Students show off their knack for science
Mariner eighth-grader Olivia Duffield always wondered whether plants like music. She found out plants prefer Aerosmith.
Olivia was one of 53 students from seven middle and high schools participating in the annual event now in its 26th year. Using three primroses, she put them under a cover for eight hours a day for a couple of weeks, piping in rock music for one, classic music for another and she kept the third plant in silence.
Turns out plants liked Aerosmith more than Mozart.
“Plants need some sort of stimulation,” she said.
Olivia said the control plant ended up dying.
The Sussex County Science Fair was started in 1992 to promote an interest in science and scientific investigation. Kathleen Swingle, a judge coordinator for the event, said attendance March 5 at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown was down from previous years, which she blamed on illness and other commitments.
“We were very fortunate to have the support of over 40 wonderful judges representing the educational fields, both retired teachers and those representing our state colleges and universities,” she said, adding judges included professionals from both the private and public sector.
One judge, a retired chemist, took a liking to Dylan Roberts' project on plastics and temperatures.
“He gave me his card and told me to contact him if I want to go more in depth about plastics,” Dylan said. A chemistry-buff, the Mariner eighth-grader said he used several plastic containers to determine how contents are affected by heat. Polystyrene – a material used in packaging and often referred to by the trademarked name Styrofoam – registered the least fluctuation in temperature, Dylan said.
“I'm into chemistry and chose this project because it was something I could do easily,” he said.
Pursuing a medical-related degree is something Mariner eighth-grader Michael Jarrell is considering someday. For his project, he wanted to see whether caffeine affects athletic performance. He put together a control group of 20 students and had them jump rope for a minute without caffeine and then do the same drill after drinking 8 ounces of Mountain Dew. Michael admits he's not a big soda drinker, but 19 out of 20 test subjects responded to the caffeine, he said.
“It was a fun project to put together,” he said. After speaking with two judges at the science fair, Michael said he thought he did pretty good.
Michael's schoolmate, Molly Mendes, also chose an exercise-related project. She had six people do push ups over a two-week period to show rest helps with muscle growth. Some did push ups every day, while others did them every other day, she said.
“My hypothesis proved correct that rest does affect muscle growth,” she said.
This is the first year Molly participated in the science fair, and she enjoyed the challenge, she said.
“The project was interesting since I play a lot of sports,” she said.
Mariner eighth-grader Jessica Lynch used her passion for horses for her project. Using her thoroughbred, Sheldon, she wanted to see how human behavior can affect a horse's behavior.
“He has a lot of reactions,” she said.
When she was rough with him, Jessica said he would put his ears back or try to kick her. Using a calm voice and treating him in a gentle manner, Jessica said she got a positive response from him.
“I did this project because I ride horses and love horses,” she said.
Winners announced
The winners of the 2018 Sussex County Science Fair are as follows:
Sixth grade – First place, Cameron Playford, Geneva Academy, “The Twin Towers”; second, Ellis Jack, Jefferson School, “Totally Tubular”; third, Audra Pilkington, Geneva Academy, “Pump Up the Tunes.”
Seventh grade – First place, Kalei Chowdhry, Jefferson School, “Facing Off with Bacteria”; second, Dylan Thomas, Jefferson School, “Reduce, Reuse, Recharge”; honorable mention, Adelle Leebel, Sussex Academy, “Social Exclusion in Middle School,” and Natalie Benz, Jefferson School, “Oil Overboard.”
Eighth grade, Medicine and Health, Behavioral and Social Science – First place, Zoe Peters, Jefferson School, “Parkin Parkinsons”; second, Kenneth Morris, Sussex Academy, “Arsenic Treated Wood's Effect on Safety”; third, Juliana Warnock, Mariner Middle, “Which Stretch Best Increases Flexibility”; honorable mention, Michael Jarrell, Mariner Middle, “Caffeine and Athletic Performance.”
Eighth grade, Physics, Engineering and Chemistry – First place, Hannah Lydic, Sussex Academy, “Effect of Slope on a Golf Green”; second, Jack Wiggins, Mariner Middle, “Which Metal Resists Acid Rain Best?”; honorable mention, Dylan Roberts, Mariner Middle, “Thermal Stability of Insulated Plastics in a Microwave,” and Brian Sponaugle, Mariner Middle, “Insulated Plastics.”
Eighth grade, Environmental Science, Botany and Zoology – First place, Molly Dopler, Sussex Academy, “Lower Your Salt”; second, Logan Podrasky, Sussex Academy, “It's All in the Dirt”; third, Gabriella Orsini, Sussex Academy, “Rupturing Runoff's Rampage.”
Grades 11 and 12 – First place, Megha Patel, Cape Henlopen, “Which C++ Program Gets and A++?”; second, Yuxin He, Cape Henlopen, “Robot Gear Ratios.”
Special Awards
Tidewater Utilities – First, Molly Dopler; second, Jack Wiggins; third, Ellis Jack
Delaware Center for the Inland Bays – Gabriella Orsini
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control – Dylan Thomas, Molly Dopler
American Association of University Women – Kalei Chowdhry, Adelle Leebel, Zoe Peters, Molly Dopler, Yuxin He and Megha Patel
Lee J. Summerville Award – Jack Ellis
ILC Dover Award – Molly Dopler, Zoe Peters, Hannah Lydic, Molly Mendes, Ulysis Slagle, James Harrod and Megha Patel
Del Tech Owens Campus Scholarship – Ellis Jack and Adelle Leebel
University of Delaware – Molly Dopler
