Months of preparation and experimentation culminated in results for the Coppell ISD 2019-20 Science Fair on Friday. Thirty-one projects from CHS advanced to the regional level, and six were named first place in their respective categories. 

This was the first year IB Biology students participated, joining IB Environmental Science students and freshmen in GT Biology, as well as others that wanted to participate in the district’s science fair.

“For my IB Environmental Science students, they have to do an individual investigation for their Internal Assessment (IA) anyway,” IB/AP Environmental Science and IB Biology teacher Holly Anderson said. “Why not enter this contest and have the opportunity to get scholarships and feedback for your IA?”

CHS junior Sophia Greenburg focused her project titled Coral Consequences on how products such as sunscreen affect coral, placing second in the Earth & Environmental category.

“Science Fair gives students a prolonged way to experience a subject in science that has specific interest to them,” CHS junior Sophia Greenburg said. “It’s also a good way for teachers to further learn about their students and their scientific interest.”

Preparation for the competition began in September, when students selected and developed their ideas. They then worked towards staggered checkpoints until dropping off their triboards and reports at CHS9 on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. 

“The process that you go through is really important, especially if they’re going into a science field,” Anderson said. “The good thing about regionals is that they all start at the same playing field. The students are also all interviewed, so the judges will get to hear what the kids actually know versus looking at what they wrote.” 

The top three projects and one honorable mention per category advance to the Dallas Regional Science & Engineering Fair, which will be held on Feb. 22 at Fair Park in Dallas.