Science & Engineering Fair Winners Announced

The 55th annual West Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair, hosted by Fairmont State University's College of Science and Technology, was held at FSU on Saturday, March 29.

Forty-one participants in ninth through 12th grades representing 14 high schools from across the state gathered to share ideas, showcase science and technology projects and compete for awards and sponsorship to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

The following high schools participated in the event: Berkeley Springs, The Country Day School, Doddridge County, Faith Christian Academy, Frankfort, Hedgesville, Huntington, Jefferson, Keyser, Martinsburg, Moorefield, Mussleman, Pendleton County and Withrow Education Center.

Students entered projects in the following categories: Behavioral and Social Sciences, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Medicine and Health, Microbiology, Physics and Zoology.

The grand prize winner received sponsorship to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, Ga., on May 11-17. The grand prize winner was Sarah Sellers from Hedgesville High School whose project in the Mathematics was titled "Eisenstein Prime Magic Square." Runner up was John Creamer of Jefferson High School whose project in Zoology was titled "The Long-Term Effect of Ethanol on Fruit Flies."

The following students from Berkeley Springs High School were presented with category awards: Sabrina Barnes, Behavioral and Social Science, second place; Jenny Burdock, Biochemistry, second place.

The following student from The Country Day School was presented with a category award: Jonathan Leskovec, Zoology, third place.

The following student from Doddridge County High School was presented with a category award: Quinton Hinzman, Earth and Space Science, second place.

The following students from Faith Christian Academy were presented with category awards: Nicole Deneseus, Chemistry, second place; Zachary Gates, Engineering, second place.

The following student from Frankfort High School was presented with a category award: Brittney Walden, Chemistry, first place.

The following students from Hedgesville High School were presented with category awards: Chelsea Arvin and Amber Mason, Microbiology, second place; Sharafina Azman Al Rashid, Botany, first place; Taylor Cater, Earth and Space Science, third place; Sarah Sellers, Mathematics, first place.

The following student from Huntington High School was presented with a category award: Dilum Aluthge, Mathematics, second place.

The following students from Jefferson High School were presented with category awards: Hilary Grabowska, Medicine and Health, first place; Matthew Osteen, Medicine and Health, second place; Sara Hornbeck, Microbiology, first place; Megan Espinosa, Physics, first place; John Creamer, Zoology, first place; Victoria Hayden, Biochemistry, third place; Jenay Grant, Botany, third place; Zachary Morse, Engineering, first place; Eric Smith, Environmental Services, first place; Jeremy Offutt, Environmental Services, second place; Trevor Phadden, Environmental Services, third place.

The following students from Keyser High School were presented with category awards: Bryan Staggers, Behavioral and Social Science, first place; Heather Whetzel, Medicine and Health, third place; Sara Dyche, Botany, second place; Victoria Coakley, Chemistry, third place.

The following student from Martinsburg High School was presented with a category award: Sarah Taylor and Brittany Pack, Biochemistry, first place.

The following student from Moorefield High School was presented with a category award: Cameron Mallow, Earth and Space Science, first place.

The following student from Pendleton County High School was presented with a category award: Bryan Simmons, Zoology, second place.

The following student from Withrow Education Center was presented with a category award: Cody Burgess, Engineering, third place.

The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh and the West Virginia Research Fund administered by the Division of Science Research made financial contributions to the WVSSEF.