Avon’s annual Junior High and High School Science Fair took place this year on February 15 in the
Avon School auxiliary gym. The local contest decides who moves on to the Brookings Regional Science Fair, which is in March of this year. Students in sixth through ninth grade presented their projects to judges from the community.
“Thank you to everyone who helps make this possible! Sponsors, judges, parents, staff, and other community members – we couldn’t provide our students with this wonderful learning experience if it weren’t for your dedication and continued support for this program!” said Avon Science Department heads Tamara Carns and Paul Kuhlman.
Winners of the night are listed below:
Middle School Agricultural, Animal, and Plant Science Awards:
1st Place: Jacob Ratzlaff $100 “What is Better in Nutrition Cane or Corn Silage”
2nd Place: Hope Kemnitz $60 “Measuring Fertility Rates in Hen to Rooster Ratios”
3rd Place: Trenton Soukup $40 “Can you Balance Weaning Rations by Analyzing Stool Piles”
Honorable Mention (HM): Jack Fathke and Rance Kuhlman $20 “Trapping Bait”
HM: Rilyn Thury $20 “What Helps Peppers Grow?”
HM: Bailey Kemnitz $20 “Time it Takes to Peel Eggs”
Best Presentation: Jacob Ratzlaff $20 “What is Better in Nutrition Cane or Corn Silage”
Best Board: Lexi Vanderlei $20 “Does Weather Affect Rate of Gain?”
Most Applicable: Lexi Vanderlei $20 “Does Weather Affect Rate of Gain?”
Best Use of Math: Jacob Ratzlaff $20 “What is Better in Nutrition Cane or Corn Silage”
Middle School Health and Behavioral Sciences:
1st Place: Ali Myer $100 “Can Nail Polish Affect your Health Screenings?”
2nd Place: Abby Gretschmann $60 “Goldfish Memory”
3rd Place: Jake Namminga $40 “Fidgety Grades”
HM: Bree Vanderlei $20 “What Thermometer is More Accurate? Ella Grant and Charli Paulsen $20 “Does Color Affect Taste?”
HM: Breanna Hento and Jordyn Voigt $20 “Memory vs. Exercise”
Best Presentation: Ali Myer $20 “Can Nail Polish Affect Your Health Screenings?”
Best Board: Ella Grant and Charli Paulsen $20 “Does Color Affect Taste?”
Most Applicable: Ella Hamilton $20 “Concentrate” Best Use of Mathematics: Abby Gretschmann $20 “Goldfish Memory”
Middle School Physical and Earth Sciences:
1st Place: Al’Shamon Meyer and Lance Odens
$100 “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid!”
2nd Place: Easton Sees and Alvin Meyer $60 “I
Need More Space!”
3rd Place: Hensley Talsma $40 “Will It Show?”
HM: Hoyt Brandt - $20 “Carving a Canyon”
HM: Kate Swier - $20 “Lemon Battery”
High School Group A:
1st Place: Lila Vanderlei $150 “Can Adobe Histograms Be Used to Estimate Soil Moisture?”
2nd Place: Ella Small $120 “Does Room Color Have an Effect on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure?”
3rd Place: Erica Cahoy $80 “The Effect of PreTreatments on Root Growth of Cuttings”
HM: Kaeli Wallinga $20 “Text or Drive”
HM: Kinley Doom $20 “How Can the Sodium Concentration in Foods Be Determined by
Electrical Conductivity?”
HM: Ava Cline $20 “How Can Temperature Affect Solar Panel Output Charge?”
Best Presentation: Kaeli Wallinga $20 “Text or Drive”
Most Applicable: Lila Vanderlei $20 “Can Adobe Histograms Be Used to Estimate Soil Moisture?
Best Use of Mathematics: Kinley Doom $20 “How Can the Sodium Concentration in Foods Be
Determined by Electrical Conductivity?”
High School Group B:
1st Place: Ashley Tolsma $150 “Minimum Moisture”
2nd Place: Allison Frank $120 “The Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration”
3rd Place: Macy Voigt $80 “How does Winning and Losing Affect Self-Esteem?”
HM: Trever Eggers $20 “How to Reduce the Amount of Tears While Slicing Onions”
HM: Landon Mudder $20 “How does Soil Temperature Affect Root Growth”
HM: Maesa Kuhlman $20 “How Does the Type of Surface Affect the Force Exerted on the Foot?”
Best Presentation: Ashley Tolsma $20 “Minimum Moisture”
Most Applicable: Trever Eggers $20 “How to Reduce the Amount of Tears While Slicing Onions”
Best Use of Mathematics: Aziah Meyer $20 “Does Age Affect Reaction Time?”
Agricultural Special Awards:
High School First Place: Allison Frank $40 “The Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration”
High School Second Place: Ashley Tolsma $20 “Minimum Moisture”
Junior High First Place: Grayson Ratzlaff $40 “Does Soybean Population Affect Yield?”
Junior High Second Place: Jeanah Ratzlaff $20 “The Nutritional Value of Sprayed or Unsprayed Alfalfa”
Junior High Third Place: Hope Kemnitz $10 “Measuring Fertility Rates in Hen to Rooster Ratios”
Junior High Honorable Mention: Jacob Ratzlaff $10 “What is Better in Nutrition, Cane or Corn Silage?”
Grand Award
High School: Ashley Tolsma and Lila Vanderlei $100
Junior High: Ali Meyer $100
