It's not your parents' science fair

Published: April 29, 2001

Ben Simon, 18, is a senior who played football last season with the Moore High School Lions.

Christina Adams, 16, is a junior at Bartlesville High School who plays volleyball.

But when the two students recently met at East Central University in Ada, their purpose was not to show off their athletic prowess. They were exhibiting their knowledge of the stock market and a prototype of a new wheelchair designed to relieve pain.

Get ready to forget everything you remember about science fairs.

Simon and Adams were among dozens of high school students from throughout the state who recently attended the 2001 Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair.

Many of the participants would not fit easily into the typical stereotype of a science or math whiz.

The students' booths offer a glimpse of the future - and some, including Simon and Adams, are featured throughout this year's Outlook.

Some of the experiments the students demonstrated are pure fun:

- Does the scent of food affect dogs' eating habits?

- How does music affect learning?

Other exhibits dare to predict the future:

- Will cars fly?

- Will hovercraft one day replace cars?

- What can we expect next from our computers?

The students also show they are well aware of what's going on around them.

Some students are very interested in preserving water quality and detecting pollution.

And yes, they know all about Tar Creek in far northeastern Oklahoma and the controversy over pig farms and waste lagoons in the Panhandle.

There were plenty of science fair exhibits that will boggle your mind.

For instance, how do you identify the fractal property of DNA?

Simon's exhibit seems current enough.

Using computer and mathematical analysis, Simon delved into price-to-earnings ratios to measure risks and payoffs on stock purchases.

Simon, a day-trader, believes he has the answer - but he's also quick to surmise the stock market always will be a gamble.

The debate between Simon and Adams was over which student had the more useful exhibit for society.

They both see the potential to use what they've learned to make money.

But Simon won't budge from his belief that Adams' wheelchair will do much more for mankind than his analysis of stock risks.

You, the reader, ultimately can decide the debate by reading about each student in Outlook.

Archive ID: 848286