About 100 high school students and almost 750 primary school students took part in the celebration of science at Port Macquarie Panthers on August 13.

The fair promoted science as an endeavour.

The science fair followed a Year 8 and Year 10 common assessment task across Hastings Secondary College Port Macquarie Campus and Westport Campus, and Wauchope High School.

The best of the assessment tasks were showcased at the Hastings Valley Science Fair.

The event coordinator, Jayme Reid, said it was about intrinsic motivation and trying to stretch the students.

He said the students developed communication skills and other values and attitudes such as self-belief and encouragement.

Projects examined areas including the impact of Powerade on reaction time, toilet paper strength, the melting rate of ice and the best cleaning products for blood, oil and coffee stains.

Ellie McKittrick of Wauchope High School tested the impact of Poweraid on reaction time.

An interest in sport led to the project idea.

“I found that Powerade increases your reaction time a lot,” she said.

Hastings Secondary College Westport Campus student Laura Page tested the strength of toilet tissue.

She used weights during the experiment.

“When you pick a brand of toilet paper, you only find the brand you like and keep using it,” she said.

“I felt to be able to show people the benefits of using the strongest brand would help them make change or try out other brands.”

Laura’s project tested five toilet paper brands with Quilton coming out on top.