Students in Laurel Bradley’s third-grade class at Mountain View Elementary School in Low Moor took the lead in planning and hosting their own science fair. First row, from left, are Aria Lefler, Jayce Huffman, Eleanor Wrenn and Bentlie Broughman. Second row from left, are Chase Mongold, Parley Filips, Willow Pennington, Klynn Davis and Bradley. Not pictured: Connor Fleischer, Oliver Miller, Rylan Lipes, Wrenley Oglivie and Brenden Wolfe. (AHPS Photo)

Mountain View Students Take Charge of Science Fair    Low Moor, VA (Oct. 28, 2026) - Students at Mountain View Elementary School are proving that some of the best classroom ideas come straight from the students.  Laurel Bradley’s third graders recently took the initiative to plan and host their own science fair, turning their curiosity into hands-on projects tied to Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs). Each student selected a third-grade SOL topic and developed an individual project to share with classmates. The projects ranged from three-dimensional models to informative poster presentations, giving students a chance to explore their interests while sharing what they learned. “The students had the idea themselves to do a science fair,” said Laurel Bradley, their teacher. “They took the initiative, and I just helped them run with it. I’m just pleased as punch because they were really able to do so well.” The projects reflected the students’ different interests and showed how science can connect to everyday life. Parley Filips designed a pulley system to explore mechanical motion and learn how objects move. The hands-on project helped him better understand the science behind movement while giving him an opportunity to build and demonstrate his own model. Filips said he learned how things moved and had a lot of fun working on his science fair project. He also shared that he really enjoyed the experience. Willow Pennington chose a topic close to her heart: cats. She created a tri-fold poster highlighting what she learned about cats and how they have changed over time. “I learned how cats have evolved,” Pennington said. Her interest in the topic came naturally. Pennington likes cats and has a pet cat of her own, making the project a chance to explore something she already enjoys. She also shared that she likes her classes, especially her teacher. Once the presentations were complete, students had another opportunity to learn from one another. They interviewed their classmates and left encouraging comments and compliments on each other’s displays. The activity allowed students to celebrate their peers’ hard work while practicing how to ask questions, share ideas and communicate what they had learned. For Bradley, the student-led project was an opportunity to see her students take ownership of their learning. By choosing their topics and developing their own presentations, students were able to explore scientific concepts in ways that made learning personal and memorable. The class plans to build on the success of the science fair with another student-led project focused on mathematics later in the school year. Mountain View Elementary Principal Mallory Thompson said seeing students take ownership of their learning is special. “It makes my heart happy to see our students so excited about learning and proud to share what they’ve created,” Thompson said. “Watching them encourage one another and celebrate each other’s hard work is what makes our school such a special place.”

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