From lemon-powered electricity to food science and sun safety, Norte Vista High School students demonstrated creativity and scientific thinking at this year’s science fair, where hands-on experiments highlighted real-world applications of science, health, and chemistry. Some teachers of the students that participated include Mr. Simmons, Ms. Scott, Mr. Pike, and Mr. Vasquez. 

Here are some projects that were displayed:

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Delilah Gonzalez

Sunscreen Hero. A science project displayed this week explaining how good different "SPF'S" of sunscreen are.

          Aldus Ayala presented a project exploring how lemons can be used to generate electricity, a concept discovered in the 1700s. While working on the project, Ayala faced seasonal challenges when gathering materials. “The hardest part was getting the lemons because it’s winter, and they’re not in season”, Ayala said. The project came together over the course of a week and featured decorations designed to reflect the experiment’s theme clearly.

Raymond Nguyen focused his project on the effect of salt on ice melting, an experiment that required patience and careful observation.

“The hardest part of my project was definitely waiting for the ice to melt”, Nguyen said. It took over six hours. His project demonstrated a scientific process commonly used in everyday situations, such as keeping roads safe during cold weather. 

Health awareness was highlighted in a project by Viviana Sanchez, who studied how sunscreen and SPF levels protect skin from sun damage.

“I think everybody should know about sunscreen and the details about it”, Sanchez said. After encountering weather-related setbacks during testing, she repeated parts of the experiment, emphasizing accuracy and perseverance. 

Food science was represented by Juan Baraza, who compared how quickly different burger brands developed mold. By keeping each burger in the same environment, Baraza ensured fairness in his experiment.

“The burger that got moldy the fastest is probably the healthiest”, he said, explaining that faster mold growth suggests more natural, fresher ingredients. 

Together, these projects reflected the wide range of interests among Norte Vista students and demonstrated how science can be applied to everyday life through curiosity, experimentation, and problem-solving. Mr. Simmons gave some words of encouragement for the students who participated and the students who are moving on to the next round of the Science Fair.

“I am so proud of them. They’ve worked so hard last semester, and I just believe so much in them, and really excited for what results can come from this next science fair,” said Simmons.