You could tell that there was a lot of excitement behind Alex Coyle’s experiment as to whether or not Skittles candy dissolved best in Coca Cola, vinegar or just plain water.

In fact, taking the time to watch the Skittles get smaller and smaller “made the experiment the most fun of the whole thing,” said the I. J. Holton fifth grader.

Sparking interest in science was the whole point behind the annual STEAM Expo at the school on Friday. “STEAM” is an acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics” and over 700 fifth and sixth graders presented projects in those areas.

And just in case you wondered, Skittles dissolved most quickly in — are you ready? —water.

“You would have thought it would be Coke,” Alex said thoughtfully. “But maybe in water, there isn’t anything coming at it, like fighting it, so it could dissolve.”

Inquiring minds weren’t limited to how Skittles disappeared. Juli Torres, 11, wanted to find out which glue was best – and while Elmer’s Glue turned in the best performance, a homemade glue that turned into slime — her word, not ours — was the most fun.

The growth of mold was at the center of Veronica Francisco’s experiment.

“I wanted to know which would grow mold more quickly — bread I left on the counter, or a piece of bread in a plastic bag. I wanted to know so you don’t get sick when you eat it,” said the 10-year-old. The bagged bread grew mold, while the unbagged bread did not grow mold, but it did dry out.

Alex said he could see himself growing up to be a scientist, but he liked the idea of being a police officer, too.

Juli wasn’t sure – but Veronica was.

“I really want to be an author and write chapter books,” she said.