From hydroponics to WiFi and roller coaster marbles – WJCC Science Fair has something for everyone

Friday January 10^th, WJCC Schools hosted its fourth Annual Division Science Fair. Student scientists research, created, and presented projects in the areas:

Projects were judged by a community of researchers and were evaluated on their research question, methodology, data collection, and presentation.  This year’s science fair was open to all high school students. Project topics included climate change, antibiotic alternatives, soil pH and forest productivity, kinetic energy, and hydroponics, to name a few. Select winners will now participate in the Tidewater Regional Science Fair on March 14^th at Old Dominion University.

Fourth Annual WJCC Schools Science Fair Winners

• Overall Science Fair Winner: Jessica Shi – Jamestown High School
• Overall Science Fair Runner Up: Lisa Small – Jamestown High School

Winners by category:

Animal Science

• 1^st Place: Hailey Jacobsen – The Effect of Substance Type on Amount of Flies Caught

Behavior & Social Science

•  1^st Place: Savannah Champagne – Women and Conformity

Biochemistry

• 1^st Place:  Kenisha Miles – How does diet affect the pH of your body?

Cellular & Molecular Biology

• 1^st Place: Jessica Shi – Antibiotic Alternative
• 2^nd Place: Chance Washington – Bacteria Resistance in School

Chemistry

• 1^st Place: Adam Chai – An Exploration of Properties of Shear-Thickening Fluids
• 2^nd Place: Valerie Rondi – How permanent are permanent makers?

Computer Science

• 1^st Place: Jacqueline Vishton – AI vs. non-AI in efficiency
• 2^nd Place: Joshua Cardoza – How Different Building Materials will Effect WiFi Strength

Engineering:  Electrical & Mechanical

•  1^st Place: Alexandra Chauvin – The Effect of Airfoil Shape on Lift

Engineering:  Materials & Bioengineering

• 1^st Place: Emily Squire – The Effect of Different Materials on Shirt Dryness

Environmental Management

• 1st Place:  Jade Devriendt – Effect of Straw Material on Breakdown Time

Environmental Science

• 1^st Place: Sorenna Jean – The Effect of Agricultural Runoff on Natural Aquatic Ecosystems
• 2^nd Place: Samantha Brown – The Effect of Acid Rain on Plants
• 3^rd Place: Rachel Coblentz – pH of the Bodies of Water in Williamsburg

Microbiology

• 1^st Place: Sarah Fleming – Effect of Water Temperature on the Yeast Production of CO₂

Physics and Astronomy

• 1^st Place: Leo Murphy – Optimal Design for Spinning Tops
• 2^nd Place: Olivia Garett – Roller Coaster Marbles: Converting Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy

Plants Sciences 1

• 1^st Place: Michael Ososanya – Vitagrass
• 2^nd Place: Grace Galindo – The Effect of Water Contents on Grass Growth

Plant Sciences 2 

• 1^st Place: Lisa Small – Evaluating the Correlation Between Site Index and Forest Productivity of Pinus Taeda with Soil pH
• 2^nd Place: Josephine Shostak – Eelgrass Salinity Tolerance Hydroponic Experiment
• 3^rd Place: Lauren Montgomery – Climate Change’s Effect on Williamsburg’s Air Source