Students from throughout southern West Virginia gathered Thursday at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton to compete in a regional science fair.
More than 140 students with the highest performing project from their county participated in the science fair, including students from Raleigh, McDowell, Mercer, Summers, Monroe and Wyoming counties, according to Amber Riffe, Elementary Pre-K Supervisor for Mercer County Schools. The winners of the regionals will compete in the state level science fair.
Approximately 97 science projects were on display Thursday from grades 3 to 12.
“We have elementary, middle and high school students 3-12 grade. I know that we will get some good representation from this region and show them what West Virginia can do,” Riffe said. “The kids get to pick what projects they want to work on. They have to do reports, paperwork, and oral presentations to the judges. Moving on from here they will go to state.”
Once the regionals are finished, all 55 counties will be represented at state, according to Riffe.
“It’s absolutely amazing to know that we’re going to have students go on and show what they know and show how bright and smart they are at the state level and show them what West Virginia has,” Riffe said.
Mercer County student Zooey Brown has worked on her project since last summer and during the winter season. She hopes her science project will help shape what scientists know about sound waves, seeing sounds, and hearing with her project — called The Shape of Sound. This project was inspired by her military father and uncles with affected hearing.
“The shape of sound shows it is possible to see sound,” Brown said. “My father and his two brothers, they were in the military and now they are hard of hearing and its kind of scary how you can talk right beside them and they can’t hear you. Therefore I want to find a way for them to still be able to interact with the world just like they used to.”
Brown describes the experience of learning about the different ways technology can provide aid for those with hearing issues and the science of cymatics.
“I emailed two companies that used virtual spaces to show different ways sound can help people and also microphone technologies. I emailed both companies about their thoughts and opinions on the evolution,” Brown said. “I think sound visualization is an amazing thing because it can help so many people and it can constantly evolve.”
Although Brown was nervous for regionals, she hopes to make her school proud.
“I am a little nervous,” she said. “But I am very proud with how I was able to come here and represent my school and myself in this project.”
A duo that attended state last year from McDowell County, Levi Chapman and Michael Morgan, returned to compete by combining their love of music to a science project. The project measures the heart rates and blood pressure from listening to various genres of music to see the effects on one’s physical and mental health, according to Chapman and Morgan. Their project is called Harmonies and Heartbeats.
“We like listing to music, the younger generation,” Morgan said. “When you play sports you listen to music, when you’re sad or when you’re happy (you listen to music). We figure we might as well put that to the test and see how your heart rate and blood pressure changes over a genre of music.”
Chapman believes it is important for schools to continue these traditions in order to encourage academic pursuits and create healthy outlets for kids and teens.
“It’s important to participate in these kind of events. If everyone is not participating you wouldn’t have academics and things like this,” Chapman said. “It’s a good outlet — good for your brain, good to further the world.”
Another McDowell County student, Julie McGuire, has based her project on a family friend she knows who is pregnant. Her project shows the science of the material used in baby diapers to determine which one is safe and effective for babies.
“My project is one about what diaper is cheaper and most absorbent. That way young parents can get good quality diapers for their children and not put a bullet through their wallet,” McGuire said.
McGuire has felt a sense of both excitement and jitters.
“I’m more jittery than a June bug in July,” McGuire said. “It’s a little nerve wracking quite frankly, but exciting at the same time.”
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