NWA Students Compete in Science and Engineering Fair

Friday hundreds of students from around Northwest Arkansas competed in a science and engineering fair at the University of Arkansas. It`s an exciting opportunity for these kids, but more important is the message these children take away from the experience. KNWA`s Alexa Hamblin has more. Modern-day science fair projects have larger repercussions than just formulating a hypothesis and reaching a conclusion, in fact, by all accounts these kids may very well impact our future economy. To compete in the 2006 Northwest Arkansas Regional Sciences and Engineering Fair, these entrants have already come out on top at their respective high schools. If they win here, they`ll go on to state, and then national competitions -- the next step... an international competition. The students hope they`ll go far and so do local economists, after a recent Milken Institute study pointed out that Northwest Arkansas isn`t great at creating high-tech jobs and keeping them. Teachers say this experience drives students to pursue careers where they can make an impact. William C. Rosser, a Fayetteville High School biology teacher, explains, "It encourages them to take the technology and learn new ideas, that`s what industry needs is problem-solvers." The event, held at the University of Arkansas will no doubt prompt faculty at the university to take a closer look at these students and their projects. Many students we spoke to said if they do well in these science and engineering competitions, it can impact what schools they are accepted into and scholarship opportunities, as well. Students spend a few weeks to as many as four years on these projects for the competition. I`m Alexa Hamblin... for KNWA... Northwest Arkansas News.