Rows of tri-fold poster boards created a labyrinth within Schorlemmer Elementary School's gymnasium Thursday afternoon.

Parents and students waded through clay figurines, petri dishes and detailed explanations behind each project's scientific method.

Michelle Sturm, an Ella Schorlemmer Elementary School learning facilitator, said the fair was the second annual campuswide science competition since the school's opening in 2009.

Judges from the community stepped forward to help decide which students would be walking away with the top-ranking award certificate for Best of Show.

"We had about 12 judges this year," Sturm said. "No parents are allowed to judge. We had some of the administrative staff, parents of faculty members and retired teachers volunteer."

Each presentation received marks for correctly applying the scientific method to their projects by posing a question and then answering it, organization and comprehension.

Fifth-grade science teacher Katherine Schuelke, who has taught for the past 27 years, said she offers examples of projects past to help students brainstorm their entries.

"Sometimes kids absolutely can't figure out what to do," Schuelke said. "All we can provide is guidance."

In fifth grade, Schuelke said she encourages students to create a project to coincide with the grade-level's upcoming science-based STAAR examination.

Fourth-grader Amar Hamasagar, 8, created an electric buzzer using a soda can, rubber band and nail file.

By pushing down on a mouse trap, Amar sent an electric current through a red wire, creating a gameshow buzzer sound.

"It was hard to put together because I had trouble choosing the right bolt," Amar said. "I want to study electrical engineering when I grow up."

Other students posed questions such as, "Why endangered species are endangered?" and put the 5-second germ rule to the test.

Third-grader Andrew Burgos, 9, received a Best of Show award for ranking three brands of batteries by their performance and price.

"It's been fun. It took a lot of hard work," Andrew said. "It took me 11 hours to finish it."

Andrew hypothesized that the cheapest battery, Rayovac, would come out victorious, but the Duracell battery he tested came out on top.

In the Life Science competition, third-grader William Wright, 9, took the Best of Show award by seeing which type of fruit would rot the worst in a 25-day time period.

William and his mother Laura Wright ate the surviving green apple and grapefruit which endured the longest throughout the experiment.

"At first, I thought the fruit with the thickest skin, the banana, was going to win," William said. "Next, I want to see what sort of plant will grow the largest by using Dr. Pepper instead of water."

The upcoming exam will have 18 questions on the physical sciences, 14 questions on organisms and environments and 12 questions on earth and space.

To teach students about physical sciences, the bulk subject of the STAAR exam's questions, the science teacher said she used stop-animation in her classroom to demonstrate the cycle between night and day.

"We just want to increase that love of science and that love of learning of maybe learning about things they didn't know before," the science teacher said.

• Life Science, Best of Show

  William Wright, third grade

  Caroline Elliott, fourth grade

  Riley Pruski, fifth grade

  First place

  Joaquin Marroquin, third grade

  Kevin Rankins-Perkins, fourth grade

  Ross Simnacher, fifth grade

  2nd place

  Koultre Perry, Third Grade

  Kadie Dueser, Fourth Grade

  Jordan Council, Fifth Grade

  3rd place

  Amber Dohman, Third Grade

  Isabel Seilkop, Fourth Grade

  Karolina Perez Cancel, Fifth Grade

  Consumer Science, Best of Show

  Andrew Burgos, third grade

  Grace Heyde, fourth grade

  Beau Henry, fifth grade

  First place

  Embrie Whisenhunt, third grade

  Mathew Greer, fourth grade

  Evans Saenz, fifth grade

  2nd place

  Dakota Schott, Third Grade

  Kelsi Darilek, Fourth Grade

  Teagan Wertman, Fifth Grade

  3rd place

  Nathaniel Perez, Third Grade

  Jenin Ajrami, Fourth Grade

  Rama Hamoudah, Fifth Grade

  Earth Science, Best of Show

  Jaydn Rangel, third grade

  Emily Bastian, fourth grade

  Vanessa Gonzales, fifth grade

  First place

  Liliana Farias, third grade

  Madison Nelson, fourth grade

  Allen Rojas, fifth grade

  2nd place

  Gabriel Adams, Third Grade

  Madison Long, Fourth Grade

  Haleigh De Los Santos, Fifth Grade

  3rd place

  Sandra Johnson, Third Grade

  Brian Guerra, Fourth Grade

  The fifth grade winner in the Earth Science category was withheld by the student's guardian.

  Physical Science, Best of Show

  Lauren Berryhill, third grade

  Griff Harrell, fourth grade

  Keaton Sides, fifth grade

  First place

  Gavin Wartsbaugh, third grade

  Grayson Maples, fourth grade

  Jude Stehling, fifth grade

  2nd place

  Abram Hinijosa, Third Grade

  Rami Ajrami, Fourth Grade

  Jay Orosco, Fifth Grade

  3rd place

  Nate Wooters, Third Grade

  Damion Marin, Fourth Grade

  Will McBrayer, Fifth Grade

  Models/Collections, Best of Show

  Kaeli White, second grade

  Hailey Despain, second grade

  Ms. Hermes, kindergarten

  Ms. Yur, kindergarten

  First place

  Timothy Medrano, second grade

  Max Saenz, second grade

  Ms. Hernandez, kindergarten

  Ms. Miller, kindergarten

  2nd place

  Laney Morales, Second Grade

  Ricardo Johnson, Second Grade

  Ms. Kim, Kindergarten

  Ms. Spanihel, Kindergarten

  3rd place

  Lex Wheelock, Second Grade

  Josiah Garcia, Second Grade

  Ms. Kubala, Kindergarten

  SOURCE: VISD