Not Just Child’s Play : Youth Expo Spotlights Achievements in Art, Science and Other Endeavors

Seven-year-old Collin Ogata had his arms buried deep in the soil Saturday morning as he dug for bones and dinosaur fossils Saturday morning.

He picked up a large chunk of dirt, dusted away the black soil and uncovered a pink shell the size of his hand.

“I think I hit the jackpot!” Collin called to his mom, Laura, who was standing nearby with his brother, Jeffrey, 2.

The “Prehistoric Playground” was one of the dozen sites at the 16th annual Youth Expo at the Orange County Fairground, where youngsters from across the county exhibited their artworks and school projects.

The Ogata family from Orange joined an enthusiastic crowd of about 7,000 kids and parents who turned out Saturday for the annual Youth Expo, which continues today at the fairground. The theme for this year’s expo is “Fossils, Caves and Dinosaur Days.”

The exhibits include a special 8by-4-foot pit filled with bones, fossils, shells and stone tools by the Archaeological Institute of America to help children uncover the past.

“There’s a sense of discovery and a sense of wonder,” said Chris Brewer, professor of anthropology at Saddleback College, who supervised the archeological dig. “They get to brush off the objects and guess what they are.”

The annual event salutes the accomplishments of Orange County students through competition in individual and class projects, said Clover Hodgson, an expo spokeswoman. The categories included art, science, engineering, creative writing and livestock competition.

Approximately 11,000 Orange County students from more than 200 schools competed this year, she said.

Seated at an outdoor table having lunch with his daughters, Frank Klimkiewicz of Costa Mesa pointed at his four children, Jana, 14, Jamie, 12, Lisa, 8, and Becky, 2, and said, “I have four reasons to be here with my wife today.”

Klimkiewicz said his family had to be at the fairground at 7:30 a.m. to wash Petunia, a pig daughter entered in a contest. Petunia later won first place in the Swine Showmanship competition, making it eligible for the livestock auction at the Orange County Fair in July.

Klimkiewicz said his daughter has been taking care of the pig for the past three weeks. She’d purchased it for $50 and could sell it at the auction for up to $600, he said.

“It’s a positive learning experience for the kids more than making a profit,” said Laura Klimkiewicz, the girls’ mother. “They feel good about themselves seeing the result of their work.”

In a nearby building, more than two dozen youths gathered around cafeteria-style tables painting animal and fruit-shaped ceramics with water colors.

David Brown of Irvine held a ceramic banana while his daughter Patricia, 8, brushed the surface with green paint.

“This way, she can paint the other side while it dries,” Brown said. “This event is all she’s been talking about.”

“It’s the funnest thing,” said his other daughter, Beverly Salazar, 13, painting a unicorn.

Brown said he brought his girls to the expo because “it’s good for their self-esteem to get their work recognized. We always encouraged them to do that.”

His wife, Suzanne Brown, said she’s always impressed with the artworks other youngsters produced for the exhibition.

“It’s incredible what some of the kids can do,” she said.