45TH Annual Guam Island Wide
Science Fair

All Elementary, Middle/Junior, or Senior High level students from all public, private, home schools and DODEA schools are welcome to submit entries . We realize that schools might not be able to hold traditional school fairs if we have another year with COVID. To accommodate this problem each school can decide how many projects they need to submit, but we will need all entries in on time so we can order enough tables and provide an adquate number of judges

Projects should be the efforts of individual students, while groups are eligible for some category awards, group projects will not be considered for top overall awards. While some schools may find it financially better for students to work in groups, students should come up with their own approach, poster and experiment if they want to be eligible for top prizes. Groups may not be larger than 3 members. Only one trophy may be available for each place in each category, so group entries will have to decide how the trophy will be received if a group project wins.  Group projects are not eligible for off-island trips. Try to have students develop their own approach or experiment when working with limited supplies or in groups so that although they may be sharing supplies or equipment and have similar subject matter they have their own project presentation, report and entry. This is important for their education as well. In school a student has to take his/her own SAT test for example. They do not get a degree in college as a group, but as an individual.

A filled out copy of the 45th. Annual Guam Island Wide Science Fair Entry Form must be submitted for each entry along with a report explaining what was done and a virtual poster picture or power point. Copies of Rules and forms are also available by email above and on the Official Science Fair Website at (www.guamislandwidesciencefair.org) When filling in the Entry form please supply all information. Note that Completed forms must be turned into the website no later than 5PM, Friday, March 24, 2023.  All research projects involving humans, animals, controlled substances, pesticides, hazardous chemicals, tissues and DNA, must submit the Qualified Scientist Form.

Living or dead animals or any potentially dangerous items must be properly displayed and or handled. No living or dead animals, insects, or cultures (petri dishes) or hazardous items may be used without approval before you begin your experiment. You MUST have a signed approval of a medical doctor if your project involves human research or a veterinarian if your project involves animals before conducting your research if your project involves animals or if your project serves as a pesticide, or involves use of hazardous chemicals or extracts from plants you must have the supervision of a trained chemist or biologist with a PhD. Contact Dr. Frank Camacho at the University of Guam science building for help finding an appropriate person to approve your project or Claudia Taitano at youtheducationalservices@gmail.com.

Projects involving Blood, humans as test subjects, molds, RNA, DNA or stem cell and tissue cultures require an MD approval before beginning your project in order to meet International Science and Engineering Fair requirements and guidelines for student research.

We support these guidelines and requirements. If you have any questions, or need copies of the required International Science and Engineering Fair rules guidelines for grades 9-12 and forms contact Claudia Taitano at youtheducationalservices@gmail.com. At set up time Scientific Review Committee members may check your project. No potentially dangerous projects will be allowed. Qualified Scientist forms are required in advance of experimenting along with a plan for research. Failure to submit forms in the interest of safety may disqualify entrants from various prizes and participation. ISEF forms for Middle and High School participants are also available on our website at www.guamislandwidesciencefair.org

All projects will be placed in an appropriate category by the entrant(s) and or Science Fair administrators if there is a problem with the category selected by the entrant. The chief judge will settle any disputes. The categories are:

1) Ecology, Earth Science and Sustainability projects 
2) Physical Science, Electronics, Computer and Math projects
3) Human/Medical projects
4) Animal/Plant projects
5) Chemistry projects
6) Energy, Inventions including Engineering, and Robotic projects.

In determining the trophy awards this year the 43rd Annual Island Wide Science Fair will utilize the following grade groupings called Divisions:
Division I grades K, 1, 2
Division II grades 3, 4, 5
Division Ill grades 6, 7, 8
Division IV grades 9, 10 ,11 ,12
Grades K, and 1 usually have very few students, any students competing from these grades will be encouraged with a special consideration due to age. Age will be considered by the judges in the grade groupings and for some other prizes. Depending upon the number of entries grade grouping or category groupings may change.

Projects will be evaluated based on the completed entry forms, report submitted and virtual power point poster. Those projects meeting the requirements will be given a room number and judging number and interview time for the first round. Your projects must be uploaded to our zoom judging platform if we have to go virtual on our website at (www.guamislandwidesciencefair.org). Selected first round winners will be notified via email for live judging either in person if COVID-19 permits by then or virtually via zoom rooms. You must attach a report and poster when you enter on the website in order to be judged at the University of Guam on April 1, 2023 from 8:30 AM – 3:30PM

There should be a Principal or teacher or parent responsible for supervising students from their school, while conducting and presenting their projects.  If the student is home schooled , students should have a parent supervising the projects. Participants, by submitting the entry form certify that it is agreed that the fair, GSDS, its organizers, sponsors, judges, Megabyte, and the University of Guam will not be held liable for any and all problems or injuries that may occur during set up, at the fair, or at the awards ceremony, or at space camp, internships, Broadcom Masters Fair, or the International Science and Engineering Fair if they are a winner.

By submitting the entry form participants, parents and teachers agree that pictures may be taken during the fair and awards for use in media and publications and agree to release the pictures for use in various media including TV, Internet website and publications.

All participants will receive a certificate when their school representative attends the awards ceremony. The category winners will receive trophies, compliments of Marianas Energy Co and IPE, Shell Guam and others. Major sponsors include; Marianas Energy Co and IPE, Shell Guam, and Megabyte. 

Major Contributors provide major support for the fair through faculty, facilities and assistance from University of Guam programs such as NSF, Sea Grant, EPSCOR and NOAA and internship prizes.

Other contributors include; McDonald’s Restaurants, Pacific Daily News, KUAM, Payless Markets, Pepsi, Trident Consulting, Basto Catering and others.

The Overall Grand Prize winner may receive: *** A TRIP on United Airlines to the NASA SPONSORED SPACE CAMP or SPACE ACADEMY for winner in Huntsville Alabama or if their project meets all of the requirements and we have sufficient high school participation they might be eligible to represent Guam at the International Science and Engineering Fair to be held in Dallas, Texas May 8 – 13, 2023

The Overall Grand Prize winner must have a valid passport.

Winners as young as 12 years old may qualify for the space camp prize. The flights, tuition and airfare only are covered for Space Camp. There are no accommodations for parents and adults at space camp, because this is a camp. There may be adult camps at a similar time. Students must share accommodations with others in the camp. There may be restrictions about some foreign nationals being allowed to attend Space Camp and Space Academy Camps. If the COVID-19 threat is not over this winner will be given a computer from Megabyte instead or an internship.

Other Overall Division Winners may receive:

The top 3 overall senior winners will be selected to represent Guam at the Virtual International Science and Engineering Fair. Selected winners in the senior high division grades 9-12 may be eligible for a summer internship at the University of Guam as well.

Other Division winners may receive Computer Tablets from Megabyte. Trophies and other prizes will be announced at the awards ceremony.

**GSDS is not liable for prizes if the sponsor goes out of business or has some other problem that makes them unable to fulfill their pledged prize.

Other prizes may be made available by various Guam businesses later. Category trophies will be awarded and certificates. All prizes will be awarded at the Guam Hilton Hotel Awards Ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 PM.  Masks may be Required depending on Covid Status. Availability of prizes is dependent upon receipt of pledged donations. If Airlines go out of business or the business does not fulfill its pledged donation, GSDS will not be able to be responsible for the prize.

This year’s awards ceremony will be at the Guam Hilton, Micronesian Ballroom. Light refreshments will be served, beginning at 6:00 P.M. Sunday, May 28, 2023. Trophies for category winners and prizes will be awarded to each individual winner. Pictures will be taken. This has always been a nice event. All entrants are encouraged to attend and to dress appropriately to having their picture in the newspaper. School uniforms are fine. Reasonable numbers of guests are of course acceptable, such as parents and teachers. Masks are required. Due to social distancing guests will be limited to 2 for each winner. Due to COVID-19 this may change the date or even the venue may change.

1. All projects must include a complete entry form for each participant with phone numbers and email addresses so they can be contacted for judging. In order for us to affiliate with ISEF and for funding we also must prove all ethnicity are included and males and females are included, so fill out all of the information requested so we can continue to hold the science fair. Ages and grades are required for competition grouping. Failure to provide a complete entry form application will disqualify your project.

2. Also required For ALL Grades A picture of your poster or a power point poster should be uploaded. Your Tri-fold poster will also need to be set up at the UOG science building. . The virtual poster should include:
A. Project Title at the Top
B. 250 word Abstract (This is a short summary of the Project)
C. Statement of the Problem or Rationale (Why is this project important?)
D. Explanation of the Experiment used to test the hypothesis
     1.) Discuss the procedure used (Don’t waste space listing materials)
     2.) Discuss the control group and experimental group, Discuss the variables
     3.) Include pictures of your experiment and data or table of your data
     4.) Include a graph or analysis of the resulting data
E. Discuss your results conclusion and recommendations                 
F.  Briefly list any help you received

3. A Project Report is Required for All projects. (use up to 12 power point slides or pdf pages.) The report should be no more than 12 pages and may be many fewer pages for lower grades. A good formula for teachers might be a page for every grade up to say 10 pages. Grade 1’s report might be 1 page long for Grade 2 a report of 2 pages would be fine.  Use as many pages as it takes to explain what was done, see page 5 for more detailed information.

4. A Video explaining the project 2-3 minutes in length may be attached. (see the science fair website for more details and tips for creating a video). The video is optional. One will be required for the ISEF competition.

The Project Report should include the following: (No more than 12 pages double spaced, 12pt Times font, captions under pictures or data may be smaller) This gives the student the chance to explain the project in more detail than the poster board alone. Grades Kinder through 2 do not have to type their reports. It will be important along with the virtual poster in round 1 judging.

1. The following should be included on the first page of your report:

•Your First and Last Name
•Project Title
•School
•Grade

2. Explain your research problem, rationale, or question being researched.

•Explain what is known or has already been done in your research area. Include a brief review of relevant literature. If this is a continuation project, a brief summary of your prior research is appropriate here. Be sure to distinguish your previous work from this year’s project.
•What were you trying to find out? Include a description of your purpose, your research question,and/or your hypothesis.

3. Explain your methodology and procedures for carrying out your project in detail.

•What did you do? What data did you collect and how did you collect that data? Discuss your control group and the variables you tested.

• Lists of materials unless they are novel or unusual tend to waste space in your report and can be included as you discuss your methodology and pprocedures.

4.What were the result(s) of your project?

•Include tables and figures which illustrate your data.
•Include relevant statistical analysis of the data.

5.What is your interpretation of these results?

•What do these results mean? Compare your results with theories, published data, commonly held beliefs, and expected results.
•Discuss possible errors. Did any questions or problems arise that you were not expecting? How did the data vary between repeated observations of similar events? How were results affected by uncontrolled events?

6.What conclusions did you reach?

•What do these results mean in the context of the literature review and other work being done in your research area? How do the results address your research question? Do your results support your hypothesis?
•What application(s) do you see for your work?

7.References

•This section should not exceed one page. Limit your list to the most important references. List the references/documentation used which were not of your own creation (i.e., books, journal, articles). Use the APA citation format.

There will be numerous judges, many of them are university professors with a doctorate in the category they are judging. Some of the judges are medical doctors and nurses and some have had specialized training with the Armed Forces. There will be two rounds of judging in the morning a bsic 72 winners will be selected and posted by 1PM in the courtyard. The 1st place winners in each category will be selected to go on for division awards. All judges’ decisions are final. Judges will not be expected to critique student projects that is the teacher’s role. Judging records are available to the fair’s Major Sponsors and the Scientific Review Committee. With over 700 entries many of them with partners in the past years, it is simply impossible to give individual feedback for each project to each participant, teacher, or parent.

Judging criteria is taken from the criteria used in Hawaii Science and Engineering Fair and the International Science and Engineering Fair it includes:

1) Creative Ability- originality in question asked, methods, data analysis, and interpretation of data. (25%)
2) Scientific Thought- Experimental Design with variables and controls. Use of appropriate engineering process if it involves and engineering project. Are objectives and procedures clearly stated. Are variables or potential users needs are well defined. In case of inventive or engineering projects, are relevant, and adequate testing of a problem and solution evident. (35%)
3) Thoroughness, is the purpose achieved, completeness of data and notes, knowledge of scientific literature and other approaches to problem solution evident. (15%)
4) Skill – evidence of student competence in lab, computation and design skills, craftsmanship of products, assistance received and type technical consultant help received. (15%)
5) Communication- is the project clearly described or explained, is there effective use of language, is it easy to read. (10%)

Students who have properly entered a project (filled out all of the forms and uploaded their report, student picture and picture of their poster) by the deadline of March 24, 2023 will be informed that they are eligible to set up their poster and project materials at the university of Guam on
Friday, March 31, 2023 from 5PM to 7PM. On April 1, 2023 beginning at 8:30AM students will be interviewed to determine first, second and third place in each grade group and category, results will
be posted in the courtyard.

Be sure to let the judges know if you have not been judged before the judges leave the room. Parents and other may be asked to leave the room during the judging process. Participants should not talk to other s while others are being judged. Bring a book or quiet game to keep entertained during the judging. No skateboarding or running around or bullying is permitted. Do not remove projects until judging is officially over. Failure to abide by the rules can result in your school’s disqualification from all awards. After the first round, winners are notified in the courtyard.

Second round will begin after lunch from 1PM – 3:30PM. Hot dogs and other refreshments will be available in the courtyard. No other concessions are permitted due to clean up concerns.