The EAC Discovery Park Campus hosted the 2019 Eastern Arizona Regional Science Fair Competition with the top winning projects and displays from 35 students from six Eastern Arizona Schools; Duncan High School, Thatcher High School, Safford Middle School, Dorothy Stinson Elementary, Discovery Plus Academy, and Bonita Schools.
The Science Fair competition provides an opportunity for some of the sharpest student minds in Eastern Arizona to come together and display the results of using the scientific method and creating an experiment to answer a proposed question. The Competition is a yearly event sponsored by the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative (EASI) through grants from the Graham and Greenlee County United Way to support Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) education in Eastern Arizona.
The competition was divided by grade levels: 5th & 6th Grade, 7th & 8th Grade, and High School Grades, with three categories in each level; Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. The judges for this year’s competition were members of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) and members of the professional community. The 1st and 2nd Place winners in each category and grade level received a trophy and a Rosette place ribbon, the 3rd Place and Honorable Mention recipients received a rosette place ribbon, and all participants received participation ribbons.
As an added incentive, the 1st place overall winners in each grade level deemed by the judges to be the most original, useful, and well created projects, received a 10” Digital tablet with keyboard. The Best Overall 5th and 6th Grade display went to Madison Bennett from Bonita Schools with “Methane Madness” that explores the effect of different types of feed/digestion and the production of greenhouse gasses in animals. The Best Overall 7th and 8th Grade display went to Bradoc Waite from Safford Middle School with “Under Pressure” investigating the effect of underinflated tires and fuel consumption. And the Best Overall High School display went to Brooklyn Kempton and Delanie Claridge from Duncan High School with “Red as a Lobster” to determine the most effective way to apply sunscreen to prevent UV damage from the Sun. Additionally, each 1st place winner in each category will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship to the annual EASI Summer Science Camp applicable to their grade level; EASI Summer Science Camp for grades 6th – 9th, the Tonto Creek STEM Camp in Payson for grades 7th – 10th or the High School STEM/Astronomy Camp for grades 9th -12th.
The displays were open for public viewing Friday and Saturday March 7th -9th in the Discovery Park Campus – Ranch House, and an awards ceremony for trophy and award presentations was held on Saturday evening at 5:00PM with a full house of the winning student’s families and friends.
The Eastern Arizona Science Initiative, or “EASI”, is composed of teachers, professionals, and community members throughout Graham and Greenlee counties, cooperating to improve science education in Eastern Arizona and to provide extracurricular opportunities for students who demonstrate an interest or higher aptitude for science, and to provide opportunities for teachers to improve their content knowledge in science. Special thanks to Freeport McMoRan, the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), the participating students and their parents, and especially the great teachers who took this opportunity to demonstrate the importance of applying the principles of science to real-life problems and questions.
2019 Eastern Arizona Regional Science Fair Winners
High School:
| 1st
Earth |
Brooklyn Kempton, Delanie Claridge
(H. S. Overall Winner) |
DHS | Red as a Lobster |
| 2nd Earth | Linnie Neilson, Megan VanSickle, Kaitlyn Lunt | DHS | Shockingly Silver |
| 3rd
Earth |
Dani Burkett, DeeDee Giacoletti | DHS | Where the Wild Things Grow |
| HM
Earth |
Michelle Elmer | DHS | The Real Anti-Agent |
| 1st
Life |
Brittany Darnell | DHS | Strawberries in Aloe Juice |
| 2nd
Life |
Lily Randall, Kaylynn Simmons | THS | Metal vs Mozart |
| 3rd
Life |
Vincent Wright | DHS | Video Games |
| 1st Physical | Wesley Conyer, Lucas Basteen | DHS | Stick With Me |
| 2nd
Physical |
Nate Rapier, Michael McGrath, Jay Garner | DHS | Laminar Lamentation |
| 3rd
Physical |
Britni Avant | DHS | Drug Solubility |
Middle School:
| 1st
Earth |
Adriana Thorpe | SMS | Edible Utensils |
| 2nd Earth | Jaycee Phillips | SMS | Dew Traps |
| 3rd
Earth |
Amaniee Johnson | SMS | Different Types of Lead |
| 1st
Life |
Sam Ray | Bonita | Powder Power |
| 2nd
Life |
Trever Sanchez | SMS | Growing Mealworms |
| 3rd
Life |
Jaron Friend | Bonita | Potato Potato |
| 3rd
Life
|
SMS | Do Faster Readers Get Better Grades | |
| HM
Life |
Hayley Taylor | SMS | Egg Substitute |
| HM
Life |
Miranda McGinty | SMS | Music vs Sleep |
| HM
Life |
Sarah Delgado | SMS | How Can Memes Help Determine your Mindset? |
| 1st Physical | Bradoc Waite
(M. S. Overall Winner) |
SMS | Under Pressure |
| 2nd
Physical |
Katelyn Thompson | Bonita | Let’s Talk Compost |
| 3rd
Physical |
Jacob Ramirez | SMS | Wipe On, Wipe Off |
| HM
Physical |
Andrew Kunz | SMS | You’re Fired |
5th & 6th Grade:
| 1st
Earth |
Taylor Warren | Bonita | For the Love of Water |
| 2nd Earth | Ethan Thompson | Bonita | Un-Fizz-Able |
| 3rd
Earth |
Brett Flowers | DPA | From Trash to Gas |
| 1st
Life |
Madison Bennett
(Elementary Overall Winner) |
Bonita | Methane Madness |
| 2nd
Life |
Lucas Soohy | DSS | How Smell Affects Taste |
| 3rd
Life |
Wade Owen | Bonita | Grow or Not to Grow |
| 3rd
Life |
Natalie Thompson | Bonita | Got Fertilizer? |
| HM
Life |
James Curtis | DSS | |
| 1st Physical | Osvaldo Rodriguez | Bonita | Tough Break |
| 2nd
Physical |
McKayla McClaine | Bonita | Slurry Wars |
| 3rd
Physical |
Anna Lisa Jones | DSS | Question |
