The 48th Annual United Counties Science Fair brought together young scientists from across the region at St. Lawrence Secondary School, showcasing the talents and creativity of 62 students in Grades 6 through 12 who presented 47 projects to a panel of dedicated judges. More than 100 posters created by students in Grades 1 through 5 were also displayed, celebrating science and discovery.
Four students earned all-expense-paid trips to represent the region at the 2025 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredericton. Among them was Maeve Windle of Seaway District Intermediate School, whose project, Sustainable Sorbents: A Novel Approach to CO2 Sequestration, earned multiple awards, including Best Project in Fair and top prizes in environmental science and applied science. Madison Johnston, also from Seaway, was selected for her project, “See the Beat – Exploring ECGs,” which won Best Junior Project and top honours in human biology.
Joining them will be Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School’s Muhammad Shahrukh for his engineering project The EXOSUIT Mk I, and Gracie Beckstead from Tagwi Secondary School for her art-inspired project Nature’s Palette. Beckstead was also recognized for her outstanding communication skills.
Several other students were recognized among the top six projects in the fair. Merab Ali and Ashley Humpartzian from Seaway impressed judges with their research on mercury exposure in aquatic life, while Ithaca Silva of Holy Trinity earned accolades for innovation with her project Brewing Balance.
Additional award winners included Shannon Staye of Seaway for her study on grounding, Rayan Tougri of CCVS for their algae-based solution to aquatic oxygen loss, and Adeline Fontaine and Callie McCormick of CCVS for tackling food waste. Other notable honourees included Jacob Gadbois from L’Héritage, Haeley Wangui of Holy Trinity, and young scientists Phoenix Galeon, Milo Deschamps, Kai Van Rossum, Nevaeh Tremblay, Yashvi Uniyal, and Logan Alguire, each recognized for excellence in specific categories.
Young learners in the “Science on the Wall” division (Grades 1-5) also stood out with their creative poster displays. The Dr. Khalid Salman Jasim Memorial Awards were presented to students such as Autumn Ferguson for her work on roly-poly bugs, Wesley Ferguson for research on venom, and Denith Silva for their project on saving the oceans, among many others.
Jason Marshall, Chair of the United Counties Science Fair and a science teacher at St. Lawrence Secondary School, emphasized the importance of events like these in encouraging STEM education. “The fair is a forum for students to meet other students who are passionate about solving problems and making new discoveries,” said Marshall. “It is one of the few opportunities in the region where students can compete at this high level of excellence.”
In total, approximately $7,400 in cash, scholarships, and special awards were distributed. For more information about the Fair, visit www.ucsfair.org or email info@ucsfair.org
