...And then there were those Tator Tots
This column sometimes comes down to me just telling you about a good day. It’s even better when it’s a good day for others as well; this is that day. I recently helped judge the Marshall County Central School 5th and 6th grade Science Fair. After listening to each student’s presentation, I can tell you that the talents, intellect and interests of the next generation are sound and ready for whatever is next.
I had not seen the recent building addition to Marshall County Central school until the morning of the science fair. I attended MCC forty years ago and the main building is still the same, although a major fire resulted in a total interior rebuild. The new addition consists of a modern cafeteria, locker room, gymnasium, weight room along with other modern systems expected in a school. It is a beautiful facility.
I think that it should be mentioned that although the addition is very modern, the meal that day was a classic tater tot hotdish with all the tots lined up to perfection. Some institutions are so good that they need no improvement.
The judges met and then paired off to take to the gymnasium which included science projects from the 5th and 6th graders. Jeff Sorenson and I made up one team of judges which was fun as I had not spoken with Jeff in several years. Each bank of students were brought in on a schedule so that they could present their project at their assigned time. They would each choose a thesis and then use a scientific method to either prove or disprove that thesis.
The students' presentations were excellent, better than I expected. One presentation explored the validity behind the five-second rule for food that has fallen to the floor! I think one benefit of social media is that young people are not as self-conscious about speaking in front of people. I was surprised at how many of the students had created their own thesis from a question they had created from observation of life. Each student may have needed some help to create their scientific method to answer their question however that was allowed and essential to learning something new.
These creative presentations were all multimedia and sometimes consisted of more than two layers. The presentations knitted together a fabric which consisted of; a verbal explanation, a three-panel display board, purpose-built testing devices, additional light, a fan or a three ring binder. It was a lot of information to absorb and then judge in just a few minutes. Jeff and I judged together and we thought a good science fair project would be how to judge a science fair!
So much of our lives are focused on our own ambitions, work and entertainment. It was nice to focus on another’s efforts as we judged these presentations. The process draws you into someone else’s thought process. It even helped me to think of how I structure my own decisions. It was just an excellent experience, plus there was that excellent tater tot hotdish, with perfectly aligned tots.
