BUFFALO, N.Y. — Students from across Erie County gathered in Buffalo on Saturday for the ninth annual STEAM Fair.
The event, hosted by the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program, provided an opportunity for more than 100 individual and group presentations from students in grades 3 through 12. A wide range of science experiments was on display for a panel of judges.
The event took place over two and a half hours at the Buffalo State University science and math complex. It's designed to encourage and support in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math activities for underserved youths.
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"This is major. Its almost like, it's got to be done," Dr. Willie Hutch Jones said. "And not just in STEAM venues, but any opportunities that are positive and creative for young people. You've got to give them a chance because they don't have a chance. We're really just kind of leveling the playing field in a sense.
"When we can have an opportunity like this, that's coming from the underserved community, to be able to turn around and give back and for free, this is big."
Top winners of Saturday's fair at the high school level won an all-expenses paid trip to the STEAM Expedition in Cleveland next month, as well as gift cards and other prizes. Student scientists who attended the event were judged in 20 different areas, and that included oral and poster presentations on their research and findings.
2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing served as the event's emcee.