Joseph Henry Science Fair

The 2022 Joseph Henry Science Fair:

In 2022, we experienced two firsts for the Science Fair.  For the first time, every one of Albany City Schools participated in the Fair.  Also, we ran things virtually for the Fair due to the Pandemic.  We will be bringing the Fair back to in-person for 2023.  All of the students who took part in this year’s fair should be very proud of what they did, and we hope they continue their dedication to studying mathematics and science.  The top 4 projects from each division:

Elementary School Individual:

1st Place: Austin Bebe (Is There Always a Rainbow?) from Montessori Magnet School

2nd Place: Zora Miller (The Lefty’s Dilemma) from Albany International Center

3rd Place: Nelson Waxman (The Flow of Liquids) from Montessori Magnet School

Honorable Mention: Ellie Gee (Whose Mouth is Cleaner?) from New Scotland Elementary

Elementary School Team:

1st Place: Alex Wheeler and Ben Le (The Effect of Temperature on Battery Output) from Eagle Point Elementary

2nd Place: Mia Ruiz and Aleigha Doyle (Popping Kernels) from Pine Hills Elementary

3rd Place: Kemar Johnson and Kamron Johnson (Chocolate Cloud) from Arbor Hill Elementary

Honorable Mention: V-Ann Andress, Kalaini Rogers and Milianna Heggs (Buzz Buzz…Can You Hear It?) from SPA

Middle School Individual:

1st Place: Eli Stanwicks (Building Bigger and Better) from Myers Middle School

2nd Place: Laurel Rhoads-Goodman (Raise the Roof) from Albany Academy for Girls

3rd Place: Ignacio Gorospe (Soaking in to Bean Germination) from Albany Academy for Boys

Honorable Mention: Anya Miller (Formulating Polymer Balls for Ideal Elasticity) from Hackett Middle School

Middle School Team:

1st Place: Htoo Blah Wah and Layla Sasson (Greywater vs Plants) from Myers Middle School

2nd Place: Amani Waxman, Daniel Levy and Evangeline Blake (Lead in Our Water) from Myers Middle School

3rd Place: Nya Almodovar, Julia Seniw, Shairene Valenzuela and Elianna Belfort (#Germs) from Hackett Middle School

Honorable Mention: Ava Pulcher and Ruby Martell (Tame the Flame) from Albany Academy for Girls

What is the Joseph Henry Science Fair?

The Joseph Henry Science Fair is open to students in grades 4-8 in the city of Albany. Schools conduct their own competitions and send their winners to the Joseph Henry Science Fair, making it the biggest science competition for Albany’s elementary and middle school students. The goal is to promote inquiry-based science research among students in the 10-14 year age group. The competition stimulates the creation of hundreds of projects each year, as individual schools determine which of their students will go on to the citywide science fair.

Students’ projects range from simple to complex and span all major areas of scientific study. Each project must include a poster, data tables, a data log, and a three-dimensional component, such as the apparatus used to collect the data. Projects are evaluated by a group of judges from the scientific, technological, and academic communities of the Capital Region. Students are given the opportunity to discuss their projects with each judge.

The fair’s namesake, Joseph Henry, was born in 1797, the son of Scottish immigrants. From 1826 until 1832, he served as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at the Albany Academy, where he did his most important scientific experiments. He served on the faculty of Princeton University from 1832 until 1846. He is considered to be the inventor of the electric motor and the father of daily weather forecasts. In 1846, he became the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, a position he filled as the “greatest living American scientist (of that era)” until he retired. Henry died in 1878. In 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to honor Henry “for his significant and distinguished role in the development and advancement of science and electricity.”

Our 2023 Donors and Sponsors include:

• Let’s Roam
• Outback
• 5Wits!
• Great Escape
• Red Lobster