University Middle students Janette Sanchez, Angela Thomas, Joe Gutierrez and Yotharo Sarricolea with science teacher Ashley Stroud.
Students enjoy competing in campus science fair
On Friday, December 16, 2011, the Pre AP science students at University Middle participated in the school’s science fair. This was the first science fair that the school has held in over four years, said Ashley Stroud, science department chair at University Middle.
“We had a great turn out with 60 participants,” Stroud said, adding that every student in both of her and Sarah Kubala’s pre AP science classes participated in the fair.
Four judges from the community and three judges from the school district spent Friday morning analyzing and scoring each student’s display boards.
“We are very proud of all of our participants,” Stroud said. “We hope this was a great learning experience and we look forward to even more and better projects next year.”
The final results are as follows:
Animal Sciences:
1st - Jessica Balderas with “Do ants like cheese or sugar better?”
2nd – Alexis Dixon with “Would an obese, pregnant tiger produce a larger cub?”
3rd – Jennifer Barrientos with “Do animals have the same eyes like humans?”
Behavioral & Social Sciences:
1st – Steven Garcia with “Does background noise affect concentration?”
2nd – Grace Alexander with “What candy will do to a 2 year old”
Chemistry:
1st – Shamekia Hickey with “Crystal Clear”
2nd – Jeremiah Olvera with “Dry Ice”
3rd – Maria Olvera with “Elephant Toothpaste”
Earth & Planetary Science:
1st – Jonathan Perez with “Asteroid”
2nd – Marisol Guardiola with “Lunar Eclipse”
3rd – Lesley Ugalde with “Why is Pluto a dwarf planet?”
Physics & Astronomy:
1st – Angela Thomas with “Danger: Falling Objects”
2nd – Da’sha Simmons with “Raining Balls of Gravity”
3rd – Deon Parker with “Playdough electricity”
Plant Sciences:
1st – Vivian Delgado with “Plant Life”
2nd – Raymond Banuelos with “Power of an Apple”
3rd – Amber Garcia with “Does the color light affect plant growth?”
Overall Winners:
1st – Vivian Delgado with “Plant Life”
2nd – Angela Thomas with “Danger: Falling Objects”
3rd – Jessica Balderas with “Do ants like cheese or sugar better?”
Other awards:
Best Computer Usage – Julian Nicholson with “Does distance affect accuracy?”
Best Photography – Maria Olvera with “Elephant Toothpaste”
Best Display – Brittany Gayton with “Bouncing Egg”
Student Choice Awards:
Best Display – Joe Gutierrez with “Volcano”
Best Use of Scientific Method – Angela Thomas with “Danger: Falling Objects”
Most Interesting Question – Janette Sanchez with “Deadly Air: Air Pollution”
Overall Favorite – Brittany Gayton with “Bouncing Egg”
Special thanks to the University Middle Science Fair Judges:
- Steven Trollinger, Test Engineer at Space X
- Gerald Cleaver, Associate Professor in Physics at Baylor University
- Ryan Hoisington, Lab technician, Allergan
- Sara Schlesinger, Chemistry graduate student at Baylor University
- Patrick Uptmore, Algebra Readiness Instructional Coach, Waco ISD
- Kim McMillan, Secondary Science Content Specialist