Competition stiff at UNCP's 23rd Science Fair

By Scott Bigelow

Nearly 800 students, teachers and parents attended the 23rd UNCP Science Fair Wednesday, March 24, at the Givens Performing Arts Center (GPAC).

One of UNCP's longest running success stories, the Science Fair is science, discovery, competition, fun and lots more, as the participants noted.

For chemistry professor and long-time Science Fair judge, Dr. Len Holmes, it is about raising the bar in science.

"This year, I have to say, I am impressed. I have seen some good questions," Dr. Holmes said. "The projects are getting more sophisticated every year."

For Rick Johnson, Lead Science Teacher for Moore County Schools, the Science Fair is about building participation.

"We have seven schools represented this year and 40 projects, from elementary through high school, and some of the entries are unbelievable," Johnson said. "This is an excellent program that we want to grow in Moore County."

Johnson was right about the projects from his schools. North Moore High School junior Paige Brown was the overall winner. For Brown, it is about doing something that is interesting.

"I worked every day for about two weeks on this project," she said. "My advice to other contestants is to do something that you are interested in. That way you put more into it."

Brown's winning entry, on measuring the content of organic matter in soil samples, was worth a $1,000 scholarship to UNCP.

For Dylan Locklear and Timothy Aponte, sixth graders from Union Chapel Elementary School, the Science Fair is about caring for the environment. They compared the acidity of water samples from samples taken all over Robeson County.

"We learned that most of the water here is polluted, and there's lots of trash," Aponte said. "We need to take care of our water."

Locklear's grandfather, who worked many years at a water treatment plant, helped the pair with research.

Patrick Sessoms, an eighth grader at West Pine Middle School in Moore County, said family history had a hand in his Science Fair project too.

"We are a family of tobacco growers, so I am trying to continue family history," Sessoms said.

Sessoms studied the effects of pH on Angel Trumpet plants grown in a hydroponics environment. His handcrafted display was sharp, and Sessoms had timed his plant growth perfectly to show off the effects of alkalinity or acidity in the water, which bubbled through the root systems in glass containers.

"I did about 15 hours of research and well over 48 hours of work," Sessoms said. "I do carpentry work in the summer, so I made the stand and light hangers myself."

Besides doing research on the Internet, Sessoms learned to use advanced spreadsheet software to graph the results.

"Hydroponics, or growing plants without soil, has been around since the Aztecs," he said. "A four-by-four foot garden could feed a family of four."

For Science Fair veteran John Harbison, a teacher at Fayetteville Academy, the Science Fair is about training the next generation of scientists.

"As a nation, we are behind in science," Harbison said. "I like what I see here. In my six years with the Science Fair, there has been tremendous improvement, and I've seen some great projects today."

At the end of the day, Harbison was pleased with the results. Fayetteville Academy's Elyse Russing won first place in the Senior Physical Science division, and Tyler Britt took first place in Senior Technology.

For Flora McDonald Academy third-graders, Brennen Slater, Christy Johnson and Peyton Wood, who were busy examining all the entries, the Science Fair is about the joy of discovery.

Studying at her family's hog farm, Wood learned which antibiotic ointments worked the best for piglets, that have just lost their tails. And, she learned more than that.

"Yes, they squeal really loud, and their momma's get mad," she said. "I want to be a vet."

Slater said he learned that "a full moon has the most gravitational pull on tides." And, Johnson said she learned that "the darkest colors of clothing are the hottest."

For Northwood Temple Academy 10th grader Brett Young, who was attending his third Science Fair, it is about ideas.

"It's exciting to see different ideas," he said. His idea named, "The Electric Tickle Device," studied the effects of low voltage electricity on plant growth and was good for second place in the Senior Biology division. The award earned Young a trip to state competition.

The top eight finishers in the elementary divisions and the top two finishers in the junior and senior divisions qualify for the state competition later in the spring.

For Science Fair coordinator, Dr. Jose D'Arruda, this was his 23rd Science Fair. He never tires of the event, which was held this year in GPAC and in large tents on the lawn because of campus construction.

"It was one of the best fairs ever," Dr. D'Arruda said. "The tents really provide a complete festival atmosphere, and we had over 400 projects."

LIST OF WINNERS

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