Papermakers fare well at science fair

Camas High School showed that science is tops with a successful finish at the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair Saturday, March 31.

There were 540 projects entered in this year’s fair.

The Camas School District was represented with one project from Dorothy Fox Elementary and 15 from Camas High School. Nine parents accompanied their students to the fair.

According to advisor Ron Wright, a parent new to the science fair commented, “This feels like a ‘Big Bang’ convention. It is so refreshing to hear this techno-nerdy humor from all of these kids. I am so happy mine is here and I wish more parents would bring theirs.”

High points of the convention included fifth-grader Emily Sheppard placing first with her project “Elevation and Temperature.”

CHS also had a good showing with seven first-place, three second-place and four third-place awards, and eight special awards.

According to Wright, only one other high school had more project awards than CHS.

“This was only our school’s second time going to the State SEF,” he said. “And 14 of our 15 projects medalled. Our students are phenomenal and had great project ideas which were well prepared and well presented. And our district’s lone elementary project from Dorothy Fox also medalled.

“What a day we had representing Camas School District,” Wright continued. “It is evidence like this, directly comparing our science projects with the best from around the state, that again confirms we have excellent schools.”

The awards are as follows:

First-place: Jonathan Liao, “Boys vs Girls in Active and Passive Learning;” Noah Encke, “Utilizing a Cross-Platform Mobile Software Engine to Develop an Application for a Client Company;” Sophie Shoemaker, “A Recycled Aquaponic System-The Agriculture of the Future;” Kyle Binder and Shicon Wen, “Affects of Motor Oil on Pisum Stavia;” Reesab Pathak, “Design of Novel Pro-Protein Convertase Inhibitors;” Elizabeth Nickerson, “Cleaning up an oil spill using ferrofluids in different proportions;” Aaron Deml, “Exploring environmental teaching options.”

Second-place: Caroline Kealoha, “Lacamas Lake, Fixing Soil to Grow Brassica rapa;” Meghal Sheth, “Design and Analysis of Synthetic Peptide Based Protease Inhibitors;” Yushuan Peng, “Musical Instrument Design;” Joanna Liao, “Improving the Process, Parkinson’s Patient Registry.” Rachel Fadlovich and Camille Ritter, “Learning the Kids Way;” Jackson Merle, “Ferrofluid application in fresh and salt water oil spills;” Jonathan Ho, “Compost to Electricity;” Lily Hsu and Philip Barlas, “Wafer Failure Analysis and Stage Design Improvement.”

Special awards: Shoemaker, Stockholm Water Prize; Pathak, Wolfram Mathematica Award, Ohio Wesylyan Scholarship (20,000 per year, renewable), Washington State University College of Arts and Sciences scholarship (2,500 per year renewable), Best of Show finalist; Nickerson, NASA Space Grant; Caroline Kealoha, NASA Space Grant and Ricoh Sustainable Development Award; Fadlovich, Outstanding Statistical Thinking Award.