Santa Barbara Middle School Fair to Spotlight Academic Excellence

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/020510_santa_barbara_middle_school_fair_to_spotlight_academic_excellence/

By Laurie Lauer

At Tuesday’s Academic Fair at Santa Barbara Middle School, eighth-graders will present Who Killed Diana Darling?, a mock trial based on a sensational murder trial from the 1980s. Students have prepared arguments for both the defense and prosecution, and will play the trial’s witnesses. (Santa Barbara Middle School photo)

Students will present their unique projects during Tuesday's Academic Fair

Santa Barbara Middle School will host its annual Academic Fair, a showcase of the academic achievements of its students, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Students have spent weeks preparing for the Academic Fair, and students, parents, friends and the community are invited to attend as the students present their unique projects.

The student projects that will be on display include:

» Robots — Ninth-graders will present multiple robotics projects, including a robotic tic-tac-toe player, a remote drawing arm, an infrared-controlled car, a soccer-playing robot, an aerial tram, a self-parking car and a Rubik’s cube solver.

“Robotics involves joining together mathematics, science, technology, teamwork, creativity, patience and persistence,” physics teacher Russ Lewin said. “The seeming barriers to accomplishment get reshaped into steps that lead one higher — to greater strength and confidence. Students naturally begin to raise questions about what is possible, and how to accomplish what previously seemed impossible.”

» Mock Trial — Eighth-graders will present Who Killed Diana Darling?, a mock trial based on a sensational murder trial from the 1980s. In Santa Barbara Middle School’s version, Diana Von Darling, a wealthy socialite, is found dead on her estate in the Hamptons, and her husband, Sebastian Crumb, is charged with first-degree murder.

Students prepare arguments for both the defense and prosecution and play the trial’s witnesses, including a Maharishi Yogi, a Las Vegas entertainer, a famous rock star and more. The audience is the jury and decides whether Crumb is guilty.

Ninth-graders will present multiple robotics projects at Tuesday’s Academic Fair. (Santa Barbara Middle School photo)

» Macbeth Abridged — In addition to writing literary analyses on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, ninth-graders also have chosen, excerpted and directed scenes from the play.

See them perform famous moments from one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies: the night of Duncan’s murder, the guilt-ridden sleepwalk of Lady Macbeth, and the final showdown between Macbeth and Macduff. Enjoy watching the trouble double, boil and bubble!

Founded in 1976, Santa Barbara Middle School is a private, co-educational day school for grades 6 to 9. It seeks to cultivate students who have a passion for life and learning, a deep sense of trust in themselves, the strength and courage to succeed at life’s challenges, and compassion and respect for others.

— Laurie Lauer is a development associate for Santa Barbara Middle School.

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