Students 'fair' well in science

MOSES LAKE — Bubbles emerging from a volcano. Pressurized rockets. Nitrogen ice cream.

The NOVA math and science program at Midway Learning Center in Moses Lake brought all kinds of experiments to the forefront during a science fair Tuesday.

Connor Uhlinger, 10 and Julisa Jones, 11 put a face on pollution by setting out a dish of water with junk floating around, a clear dish of water with a plant inside and a "polluted" dish of black water with the same type of plant. A poster nearby showed pictures of wildlife affected by oil spills and other pollution.

"This is the only one we have (pictured) that didn't survive," said Uhlinger, pointing at a sea otter covered in oil.

Jones said she learned society needs to keep organized and keep the water clean. Without clean water, plants cannot survive, and the end of plants means the end of human life, the 11-year-old added.

A bowl of fish sat on the table, which Jones said her parents won't let her have. Uhlinger is taking them home.

Cadie Goodwin, 11, and Krystal Fick, 10, made ice cream out of milk, sugar, vanilla, cream and liquid nitrogen. Parents and children had an opportunity to taste the ice cream when it was finished.

"I've learned that liquid nitrogen gets to be below negative 323 degrees Fahrenheit," Goodwin said.

About 120 students in seven Moses Lake elementary schools are in the NOVA program, geared toward gifted students, said Darylann Craddock, who teaches science.

"These kids have worked hard this last quarter," Craddock said. "We try to give them an opportunity to pursue in depth whatever they're personally interested in."

Myriah Cook, 11, tested the sensitivity of her dog's taste buds by offering tap water and jug water to see what she prefers. For four days she switched the source of the water, but each time her dog drank the same amount of water.

"My results show it doesn't really matter what water my dog has, she'll just drink it," Cook said.

She said she expected her dog to drink more jug water than tap water because it is what she normally drinks.

Other topics covered by students include rainbows and the effect of music on the heartbeat. In one setup, visitors could launch Tootsie Rolls from a homemade catapult.

Math teacher Jay Mather said the NOVA program would not exist without a district maintenance and operations levy renewed every two years.

"We're very appreciative of the community approving the levy," Mather said.