Rocket scientists present projects during annual science fair

The Science Department hosted its annual Science Fair on Thursday, Jan. 27. Twenty-eight students were invited to present their projects to a panel of judges comprised of faculty, friends of McNicholas, and Science National Honor Society members.

Projects ranged from exploring nutrients for hydroponically grown kale plants to testing the effectiveness of antibiotics on bacteria. The first place winner was sophomore Carly Kent for her project entitled “Yeast Metabolism With and Without Aeration.” 

Science teacher Mrs. Mary Dennemann said, “Carly worked hard on her project and was not deterred when she ran into problems with the yeast not working. She used her problem solving talents to overcome the issue and persevered!”

Mrs. Dennemann added, “We are grateful to all the Science NHS students who used their science talents to help lead and encourage the younger students in their science exploration as well as to the to the adults in the building and from the greater community who took time from their professional careers to help guide our students.” 

The winners are eligible to compete in the virtual regional science fair to be held at the University of Cincinnati this spring.

First Place
Carly Kent: Yeast Metabolism With and Without Aeration

Second Place (tie)
Gemma Roetenberger: Antibacterial Effects of Different Types of Honey
Audrey Hurlburt: Water and Its Effect on Plant Germination Speeds

Third Place
Jake Steinhaus: The Effect Wording Has on Perception

Honorable Mentions
Grace Fechtel: The Effect of Soil Erosion Control Methods
Langley Esterle: Which Mask Blocks The Most Bacteria
Amanda Braig: Flame Retardant Spray and Its Effect on Different Fabric Material
Remington Holder: High Level vs Low Level Programming Languages Speed