Science fair a hit with L-S elementary students

Submitted photo THE WINNERS: Linton-Stockton Elementary science fair winners are (from left) Cole Anderson, Carson Brown, and Patton Deischer.

Out of 45 entries, three students received top honors.

Third-grader Patton Deischer landed top honors for his electricity project. He received the overall grand championship in grades 1 through 3.

He explained, "It's a simple generator made of wire, magnets, cardboard, a nail and a light bulb."

Those items put together make electricity, he added.

"I'm interested in electricity," he said, noting that he wants to be a "design engineer" when he grows up.

Carson Brown received the kindergarten grand championship award for his bubble project.

"My mom helped me come up with an idea," he explained. "It was fun."

His project tested different solutions for making bubbles and found the best one.

"Glycerin makes the best bubbles," he said. "They last the longest."

Fourth-grader Cole Anderson received top honors for his mouse project. He was awarded the overall grand championship in grades 4 through 6.

He explained, "I wondered if we gave mice different food and different drinks how it would affect their diet and weight."

Anderson's project involved controlling the environment of the mice and feeding them healthy and non-healthy foods and drinks.

Each mouse received a diet consisting of apple and carrot slices, oats, turkey and water or milk, he said.

In addition to the healthy diet, one mouse also received two cookies and sugar water instead of regular water or milk.

"At first, the mouse that received the cookies and sugar water got extra jumpy and then real tired," Anderson explained.

The diet project lasted four weeks and involved data collection.

So, what did Anderson learn from his science project?

"You can't eat a whole lot of fats and sweets because you'll weigh a whole lot and get tired," he quickly said.

The science fair was sponsored by the school's SEEK Club and organized by SEEK parent volunteer Stephanie Wasnidge.

She explained, "We had 45 entries in the fair and for the first year I thought it was pretty good ... We are definitely going to have one next year."

Judging the fair were Goose Pond Fish and Wild Life manager Brad Feaster, LHS science teacher Krystal Kirschner and News Channel 10 meteorologist David Wire.

"They had no idea who was who," Wasnidge added.

SEEK is sponsored by LES first grade teacher Susan Anderson.

She explained, "We have as many as 93 students at SEEK meetings ... but normally our numbers are 70."

The club involves many fun activities, she noted.

"It involves hands-on science inquiry learning. We present them with a topic and material and they run with it," Anderson said. "It's very open ended and they are in charge of their learning."