evaluating high school science project proposals

There are times when people just feel the need to give back. In my case, the opportunity came this month: I was tasked to evaluate high school students' science project proposals.

The project proposals of the students were quite practical. Some of these project proposals stemmed from the students' concern for the high costs of fossil fuel; some students were inspired by the presence of disease-causing bacteria in lakes. There were students who were interested in making computer-based teaching materials while others wanted to use a similar technology for quality assurance of fruit for export. Then there were those who want to try out antimicrobials from various sources. 

Familiar names popped up when I looked at the manuscripts: some of the students' consultants were my teachers in university! It was so nice to see that the people who made a mark in my life as a college student are also piquing these high school students' interests in the sciences.

And while these students were presenting their proposals to us and to their peers, I was fascinated by how prepared most of them were in answering the questions. They have consultants supervising them throughout the study; all the panelists had to do were to make sure that these students understand what they are in for when they start their projects over the summer and to impress upon them the hazards associated with the chemicals and the microorganisms that they propose on using.

While most of the proposals were well defended, there just had to be one that was poorly planned and explained. As I started asking the proponents to clarify what they're planning to do, I started to have a sick feeling in my stomach that the students had a lot more work to do on their proposal. At that point, I thought that this must be how a teacher feels when a student is about to receive a failing mark. I just hope that this first rejection is a learning experience for the proponents, rather than a discouragement.

In the end though, I think that there were a lot more relieved students. They've received tough questions but they passed.

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Thanks to Dennis Tuyogon for inviting me to join him as a panelist at the San Pablo City Science High School's Science Colloquium.