On Tuesday, March 25th, a long-running tradition brought the school community together for a 33rd time, as McConnellsville Elementary School held its 2025 Learning Fair.
The Learning Fair is not your ordinary Science Fair. It’s a platform for students to show their love of learning by investigating something new to them, or sharing a topic of interest to a wide audience of friends, family, and school staff. When choosing a topic, students can choose just about anything that inspires them. Students do extensive research, prepare a poster presentation, and bring additional visual aids to the fair to help attendees get a clearer picture.
This year’s exhibits were as unique as the 53 students that brought them. There were animals including a therapy labradoodle, a guinea pig, a snake, hamsters, and even a horse. There was also a large collection of stuffed turtles. There were science fair classics such as the “Walking Water Experiment” and two unique model volcanoes. There were explorations of water absorption in flowers, how maple syrup is made, and how popcorn goes from a small kernel into a fluffy delight. The latter may have included free samples. If you’re into show business, there was an exhibit on professional wrestling and a terrific Elvis impersonator.
The only limit is a student’s imagination. And that cultivates an environment for students to thrive while gaining valuable research skills and the fulfillment of a job well-done.
The fair was started by retired teacher Kathy Wood, and school librarian Shelley Malenowski has continued the tradition to the present day.
