Several local students move on to Wyoming State Science Fair

(Riverton, WY) – The West Central Regional Science Fair was held at Central Wyoming College on Friday, Jan. 19, in the Health & Science Center.

This year, students from Wind River, Pathfinder, Lander Middle School, and a Home School all participated, with a total of eight projects entered.

Dr. Bill Finney, Central Wyoming College Professor of Chemistry & Physics, has organized the fair for eight years. However, Central Wyoming College started hosting before his arrival in 2010.

“Students participate in learning how science works. They learn to form a hypothesis and learn a little about what they might be interested in, and then they try to perform some experiments that either support or disprove their hypothesis.”

“This is a real hands-on experiential way for young people to learn about how science works. It also provides them an opportunity to participate in something larger like the Wyoming State Science Fair and, if they are lucky, a shot at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

“It’s exciting to see what young scientists have to share with what they have learned about their project,” adds Finney.

If they place, they can go to the Wyoming Science Fair. They have to place in 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd in their respective categories.

Home-schooled student Mica Smedts took first place in the following category:

• Behavioral and Social Sciences – 1st Place – Mica Smedts – “Living with Beavers: An educational intervention to change perceptions and opinions through learning about Castor canadensis”

Wind River Middle School student Rebekah Taylor took first place in the following category:

• Robotics & Intelligent Machines / Embedded Systems / Systems Software – 1st Place – Rebekah Taylor – “Art Robot to Help the Disabled”

Lander Middle School brought home six ribbons in three categories from the fair:

• Animal Science – 1st Place – Milana Wood – “Orcas in Captivity”
• Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Computational Biology and Bioinformatics – 1st Place – Sara Kearns & Isabella Gallo & Arya Ghormley – “Worms vs. Waste”
• Engineering Mechanics, Materials Science, and Energy: Physical – 1st Place – Bryce Newman – “Winter Solar Cooker”; 2nd Place – Sebastian Bannon – “To the moon on a budget!”

“These students demonstrate outstanding expertise in scientific and engineering practices,” said LMS teacher Mrs. Cecilie Prine. “They dedicated numerous hours beyond regular school time to assemble their projects, experiment with their ideas, and document their discoveries. I encourage them to persist in exploring the wonders of the natural world and contributing to the scientific endeavors that enrich our lives.”

Pathfinder High School also participated and brought home three ribbons:

• Chemical and Energy: Chemical – 1st Place – Abby Bash – “Life span of glow stick”
• Plant Science – 1st Place – Kenleigh Gimple & MacKenzie Weber – “Agricultural Waste Products as a Soil Amendment”

Congratulations! 🎉