By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Nearly 100 high school and middle school students competed Tuesday in the Nebraska Junior Academy of Sciences Central Regional Science Fair at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Students from Adams Central in Hastings, Central City, Eustis-Farnam, Hastings High School, St. Cecilia in Hastings and Wilcox-Hildreth competed. The fair was hosted by the Department of Physics and Physical Sciences.
Students submitted projects in 13 categories: behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, consumer science, earth and space sciences, engineering, environmental sciences, mathematics and computer science, medicine and health, microbiology, physics and zoology.
“Participation in the science fair, and going through the process of doing research with a teacher mentor at a young age, helps students build ideas and gets them used to doing research,” said Kenneth Trantham, associate professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Physical Science.
Each student presented their project to a panel of judges made up of UNK science faculty. Judges evaluated how
well each student followed scientific methodologies, detail and accuracy of the research and whether experimental procedures were used in the best possible way.
“There are a lot of life skills to be learned through this process,” Trantham said.
Through the mentorship of a teacher, students are able to learn how to complete a scientific project on their own, he said. “Students also learn about the scientific process and about the discipline that they chose.”
Winners of the Central Regional Science Fair advance to the state competition April 11 at Nebraska Wesleyan University. They include:
High School Finalists
First – Jackson VanLaningham, Wilcox-Hildreth, Free Throw Routines.
Second – Brianna Bankson, Central City, The Effect of Noise on Student Concentration.
Third – Isabella Gomez, Central City, The Effect of Apartame and Sodium Nitrite on Drosophilia Melanogaster Lifespan, Geotaxis and Fecundity.
Fourth – Jamie Knight, Central City, Techniques to Help People Overcome Homonymous Hemianopia.
Fifth – Jonah Peterson, Central City, One-To-One…Don’t Jump the Gun!
Middle School Finalists
First – Jennifer Boeve, Hastings, Can the Sweet Spot Make Your Bat Hot?
Second – Jessica Ramsey, Wilcox-Hildreth, Which is the Better Paper Towel?
Third – Mara Franssen, Hastings, Eggcellent.
Fourth – Kaila Avent, Hastings, Food for Thought.
Fifth – Dylan Lockling, Hastings, Colored Cup Chocolate.
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Source: Kenneth Trantham, 308.865.8278, tranthamkw@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
