Local students shine at Sussex County Science Fair

Student research and inventions highlighted the 28th annual Sussex County Science Fair March 9.

Sixth- through 12th-grade students from across the county met at Delaware Technical Community College to present their projects in hopes of winning prizes.

Cape High junior and future veterinarian Sydney Doel chose to test the effectiveness of a preventive supplement in horse food that helps remove sand from the large intestine.

“Horses eat lots of ground, and our ground has a lot of sand,” Sydney said. “They graze and eat spilled grain and hay and grass off the ground, and ingest sand when they do.”

Sydney said ingested soil and clay push right through the digestive tract, but sand is so heavy, it can get impacted in the intestine. She said the food additive has a laxative stimulant that pushes the sand through, but it needs to be used once a month, not once a year, in order to be successful. 

“The large intestine is so long and scrunched up inside,” she said. “Sand gets stuck and accumulates without proactive treatment.”

Sussex Tech junior Ensar Arslan wanted to help restore feeling in his carpentry teacher’s injured pinky and ring finger using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. 

“Using TENS therapy can restimulate and form new pathways to give him feeling again where he has nerve damage,” Ensar said.

A concern for the health of sea life prompted Milford Central Academy seventh-grader Madilyn Whitehead to create a biodegradable fishing net with cornstarch, water and glycerin.

“I tested it, and after day 50, it had completely dissolved,” she said. “If a marine animal gets stuck in a regular net, it will eat through it and get sick. This one is nontoxic, so animals are able to eat their way out and won’t get hurt.”

Science Fair awards 

Science Fair award recipients are:

Grades six and seven, first place - Shelby Manlove, Sussex Academy; second - Noah Benz, Jefferson School; third - Sawyer Brockstedt

Eighth-grade engineering division, first place - Sienna Tunnell, Sussex Academy; second - Allen Zhang, Sussex Academy; third - Ellie Davis, Sussex Academy

Eighth-grade, biological science division, first place - Victoria Wilson, Milford Central Academy; second - Mason Foxwell, Milford Central Academy; third - Ellis Jack, Jefferson School

Eighth-grade, environmental science division, first place - Lily Bowe, Sussex Academy; second - Genevieve Hagen, Sussex Academy; third - Lilly Hunt, Sussex Academy. Landis McKenna, Beacon Middle, received honorable mention

For the high school, first place - Molly Dopler, Sussex Tech; second - Ensar Arslan, Sussex Tech; third - Dylan Thomas, Sussex Academy. Sydney Doel, Cape Henlopen, received honorable mention 

Best in show - Molly Dopler, Sussex Tech

Special awards 

Sussex County Science Fair sponsors presented the following awards:

Delaware Biotechnology Institute Bio-Genesis - Molly Dopler, Sussex Tech

Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, middle school - Shelby Manlove, Sussex Academy; high school - Molly Dopler, Sussex Tech

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, sixth grade - Noah Benz, Jefferson School; seventh grade - Shelby Manlove, Sussex Academy; eighth grade - Genevieve Hagen, Sussex Academy; high school - Molly Dopler, Sussex Tech

Delaware Technical Community College - Lily Bowe, Sussex Academy

Dow Chemical - Lily Bowe, Sussex Academy

ILC Dover - Addison Dapias, Milford Central Academy; Joseph Cherneski, Milford Central Academy; Ellie Davis, Sussex Academy; Allen Zhang, Sussex Academy; Sienna Tunnell, Sussex Academy; Ensar Arslan, Sussex Tech