In February, Lincoln Elementary School hosted its annual Science Exhibition and Science Fair. Every year the Science Fair grows in size as the number of students who voluntarily enter an experiment increases (only for sixth graders is it mandatory to enter an experiment). Last year there was a record 183 students participating!

Though many may think that Lincoln is full of “brainiacs,” it is actually through the encouragement and guidance of “Science Fair Sweethearts” Melissa Walch and her partner in a lab coat, Jeanne Watnick, that so many students enter each year.

Both Walch and Watnick share a love of science and a passion to share with students how science is used every day and is full of fun. They are a dynamic duo of a team.

Watnick is the parent wrangler, the master of the Sign Up Genius, the one who gets parents to sign up to set-up the auditorium, work the different demonstration tables and help with the event. Inside the auditorium, Watnick is making sure all the volunteers know the demonstration/experiment table they are running, how it works, the science behind it and how to convey all that information to the students in a way they will understand.

Outside the auditorium doors is where Walch is found.

Perhaps the best way to describe Walch is by mixing the joy, excitement and wonder of Willy Wonka with the quirkiness, knowledge and passion of Bill Nye. Stuff all that inside an inspiring, warm, charismatic mom of five and there is Melissa Walch.

Walch’s excitement and love of science and exploring embraces the students as she greets each class, revealing what awaits them inside the auditorium while explaining all the cool, fun, hands-on experiments that they will get to try during the exhibition. She inspires them to ask questions, make a hypothesis and conduct experiments on subjects that they are already interested in, or want to learn about, and enter their findings into the Science Fair.

As she winds down her introduction, the students can be found inching closer to the door, bouncing and vibrating in anticipation. As they prepare to enter, she asks one final question: “What is the No. 1 rule of science fair?”

They typically reply in unison: “To have fun!”

Walch then steps out of the way, saying, “Then … go have fun!”

And they do.

Contributed by Rachelle MILLER

  Rachelle MILLER