Bluewater Regional Science & Technology Fair 2016
Bluewater District School Board students continue to excel with their science projects! At this year's Bluewater Regional Science & Technology Fair (BRSTF), held at Owen Sound's Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on March 30th and April 13th, students from across Bruce and Grey Counties participated in a fierce competition of innovation.
Senior Fair
Senior students in grades 7 - 12 competed on Wednesday, March 30th with all gold medal project winners advancing to join Team Bluewater at the upcoming Canada Wide Science Festival in Montreal from May 14th - 21st.
Here are this year's gold recipients from Bluewater along with their fascinating projects:
Katherine Teeter, grade 12, Grey Highlands Secondary School (Flesherton) – Synthetic Limpets' Teeth for Improved Joint Performance
Katherine created a substance to mix in with three dimensional printing binding agents to create stronger replacement prosthetics in people who have injuries, such as shattered bones that would normally result in amputation of human limbs. Limpet teeth are the hardest known organic substance created by any organism on Earth. Katherine is currently conducting epithelial cell toxicity tests of her product before she prints 3D human bones.
*This will be Katherine's sixth and final appearance at the national event. She has earned three bronze and two silver medals, and hopes to complete her medal pyramid with a gold this year. Only three other students in the history of the Bluewater Regional Science & Technology Fair have been to six national events!
Nathan Williams, grade 8, Elgin Market Public School (Kincardine) – Gyro-Bot
Nathan took a school team made Lego robot and inserted a gyroscope that only one other person in the world had been able to make work. He wrote a computer program that used the gyroscope to write 90 degree angles with a pen. This project has space based applications that would assist astronauts with their work at the International Space Station and in the petroleum industry, where such a device could examine pipelines and affect repairs before leaks occurred.
Sophia Cottrill, grade 7, Sullivan Community School (Desboro) – Evolution or Extinction? Time Will Tell for the King of the Arctic
Sophia examined the possibilities of polar bears evolving and adapting to a terrestrial life when there is no longer any ice left in the Arctic. This study looked at several evolutionary markers, including the ability to digest and safely use the calories in seal blubber as opposed to the omnivore relatives that live entirely on land, such as black bears and grizzly bears. Sophia's conclusion is catastrophic for polar bears!
Another significant achievement from this year's fair was the announcement of Anne Range, science teacher at Amabel-Sauble Community School, as the recipient of a Youth Science Canada Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious national science award recognizes long term dedication to science and science fair promotion at the school, regional and national levels. Anne has contributed well over 20 years of service to these programs as a teacher. She has been to three Canada Wide Science Festivals in Regina, London and Chicoutimi, and is known in Bluewater District School Board as the 'science fair guru'. Four other members of the BRSTF committee have received this award: John Lennon, Clive Card, Ross Haley and John Twelves. Anne is the fifth BRSTF recipient, which puts this local event in the top four of 103 regional fairs across Canada for members receiving this coveted award!
Junior Fair
Junior students in grades 4 - 6 participated with their scientific creations on Wednesday, April 13th.
Out of the 17 gold medal winning projects, Bluewater students claimed 7:
Maisie Cottrill, Sullivan Community School (Desboro) - Great Lake Invasion *also received the Inspired by Nature Award
Ashlyn Kuhl, Sullivan Community School (Desboro) - 10 or 80? A Basic Study of Progeria *also received the Social Sciences Award
Scott Sanderson, Derby Public School (Kilsyth) - Battery Usage Compared to Temperature
Alyson Carnell, Elgin Market Public School (Kincardine) - Attack of the Phragmites
Chloe Pegelo, Walkerton District Community School - Sink or Swim
Edie Walter, Walkerton District Community School - The Importance of Wetlands *also received the Life Sciences Award & Grey-Sauble Conservation Award
The gold medal runner-up for the second place grand award, the Canadian Nuclear Society Award-Bruce Branch, was Geneva Hindle from Meaford Community School with her project, Water Desalination.
Bluewater students dominated the 'special awards', winning 14 of 18 that were presented:
Blake Hellyer & Pearson Arps, Bruce Peninsula District School (Lion's Head) - Renewable Energy Award, Solar Water Heater
Keaton Rourke & Connor Heaney, Walkerton District Community School – Professional Engineers Ontario - Georgian Bay Chapter Award, No Power No Problem
Jack Bennett, G.C. Huston Public School (Southampton) - Sciences Award, Whose Tracks are These?
Islay Graham, Hepworth Central School - Nutrition Award, Organic VS Non-Organic
Islam Haider, Derby Public School (Kilsyth) - Owen Sound Field Naturalists Award, The Canadian Beaver
Lauren Mansfield, Bruce Peninsula District School (Lion's Head) - Roots of Bruce Agricultural Award, Biomass to Biogas
Rielly Downward, Osprey Central School (Maxwell) - Hammond Power Solutions Technology Award, BoxBot
Timarie White & Maggie Boyes, Amabel-Sauble Community School (Sauble Beach) - Health Award, Ah-Ah-Ah-Allergies
Julianna Rutledge, Elgin Market Public School (Kincardine) - John Lennon Award for Physical Sciences, Raging Rockets
