On March 22, Paul Kuhlman and Tamara Carns took their Science Fair qualifiers to the Regional Science and Engineering Fair in Brookings for the 67th Annual High Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair (HPRSEF). It was held on the SDSU campus.

The students and teachers left on the bus at 5:00 a.m. to be at the fair for registration at 8:00 a.m. The first round of judges ran from 9:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The next round of the judges began at 12:30 p.m. with special awards being announced at the same time as judging. Then, at 2 p.m in the afternoon all the awards and place winners were announced.

Also, as a bonus, the Science Fair students got to eat SDSU ice cream right before awards were announced.

Avon students who placed at the Regional Science and Engineering Fair are as follows.

SENIOR DIVISION

Physics and Astronomy

1st Place: Samantha Brodeen: Goldilocks’ Paradox

Samantha was also selected as one of the top 4 senior projects and will be attending the Regeneron International Science Fair in Atlanta in May

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

3rd Place: Sarah Swier: “The effect of surface area, temperature, mass, and wind on evaporation rates.”

MICROBIOLOGY/CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

3rd Place: Gracie Small: “Can copper surfaces be used to reduce the spread of bacteria in healthcare?”

PLANT SCIENCES

2nd Place: Ashley Tolsma: “Minimum Moisture”

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

2nd Place: Kimberly Tolsma: “The effect of dogs on reducing stress levels in people.”

JUNIOR DIVISION

ANIMAL SCIENCE JUNIOR DIVISION

1st Place: Hope Kemnitz: “Measuring fertility rates in hen to rooster ratio.”

2nd Place: Jacob Ratzlaff: “What is better in nutrition: cane or corn silage?”

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES - Junior Division

2nd Place: Abby Gretschmann: “Goldfish Memory”

MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES - Junior Division

2nd Place: Ali Myer: “Can nail polish affect your health screenings?”

PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY - Junior division

3rd Place: Lance Odens and Al’Shamon Meyer: “You’ll shoot your eye out kid”

PLANT SCIENCES - Junior Division

1st Place: Jeanah Ratzlaff: “The nutritional value of sprayed vs. unsprayed alfalfa.”