STATE SCIENCE DAY Local winners

The following pupils are among those who participated in State Science Day at Ohio State University this spring. About 1,000 pupils in grades 7 to 12 from 300 schools participated in the event hosted by the Ohio Academy of Science, American Electric Power, the Ohio Environmental Education Fund and Roxane Laboratories. Pupils, grade levels, OAS awards, other awards and project synopses are listed by school.
Byzantine Catholic Central: Melissa M. Straub, eighth, excellent, first place Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. Hanna Award in Coatings ($1,000), "spill" on paints.
Chaney High School: Victoria Earp, 11th, excellent, lunar influences.
Columbiana High School: Kaitlin Bowman, ninth, superior, fertilizers and water quality; Amanda Stewart, 10th, excellent, caffeine and blood pressure.
Hubbard High School: Stephanie Gilida, ninth, superior, gender and short-term memory.
Neal Middle School: Carolyn Flores, seventh, excellent, conventional medicine vs. natural remedies for feline leukemia; Jared Nichols, seventh, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and third place Ohio Environmental Education Fund Governor's Award for Excellence in Environmental Protection Research ($100), hydrogen peroxide in wastewater treatment.
New Hope Academy: Fletcher Morgan, eighth, superior, electromagnets and comparison of battery brands.
Reed Middle School: John Buchenic, eighth, superior, nitrogen and phosphate levels in leachate of natural vs. synthetic fertilizers.
St. Christine School: Anthony Brunetti, eighth, excellent, cushioning choices; Kellianne Craig, eighth, superior, surface contamination at public digital sites; Kyle Cunningham, eighth, excellent, soil type effect on hill-side water runoff; Elizabeth Engler, eighth, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and first place American Society of Highway Engineers (Central Ohio Section) Award ($500), bridge construction and maximum weight; James Hagan, eighth, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and honorable mention in American Water Works Association (Ohio Section) Award ($100 bond), chloride in rivers and streams, November vs. December; Angelina Joseph, eighth, excellent, comparison of materials to insulate a room for sound; Matthew Kramer, eighth, superior, herbs and memory; Nicholas Mancini, eighth, excellent, interference and effect on learning; Kristen McGuire, eighth, excellent, hand washing vs. sanitizer; Alyssa Moody, eighth, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and second place Ohio Dental Association Award ($100), deafening decibels; Angeline Rich, eighth, excellent, moon phases and behavior; Lea Rizer, eighth, excellent, color and word recognition; Matthew Ruse, eighth, excellent, music and plant growth; Merissa Saadey, eighth, superior, salt and calcium spray and road ice; Thomas Scanlon, eighth, excellent, weight placement and speed; John Seidner, eighth, superior, concrete and weather conditions; Brittany Simon, eighth, excellent, brand name vs. generic skin products; Megan Vendemia, eighth, excellent, first place OSU College of Medicine and Public Health/OSU Health Systems Future Physician-Scientist Award ($300), secondhand smoke effect on adolescents.
St. Joseph Elementary School: Kate Cicozi, eighth, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and first place American Society of Civil Engineers (Central Ohio Section and Ohio Council) Excellence Award for Civil Engineering Projects ($100), stand, slant or sink; Kim Doverspike, eighth, excellent, I bet I can make you cry; Sara Satterlee, eighth, excellent, Does it make scents?
St. Patrick Elementary School: Michael Minnick, seventh, excellent, organic vs. inorganic homemade growth enhancers.
South Range West Intermediate Middle School: Rachel Holisky, seventh, excellent, music and intelligence; Jared Lay, eighth, superior, does the nose know?; Sandra Levitski, seventh, excellent, different waters and radish growth; Cassondra Ohlin, eighth, superior, aggression in chickens; Anthony Perrico, seventh, excellent, comparing insulations; Jeffrey Pilcher, eighth, superior, lunacy; Diana Rhodes, seventh, good, age and tastebuds; Aaron Shuntich, seventh, superior, static electricity; Dustin Skidmore, eighth, excellent, engineless flight; Amanda Styer, seventh, excellent, durability of finishes; Daniel White, seventh, excellent, fragrances; Jesse Wince, eighth, excellent, affects of caffeine; Danielle Downie and Kelcie Witmer (team), eighth, superior, physics of cheating in baseball.
Southern Local Junior/Senior High School: Amelia Davis, ninth, superior, Does grass have a sweet tooth?
Springfield Intermediate Middle School: Karyssa Bobosky, seventh, excellent, hydroponic vs. organic lettuce growth; Matthew Hacker, seventh, excellent, comparisons of household liquid cleaners on copper.
Volney Rogers Junior High School: Deanna Dailey, seventh, superior, whiteners; Mary Deley and Wesam Wekhyan (team), seventh, excellent, first place Ohio Aerospace Institite Team Research Award ($175 each), pH and aquatic plants.
Willow Creek Learning Center: Steven Burns, eighth, excellent, grass and browning; Jonathan Haski, eighth, superior, first place Discovery (Communications Inc.) Young Scientist Challenge Award and second place Ohio Environmental Education Fund Governor's Award for Excellence in Environmental Protection Research ($100), antibacterials in streams.
Wilson High School: Richard Giles, 12th, superior, beta-carotene presence in Lycopersicon esculentum.