Students learn about God through science
Friday, March 30, 2007 -- Jennifer Higgs
Quinn McConnell learned a lot about magnets while working on his science fair project for Rhema Christian School. "I chose to do magnets because I thought it would be really cool to
learn about them and the magnetic belt," says the Grade 4 student.

On March 28, Rhema's gym was buzzing with activity as students who joined the Science Club presented their projects at the science fair. From rocks to bubblegum, there were a variety of topics the students explored. Besides the regular scientific steps like a hypothesis and conclusion, Rhema students also explain the Christian perspective that links with their topic.

Emily Burton is in the Club for her fourth year. The Grade 8 student has been in the Club since it began, and chose to do her science project on nature versus nurture. Burton wanted to find out the role of genetics in life and personalities.

"Me and my mom, we look a lot alike but we have different
personalities," she says. She was interested in how a person's
environment factors in their personality. After going back and forth between nature and nurture theories, she says there is a mix between genetics and one's surroundings.

"It just reminded me how much God loves us because he took so much time on each and everyone of us, and our personalities," she says.

Teachers Tina Covert and Judy Wiley run the Science Club. The Club is an extra-curricular activity, and meets on Thursdays during lunch hour from October to May. Each year, there are around 30 to 35 students in the Club, says Wiley.

Judges at the science fair are members of the local community.
Students do not receive awards but evaluations from the judges, with suggestions for how to improve their projects for the regional science fair held at Trent University. Participants have the choice of attending the regional event.

"We have guests coming in, we have trips planned," says Wiley. This year, Peterborough Green-Up visited the Club to discuss environmental issues and look at their projects. The students will go to the robotics department at Sir Sandford Fleming College, and visit the Peterborough Water Festival.

For McConnell, it is his first year in the Science Club and first year at Rhema since kindergarten. "I joined because I thought it would be really fun to be in Science Club," he says. "I'm really enjoying it."

He explains the Christian perspective from his experiment, "I learned that you can always pick up certain kinds of metal objects, like really heavy metal. So it's like Christians who talk to other people about God, and sometimes you can't get to them to tell them about God. So that's like magnets and metal, but there's something like phosphate and that doesn?t stick to it because they have their own beliefs."

Covert says Rhema students have come away from Trent University with the primary award for several years. The award is for participation, and she says this year they hope to come away with a junior award.

The regional science fair will be on April 10. It is for all students
under 21 and in kindergarten to Grade 12. She says Rhema encourages their students to discover a Christian worldview from the projects, which is something unique for students at the regional fair from other schools. "What a great witness when they're at this public forum, and they're learning about God through Rhema students," says Covert.