On March 30th, 25 Sahuaro students will be attending SARSEF in the hopes of winning checks, scholarships, and other prizes.

SARSEF, an acronym for Southern Arizona Regional Science & Engineering Fair, is hosted annually at the Tucson Convention Center, with over 2,000 projects from the Southern Arizona region entered each year. The fair is open to all grades K-12, but it will be Mrs. Wexler’s 10th grade Honors Chemistry students representing Sahuaro this year. This will be Sahuaro’s greatest presence ever at SARSEF, with the students’ projects ranging from Behavioral and Social Sciences to Chemical and Biochemical Sciences. Some of the highlights from the Sahuaro entries include: “The Effect of Decreased pH Level and Increased Temperature on the Mortality Rate of Artemia Salina” in the Animal Sciences category, and “The Effects of Sodium Laureth and Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth and Laury Sulfate Free Shampoo on Human Hair Using Atomic Force Microscopy” in the Chemical and Biochemical Sciences category.

The SARSEF projects began as an assignment all the way back in September, and has since been an ongoing process, with the students being required to meet periodic deadlines throughout the year. Over time, the sophomores have slowly acquired all the skills they would need to create finished, polished projects. In addition to their research projects themselves, students also learned skills such as graphing and page layout, and have received support from the actual SARSEF organization itself, with representatives who would often visit Tuesday and Thursday mornings in order to offer a guiding hand for students hoping to enter.

Thanks to funding from the Cougar Foundation, all 25 students entry fees have been covered (as well as a portion of the printing costs), and on March 30th, they will take a bus to the TCC, where they will stand for hours in front of their finished posterboards as judges walk up and down the isles, asking questions about the students projects and presentations. SARSEF offers 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each individual category, as well as awarding sponsor winners from various individual donors. Prizes include scholarships, checks, and an all-expense paid trip to the prestigious International Science & Engineering Fair, also known as ISEF. Winners will be announced online on March 31st, with an award ceremony taking place on April 1st.

Mrs. Wexler, whose students will be attending the fair, said, “I’m very proud of the work Sahuaro students have done this year to get ready for this level of competition. I’ve always loved science fairs, and it’s time Sahuaro is included. Win or lose, it’s important to participate.” She feels that this year is a huge step in the right direction, and with another approved grant, she hopes to increase the amount of students attending SARSEF every year.

If you want to support our Sahuaro students, on March 31st you can attend the Future Innovators’ Night at the Tucson Convention Center. This free, family-friendly event will feature over 50 hands-on activities and demonstrations, as well as a chance to experience the 2,000 projects, including our very own Sahuaro entries.

We wish the best of luck to our Sahuaro Cougars!