Science fair showcases student experiments

Courtesy photo/Utah Knights of Columbus

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Georgia Stockham, a student at J.E. Cosgriff Memorial School, received the Astronomy Recognition Award at the 2018 Knights of Columbus Diocesan Science Fair. The award was presented by Andy Airriess, Knights of Columbus state deputy.

By Jerry Angus

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

DRAPER — The gymnasium of Juan Diego Catholic High School was packed with students and their projects on Feb. 10 for the Diocesan Science Fair, which for the 22nd year was sponsored by the Utah Knights of Columbus.

Students in 6th, 7th  and 8th grades and in high school, from Catholic schools and private schools around the Salt Lake Valley displayed their science experiments from earth science to astronomy and were judged by members of the Knights of Columbus.  

“I’m truly amazed by the experiments,” said Andy Airriess, the Utah Knights of Columbus state deputy. “They incorporate math, science – everything that is needed to advance them in their careers or future high school or college lives.”

Each student chose his or her own experiment, and their hypotheses were as varied as their interests. For example, Lauren Crockett, an 8th-grader at Reid School, looked at the reflective response sound waves have from different instruments and her voice with different materials that are used in local concert halls and arenas. The idea came from her lifelong love of music and the motivation to learn how to make music sound better, she said.

Crockett’s experiment earned the specialty award for best oral presentation.

Overall, the students’ experiments and their presentation skills were impressive, said Mike Middlemiss, a past Faithful Navigator with the Knights, who was one of the fair’s judges.

“I’m amazed at … how in-depth some of them have prepared themselves in learning the subject of the hypothesis that they were developing and the process that they went through to either prove or disprove what their hypothesis was, how they documented it, and their display,” Middlemiss said. “It’s also, I think, a great reflection on the quality of the staff and teachers in our Catholic and private schools today.”

Every project was judged three times in a specific category, such as biology, engineering, or medical science. Each grade competed with its own year. Awards for high school students were given to the overall best project, rather than in individual categories. Students competed in their local school fair prior to the diocesan fair.

Jim Larson and Vicky Simpson were the co-coordinators for this annual event. Using the same form employed at the Salt Lake Valley Science and Engineering Fair, to which the top projects will advance, the diocesan science fair judges looked “at the parts of the scientific method: the hypothesis, the use of resources, design and procedure, data, the students’ interviews and displays, and results,” Simpson said.

Advancing to the Salt Lake Valley Science and Engineering Fair will be eight high school projects, 30 from the 6th grade and 57 for the junior division (7th and 8th grades combined).

Jerry Angus is a member of the Utah Knights of Columbus.

2018 Diocesan Science Fair Awards

Astronomy Recognition Award: Georgia Stockham, J.E. Cosgriff

Top Scientist: Jack Saber, J.E. Cosgriff

Specialty Awards

Best Use of Mathematics Award: Carly Torres, St. John the Baptist

Best Working Model Award: Gus Gibbon, Reid School

Best Oral Presentation Award: Lauren Crockett, Reid School

Most Unique Visual Display Award: Hayley Thomas, Blessed Sacrament

Special Recognition Awards

6th Grade Honorable Mention: Caroline Mullin, St. Joseph

7th Grade Honorable Mention: Jacob Anderson, St. John the Baptist

8th Grade Honorable Mention: Leya Joseph, J.E. Cosgriff

Overall 6th Grade Award: Gus Gibbon, Reid School

Overall 7th Grade Award: Ian Conner , J.E. Cosgriff

Overall 8th Grade Award: Jack Saber, J.E. Cosgriff

Behavioral/Social Sciences: Leya Joseph, J.E. Cosgriff

Biology/Biochemistry: Charles Topoleski, Blessed Sacrament

Chemistry: Ian Conner, J.E. Cosgriff

Earth/Environmental Sciences: Violetta Wharton, J.E. Cosgriff

Energy: Chemical& Physical: Matthew Gough, St. Joseph

Engineering: Jack Saber, J.E. Cosgriff

Medicine/Health Sciences: Leya Han, Our Lady of Lourdes

Physics, Astronomy, & Math: Lauren Crockett, Reid School

Plant Sciences: Nico Morton, Cosgriff

First-place Winners

Behavioral/Social Sciences: 6th grade – Caroline Mullin, St. Joseph; 7th grade – Mercedes Randhahn, St. Joseph; 8th grade – Leya Joseph, J.E. Cosgriff

Biology/Biochemistry: 6th grade – none; 7th grade – Trevor McMillan, St. Vincent de Paul; 8th grade – Charles Topoleski, Blessed Sacrament

Chemistry: 6th grade – Sarah Simpson, Blessed Sacrament; 7th grade – Ian Conner, J.E. Cosgriff; 8th grade – Indya Feissinger, St. Vincent de Paul

Earth/Environmental Sciences: 6th grade – Sara Brunslik, Blessed Sacrament; 7th grade – AJ Warden, J.E. Cosgriff; 8th grade – Viloetta Wharton, J.E. Cosgriff

Energy: Chemical& Physical: 6th grade – Jasmina Drake, St. John the Baptist; 7th grade – Matthew Gough, St. Joseph; 8th grade – Kate Borgmeier, St. Vincent de Paul

Engineering: 6th grade – Aidan Wilson, St. Joseph; 7th grade – Lanee Farr; J.E. Cosgriff; 8th grade – Jack Saber, J.E. Cosgriff

Medicine/Health Sciences: 6th grade – Shayan Pandit, Waterford; 7th grade – Leah Han, Our Lady of Lourdes; 8th grade – Charlie Leo, J.E. Cosgriff

Physics, Astronomy, & Math: 6th grade – Gus Gibbon, Reid School; 7th grade – Jesse Chisolm, St. Vincent de Paul; 8th grade – Lauren Crockett, Reid School

Plant Sciences: 6th grade – Liam Pool, St. John the Baptist; 7th grade – Nico Morton, J.E. Cosgriff; 8th grade – Valeria Rico, St. John the Baptist

High School Winners

1st Place:  Tarun Kumar Martheswaran, Waterford

2nd Place:  Kyllie Furukawa, Juan Diego

3rd Place:  Cynthia Gardner, Juan Diego