Western Carolina University

2013 WINNERS

ELEMENTARY DIVISION (Grades 3-5)   First, Ellie Stout, Little Mountain Academy, “Accuracy of Eye-Witness Testimony.” Second, Becky Pechmann, Lucy McRae, and Sydney Rice, Cullowhee Valley School, “Are the Rhododendrons Moving In?” Third, Richard Lytle, Asheville Catholic School, “Does Temperature Affect the Speed of Popcorn Popping?” Honorable Mentions: Maya Cruz, Cherokee Elementary, “Sand, Clay, and Loam Liquefication.” Hallah Panther, Cherokee Elementary, “The Temperature Race.” Miguel Villegas, Cullowhee Valley School, “Air Pollution at CVS.” Fritz Ruppert, Brevard Elementary, “Performance Testing a Model of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).” Joryn Walker, New Kituwah Academy, “Heat and Evaporation.”

JUNIOR DIVISION (Grades 6-8)   

Junior Biological Science A- First, Addison Stallings, The Mountain Community School, “Can Feeding Bee Helpful?” Second, Jane Cochrane, Lindsey Edwards, and Sarah Keith, Asheville Christian Academy, “What Stinks?” Third, Jestina Malone, Erica Dunham, and Emma Shockley, Asheville Christian Academy, “Pop Goes the Chicken.” Honorable Mention: Austin Sherman and Harrison Manka, Heritage Christian Academy, “Oldy Moldy Bread.”

Junior Biological Science B- First, Daniel Beale, Asheville Catholic School, “How Does Soil Contaminated by Ocean Water Affect Seed Germination?” Second, Audrey Meigs, Asheville Catholic School, “Apples to Apples: Comparing the Browning Reaction of Different Apple Varieties.” Third, Ethan Byrd, St. Athanasius Academy, “Rhododendron: Thermotropic Tree Thermometers.”   Honorable Mentions: Cole Saunooke, Smokey Mountain Elementary, “Klean Kudz-o-lene.” Brendan Leary, Krishon Williams, and Matt Lintz, Asheville Christian Academy, “The Plant Growth Problem.”

Junior Chemistry- First, Lucci Eddins, Brevard Middle School, “Soft Drinks vs. Teeth.” Second, Madison Rogers and Haley Manka, Heritage Christian Academy, “Handy Dandy Rock Candy.” Third, Azana Green, Asheville Christian Academy, “Marshmallow Melt!” Honorable Mentions: Kayla Karstetter, The Mountain Community School, “Laundry Detergent vs. Tomato Sauce.” McKenzie Thomas, The Mountain Community School, “Turning Milk Into Plastic.”

Junior Earth/Environmental Science- First, Carlisle Patete, Morgan Ciochina, and Isabella St. Onge, Asheville Christian Academy, “Freeze if you Please.” Second, Sarah Branagan, Brevard Middle School, “Nuts About Allelopathy.” Third, Ian Crews, The Mountain Community School, “Going Green Isn’t Always Clean.” Honorable Mentions: Taylor Tipton and Cadence White, The Mountain Community School, “Eat That Algae!” Ethan Gualano, Drew Cikkink, and Sam Haffey, Asheville Christian Academy, “The EMF Mystery.”

Junior Physics- First, James Dillon, St. Dominic Savio Home School, “Stealth Technology: Now You See It, Now You Don’t.” Second, Will Tamplin and Logan Whalen, Asheville Christian Academy, “The Sweet Spot- Does Mass Affect Accuracy?” Third, Mead Krowka, St. Dominic Savio Home School, “Aero-dy-NOSE-mics!” Honorable Mentions: Chase Bishop, Brevard Middle School, “Don’t be Knoty.” Will McKinney, Asheville Catholic School, “Fruit and Veggie Power.”

Junior Engineering Technology- First, Seth Cavagnaro, The Mountain Community School, “Texting = Wrecking.” Second, Gordon Veser, The Mountain Community School, “The Gerbilator.” Third, Levi Caldwell, Old Fort Elementary, “Energy Use Analysis.” Honorable Mentions: Larry Thomas, King Mountain Academy, “Pasta Power.” Douglas Kuykendall, The Mountain Community School, “Make the Wind Work for you.”

SENIOR DIVISION (Grades 9-12)

Senior Biological Science A- First, Avery Vestal and Marlow Stevens, West McDowell Junior High, “How Salty are your Shrimp?” Second, Joseph Roberts, Brevard High School, “Antibiotic and Antioxidant Extracts of Endophytes from Juglans Nigra and Liquid Ambar.” Third, Justin Coye, Brevard High School, “The Isolation and Identification of Endophytes in American and Chinese Chestnut Trees.” Honorable Mention: Emily Yontz, Madison High School, “The Effect of Colored Light on Hair Algae Growth.”

Senior Biological Science B- First, Carly Onnink and Abby Williams, Brevard High School, “Olfactometer Assays to Determine an Effective Pheromone Trap Bait for Megacopta Cribraria.” Second, Kaitlin McCreery, Brevard High School, “Investigation of Tolerance and Infectious Behavior of Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium.” Third, Hanna Randall, Madison High School, “The Affect of Different Temperatures on the Reaction Rate of an Enzyme of Yeast.”

Senior Chemistry- First, Cameron McCathern, Erin Smith, and Elizabeth Johnson, Brevard High School, “Evaluation of Antibiotic and Antioxidant Extracts from Trifolium Pratense and Pueraria Iobata.” Second, Elizabeth Roknich, Tuscola High School, “What the Shell?” Third, Morgan Swift, Tuscola High School, “As for the Rust of us.”

Senior Earth/Environmental Science- First, Leah Johnson, Ellie Rudd, and Carly Farrar, Brevard High School, “Evaluating the Efficacy of the Jumping Branch Wetland.” Second, Allie Dinwiddie, Tuscola High School, “How low can O2 go?” Third, Kaitlyn McMinn, West McDowell Junior High, “What’s Happening with our Water?” Honorable Mentions: Madeline Cook, Brevard High School, “Investigation of Soil and Water Chemistry in the Cedar Mountain Bog.” Sydney Morris, Tuscola High School, “Water Quality.”

Senior Physics- First, Brooke Palay, Tuscola High School, “Don’t Ruin Your Image: Effects of Sound on Production of Reflection Holograms.” Second, Jake Davis, Tuscola High School, “In Search of Hydrophobic.” Third, Peyton Powell and Cassie Merrill, Madison High School, “Which Cushion Material is Best for Protecting an egg from a High Drop?”

Senior Engineering Technology- First, Cody Lupo, Brevard High School, “Hydroelectric Hydrogen Generator.” Second, Taryn Thompson, Tuscola High School, “Spine Stretching.” Third, Allison Owen, Tuscola High School, “EMF Radiation Detection by Cell Sensor.”

SPECIAL AWARDS

Elementary Division: Special Award in Biology, Brynlynn Kiser, Pisgah Forest Elementary, “Home Sweet Home.” Special Award in Geosciences, Frank Parsons, Brevard Elementary School, “Using a Digital Camera to Measure Skyglow.” Special Award in Chemistry & Physics, Miguel Villegas, Cullowhee Valley School, “Air Pollution at CVS.” PARI Astronomy Award, Autumn Wanicka and Faith Wanicka, Solid Rock Education, “Mars Rover Density.” Highlands Biological Station Biodiversity Award, Becky Pechmann, Lucy McRae, and Sydney Rice, Cullowhee Valley School, “Are More Rhododendrons Moving in?”

Junior Division: Special Award in Forensic Science, Micah Davis, The Learning Community School, “Blood Rush.” Special Award in Environmental Science, Ian Crews, The Mountain Community School, “Going Green Isn’t Always Clean.” Special Award in Biology, Douglas Kuykendall, The Mountain Community School, “Make the Wind Work for you.” Highlands Biological Station Biodiversity Award, Edward Thompson, Cullowhee Valley School, “Will Native Trout Survive Local Logging?” Air Force Association Award, Mead Krowka, St. Dominic Savio Home School, “Aero-dy-NOSE-mics!”

Senior Division: Special Award in Chemistry & Physics, Cameron McCathern, Erin Smith, and Elizabeth Johnson, Brevard High School, “Evaluation of Antibiotic and Antioxidant Extracts from Trifolium Pratense and Pueraria lobata.” Special Award in Biology, Kaitlyn McMinn, West McDowell Junior High School, “What’s Happening With our Water?” U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Leah Johnson, Ellie Rudd, and Carly Farrar, Brevard High School, “Evaluating the Efficacy of the Jumping Branch Wetland.” PARI Astronomy Award, Brooke Palay, Tuscoloa High School, "Don't Ruin Your Image: Effects of Sound on Production of Reflection Holograms.