Students earn science and engineering fair awards, qualify for regionals at UNC-Charlotte
Earth and Environmental
Science
Allison Kaercher, Stuart W.
Cramer High School - Comparison
of the Genetics of Local and Non-
Local Honeybee Variants
Gaston County Schools in
partnership with the Schiele
Museum and FMC Lithium
conducted its annual Gaston
Regional Science and Engineering
Fair on January 5 and January 6.
It was the 10th anniversary of the
science and engineering fair.
The competition included more
than 100 exhibits and projects
created by Gaston County’s best
and brightest elementary, middle,
and high school students. Public
and private school students were
eligible to participate.
The Gaston Regional Science
and Engineering Fair is divided
into four categories: earth science, physical science, life science, and
technology and engineering. Students are judged on scientific method,
research, resources cited, and the types of evidence provided to support
the results.
Allison Kaercher, a senior at Stuart W. Cramer High School, placed first
overall. Her project, Comparison of the Genetics of Local and Non Local
Honeybee Variants, also earned her the distinguished FMC Lithium Award of
Excellence and the Gaston College SPARC of Genius Award.
All students who earned awards were eligible to submit their projects
for the UNC Charlotte Region 6 Science and Engineering Fair held on
Saturday, February 17. The regional winners go on to the North Carolina
Science and Engineering Fair set for March 23-24 in Raleigh.
Life Science
Dia Ray, Ashbrook High School
- How Mushroom Extracts Affect
the Growth of Bacteria
Physical Science
Mason Hamrick and Landon
Baucom, East Gaston HIgh School -
Blood Pressure
Technology and Engineering
Daniel Klasing, Stuart W.
Cramer High School - Second
Generation Fusion Reactions in Quasineutral Isotropic Plasmas
n MIDDLE SCHOOL
The following middle school students from Gaston County Schools
received first place honors:
Schiele Steward of the Earth Award
Hezekiah Stallings, Holbrook Middle School - To Swim or Not to Swim
Earth and Environmental Science
Hezekiah Stallings, Holbrook Middle School - To Swim or Not to Swim
Physical Science
Lucas Yavelak, Cramerton Middle School - Paper Airplanes
n HIGH SCHOOL Technology and Engineering
Joshua Crowder, Cramerton Middle School - Which Battery Brand has
the Better Value
Founder’s Award Grand Prize Winner
Allison Kaercher, Stuart W. Cramer High School - Comparison of the
Genetics of Local and Non-Local Honeybee Variants n ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The following elementary school students from Gaston County Schools
received first place honors:
Gaston College SPARC of Genius Award
Allison Kaercher, Stuart W. Cramer High School - Comparison of the
Genetics of Local and Non-Local Honeybee Variants Overall Winners
Nikki Bortolussi, Rankin Elementary - Fossil Superposition: Fact or
Fooled?
FMC Lithium Award of Excellence
Allison Kaercher, Stuart W. Cramer High School - Comparison of the
Genetics of Local and Non-Local Honeybee Variants Alicia Joyner, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy - Yummy Gummy Bear
Science Lab
The following high school students from Gaston County Schools
received first place honors:
Sambujang Conteh, Ashbrook High School - Analyzing the Effects of
Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on Microbial Soil Communities
Schiele Steward of the Earth Award
Natalie Faris, McAdenville Elementary - How Do Clouds Form?
Samarian Ray, Ashbrook High School - The Effects of Air Fresheners on
Health Earth and Environmental Science
Jackson Bryant, Gardner Park Elementary - Testing Methods for
Cleaning Tables
Schiele Steward of the Earth Award
Sambujang Conteh, Ashbrook High School - Analyzing the Effects of
Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on Microbial Soil Communities Life Science
Piper Summey, Ellory Lamp, and Cora Fulbright, McAdenville
Elementary - Happy Plant, Sad Plant
Overall Winner
Emmily Mobley, Stuart W. Cramer High School - The Legal Effects of
“GenX” on Daphnia Magna Physical Science
Briana Banuelas, Rankin Elementary - Growing Crystals
Technology and Engineer