science fair=happy sj

SJ decided to enter our elementary school's annual science fair.  He wanted to do something on gravity.  His dad and he designed three different tracks for the marbles to run down.  (Initially, SJ wanted to use different size marbles, but the time difference was so minute that they went in a different direction.)  He used his marble set, which he got for Christmas a few years ago, a pvc pipe track and a clear rubber tubing track. 

My husband had SJ help with some of the cutting, sawing, gluing, and painting of the project.  (The stuff with the big power tools had to be done by my husband.)  SJ helped measure the tracks to see their lengths and heights.  After the project was built, SJ dropped a marble into each track and he timed them.  We found out that the longest track (clear rubber tubing) was the quickest.  The shortest track (one of the marble set tracks) was the slowest. 

I had SJ dictate to me the steps that he used to design, build and test his tracks.  I typed them up for him and had him place them on the tri-fold board.  I took lots of pictures of SJ doing the different steps.  I had him place them on the board as well.  On Thursday after school, we dropped them off in the gymnasium.  (No speech this week since we can't be in two places at a time!)  SJ saw some friends there and was surprised to find out participants received a free piece of pizza.  (He was thrilled about that!) 

Last night, we went back up to the school at 6:00 for the display presentations.  There were a lot of really interesting projects.  Even though I was very impressed by his competitors, I still felt that SJ had a strong chance to place in the top three.  Every time I looked over at his display, there were kids testing it out. 

At 7:00, we moved into the auditorium for the awards presentation.  Every participant gets a certificate and a goody bag.  SJ was excited about the bag.  After all the certificates were distributed, they moved into the awards.  SJ was in the Physics 4th and 5th grade division.  Third and fourth graders aren't required to do an experiment.  They can choose to do a demonstration.  That is what SJ chose to do. 

I was really hoping he would place.  I was afraid if he didn't place that he would never participate again.  Unfortunately, he only received an Honorable Mention in his division.  That was fair, though.  He was competing against several experiments that had much more science involved.  When he returned to his seat after going to the stage to get his medal, I was waiting for the emotional explosion to begin.  To my happy surprise, there was only a slight grumbling.  He looked at my husband and me and said, "I didn't place, I didn't place."  We said, "That is okay.  You did a great job." 

After the divisional awards were done, they moved on to the Best of Awards.  They had Best Use of Scientific Method, Best Report, Best Use of Mathematics and Most Creative Display.  Sixth grade students won the first two Best of Awards.  When they announced that SJ had won Most Creative Display, I felt the same excitement in my body that SJ expressed on his face.  He fist pumped his way onto the stage to get his trophy.  I was so proud of him.  Obviously I was proud of his achievement, but I was more proud that he held himself together when he thought he only won an Honorable Mention. 

As we were leaving the school, SJ was just beaming as we were walking to our car.  "Look, Bob.  See my trophies!" he said to Bob.  When we got home, he quickly ran upstairs to put them with his other trophies that he got by playing soccer and baseball.  "I am a winner, Mom," he said to me.  Yes, you are SJ.  Yes, you are!