- March 14, 2025
Maria Sergienko of Flagler Palm Coast judges a student's project at the Fifth Grade Science Fair and Expo at the Buddy Taylor/Wadsworth cafeteria on April 23. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
Forty-nine student projects were judged at the Fifth Grade Science Fair at the Buddy Taylor/Wadsworth cafeteria on April 23. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore talks to a student about his science project at the Fifth Grade Science Fair and Expo at the Buddy Taylor/Wadsworth cafeteria on April 23. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
At the UF Extension Office Sea Grant table, students learned about the anatomy of sea turtles and how they relate to function, adaptations and using models in science. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
The Marineland table featured a "Plastics Voyage" where students explored the challenges of removing plastics from the environment. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
Bunnell Elementary School set up microscopes for students and adults to observe microorganisms in pond water. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
A high school judge review's a fifth-grade student's science project. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
A high school judge review's a fifth-grade student's science project. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
Children and parents inside the district's StarDome. Amber Demetropoulos from Wadsworth Elementarty School reviewed the planets and other earth space standards. Courtesy photo/Flagler Schools
Flagler Schools' Fifth Grade Science Fair and Expo featured 49 top science projects and an expo with 20 activity tables.
The event was held on Tuesday, April 23, at the Buddy Taylor Middle School/Wadsworth Elementary School cafeteria.
Ten student projects from each of the district's five elementary school were selected to participate in the fair. The 49 projects were judged by 17 professionals and students from Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas high schools.
Old Kings Elementary School students swept the top three places, but the scores were very close, said Heidi Alves, the district's teaching and learning specialist for science, PE and health.
The winners were:
First Place — The Perfect Fit by Magnolia Vandebunte, Old Kings Elementary School
Second place — Talking to Plants by Emery Ferella, Old Kings Elementary School
Third place — Is the 5 Second Rule ... TRUE? by Leila Worley, Old Kings Elementary School
The activity tables were provided by many community partners including The Flagler Education Foundation, Palm Coast Parks and Recreation, Marineland, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univerity, the Dairy Council of Florida, the Guy Harvey Foundation, Sea Grant/UF Extension Office and the Everglades Foundation.
Activity tables included rock mining and making homemade ice cream. The expo also featured four showings inside the school district's StarDome, a portable planetarium purchased through the half-cent sales tax.
"It was a great night," Alves said. "I cannot wait until next year."
