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Science Fair Winners

2017 Winners 

ELEMENTARY DIVISION (Grades 3-5) 

First, Fisher McPherson, West Marion Elementary, “Building an Efficient Archimedes Screw.” Second, Sean Fitzgerald and Erik FitzgeraldCherokee Elementary School, “Fighting Ice... One Power Line at a Time.” Third, James Price, Marion Elementary, “HoverCraft.” Honorable Mentions: Anna Pechmann and Addison Holt, Cullowhee Valley School, “Will we find more macroinvertebrates in artificial leaf bags that have stayed in creek water longer?”; Aidan Menickelli and Liam Tormey, Cullowhee Valley School, “What's "Bugging" the Cullowhee Creek?”; Luke Sparks and Dorry Geddes, Hendersonville Elementary, “Can you train a worm to go through a maze?”; Hannah Wilson, North Cove Elementary, “Wunderwear”; Peyton Walden, Old Fort Elementary, “Which Wind Turbine Rotor is Most Efficient.” 

SPECIAL WINNERS: ELEMENTARY DIVISION 

Prizes from Western Carolina University: 

Special Award in Biology- Caroline Pope and Courtney Blair, Hendersonville Elementary, “Distracted Driving.” Special Award in Chemistry & PhysicsAnasette Cooper, Tasia Neadeau and Cohen PheasantNew Kituwah Academy, “Glowing Eggs”; Fisher McPhersonWest Marion Elementary, “Building an Efficient Archimedes Screw.” Special Award in Environmental Science- Champ ManeyKallup McCoy and Trevor Ledford, New Kituwah Academy, “I'm Hungry!” Special Award in Forensic Science- Sophie Pittman, Old Fort Elementary, “5 Second Rule.” Special Award in Geosciences- Taylor Conklin and Isabella WhiteThe Learning Community School, “Air Attacks.” 

Prizes from other organizations: 

Dr. Bryan Woosley Award, US Navy- Jaden GraggMarion Elementary, “How Nitrous Oxide Effect Engine Horse Power?”; James Price, Marion Elementary, “HoverCraft”; Tessa Ross, Kellie Dehart and Tessa RossNorth Cove Elementary, “Massaging Backpack”; Hannah Wilson, North Cove Elementary, “Wunderwear.” Highlands Biological Station and Nature Center- Aidan Menickelli and Liam TormeyCullowhee Valley School, “What's "Bugging" the Cullowhee Creek?” PARI Astronomy Award- Solomon Hartman and Mitchell CohenThe Learning Community School, “Space Gazing.” Stockholm Junior Water Prize- Fisher McPherson, West Marion Elementary, “Building an Efficient Archimedes Screw”; AidanMenickelli and Liam Tormey, Cullowhee Valley School, “What's "Bugging" the Cullowhee Creek?”; Anna Pechmann and Addison Holt, Cullowhee Valley School, “Will we find more macroinvertebrates in artificial leaf bags that have stayed in creek water longer? 

JUNIOR DIVISION (Grades 6-8) 

Junior Biological Science A- First, Analee Webb, Macon Middle School, “Can Water Plants be used to Determine Water Quality?” Second, Cyrus BlackWest McDowell Middle, “Sanitizer I’m The Wiser.” Third, Carson Collier, Luke Bonesteel and Baylor BarrettAsheville Christian Academy, “Shut Your Trap! Honorable Mentions: Riley Holland, East McDowell Middle School, “The Color of Language”; Torsten SalakThe Mountain Community School, “What type of birdfeeder and birdseed attracts the most male and female cardinals? 

Junior Biological Science B- First, Laci Patton and Emma Drake, Asheville Christian Academy, “Are Your Eyes Playing Tricks on You?” Second, Elizabeth Dolan and Alea Morgan, L.E.A.D Academy and Morgan Mills Academy, “Talking on the Phone: Effect on Reaction Time.” Third, Hannah Cohen, French Broad River Academy for Girls, “Who Has Better Memory?” Honorable Mentions: Katelyn Fullbright, Enka Middle School, “Soap  UV light and Bacteria”; Mccollough Perry and Zoe Britt, Sky Valley School for Girls, “The Impact of Appearances on Human Behavior.” 

Junior Chemistry- First, Lela Crowe, Bryanna Herndon and Jonathan RossSmokey Mountain Elementary, “Does Air Affect Your Juice?” Second, Jasmine Cruz-Rios, Macon Middle School, “Does Fabric Softener Affect Flammability?” Third, Jackson Baschnagel, The Learning Community School, “Ozone go home.” Honorable Mentions: Isabella Field, Paige Rice and Reese Waites, Asheville Christian Academy, “Fire Phenomenon”; Chance Ramirez, French Broad River Academy for Girls, “What drinks will affect the color of your teeth the most? 

Junior Earth / Environmental Science- First, Lillian Johnson, The Mountain Community School, “Miracle Seeds.” Second, Jonathan Stashenko, Joel Hite and Avery BlankenshipAsheville Christian Academy, “What Water Will You Drink? Third, Muhammad Patel, Macon Middle School, “Acidification Fixation.” Honorable Mentions: Chloe Gilbert and Bobbi Ward, Asheville Christian Academy, “To Breathe or not to Breath”; Samantha Robinson, West McDowell Middle, “Which is Healthier Lake James or Catawba River?” 

Junior Engineering- First, Olivia Pressley, Macon Middle School, “Oil Spill Prevention.” Second, Alexandra Frank and Katherine Verm, Asheville Christian Academy, “Shake It!” Third, Ryan Davis, The Master's Academy,”'Fin'tastic Rockets.” Honorable Mentions: Dillon Higdon, Macon Middle School, “Which Material is the Best Insulator?”; Anthony Lyons and Joshua Hooper, Robbinsville High School, “Ohms and Coil Resistance.” 

Junior Physics & Mathematics- First, Allyson Michelson, Enka Middle School, “The effect of temperature on the bounce of a tennis ball.” Second, Abel Despeaux, Valley School, “Can you approximate Pi with toothpicks and hot dogs?” Third, Caroline Jones, Brevard Middle, “The Juice Flows...When the Wind Blows.” Honorable Mentions: Caleb Borchelt and Gabe Kinner, Cullowhee Valley School, “The Math of Cribbage”; Brooks FlemingKharis Academy, “The Spin of a Baseball.” 

Junior Technology- First, Blaine Dolittle, Macon Middle School, “Can Body Heat Power Your Cell Phone?” Second, Anukkah Burleson, West McDowell Middle, “3D Printer.” Third, Annalise Stevens, French Broad River Academy for Girls, “Does Solar Like Summer?” Honorable Mentions: Nicki Stephens, Cullowhee Valley School, “Handmade Speaker”; Dylan Bishop, Cullowhee Valley School, “Do you have ballpoint pens that will not write? 

SPECIAL WINNERS: JUNIOR DIVISION 

Prizes from Western Carolina University: 

Special Award in Biology- Riley Holland, East McDowell Middle School, “The Color of Language.” Special Award in Chemistry & Physics- Avery Jackson and Addi Moyers, Asheville Christian Academy, “You Have to C it to Believe it.” Special Award in Environmental Science- Conner VessFoothills Community School, “Yeti vs. Fake Yeti.” Special Award in Forensic ScienceKira Stokoe, Enka Middle School, “The effect of different materials on the accuracy of a fingerprint.” Special Award in Geosciences- Avari Rector, West McDowell Middle, “Urban Heat Islands and Climate Change.” 

Prizes from other organizations: 

Dr. Bryan Woosley Award, US Navy- Tia Bartlett, The Mountain Community School, “Experimenting with Adsorption Chromatography; Ryan Davis, The Master's Academy, “'Fin'tastic Rockets.” Highlands Biological CenterTorsten Salak, The Mountain Community School, “What type of birdfeeder and birdseed attracts the most male and female cardinals?” PARI Astronomy Award- Ryan Davis, The Master's Academy, “Fin'tastic Rockets.” Stockholm Junior Water Prize- TadSloan-Westmoreland and Walker Compton, The Learning Community School, “Is it safe?”; Emma Coye and Ivy Scott, Brevard Middle, “Water Water Everywhere and Nary a Drop to Drink!”; Jonathan Stashenko, Joel Hite and Avery Blankenship, Asheville Christian Academy, “What Water Will You Drink? 

SENIOR DIVISION (Grades 9-12) 

Senior Biological Science A- First, Victoria Tran, Sydney Fortner and Mae Duncan, Swain County High School, “The Effects of Magnetism on the Behaviors of Acheta domesticus and Hippodamia convergens Insects.” Second, Emma Dauster, Kylie Evans and Cullen Duval, Brevard High, “Olfactometer assays to measure the response of Culex quinquefasciatus to plant and fungal volatiles.” Third, Nolan Arkansas and Reagan BeckSwain County High School, “How Many Crickets Does It Take to Change Modern Medicine?” Honorable Mentions: Emily Trusler and Elise Poche, Brevard High, “Isolation and Identification of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Mosquito Control”; Sean Finegan,Tuscola, “Is Green Really Clean? 

Senior Biological Science B- First, Aidan Spradlin, Bryce Spradlin and Hannah LemelBrevard High, “An Evaluation of Local Thermally Polluted Lakes for the Presence of Naegleria fowleri via PCR without hazardous cultivation.” Second, William Lay, Calloway Hester and Emma Pindur, Swain County High School, “The Smoke of Rhododendron catawbiense and its Effects on the Physiology of Acheta domestica.” Third, Lilly Harris and Carly Tabor, Brevard High, “Megacopta cribraria (Kudzu bug) attraction to plant volatiles.” Honorable Mentions: Christian Rogers, Robbinsville High School, “The Stroop Effect”; Matthew MillerTuscola, “Dealing With Diabetes-Road To An Artificial Pancreas.” 

Senior Chemistry- First, Chase Bishop and Alex Eberhart, Brevard High, “Feasibility of Cultivating Arthrospira plantensis as a Food Source fir Nars Exploration and Coloniza.” Second, Parker Chatham, Jenna Crutchfield and Eliza Watson, Swain county High School, “There Is Something In The Water- The Toxicity of the Pigeon River on Egeria densa.” Third, Holden Petty and Brette Pattillo, Swain County High School, “The Lichen Are Not Chlorophyllin' It: A study on the effect of air pollution on lichen.” Honorable Mentions: Nick McDonald and Amelia Ray, Smoky Mountain High School, “Plastination”; Sarah Smart, Tuscola, “Life in a Drop.” 

Senior Earth / Environmental- First, John Nguyen and Matthew Bailey, Brevard High, “Oligochaete Populations in Transylvania County Trout Streams:  Risk Assessment of Susceptibility to the whirling disease myxosporean parasite, myxobolus cerebralis.” Second, Bain Brownand Nicole Rideout, Brevard High, “Screening kudzu associated insects and fungi for enzymes with potential in application in aqueous oil extraction.” Third, Emily Moon and Haley Smith, Swain County High School,Mni Winconi.” 

Senior Engineering- First, Sam Ballard and Fritz Ruppert, Brevard High, “Particle Manipulation by an Acoustic Levitator.” Second, Eli Costa and Drew Heald, Smoky Mountain High School, “Angular Setting and Lift-to-Drag Ratio in Gliders: A New Method of Solving for Lift and Drag.” 

SPECIAL WINNERS: SENIOR DIVISION 

Prizes from other organizations: 

Dr. Bryan Woosley Award, US Navy- Sarah Smart, Tuscola, “Life in a Drop”; Eli Costa and Drew HealdSmoky Mountain High School, “Angular Setting and Lift-to-Drag Ratio in Gliders: A New Method of Solving for Lift and Drag.” Highlands Biological Center- Holden Petty and Brette Pattillo, Swain County High School, “The Lichen Are Not Chlorophyllin' It: A study on the effect of air pollution on lichen.” PARI Astronomy Award- Chase Bishop and Alex Eberhart, Brevard High, “Feasibility of Cultivating Arthrospira plantensis as a Food Source fir Nars Exploration and Coloniza.” Stockholm Junior Water Prize- Aidan Spradlin, Bryce Spradlin and Hannah LemelBrevard High, “An Evaluation of Local Thermally Polluted Lakes for the Presence of Naegleria fowleri via PCR without hazardous cultivation”; Parker Chatham, Jenna Crutchfield and Eliza Watson, Swain County High school, “There Is Something In The Water- The Toxicity of the Pigeon River on Egeria densa”; John Nguyen and Matthew Bailey, Brevard High, “Oligochaete Populations in Transylvania County Trout Streams:  Risk Assessment of Susceptibility to the whirling disease myxosporean parasite, myxobolus cerebralis.” 

 

 

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