Scout Hosts Science Fair

Last weekend at Dunsmore Park a group of girls learned first-hand how much fun science can be.

The event was a science fair especially for girls, presented by Senior Girl Scout Meghan Ehrlich from Troop 213, who conducted the science camp as part of her Gold Award project.

In order to earn an award equivalent to Boy Scouting's Eagle rank, Ehrlich had to get her science fair idea approved by the Mount Wilson Vista Girl Scout Council. Gold Award projects must improve the community. Ehrlich wanted to share her love of science with other girls who may have felt that it was for boys only.

"I read text books that only have men in them. That doesn't mean girls aren't doing science," said Ehrlich. "They can do science too."

Once she received approval, Ehrlich had to raise money for the items she needed to perform the experiments and for the lab coats, or in this case T-shirts she cleverly decorated with beakers and bubbles.

"Paper Rabbit donated money," said Ehrlich who added that most of the money came from family and friends.

Ehrilch also enlisted help from fellow Girl Scout Sabrina Gregorian, friends Nara Haftevnai and Michael Yeghiayan, as well as her sister Amber, mother Teri, father Todd, and grandma, Kathleen Shimizu, who all helped to lead girls in scientific experiments throughout the weekend.

The girls learned how to approach an experiment through the scientific method, by first choosing a problem, then researching it, developing a hypothesis, designing the experiment, testing the hypothesis, organizing the data, and stating the conclusions.

The girls did all of this between giggles and ooos and ahhs. Ehrlich seemed to accomplish her goal: at this science fair, science was fun and girls made great scientists.