CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — When you think back to those days of participating in science fair, you will recall looking for that tri-fold board, doing some research and nervously presenting to a group of judges.
This year those nerves can be calmed as students do things virtually.
“Everything is virtual, they submit their boards virtually there are no more of the trifled boards, we even had our secondary students submit recorded presentations,” said Wendy Devoe, a secondary science specialist for the Corpus Christi Independent School District.
Temoc Zamora, an eighth grader at Kaffie Middle School, has been competing in science fairs since sixth grade. He has advanced as far as the National Science Fair and will be competing in Texas A&M Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair on Feb. 20.
“I’m going to have to update my project in certain ways," Zamora said. "Last year that would mean retyping stuff out and pasting it on the board. This year it would be retyping it on a google doc.”
Zamora's observational skills help him do well in science fairs, according to his teachers.
“What I really appreciate about him is that he really looks at the world around himself and asks questions,” said Dr. Cynthia Hopkins, a Kaffie Middle School science teacher.
Devoe says last year was very difficult because of the pandemic caused changes in the middle of work, providing students with a few more steps in order to compete.
So, teachers and advisers did what they could to keep students engaged.
“Really getting them more interested in science so they’re more successful in their studies, that really is their goal,” said Devoe.
Zamora has always been interested in biology and during his last two years of middle school he says he misses the experience of being at science fair.
“It's been a lot different, it’s probably a little easier because I didn’t have to set up a board,” he said.
In addition to the science fair going virtual, the competition has split the secondary competition from the elementary competition in order to determine who advances to state.
To stay updated with these CCISD students who are advancing in science fair look at the Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair Website for the Awards.
And to look at the Texas State Science Fair Website to see how the students did at State, check thislink.
