PHOTOS: Students participate in science and engineering fair

  • Students earn science and engineering fair awards in local and regional competitions

    Gaston County Schools, in partnership with the Schiele Museum, Livent, Gaston College, Duke Energy, and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, conducted the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21. 

    The competition included more than 100 exhibits and projects created by Gaston County’s best and brightest elementary, middle, and high school students.  

    “The Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair encourages students to investigate their own questions and interests.  The students become scientists, and when completed, their projects combine vital skills from all core subject areas,” said Courtney Johnson, high school science curriculum facilitator.  “Participation in scientific research exposes students to how scientists and engineers work.  Students have an opportunity to progress from our local fair to other regional, state, national, and international science fair opportunities.”

    The Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair is divided into five categories: environmental sciences, biological sciences, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and engineering and technology.  Students are judged on scientific method, research, resources cited, and the types of evidence provided to support the results.

    For Henry Markwith, a third grader at Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, it was his first time entering a project in the science fair.

    “I came up with an idea based on a hobby that I truly enjoy – collecting cards,” said Markwith, who gathered 18 of his less valuable trading cards for the experiment. “My hypothesis was that the screw down case would protect my trading cards the best from water, scratching, and dropping because it is the hardest, thickest, most sturdy, and it screws together.”

    However, every good scientist realizes sometimes a hypothesis is not going to be the correct one. 

    “Based on my data, the flip-down case was the most protective because it kept the card 100 percent dry in the water test and mostly protected from the drop test,” said Markwith, who ended up placing first overall in the elementary division for his project.

    Other students like Camryn Tuttle, a junior at North Gaston High School, earned first place in the technology category and received the Gaston College SPARC of Genius Award.  Her project proved that combining a blanket and heart rate/blood pressure sensors is an effective method of collecting vital signs.

    ■ HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS
    The following high school students from Gaston County Schools received first place honors:

    Duke Energy Overall High School Winner
    Lydia Walls, East Gaston High School - Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction and Obesity

    Gaston College SPARC of Genius Award 
    Camryn Tuttle, North Gaston High School - Vita Blanket

    Gaston College SPARC of Genius Award, Honorable Mention
    Logan Harris, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences - An Elephant Exothermic Reaction

    Senior Naval Science Award
    Dylan Grimes, Gaston Early College High School - Cloud Chamber Efficiency and Particle Analysis

    Earth and Environmental Science
    James Gunter and Ansley Jones, Forestview High School - A Stream Analysis in Relation to the River Continuum Concept

    Biological Sciences
    Destiny Eagle, Grace Almond, and Maria Salazar, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences - Running Affecting Balance

    Chemistry
    Kelly Smith, Stuart W. Cramer High School - Developing Latent Fingerprints with Ninhydrin Test: Forensic Chemistry Solution

    Physics
    Dylan Grimes, Gaston Early College High School - Cloud Chamber Efficiency and Particle Analysis

    Technology
    Camyrn Tuttle, North Gaston High School - Vita Blanket

    Engineering
    Mackenzie Hamrick, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences - Tootsie Pops

    ■ MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS
    The following middle school students from Gaston County Schools received first place honors:

    Duke Energy Overall Middle School Winner
    Kimberly Cruz, Alaina Lammie, and Reagan Beard, Stanley Middle School - Lights, Camera, Plants!

    Junior Naval Science Award
    Raheem McClure, KenNaisha Patton, and Samya Evans, Grier Middle School - An Analysis of the Relationship between Music and Plant Growth

    Environmental Sciences
    Joy Barbee, Holbrook Middle School - Terrarium Life

    Chemistry
    Angel Teran, Stanley Middle School - Just Gelling It

    Physics
    Brooklyn Stroupe, Stanley Middle School - Turn Up The Heat

    Technology
    Aaron Ramey, Cramerton Middle School - OTH

    Engineering
    Samantha Franke, Stanley Middle School - Rain, Rain, Come Our Way

    ■ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AWARDS
    The following elementary school students from Gaston County Schools received first place honors:

    Duke Energy Overall Elementary Winner:
    Henry Markwith, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - Sports Card Fanatics

    Schiele Steward of the Earth Award
    Lathan Allen, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - Eruption

    Environmental Sciences
    Allia Bullard and Emerson Cronin, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - How Will it Grow and How Will it Go?

    Biological Sciences
    Cameron Greene and Pierson McSwain, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - Floating Egg

    Chemistry
    Morgan Barnhill and Eason Hobbs, W.A. Bess Elementary - Boba: The Science Behind the Bubble

    Physics and Mathematics
    Connor Abernathy and Anderson West, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - We Caught a Big One!

    Engineering and Technology
    Samuel Diamond, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - Power Source of the Future

    All students who earned awards were eligible to submit their projects for the UNC Charlotte Region 6 Science and Engineering Fair.  The entries were  judged virtually on February 2 and February 4.  Below is a look at the regional winners.  

    UNC Charlotte Region 6 Science and Engineering Fair Winners

    ■ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

    • First Place
      • Samuel Diamond (Engineering and Technology) - Hawks Nest STEAM Academy
      • Abby Yost (Physics and Math) - Hawks Nest STEAM Academy
    • Honorable Mention
      • Morgan Barnhill and Eason Hobbs (Chemistry) - W.A. Bess Elementary
      • Aniston Johnson and Berkley Livingston (Earth/Environmental Science) - Hawks Nest STEAM Academy 

    ■ MIDDLE SCHOOL

    • First Place
      • Samantha Franke (Engineering) - Stanley Middle School
    • Second Place
      • Joseph Ramey (Technology) - Cramerton Middle School
    • Honorable Mention
      • Brookly Stroupe (Physics) - Stanley Middle School

    ■ HIGH SCHOOL

    • First Place
      • Dylan Grimes (Physics) - Gaston Early College High School
    • Second Place
      • Lydia Walls (Biological Sciences) - East Gaston High School
    • Fourth Place
      • Jesmarie Gonzalez & Zoey Adams (Biological Sciences) - Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences
      • Cameron Browning & Dalton Scism (Engineering) - Gaston Early College High School
      • Kelly Smith (Chemistry) - Stuart W. Cramer High School

    ■ SPECIAL AWARDS
    National Geographic and NC One Water: James Gunter, Forestview High School
    Association for Women Geoscientists: Sariah Alege, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences
    Society for In Vitro Biology: Bubacarr Jatta, Shanyae Justice, and Jasmine Sanders, Gaston Early College High School
    Lemelson Early Inventor: Lizzy Jane Ross, Stanley Middle School 

    ■ SPECIAL NOMINATION
    Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominations:  Samantha Franke, Stanley Middle School

    All students placing first through fourth at the regional level are eligible to advance to the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair, which is set for March 24-25 in Raleigh.