ELP students showcase their projects at upcoming ELP Fair

On May 21, the ELP Fair will be held at Peet from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The ELP Fair is an open house-style event where people can check out student’s displays and learn something new. 

Ben Olsen is one of the ELP Fair chairs. He said, “The ELP Fair is an event that allows fifth through ninth grade students to showcase their research and learning from the past couple of months. Each student picks a topic that they are very interested in and spends an extended amount of time learning about that topic. The Fair is set up so that visitors can come and see their student’s work and talk to them or ask questions. Additionally, the Cedar Falls Robotics team will be demonstrating their work. Overall, it’s a great way to show the high-level research skills that many Cedar Falls students possess.”

At the fair, there are a wide variety of project topics, and they all fit into the categories of Entertainment, Fine Arts, Nature, Psychology, People, Places, Health and Medicine, History, Science, Technology or Sports. Elementary students have been working on their projects since February, and Junior High students have been working on theirs since late March. 

For the students, this is a great experience for them to learn public speaking skills. Olsen said, “It’s an important way for students to communicate with the public and peers about the great work that they are doing.  They have spent a lot of time researching and learning, and this event provides them with an avenue to teach others.”

Coming to the fair is a great opportunity to learn something new. Olsen said, “I am always amazed by the variety and depth of the projects. It’s very enlightening to wander through the event and talk to as many students as one can. If a person comes to the fair, they will learn something new, interesting or important and likely all three many times over.” Additionally, there will also be cookies available.