Ventura County science fair returns in person

Isaiah Murtaugh, Ventura County Star
·1 min read
Christopher Koehler, from left, a 10th grader at Grace Brethren School in Simi Valley, shows Samantha Walker, Olivia McCormick and Andres Garcia, fifth graders at New Harvest Christian School in Oxnard, how to control robots as part of a demonstration by the VEX Robotics Program at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Christopher Koehler, from left, a 10th grader at Grace Brethren School in Simi Valley, shows Samantha Walker, Olivia McCormick and Andres Garcia, fifth graders at New Harvest Christian School in Oxnard, how to control robots as part of a demonstration by the VEX Robotics Program at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.

More than 500 students submitted projects to the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday as the competition returned to in person for the first time in four years.

The contest, which on Friday saw projects judged and displayed at the Ventura County Office of Education's conference center in Camarillo, was canceled in 2020 thanks to pandemic lockdowns, then held virtually in 2021 and 2022.

Eric Smith, a senior at Royal High School in Simi Valley, demonstrates a haptic-controlled robotic arm at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Eric Smith, a senior at Royal High School in Simi Valley, demonstrates a haptic-controlled robotic arm at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.

Eric Smith, a Royal High School senior, was among the last students to leave the display hall Friday afternoon.

"I love that I can see what other kids are doing," he said, standing in front of the haptic controlled robotic crane he built. "Some of these kids here did some awesome projects."

Awards will be distributed in a Monday evening ceremony at 5 p.m. in the same venue, located at 5100 Adolfo Road. The top 35 projects will qualify for the California Science & Engineering Fair on April 11, set to be be held virtually due to staffing shortages.

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.

Christopher Koehler, right, a 10th grader at Grace Brethren School in Simi Valley, shows Samantha Walker and Olivia McCormick, of New Harvest Christian School in Oxnard how to control robots as part of a demonstration by the VEX Robotics Program at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Christopher Koehler, right, a 10th grader at Grace Brethren School in Simi Valley, shows Samantha Walker and Olivia McCormick, of New Harvest Christian School in Oxnard how to control robots as part of a demonstration by the VEX Robotics Program at the Ventura County Science Fair on Friday, March 24, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura County science fair returns in person