Dec 14, 2005
UNT earns $12,500 grant to expand regional science fair
Posted by: Kelley Reese
The upcoming March science fair, which is still looking for area sponsors, will mark the second year for UNT to be associated with the fair. UNT hosted the fair for the first time in spring 2005 at the Coliseum, bringing about 500 student participants to UNT. Previously, the fair was hosted at various locations in Tarrant County.
In addition to providing space for the fair, UNT also will provide university tours, judges, meals and transportation for the many participants.
Students enter projects under a broad listing of categories ranging from behavioral and social sciences to zoology. UNT and other institutions will award scholarships to exceptional participants.
The fair's top winners also get the chance to compete in the 2006 ExxonMobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair held in March in San Antonio and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in May in Indianapolis, Ind.
In addition to offering more prizes and more opportunities for students to showcase their work, the fair is adding a category for team projects.
Fair organizers anticipate more students will participate this year because of the success of last year's fair and because the fair should not conflict with as many Spring Breaks this year.
Students eligible to participate in the fair come from the counties of Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise. Any student in grades six through 12 in the 10 county region who attends a public, private or parochial school or is home schooled is eligible to enter the fair.
The fair is operated and managed by a host of volunteers from the local business and academic community. Charitable donations from corporations and foundations provided the budgetary means to conduct the science fair. When established in 1951, it was the first regional science fair in Texas and was initially held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth.
To learn more about the fair, visit www.unt.edu/fwrsf. To get involved, contact Rafes at rafes@unt.edu or (940) 565-2103.
Posted by: Kelley Reese
UNT recently received a $12,500 grant from the Hudson Foundation to help fund and expand the Fort Worth Regional Science Fair, which moved to the UNT campus in spring 2005.
The grant will help UNT defer its costs of hosting the fair and allow organizers to expand and provide additional opportunities and prizes for students participating in the fair. Expansion funds allowed fair organizers to split the fair into two main categories – life sciences and physical sciences – in time for the spring 2006 fair, which will allow the regional fair to name more winners and send more students to the international fair.
"The fair highlights UNT’s commitment to science and engineering and is a good recruiting tool for students, while benefiting the local economy and stimulating an interest in science,” says Richard Rafes, senior vice president for administration and one of the figures instrumental in bringing the fair to the UNT campus. He also wrote the recent grant proposal.
The grant will help UNT defer its costs of hosting the fair and allow organizers to expand and provide additional opportunities and prizes for students participating in the fair. Expansion funds allowed fair organizers to split the fair into two main categories – life sciences and physical sciences – in time for the spring 2006 fair, which will allow the regional fair to name more winners and send more students to the international fair.
"The fair highlights UNT’s commitment to science and engineering and is a good recruiting tool for students, while benefiting the local economy and stimulating an interest in science,” says Richard Rafes, senior vice president for administration and one of the figures instrumental in bringing the fair to the UNT campus. He also wrote the recent grant proposal.
The upcoming March science fair, which is still looking for area sponsors, will mark the second year for UNT to be associated with the fair. UNT hosted the fair for the first time in spring 2005 at the Coliseum, bringing about 500 student participants to UNT. Previously, the fair was hosted at various locations in Tarrant County.
In addition to providing space for the fair, UNT also will provide university tours, judges, meals and transportation for the many participants.
Students enter projects under a broad listing of categories ranging from behavioral and social sciences to zoology. UNT and other institutions will award scholarships to exceptional participants.
The fair's top winners also get the chance to compete in the 2006 ExxonMobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair held in March in San Antonio and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in May in Indianapolis, Ind.
In addition to offering more prizes and more opportunities for students to showcase their work, the fair is adding a category for team projects.
Fair organizers anticipate more students will participate this year because of the success of last year's fair and because the fair should not conflict with as many Spring Breaks this year.
Students eligible to participate in the fair come from the counties of Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise. Any student in grades six through 12 in the 10 county region who attends a public, private or parochial school or is home schooled is eligible to enter the fair.
The fair is operated and managed by a host of volunteers from the local business and academic community. Charitable donations from corporations and foundations provided the budgetary means to conduct the science fair. When established in 1951, it was the first regional science fair in Texas and was initially held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth.
To learn more about the fair, visit www.unt.edu/fwrsf. To get involved, contact Rafes at rafes@unt.edu or (940) 565-2103.
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