This was the 21st event with 20 schools taking part, less than last year, but Mr Esler said that had made things easier to manage.
"Last year we had 338 exhibits, this year we’re looking at more like 280 ... will be a wee bit easier, we were kind of full last year."
Students ranged from year 5 to year 13 but most were 10 to 13 years old.
"The biggest contingent is James Hargest Junior, there’s about 30. There’s also about 30 from Arrowtown, that’s not Southland but that doesn’t really matter."
Students chose a topic related to some form of social science such as history, current events, industry, farming and hobbies.
"It’s a hugely broad term ... some schools will choose a topic."
He said this year the brief for Southland Boys’ High School was a display which involved interviewing an old boy and writing a biography about them.
"We like to have a personal link between the student and the topic rather than them just Googling something."
Mr Esler enjoyed seeing students who "interviewed somebody or visited a place or had an ancestor that was tied up in something interesting".
Joe Johnson, 12, is homeschooled and did a display about murals where he interviewed local street artist Danny Owen, also known as Deow.
Joe also took part in a workshop run by Deow where they painted a mural dedicated to the Strang family, who invented instant coffee.
His mother Jacquie Johnson said Joe was inspired to choose this topic after the workshop.
"He saw the impact from an artist perspective but also what it means to the community . . . he also looked at the history."
She said the social sciences fair was a great way for her son to be involved in a larger community, school-related event.
Mr Esler said he always received positive responses from students, parents and teachers.
"Kids like to see their work on display, they can appreciate the work of other kids. Parents like to admire what their offspring did, we also get a lot of grandparents coming here."
He often reached out to kindergartens and rest homes letting them know the event was open to the public.
As an author and Southland historian, Mr Esler enjoyed seeing anything related to the history of the region.
"I’m always looking for new ideas . . . in the past I’ve picked up good suggestions for books and things like that from just looking at what kids have been doing."
The social sciences fair will be open today, tomorrow and Saturday morning at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club on Don St.
