Fort St. James residents, 12-year-olds Tahirah Soles and Brenden Crowley, brought pride to their community by clinching several prestigious awards at a recent science fair held in Prince George on March 9.
The duo, students of David Hoy Elementary School, emerged victorious at the Central Interior Science Exhibition, showcasing their exceptional project.
At the event, Tahirah and Brenden were honored with a gold medal, BC Nature Award from the Federation of BC Naturalists. Additionally, they received the distinguished Darrell W. Dimlet Judges Choice Award, reserved for students with outstanding projects.
Prior to this, their project also won first place at the District Science Fair held at Fraser Lake on Feb.21.
The kids’ project, ‘Are Some Trees Cozier than Others? The Insulative Abilities of Different Tree Species and Snow for Wildlife,’ looked into the insulative properties of various tree species, exploring how different woods can impact heat retention.
Explaining their methodology, Tahirah shared, “We selected four different types of wood, creating three wooden boxes for each. Inside these boxes, we placed a heat source, a thermometer, and a temperature recorder, [colloquially] known as a ‘hobo.’ These were left outside overnight to gather data.”
Both Tahirah and Brenden said overall it was a good experience and expressed gratitude for the opportunity and the recognition they received at the science fair. With over 63 other projects competing alongside theirs, the duo acknowledged the fierce competition but remained thrilled with their achievements.
“I felt proud of myself and Brenden. I’m happy we won an award,” Tahirah said.
Looking ahead, Tahirah expressed her aspirations to pursue a career in the STEM fields, particularly aiming to become a nature scientist. Meanwhile, Brendan harbors dreams of becoming a paleontologist.