Science project shows that boys and girls agree - on some things

What a girl wants, what a boy wants. It's an age-old riddle for both genders.

Now, a 10-year-old has cracked the case.

Kate Walker surveyed the difference between boys and girls for her fifth-grade science fair project at da Vinci Academy.

"I didn't want to do how many lemons it takes to power a digital clock. I wanted to do something out of the box," Kate said.

She asked 145 classmates eight questions (see questions below) inspired by two local cooperative community initiatives: The Quality of Life Indicators, which collects data that measure our city's progress, and Dream City: Vision 2020, which involves citizens in designing their future.

"Some kids want their voices heard. Some feel like, ‘Oh, I'm just a little tiny speck of dust in the windshield of life, and I don't matter,'" she said. "The science fair project shows that they do matter and that their preferences could help the community."

Her brother, Jack, 13, helped inspire the project.

"It came up in my mind with my brother and I fighting a lot," she said, "and I wanted to find out if boys and girls actually did disagree a lot."

Jack's last science fair project was on satellites.

Kate likes reading and swimming. She wants to be the female Michael Phelps.

"I'm a daring child, as you can see from injuries," she said. "I have also gotten stitches three times in my life. One for cracking my head, one for falling off a glass patio table and another one was a bread knife incident," she said.

Her science fair project got the nod from the Academy District 20 superintendent.

"Dr. (Mark) Hatchell said it was probably one of the best he's ever seen," Kate said, "but I bet he's just saying that to make me feel good."

What did the judges think?

"I don't think it was too sciency. So, sadly, I didn't win at all. I didn't even get an honorable mention," Kate said.

It didn't thwart the girl's ambitions.

"I wanted to make my project be useful and do something for our community and maybe for the whole future of the United States. I doubt it will get that far."

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Call the writer at 636-0253.

KATE WALKER ON HER PROJECT

I chose a topic that I thought might help the Dream City: Vision 2020 people. I wanted to find out whether boys and girls at the da Vinci Academy want the same things for the future of Colorado Springs.

To research my topic, I went to the Dream City: Vision 2020 Web site (www.dreamcity2020.com) I also interviewed Howard Brooks (formerly) of Pikes Peak United Way to find out about the Quality of Life Indicators book.

Then, I brainstormed a list of things that kids like to do to create a Quality of Life Indicators for Kids.

My hypothesis was that boys and girls will have different preferences because my experiences at home and at school show me that boys and girls seldom think alike.

However, after surveying 145 students, I was surprised to learn that boys and girls actually had similar preferences.

Just in case you're wondering about the results: Boys preferred skate parks and climbing walls while girls preferred shopping malls and dog parks. After that, they both preferred a children's theater, Chick-fil-A, Olympic athletes, sun energy, more policemen and to play in a park.

I would like to see more places that provide expressive opportunities for kids, like theaters designated for youth acting and art classes for kids. I would like to see more indoor and outdoor swimming pools! I love the environment, so in the future I think our town should go as green as possible. We should recycle, plant trees, compost, use less energy, conserve water and encourage second-hand stores. I think Colorado Springs should have free Wi-Fi all over town. I also believe that kids like to hear what other kids have to say, so I think that The Gazette should publish a monthly newspaper written for kids by kids.

My science fair project gave me the chance to learn about my town. I'm really glad the Dream City organizers are including kids in this project. I hope other kids will submit their ideas and be a part of helping create a better future.

Kate's eight questions:

1. Do you prefer skate parks or dog parks?
2. Would you rather go to a shopping mall or a climbing wall?
3. Do you prefer spending time in a children's library or children's theater?
4. Do you prefer to eat at McDonald's or Chick-fil-A?
5. Would you want to learn more about astronauts or Olympic athletes?
6. Do you think Colorado could make most of their energy by the sun or wind?
7. Do you want our city to have more firemen or policemen?
8. Do you prefer to go hiking or play in a park?

GET PLUGGED IN

To find out how to get involved in Dream City: Vision 2020, go to dreamcity2020.com.
To find out more about the Quality of Life Indicators, go to ppunitedway.org.