Gathering STEAM: Webutuck’s 10th annual science fair a success

Gathering STEAM: Webutuck’s 10th annual science fair a success

Kindergartener Samuel Johnson, 5, made his experiment about crystals; his brother, first grader Emmett, 7, was into volcanoes.

Judith O’Hara Balfe

AMENIA — The 10th annual STEAM Fair from the Webutuck Teachers’ Association took place Saturday, Feb. 24, in the gym of Webutuck’s Eugene Brooks Intermediate School (EBIS).

The STEAM Fair — STEAM stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math” — featured presentations, research projects, and experiments by about 50 participants, all Webutuck students from across the district, grades K-12).

Several round tables held two exhibits, and while there were two or three scenarios involving volcanoes, the projects were varied and creative.

The student participants came up with their concepts, constructed them, and then stood with them throughout the fair, capably presenting their work to the Listeners, Judges and other visitors.

Many parents, grandparents and siblings there to cheer them on.

Co-chairs Danielle Fridstrom and Christine Gillette were helped by Judges and a team of Listeners, which included seven students in addition to teachers and staff.

The Listeners visited each project, and listened as each student explained what part or parts of STEAM their project dealt with, why they chose that particular project, and how they created the exhibit, as well as how something worked and what the expected result would be.

The STEAM Fair is a teaching tool, but it is also fun, according to most of the students. There was a competitive spirit; awards and prizes given out after the judging concluded.

Fridstrom said, at the conclusion of the fair: “Thank you to all who helped make our 10th annual Webutuck STEAM Fair possible. We had almost 50 participants show up today, seven student listeners, and over 20 volunteer staff members.”

Special awards for grades K-4

Visual Communications Award: Caroline Eschbach, fourth grade — water purification; Lilliana Nelson, third grade — coral reefs; and Nolan Veach, third grade — lava lamps.

Innovation Award: Cassidy Brennan, fourth grade — dog treats; Carlos Lopez Giron, fourth grade, and Cody Deister, first grade — volcanic eruption.

MacGyver Award: Caleb Dennis, third grade — popsicle catapult; Henry Eschbach, second grade — lemon battery; and Emmett Johnson, second grade — volcanoes.

DaVinci Award: Kyra Whalen, fourth grade — wiggle bot; Connor Deister, first grade — busy bees; Samual Johnson, kindergarten — crystal growth.

EBIS (grades 5-8)

First place: Ryan Morrissey, seventh grade — aerodynamics; second place: Riley Whalen, sixth grade — wind tunnel aerodynamics; third place: Noah Veach, fifth grade — oobleck walkway; honorable mention: Nolan Howard, seventh grade — strength of magnetic crane.

Webutuck High School (grades 9-12 winners)

First place: Hailey Brennan, ninth grade — “Great Stain Showdown”; second place: Kaelea Murphy, 11th grade, and Corbn Shambo, 12th grade — “Werms”; third place: Jayden Avery, ninth grade — “How Much Sugar in Drinks?”; Honorable mention: Andres Dionicio, Brendan Dean and Emily Howarth, ninth grade — “Taste the Rainbow of Science”

Judith O’Hara Balfe

Fourth grader Caroline Eschbach demonstrates her water filtration system. She just turned 10, and lives in Amenia.


Latest News

Stanford home market sees nine sales in July and August

Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.

Christine Bates

STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.

At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dutchess County Sheriff’s Report
Village of Millerton offices on Route 22
John Coston

Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Harlem Valley area activity reportSept. 18 to Sept. 30.

Sept. 23 — Deputies responded to 1542 State Route 292 in the Town of Pawling for the report of a suspicious vehicle at that location. Investigation resulted in the arrest of Sebastian Quiroga, age 26, for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. Quiroga to appear in the Town of Pawling court at a later date.

Keep ReadingShow less
Out on the trail
Nathan Miller

Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.

Millbrook Library dedicates pollinator pathway garden

Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.

Leila Hawken

MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.

“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less