Abbotsford students win science fair award for ultimate potato

On February 28, 2007, the BC Greenhouse Growers’ Association (BCGGA) presented its first science award to Chantelle Klassen and Vanessa Dirks of Barrowtown Elementary School for their “Ultimate Potato” project at the Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair.

This marks the first year of the BCGGA’s involvement in the Science Fair Foundation of British Columbia. The association sponsored the Foundation, as well as the Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver, and South Fraser Regional Science Fairs.

“We are very excited about this opportunity,” said Joyce Lam, BCGGA’s communications coordinator. “We want to promote students’ interest in science and technology, and we see a good fit between our association and the Science Fair Foundation.” Greenhouse vegetables are produced by skilled growers approaching farming scientifically.

Chantelle, Grade 6, and Vanessa, Grade 7, won the BCGGA award for their project “The Ultimate Potato”. The objective of the project was to assess commercial fertilizer and compost in producing the ultimate potato. They started the project believing the use of natural compost would produce better potatoes. For each variety of potatoes they planted, Chantelle and Vanessa fed one plant with commercial fertilizer and another with compost. After four months, they compared the number of potatoes produced on each plant as well as the taste of the potatoes. To their surprise, they found that more potatoes were produced using commercial fertilizer, while the potatoes produced with compost were more flavourful. They concluded that a balanced mix of commercial fertilizer and compost was needed to produce the ultimate potato.

Although Chantelle and Vanessa are best friends, they have never worked as a team at the science fair. This year they entered the competition together and received the BCGGA award, the first award they have won at the science fair.

Abbotsford greenhouse grower Armand Vander Meulen (left), along with Abbotsford School Board Trustee Shirley Wilson and Superintendent of Schools Des McKay, presents the BCGGA Award to Chantelle Klassen and Vanessa Dirks (centre).

The exhibition and judging sessions of the Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair took place at Sevenoaks Shopping Centre in Abbotsford. Students explained to both judges and members of the public what they had achieved and learned from the projects.

“It was interesting to talk to students about their projects,” said Armand Vander Meulen of Vander Meulen Greenhouses in Abbotsford, who sat on the judging panel to evaluate applications for the BCGGA Award. “They were really passionate about what they did and I saw great potential in them.”

The BC Greenhouse Growers’ Association Award is given to outstanding projects that demonstrate the creative use of science and technology to enhance vegetable plant productivity and quality. Projects eligible for this award include those in the area of biological pest control, irrigation, nutrition, growing media, climate control and mechanics.

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