KOKOMO, Ind. – Indiana University Kokomo will award $8,500 in scholarships to the top students in the high school division of the 59th annual Howard County Science Fair.
Set for Saturday, February 18, the science fair is open to students grades 4 through 12 enrolled in public, private, or home school in Howard County. The scholarships, which apply to the first year of full-time tuition at IU Kokomo, are in addition to cash prizes given by the science fair committee.
Tess Barker, vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management, said campus leaders want to reward students who have demonstrated academic skills, and encourage them to enroll at IU Kokomo.
“The types of research and presentations they are doing for science fair in high school are what they have the opportunity to do on our campus from their freshman year,” she said. “Here, they aren’t working with a graduate assistant, they do guided research with our faculty. For students who have enjoyed that experience through science fair, and have shown a strong aptitude for it, we want to nurture that by inviting them to work with our faculty from day one.
“We want to keep our best and brightest here, and we know we can give them academic and experiential learning on par with other institutions across our state and nation,” Barker said.
Senior division students who continue to place in the top 10 each year may stack scholarships up to the cost of the first year of full-time tuition at IU Kokomo. The awards are $2,500 for first place; $1,500 for second; $1,000 for third place, and $500 each for fourth to 10th places.
The scholarship proposal is part of 100 Ways in 100 Days, Chancellor Mark Canada’s initiative challenging the campus community to lead improvement efforts.
Deb Jaworski, lecturer in mathematics and science fair committee member, said the scholarships reward excellence in science.
“We believe strongly in the potential of our students, and we want to promote their studies in science,” she said. “Science fair projects give them the opportunity to apply the scientific process, do research, create a presentation, explore statistics, and grow many other skills that are beneficial to students in all disciplines.”
The Howard County Science Fair is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, February 18 in Alumni Hall on the IU Kokomo campus, with project set up Friday, February 17. Judging is from 9 a.m. to noon, with super judging for high school projects from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Junior division projects (grades 4-8) will be open to the public from 1 to 3 p.m. Awards will be given at 3 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium.
Registration opens Sunday, January 15, at hcsf-in.org, and continues through Monday, February 13.
For more information, contact Jaworski at jaworskd@iuk.edu..
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.