Young scientific minds were at their best when Kerrisdale Elementary hosted the annual science for VSB's Multi-Age Cluster Classes.

The MACC program provides academic challenge and social-emotional support for highly gifted elementary students with an advanced curriculum. VSB has four MACC elementary gifted programs, one at Tecumseh Elementary for grades 5-7, two at Osler Elementary ­- one for grades 4 and 5 and one for grades 6 and 7, and a French Immersion program for grades 5-7 at Kerrisdale.

The projects on display ranged from scientific enquiry to hands-on research, and even included development of an entire mobile app.

Jenny Li, a Grade 7 student from Tecumseh Elementary, presented her project about the hidden costs of smartphones. In her display, she discussed how the materials needed to make a smartphone required mining in some conflict zones around the world.

"Do you know about the armed conflict in Congo?" she asks. "Armed groups are getting 25 per cent of the cost of the minerals mined to make our smartphones."

Riley Louie is a former MACC student who returned to the annual science fair as an adjudicator. He's currently pursuing post graduate studies in Rehab Sciences at UBC. "I'm here to see if these kids are smarter than we were," he says. "They are. One girl I met could be doing my PhD for me."

Some of the projects were presented in French. Elizabeth Louie, a Grade 7 student at Kerrisdale did her project on vaccinations and the effect of those who "ne prennet pas les vaccins" (don't get vaccinated). She says the best part of doing the project was discovering new ideas.

"I didn't know much about vaccines, but it's a pretty cool process," she says. "I like how we get useful feedback from the judges too."

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