Elizabeth Beach, 12, (left) looks over exhibits at Alvaton Elementary Schools Science Expo with her mother, Linda Beach (rear), and her sister Sarah beach, 6, of Bowling Green. Sarah is a first grader and Elizabeth is a sixth grader at the school. (Photo by Clinton Lewis)

When the teachers at Alvaton Elementary School decided to host a science fair, they had one goal in mind: To foster a love for science in their pupils. With the help from a $500 grant, Parent Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Garrett received from the Prichard Committee, the teachers put on a fair Wednesday that showed off their pupils scientific talents. The kids did all of the experiments at school, Garrett said. We didnt want parents involved in constructing the projects because we wanted to children to learn something about science. As a graduate from the two-year Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership a program aimed at training parents to help schools increase parental involvement in schools while improving pupils academic progress Garrett had to develop a project that would accomplish both goals. Garrett thought a science expo was an excellent opportunity to increase pupils interest in science which, in turn, might increase their science scores. More than 150 exhibits were scattered throughout the school. Pupils in the primary classes and fifth-graders blanketed the cafeteria while fourth graders showcased their talents on their wing. In the gym, pupils got first-hand how far-reaching science is. Pupils learned about how everyday actions effect ground water and learned how a hawk survives in the wilderness. We wanted to show the whole realm of science from nature to physics, said Lisa Murley, the schools curriculum coordinator. The expo has already made fifth-grader Adam Garrett a believer in the power of science. The 10 year-old son of Kathy and Terry Garrett of Alvaton couldnt believe how science touch peoples lives in so many ways.