NCTA to host Feb. 26 science fair

February 19, 2018

By NCTA News                                                                     

CURTIS, Neb. – Science and engineering students from central and western Nebraska will converge February 26 at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

The 2018 Central Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair will attract about 190 students, triple from a year ago, said Dan Widick, NCTA science and biology instructor.           

Junior high and senior high students registered are from 13 schools, doubled from the six schools entered in 2017, he added. This is the fourth annual contest at NCTA.

Adams Central, Lexington, Wilcox-Hildreth, Cozad, Gothenburg, North Platte Catholic, Ogallala, McCook, Perkins County, Elwood, Chase County, Hemingford and Eustis-Farnam are registered.

Activities will center at the Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center on campus, with classrooms, laboratories and the auditorium brimming with contestants and displays, Widick said.

NCTA faculty will be among the 30-plus judges evaluating the competition. Widick also enlisted private industry professionals from veterinary medicine, agronomy and technology as evaluators.

“The winner of the senior division at the Curtis fair will be allowed to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in May,” Widick said.

The top six projects in each of the Junior High and Senior High Divisions will be eligible to attend the State Junior Academy of Sciences Science Fair held on the Nebraska Wesleyan campus on April 19.

NCTA’s fair is one of two ISEF contests in Nebraska.  The other is conducted at Nebraska City.

The public is invited to view the entries upon judging completion in the early afternoon, likely around 1:30 p.m., Widick said, with the awards ceremony at 2 p.m.

Additional information is available from Widick at dwidick2@unl.edu or (308) 320-0272.