Gastonia, N.C. – Gaston County Schools in partnership with the Schiele Museum and local businesses conducted the fourth annual Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Friday, January 20. The Science and Engineering Fair included 75 exhilarating exhibits and projects created by 130 of Gaston County’s best and brightest middle and high school students.
The Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair is divided into four categories: physical science, life science, earth science, and technology and engineering. Students are judged on scientific method, research, resources cited, and the types of evidence provided to support their results.
“The fair encourages students to investigate their own questions and interests through scientific inquiry and research,” said GCS science curriculum facilitator Tammy Mims, who coordinates the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair. “The student becomes the scientist and when completed, their project combines reading, writing, math, critical thinking and scientific methodology.”
Heta Desai, a sophomore at Ashbrook High School, tested the effect of fertilizer on a species of paramecium Bursaria. “We are learning the eutrophication process in school, and I wanted to see the effect it would have on microorganisms,” explained Desai, who has aspirations of working with paramecium as a microbiologist. “I spent two hours a day for five days testing my research and concluded fertilizer decreased the production of paramecium bursaria, but algae still benefited.”
Grier Middle School students Aaron Ensley and Matthew Mack tested how much water a rock could absorb. “We used a sedimentary rock and found that in warm water the rock would absorb two ounces of the 16 ounces of water in 24 hours,” said Ensley, who enjoyed competing in his first science fair and plans to participate next year.
“When we implemented the Science and Engineering Fair in Gaston County, our purpose was to change the culture of science in our classrooms,” said Mims. “I am amazed each year by how our students are challenging our teachers so they have the best learning opportunity in the classroom.”
The following middle school students received first place honors at the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
Overall:
- Katelyn Kiser and Grace Erwin – Grier Middle School – How Gross is Grier?
Earth Science:
- Dia Ray – Grier Middle School – Do Cacti Grow Better in Topsoil or Sand?
Life Science
- Briana Roberts – Grier Middle School – Bacteria.
Physical Science:
- George Gallman – Grier Middle School – How Temperature and Moisture Affect Putting Performance.
Technology and Engineering:
- Jacob Hipps – Grier Middle School – How High Can I Fly?
The following high school students received first place honors at the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
Overall:
- Mary Yavelak – Ashbrook High School – Create the Best Combination of Fabrics to be Layered for Use in Cloth Diapers.
Earth Science:
- Lauren Smith – Forestview High School – Oil in our Soil.
Life Science
- Heta Desai – Ashbrook High School – What is the Effect of Fertilizer on Paramecium Bursaria?
Physical Science:
- Rachel Purvis – Ashbrook High School – UV: Got to Rays Your Awareness.
Technology and Engineering:
- Daniel Nelli – Ashbrook High School – Micro-Hydro Power 2.
Students who placed first and second in the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair have the opportunity to participate in the Region 6A Science Fair held Saturday, February 11 in Salisbury. If they place there, they would have the opportunity to go on to the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair held Friday, March 23-24 in Raleigh.
For a complete list of winners, please click here.
To view a slide show of pictures from the 2012 Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair, please click here.