Research and creativity abound at science fair

Students in grades 6-12 showcase their research at the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair

The Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair for middle schools and high schools celebrated two days of creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on discovery on January 8-9 as students from across the county showcased their best work. The event recognized our adolescent scientists for their research, curiosity, and commitment to learning.

The fair featured five categories: environmental sciences, biological sciences, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and engineering and technology. Students were judged on their use of the scientific method, the quality of their research, the resources they cite, and the evidence they provide to support their results.

Jill Schultheis of East Gaston High School was the overall high school winner.  Her teacher, Brian Johnson, said he is proud of her and all of his students for their hard work and strong ideas.

“Our students do great work. They study topics that matter to them, find problems in their own lives, and look for ways to make the world better. Every day, I learn just as much from them as they do from me,” Johnson said.

Students such as Gaston Early College High School junior Lila St. Romain, who placed first in the Physics and Mathematics category, enjoys watching game shows and did her project on the “Probability of the Plinko Board.”

“Plinko shows how chance works,” St. Romain said. “Each time the chip hits a peg, it can go left or right. Those 50-50 choices add up, so most chips land in the middle. Because of Pascal’s triangle, the chip’s ending spot often matches where it starts.”

Students Nolan Brockman and Sawyer Mahin of Stuart W. Cramer High School studied how the position of marching drums affects how heavy they feel. As members of the marching band, they wanted to know if tenor drums seem heavier when raised or lowered. They found the tenor drums had an effective weight of 25.15 kilograms when lowered and 14 kilograms when raised, while the snare drum showed little change between positions. By measuring torque, which is force times distance, and using math equations, the students showed how the same drum can feel heavier or lighter based on how it is held.

Beyond the competition, the science fair offered a rich learning experience. Shelton Winget of The Schiele Museum of Natural History led a lesson about weather; it included hands-on activities that engaged students in learning about electricity, high and low pressure systems, and how those elements affect weather patterns.

Winners from the middle and high school levels will advance to the virtual Regional VI Science and Engineering Fair on January 29 and 31 with the opportunity to move on to the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair on March 21 in Raleigh.

Special thanks to the City of Belmont for providing space at the CityWorks facility to conduct the Gaston Regional Science and Engineering Fair this year.

Middle School Winners
Overall and Special Awards

• Overall Winner: Amy Page, Stanley Middle School
• Einstein Cup Award: Stanley Middle School
• Lillian Fieler, Belmont Middle School
• Naval Research Award: Britney Briceno Velez, Grier Middle School

Earth and Environmental Sciences

• First: Rowdy Hart, Belmont Middle School
• Second: Chandler Jordan and Cristian Rivera-Lopez, Stanley Middle School
• Third: Chance Barron and Cash Anderson, Stanley Middle School

Biological Sciences A

• First: Marlowe Morris, Stanley Middle School
• Second: Muhib Kamdar, Cramerton Middle School
• Third: Delilah Romero, Stanley Middle School

Biological Sciences B

• First: Ezekiel Pasco, W.C. Friday Middle School
• Second: Chandler Moss, Cramerton Middle School
• Third: Se’lah Smith, Belmont Middle School

Chemistry

• First: Wyatt Martin, Belmont Middle School
• Second: Annsley Schultheis and Avery Anderson, Stanley Middle School
• Third: Ace Jenkins, Cramerton Middle School

Physics and Mathematics

• First: Norah Lahbabi, Belmont Middle School
• Second: Henry Markwith, Cramerton Middle School
• Third: Austin Smith and Owen Berrier, Holbrook Middle School

Engineering

• First: Olive Arnold, Stanley Middle School
• Second: Miles Fox, Belmont Middle School
• Third: Levi Kirkpatrick, Stanley Middle School

Technology

• First: Jaxon Mayhue, York Chester Middle School
• Second: Liam Haas and Zayden Frye, York Chester Middle School

High School Winners
Overall and Special Awards

• Overall Winner: Jillian Schultheis, East Gaston High School
• Einstein Cup Award: Gaston Early College High School
• SPARC Award: Elizabeth Lopez, Stuart W. Cramer High School
• Belmont Parks and Recreation Award: Addison Ballard and Jordyne Kurkier-Mason, Gaston Early College High School
• Naval Research Award: Kennedy DiPietro, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences

Earth and Environmental Sciences

• First: Brooklynn Stewart, East Gaston High School
• Second: Samuel Henriquez-Becerra and Valeria Romero Matias, Gaston Early College High School
• Third: Jovani Galdamez, Victor Morales, and Avery Robnett, Gaston Early College

Biological Sciences A

• First: Rhyne Clark, Lauren Hedrick, and Matthew Wilder, Gaston Early College High School
• Second: Aniya Leach and Bethany Long, Gaston Early College High School
• Third: Madison Perrigo, East Gaston High School

Biological Sciences B

• First: Peyton Safrit, East Gaston High School
• Second: Abigail Wolfe, East Gaston High School
• Third: Reese Sexton, East Gaston High School

Chemistry

• First: Ella Kate Ashleman, Forestview High School
• Second: Elizabeth Lopez, Stuart W. Cramer High School
• Third: Aryana Hendricks, Stuart W. Cramer High School

Physics and Mathematics

• First: Lila St. Romain, Gaston Early College High School
• Second: Saiim Brown, Aidan Oplinger, and Rhys Todd, Gaston Early College High School
• Third: Nolan Brockman and Sawyer Mahin, Stuart W. Cramer High School

Engineering

• First: Jayla Hooker and Bree Stevenson, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences
• Second: Gianna Mize and Violet McConnell, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences

Engineering

• First: Merritt Huss and Ella Workman, Forestview High School
• Second: E’lania D. McNair, Hunter Huss High School

The science fair for elementary school students was held in December.  Students from the Gaston Virtual Academy and Costner Elementary won the overall awards, and W.A. Bess Elementary and Sherwood Elementary earned the Einstein Cup awards for having the most student winners in the competition.