The Sumner School District celebrated the arts and sciences among its student body during the annual Science Fair and Art Show on Saturday at Mountain View Middle School in Bonney Lake.

Hundreds of students exhibited works in art and science. Included in the event were free Pacific Science Center exhibits, demonstrations from the Tacoma Astronomical Society and other regional exhibitors.

“This is the 12th year for the science fair,” said coordinator Don Pruett, a science teacher at Sumner High School. “This is designed to introduce kids to the scientific process at the appropriate age level.”

Pruett said students are judged on their creativity, innovation and ability to orally explain their project.

Walking around the gymnasium in a clean white lab coat, Pruett looked like a genuine scientist. In fact, before he entered education as a second career, he was a medical technologist and an analytical chemist.

Pruett’s volunteer time at schools, however, sparked his interest to leave the private sector and teach full-time.

“The top 25 percent of students at the fair will go on to compete in the South Sound Regional Science Fair in March,” he said.

Kendan Bendt, a fifth-grader at Daffodil Elementary, posed a question for his science project: Will a 40- , 60- or 100-watt light bulb allow a solar-panel toy to run for the longest amount of time?

His hypothesis was that the 100-watt light bulb would do the trick, because it has more power. And he was right.

“I think if President Obama was serious about the environment, then he should make solar panels less expensive to the public,” Bendt said.

Meanwhile, the art show celebrated its fourth year and its third year as part of the science fair. Students from kindergarten through 12th grade were represented.

Hayden Hinton-Deschner, an eighth-grader at Lakeridge Middle School, submitted an ink sketch drawing called “Where is mind?”

“I see the world in strange way,” he said. “I see the characters in my mind.”

The characters in the sketch were out of this world. The drawing had a life of its own and would be suitable for an edgy, adult-oriented comic book.

“I’m inspired by controversy,” he said. “Any controversy is good. I’m inspired by Hunter S. Thompson.

He said, “When the going gets weird, I’m pro.”

Hinton-Deschner said he doesn’t believe everyone needs to be normal.

“The world needs more different people,” he said.

Craig Spencer, superintendent for the Sumner School District, said the arts are a graduation requirement.

“We believe the arts can help in overall education and help learning in general,” he said. “The students are doing amazing work. To see how far students go in their ability is enjoyable to watch.”

Reach Sumner reporter Andrew Fickes at 253-841-2481 Ext. 313 or email at andrew.fickes@puyallupherald.com.