The best part of the bee display, according to Lafayette Elementary first grader Cynthia Lindgren, was "seeing the bees and learning about the honeycombs that they made." Photo courtesy of Matt Fabela

The Lafayette Partners in Education (LPIE, formerly LASF) science fair season is in full swing. Lafayette Elementary was the first LPIE science fair on the agenda this year. The successful season will culminate on March 31st with the always impressive Stanley Middle School Science Expo.

Each K-5 science fair boasts its own unique theme and style. "Going green" was a resounding theme this year and Springhill was certainly a standout on March 2. One week's worth of lunch waste was showcased in the form of a plastic dress worn by Springhill mom, Nanette Heffernan, and Sophia McAdam's collection of school lunch food discarded as trash.

The fair at Lafayette Elementary School (LES) drew such a crowd that one parent exclaimed, "Next year it (the fair) will have to be held at the Coliseum." Fifth grade class projects, "Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader," PowerPoint presentations, and enzyme experiments, focused on the wonders of chemistry. "At the LPIE-sponsored science fairs our students can authentically explore an area of interest, learn about the scientific process, and present their findings. It is evident that the science projects were sparked by our students' natural curiosity. Well done," said Fred Brill, Lafayette School District Superintendent.

"As our dependence on technology grows, we will need to educate students to be critical thinkers with a firm foundation in science principles," according to Jonathan Winter, Science Specialist at LES. Fair exhibitors allowed students to have fun while learning core science concepts. Camp Galileo explored centrifugal force, Mt. Diablo Bee Association shared queen bees, and LPIE Science Instructors examined oil spill clean-up. " As a biotech company we appreciate the value of strong programs in science education," said Edward Lanphier, Sangamo's president and CEO. " We are very proud of our employees, Janet Estee and Sal Orlando, and their involvement in bringing the excitement of biotechnology to local schools and are pleased to support them in this endeavor." The Sangamo team will step it up a notch from the Strawberry DNA Extractions at K-5 fairs and extract cheek cell DNA at the Expo.

The science fair season will close with a bang on March 31 with the Stanley Science Expo, one of the best in the Bay Area, with NASA Dr. Margaret Race's In search of ET - How it's really done!, Lawrence Livermore National Lab's hydrogen powered cars, Google views, Global Vicinity's 3D Magic of Xbox Kinect, and PG&E's electric Sedan VOLT. On March 31st, science will take center stage at Stanley.