At a glance
Amazing scientific projects were recently featured in Alfred State’s 18th annual Science and Technology Fair.
A number of amazing scientific projects were recently featured in Alfred State’s 18th annual Science and Technology Fair, as 107 students from 11 local schools competed for cash prizes.
Participating districts included Addison, Alfred-Almond, Arkport, Friendship, Hinsdale, home-school, Hornell, Pavilion, Portville, Prattsburgh, and St. Ann’s Academy.
Students were divided into three divisions, senior (grades 10-12), junior (grades seven through nine), and novice (grades four through six). Students presented their projects to the judges for a chance at the $1,590 in prize money.
Winners in the Senior Division included first-place winner ($250) Gabriella Wilson from Portville with “Affordable Filtrations: A True Life Saver,” second-place winner ($150) Christine Pagett from Portville with “Heating a Pool Using an Exothermic Reaction,” and third-place winner ($100)James Daley from Portville with “An Energy Source Out of This World.”
Winners in the Junior Division included first-place winner ($250) Elizabeth Przybyla from Hinsdale with “Heart Rate: Males vs. Females,” second-place winner ($150) Zoe Tarun from Alfred-Almond with “Do Drugs That Inhibit Wound Healing Also Inhibit Regeneration of Planaria?”and third-place winner ($100) Silas B. Cochran, a home-schooled student, with “Dragons are Real.”
Winners in the Novice Division included first-place winner ($50) McKenzie Calderwood from Prattsburgh with “Hydroponics at Home,” second-place winner ($25) Nicholas Gray from St. Ann’s Academy with “How Old Are Your Ears?” and third-place winner ($15) Jennie Bensley from Alfred-Almond with “Bread Mold Growth.”
The grand prize ($500) went to Ronald Lott III from Portville with “Genetic Engineering of Arabidopsis to Produce Serotonin.”
The Best Junior Division School winner was Hinsdale and the Best Senior Division School winner was Portville. St. Ann’s Academy was the Best Novice Division School winner. All winners received a graphing calculator, and the Senior and Junior winners were also each presented with a silver tray.
Each participant received a certificate of participation, and individual ribbons were presented to first-, second-, and third-place prize winners in all divisions. The Science and Technology Fair was sponsored by Otis Eastern Service, Auxiliary Campus Enterprises and Services (ACES), Perkin Elmer, Fisher Scientific, Wards, Alfred State’s Science Society Club, and the Physical and Life Sciences Department.