MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Qualifying for a regional science fair is a big honor, but a Springdale Elementary School fifth grader was worried if he would be able to compete - due to a language barrier.
However, a Georgia College & State University student came to the rescue.
Sosuke Nishimiya was selected to present his work at Friday's Georgia College Science and Engineering Fair. He is Japanese, and his English is still coming along.
He told his teacher he was worried the judges wouldn't understand him and vice versa.
After receiving an email request from Sosuke's teacher asking for an interpreter, Catrena Lisse was able to find someone to help.
"I never want language to be a barrier for students to succeed in science," she said.
Lisse is the Director GCSU's Science Education Center, and she reached out to the college's International Office and found an international student to lend his language skills.
"This was the very first time that we encountered the need for an interpreter. So I reached out to our International Education Office and they were able to find an international student from Japan that is helping us," Lisse said.
Rihito Uda is a junior at GCSU and is a business major. He's been at the college for around 2 semesters so far, and says it was an honor to be able to help Sosuke.
"She [Lisse] asked me to be a Japanese interpreter... and I feel like its a really great opportunity because I've never done like...Japanese Interpreting so I'm really grateful," he said.
Sosuke's science project was on the effects of acid solutions on various mediums, and how acid is found in Macon's environment.
He asked and answered several questions with his research, like "Can you check acidity and alkalinity using red cabbage?" and "Does acid rain fall in Macon?"
He conducted several experiments using an acid-based solution on things like leaves and chalk, and even took samples of water from lakes near his home to test.
And Sosuke wasn't the only one with an excellent project. The fair had over 450 participants from all over Georgia.
Update:
13WMAZ found out around 6 on Friday afternoon that Sosuke won Grand Honors for his project. Congratulations!
