{"id":44426,"date":"2023-06-08T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelandmark.com\/?p=44426"},"modified":"2023-06-08T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T10:00:00","slug":"wachusett-students-shine-at-science-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/2023\/06\/08\/wachusett-students-shine-at-science-fair\/","title":{"rendered":"Wachusett students shine at science fair"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Ken Cleveland <\/b>
\nLandmark Correspondent<\/i><\/div>\n

HOLDEN \u2014 Science was the focus, and projects at the state science fair included a variety of topics.<\/p>\n

Wachusett Regional High School students who participated impressed the judges, with some walking away from the Massachusetts Science Fair with substantial wins, including a Holden freshman taking a top spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had this level of success in a number of years,\u201d science teacher Nicholas Guerin said.<\/p>\n

Sierra Kelch took the top prize, the Sanofi Award, which came with a $10,000 prize. In addition, it includes $7,500 for the school to use to buy equipment and teaching resources, and $2,500 for Sierra\u2019s teacher, Eric Chandonnet, to use for professional development or equipment in his own classroom to better his instruction, Guerin said.<\/p>\n

Other students collected additional prize money, with more than $75,000 in cash, internships and scholarships, Guerin said.<\/p>\n

The prize for Sierra\u2019s project \u2014 Sip Sustainably: The Rheology and Durability of Single-Use Environmentally Friendly Alternatives for Plastic Straws \u2014 included a spot at the Harvard Summer SecondarySchoolProgram, a seven-week summer program where she can take a class at Harvard and get college credit.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy project was inspired by a vacation I took to California last summer. Plastic straws are banned there, so I used many paper straws that became soggy and fell apart in my drink,\u201d said Sierra, a freshman from Holden.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered if there were any plastic straw alternatives that are good for the environment and durable. I researched types of single-use plastic straw alternatives, and then thought about ways to test the durability of a straw. I decided to test the change in force needed to bend each straw, water absorption, and how much a straw breaks down.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part of this experience was talking about and sharing my project. Getting to discuss my results with judges and showing what I discovered to other students was fun and rewarding,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

As a freshman, Sierra said, \u201cI am still deciding what career I want to pursue. I am thinking about roles like becoming a doctor, where I can apply knowledge of science to helping people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Verena Welch\u2019s project \u2014 The Effects of Probiotics on Malnourished Drosophila melanogaster \u2014 earned her a $250 second place prize.<\/p>\n

Verena, a junior from Holden, said she was \u201cinspired by the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically on malnourished and low-income populations. Around 10% of the global population is undernourished. Although this issue is more prevalent in other areas than the local community here in Massachusetts, solutions are still needed, and steps still need to be taken to fight malnutrition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also wanted to explore the use of probiotics, which are a relevant topic today and have sparked widespread conversations concerning their health benefits. With my project, I hoped to explore the interconnection between the two fields of malnutrition and probiotics, and to further determine how probiotics may be a solution to combat the negative effects of undernutrition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoyed the ability to complete independent and hands-on science. It was powerful to know that I could complete such an extensive project using my own research, ideas and resources that allowed me to perform experiments at home. The project also introduced me to the problem-solving process involved in any science or STEM field, which I know will be vital in my future in science. I enjoyed being challenged beyond the classroom setting and learning so much beyond ordinary textbook learning,\u201d Verena added.<\/p>\n

She sees herself pursuing a science-related course of study in college and career.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough my classes in school initially led me to enjoy science, working on an independent research project allowed me to develop my passion and become sure that science is my future. There are endless opportunities and fields to explore, which is one of the reasons I love science so much. I look forward to developing my passion more in college and finding my path in STEM,\u201d Verena said.<\/p>\n

Ekaavli Daga also won a second place prize of $250 for her project: The Effectiveness of Algae in Desalination.<\/p>\n

Ekaavli, a sophomore from Holden, said, \u201cI really wanted to do a project that involved addressing the limited supply of freshwater, especially because due to climate change, which is becoming more of an issue each day. My dad was the one who told me about an article he read about algal desalination, and I actually found myself really interested. From there, I researched a lot and troubleshooted to create my project and experiment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved being able to talk to judges and other students about my project and see their interest and ideas. There were so many cool suggestions, and everyone was so supportive. I also really enjoyed seeing others\u2019 projects and all of the amazing things they had accomplished,\u201d Ekaavli said. \u201cThe science fair was an awesome experience for me, and definitely a great introduction into the world of STEM.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holden sophomore Jocelyn MacDonough focused on sleep deprivation, winning a second place award and $250.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs many people experience stress regularly, and especially in school, I wanted to see if there was a way that the negative effects of stress could be reduced,\u201d Jocelyn said of her project, The Effect of Magnesium on Sleep Deprivation in Drosophila melanogaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoyed the process of experimentation,\u201d Jocelyn said.<\/p>\n

Nathaniel Dziewietin of Paxton took a third place award, $75, for his project: Agitating for Pond Health: Controlling Algae Growth Using a Surface-Level Underwater Impeller. The WRHS junior also won the UMass Boston College Scholarship for $10,000 each year, renewable up to four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery summer, I visit a pond near Acadia National Park for a vacation, and while talking with the residents there, I had learned about problems regarding the pond\u2019s algae overgrowth,\u201d Nathaniel said of the inspiration for his project.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had it on my mind during the summer, with other local ponds closing for similar issues, and it had occurred to me that I hadn\u2019t heard of such issues in rivers and oceans or moving waters. So, after lots of research and planning, I decided to see whether it would be possible to replicate the process of water movement in still waters to reduce algae overgrowth in ponds. Eventually, I had four fish tanks in my living room full of algae, with 3D-printed turbines agitating the water for my experimenting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part of the project can also be my least favorite part. During a science project like this, many problems come up, which can be really stressful, but I always enjoy trying to be creative in coming up with alternate solutions, like soldering batteries to get enough power for my motors, or using sprinkles to see how water moves with a propeller. I also always love talking to the judges at the fairs themselves; they are always really interesting people, and I frequently end up having long conversations with them after judging,\u201d Nathaniel said.<\/p>\n

A science-related career could be in his future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I am still not sure exactly what I hope to do for a career, this science project has definitely solidified my passion for environmentalism and using creative problem- solving to protect our environment,\u201d Nathaniel said.<\/p>\n

Nikhita Varma of Holden, a junior, won a third place $75 award for her project: The Effect of Microplastics on the Stress Response of Daphnia magna.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was inspired to do my project from my experience in India, witnessing the widespread pollution of plastics,\u201d Nikhita said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wondered how organisms living in contaminated waters could survive, so I decided to study how microplastics would affect aquatic organisms. For my project, I used an organism called Daphnia magna(a water flea) and I exposed them to different concentrations of plastics to measure their stress response.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like how my project addresses a current problem in the world. Microplastics are currently a very hot topic among researchers. Plastic is used in our daily lives, and its effects on a multitude of organisms are detrimental to our future on Earth,\u201d Nikhita said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely see myself pursuing a career in science. Participating in the science fair helped me gain a new appreciation for science. \u2026 Seeing all the innovative projects presented by the students showed me how sharing research and collaborating in a science community can solve many of the world\u2019s problems,\u201d Nikhita said.<\/p>\n

Two other students made a good showing but did not win state prizes.<\/p>\n

Paxton junior Haley Dow placed in the Wachusett school fair and was a \u201cdirect entry\u201d to the state fair but did not place. Her project was The Effect of Stress due to Social Isolation on Fruit Flies\u2019 Memory and Learning.<\/p>\n

Alexander Teymurazyan, a Princeton junior, placed at the regional fair but did not place at the state fair. His project was titled Investigation Of The Effects Of Microplastics On Yeast Cell Growth Rates<\/p>\n

Yearlong projects<\/b><\/p>\n

The projects emerged from the students\u2019 honors science classes, Guerin said, which requires a yearlong independent science project.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project, however, is different from doing a report about a topic or your classic middle school volcano. These honors projects have the students formulating a hypothesis on a topic and actively designing an experiment to test their hypothesis, and then statistically analyze their data to come to conclusions about their ideas,\u201d Guerin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project has students actually \u2018doing science\u2019, as opposed to just learning material for a test. Students can elect to participate in Science Fair if they want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students get to the State Fair by competing in their school fair. Wachusett had 42 students compete in its school fair, with the top 12 projects going to the regional fair at WPI in early March. The top 40% moved on to the state fair at MIT the first weekend in May, with 260 projects judged at that level.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe success directly relates to the quality of the students and education at Wachusett,\u201d Guerin said. \u201cOur students are inquisitive, but also have the drive to take their idea and really run with it. This takes a lot from the student to not get discouraged when things do not work out (which is often in science), and also they need to meet some strict deadlines for class and the science fair. This is all while they are taking a full course load of classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe as teachers help guide the students once they develop their ideas and help them develop their experiment and ways in which they collect and analyze data. However, this whole process is 99% the students\u2019 own work. Project sophistication can range from pretty basic to highly sophisticated graduate level science of kids working in a lab.<\/p>\n

\u201cSierra\u2019s project stood out because even though it was simple, it was carried out with great detail and also helped solve a bigger real world problem. This is something the judges love. For those students who take advantage of our honors program, Science Seminar, and Science Fair, they get an education in science that is one of the best in the state,\u201d Guerin said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HOLDEN \u2014 Science was the focus, and projects at the state science fair included a variety of topics. Wachusett Regional High School students who participated impressed the judges, with some walking away from the Massachusetts Science Fair with substantial wins, including a Holden freshman taking a top spot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}