By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- For the first time in years, Brandywine Elementary held a school-wide science fair on Tuesday.
The competition had 84 participants and the two grand prize winners were announced at a special family fun night at the school from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The competition was announced in early January and was open to all students grades three through six.
Sixth grade teacher Donna Newman helped to organized the science fair and thinks it is an important school activity because it allows students to explore new ideas.
The projects were evaluated by three judges who were brought in from outside of the school. One of the judges was former Brandywine principal Melba Ross.
The participants were judged on their use of the scientific method, their display and their presentation.
The judges interviewed each of the students and gave them instant feedback on what they thought of their projects.
Several ribbons were awarded for first through fifth place projects and the judges also gave out a number of honorable mention and good effort awards.
After a family fun night that included a display of the science fair projects and a dressed egg drop, the two grand prize winners were announced.
The winners were fifth grader Jake Weiger and sixth grader Shannon Chamberlin. Weiger won for his project that measured the friction of different surfaces and Chamberlin's project involved growing radishes.
Weiger explained he got the idea for the project from older brothers who also did projects about friction.
Newman designed the science fair to follow all of the same rules and categories as the Berrien County Arts and Science Expo, so that students would be able to enter their projects into the competition which takes place in Benton Harbor in April.
Newman was happy with the participation in the science fair and hopes to make it an annual event.