Maine State Science Fair – The Jackson Laboratory Steps Forward as New Statewide Coordinator

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 73
POLICY CODE: JF/KLL

TO: Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Curriculum Coordinators, High School Principals, Career and Technical Education Center Directors, School Counselors, and Science Educators
FROM: Angela R. Faherty Ph.D., Commissioner of Education
DATE: February 25, 2011
SUBJECT: Maine State Science Fair – The Jackson Laboratory Steps Forward as New Statewide Coordinator

The Department thanks The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) for stepping forward to coordinate the annual Maine State Science Fair. The JAX leadership in this event underscores the importance of science education to the organization's mission and is particularly appreciated at a time when the knowledge and skills related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have taken on increased importance for the success of Maine students and our State economy. The Jackson Laboratory has been offering educational opportunities to students at all levels for more than 80 years, including their student internship program. Some of the JAX students have pursued careers in science that have made them winners of the Nobel Prize.

School administrators and teachers can help build awareness of the 2011 Maine State Science Fair and encourage hands-on participation by the top science students in Maine's 153 public and private high schools. The Department asks that districts share information about the Maine State Science Fair by announcing this opportunity in all high school science classes and posting information about the Fair on district websites and/or local list servers read by high school science students, teachers of science, and other K-12 teachers in Maine.

The 2011 Maine State Science Fair is a daylong event that will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the Mount Desert Island Regional High School in Bar Harbor. There are no costs for registration and registration is already underway! Students may register for participation in the fair through March 30, 2011. More information about registration and the Maine State Science Fair can be found online at: http://education.jax.org/sciencefair/index.html . Please address all questions to Robert Chaplin, Maine State Science Fair Coordinator, at Robert.Chaplin@jax.org or (207) 288-6145.