Local Students to Converge on USC Upstate for Science Fair

Students from six Upstate counties will show off their academic skills from February 21-23 on the University of South Carolina Upstate campus during the annual Piedmont Region III Science Fair.

Projects will be on display to the public from 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 22.

Students in grades 1-12 who represent public, private and home schools located in the Cherokee, Chester, Lancaster, Spartanburg, Union and York counties are invited to participate.

As director of the Region III Science Fair, Stephen Bismarck said the event has a greater impact on the students than just the time spent creating a science project.

“One of the big values of the Region III Science Fair is the recognition the students get,” said Bismarck, an assistant professor in middle and secondary mathematics education at USC Upstate. “It’s judged by experts, and that attention can be inspirational. For the kids who don’t win this year, they can try again next year.”

Students are divided into three groups, based on grade level, and compete in several categories, including behavioral and social science, biology, chemistry, general science, math and computer science, and physics. There are around 800 projects on display during the fair, which is held annually at the university.

“This gives local students and teachers an insight into what USC Upstate is,” Bismarck said. “Some of them have never been on the campus before.”

An awards ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. March 4 in the University Readiness Center.

For more information, call Bismarck at 864-503-7407 or send an email to [email protected].