An event that excites the enterprise of hundreds of area schoolchildren kicks off today.

The 55th annual Douglas County Science Fair is this week – one month earlier this year – and organizers are still accepting entries today. Additional volunteer judges also are needed.

“A science project forces the kids to think through a question and how they would solve it and how they would answer it,” said Dave Nordlund, director of the Douglas County Science Fair Assn.

The nonprofit, volunteer association that organizes and sponsors the annual fair is now affiliated with the Greater Kansas City Science and Engineering Fair, which is why the Douglas County fair is earlier this year.

The venue, however, will not change. The event will remain at Building 21 at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2110 Harper St.

Kindergarten through high school students from any Douglas County school who are not already entered can bring in their exhibits from 8 a.m. to noon today. Students can register when they bring in their project.

Alex Zimmerschied, 15, left, and Morgan Albright, 14, both Southwest Junior High School students, set up Alex's science project titled How

Because of the fair’s early date, the association expects about 390 entries, or 100 fewer than last year, Nordlund said.

But being affiliated with the Kansas City fair will give county winners a better chance to advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair, he said.

About 40 judges have volunteered, but the association hopes to find 20 more.

Judging will begin at 6 p.m. today and continue from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday. The exhibits will be open to the public from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. Friday.

Judges will announce the winners during an assembly from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Building 21.

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Entry into the county science fair is free, and the association hopes to be able to pay the entry fee for the winners who advance to the Kansas City fair, Nordlund said.

To help achieve that goal, the county association is raising funds through donations.