It has been another great year for Columba College at the Aurora Otago Science Fair. Columba projects claimed 13 prizes, including a Premier Award. Five projects were also Highly Commended.

Our Premier Award project was completed by Year 8 student, Elizabeth Dearden. Her project, Wasp Their Choice, investigated the paper colour preferences of paper wasps when building their nests. This project was awarded the Otago Science Teachers Association Award for General Excellence.

Our other Year 8 winners were -

Scarlett Wilson & Carys Williams for their project: Chordination.

• Aurora General Award
• University of Otago School of Physiotherapy Award

Hannah Bloxham for her project: Bang for Your Buck.

• Aurora General Award.

Luciana Brown & Olivia Wallace for their project: Nitrates in Our Lakes.

• Aurora General Awards

Rahwa Steel for her project: Smoke the Deadly Traveller.

• Cancer Society - Otago/Southland Division Award

Alice Porter for her project: Playing to Perform.

• New Zealand Psychological Society Louis Leland Award

The following projects were Highly Commended:

• Delilah Brown - Rot or Not
• Ellie Cameron & Zuzanna Kochan - Mission Unlock
• Lula Joseph - Turf vs Earth
• Ruby Peden - Toxic to Teeth
• Violet Hare - Hue Will Win

This year Columba also has three winning projects from students who attend the Columba College GATE Science programme. These projects were:

Year 10 - Alex Duff & Hannah Hopkins, for their project: Clean vs Cluttered Classrooms.

• Aurora General Awards

Year 12 - Hannah Cole & Olivia Parks, for their project: Something’s Bugging Me

• University of Otago Department of Zoology Award

Year 13 - Olivia Charles & Maia Robertson with help from Angela Fu, for their project: Surf to Turf.

• Aurora General Award
• NZ Oil and Gas Science Communication Award
• Keith Dawber Memorial Award for Alternative/Renewable Energy Award
• University of Otago College of Education Technology Award

The Columba Science Department congratulates all students who participated in both the Columba Science Fair as well as the Aurora Otago Science Fair this year. The projects completed this year asked some important and interesting questions, and work was completed to a remarkably high standard.

Congratulations to the following students who participated and placed in the University of Otago Senior Science Quiz -

• Melissa Van der Haegen - 3rd equal in Year 12
• Angela Fu - 3rd equal in Year 13
• Phoebe Ozanne received a Merit award