Showcase features High Ability Learners

McCook Junior High School’s HAL Showcase allowed students an opportunity to display work and projects created throughout the year.

Mike O'Dell/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. - McCook Public Schools hosted its annual HAL (High Ability Learners) showcase Wednesday evening in the Junior High School cafeteria.

The showcase gave teachers and students an opportunity to display and share work and projects that students had created throughout the year. Students did not have to be identified as HAL students to participate; classroom projects that merited recognition were also presented.

Projects included McCook Elementary Crackerjack projects, Central Elementary Crackerjack projects, McCook Junior High Crackerjack projects, art class projects, Junior High Math Counts Competition displays, Expanding Your Horizons projects, MPCC Technical School field trip displays, Central Nebraska Science & Engineering Fair projects, National History Day projects, Nebraska Junior Academy of Science State Competition projects and Health Careers class trip presentations.

Also featured at the showcase was the work of seventh grader Luis Almanza, who recently competed at the Nebraska Junior Academy of Science State Science Fair in Lincoln, where he presented his project, “Healthier in Hydroponics: The Better Alternative to Soil!” His research explored whether soil or hydroponics is the better medium for growing different varieties of lettuce.

Luis earned a Top 10 medal, a purple ribbon and several special awards recognizing his research, including honors from Lauritzen Gardens of Omaha and Ward Laboratories of Kearney.

He also toured the Agronomy and Horticulture – Center for Plant Science Innovation lab with Dr. Harkamal Walia, where he observed real-world applications of the concepts explored in his project.