. “And it induces stress in that you are constantly updating it, and you have to reread your language and your material and make sure that everything flows.”

But, students are made aware of all those around them available to provide a foundation for them throughout the school year. Sophomore Evelyn Mooney said, “Despite the challenges that we face during the process, there are several support systems from teachers, mentors, and sponsors,” which has proven helpful to many through what she described as a “long term process.”

Fellow sophomore Kaitlin Rebaya seconded that dedication is a requirement. “Science fair was definitely a difficult project to accomplish as there was many hours put aside outside of school to complete my experiment,” Rebaya said.

Nathan Nordlund, an Alpha English teacher said, “If you’re going to do it really well, you dedicate a lot of your extra time to it.” He added, “Not just for the experimentation, but to the efforts that are made for the mathematical analysis and statistical analysis that they have been presenting.”

Yet, the time constraints on Science Fair seemingly both help preparation and simultaneously stress some. “I don’t like the stress of Science Fair mainly because I’m a big procrastinator,” said Alpha junior Olivia Tryggestad. “But I do appreciate the skills it has taught me, and in that case I am glad I did it.” 

Rajaie also touched on the stress factor saying, “Since there’s no fixed answer to the question of what you’re studying, it’s just stress inducing; it never stops.” 

But this stress, funnily enough, can be a stepping stone to success. 

“Avoiding stress is never going to be productive,” Nordlund said. “I see students who are excellent at managing the

ir time, and I also see students who are not good at it, and I also see them getting better because of their experiences, and I think that’s how we learn, and that’s how we grow. And sometimes that’s painful.” 

Jake Apple, a sophomore, said on the day of Science Fair, “I don’t want to do this next year because I don’t have to.” Though he still intends on staying in the program, Apple is planning to opt out once Science Fair is not a requirement for him in order to have more free time. 

According to Mooney, the December fair deadlines are tighter than those in May. Nonetheless, the deadlines and focused learning experience give lessons on both hyper specific topics and how to trouble shoot. 

In recounting a conversation with one freshman about the troubles of collecting data, Nordlund said that part of the value of participating in Science Fair comes from combatting issues and learning time management, which oftentimes stems from trial and error. 

“”Her mistakes from the year one project will directly lead to improvements she will make on her second year project. This problem-solving process is really valuable to come across. Running up against the practical considerations, dealing with them, and growing as a result is a life skill that people will always use,” Nordlund said when recalling the interaction. 

The fair, which fell on Dec. 4 this school year, showcased many brand new topics with research compiled by driven students across grade levels of Alpha students. And while the process can be strenuous, Kaitlin Rebaya said she is looking forward to seeing the array of completed projects. “I’d say it was worth it in the end to see everything put together,” she said.

Teachers like Nordlund in the Alpha program, and others who bring their classes to help peer judges on Fair day, have much to anticipate. My end goal is that they have something that they feel really proud of, that they put [good work] in front of judges and celebrate their learning,” Nordlund said.