February 17, 2018
Elementary, middle and high school students from five counties showed off their creativity and ingenuity during the sixth annual ACTC/FIVCO Science and Engineering Fair on Feb. 2.
The fair, coordinated by Ashland Community and Technical College, showcased science projects throughout six different categories of science. Those categories were Biomedical and Behavioral Health Sciences; Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences; Engineering and Mathematics; Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy; and, new to this year’s fair, Robotics and Computer Science.
Participants were judged on five criteria — originality and creativity; scientific method or technological design; thoroughness; skill and clarity; and approval forms and data notebook.
“I am amazed at the students who came and exhibited their fascinating and innovative projects at the fair,” said Mia Brown, fair director. “This part of the region has some of the most talented and brilliant students. I believe this year our students reached a little deeper into areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We saw interests in our newest category, Robotics and Computer Sciences, as well as a continued inquisitiveness in categories like Biomedical and Behavioral Health Sciences and Engineering and Mathematics.”
First, second and third place awards were given in each category during a ceremony on Feb. 9. First and second award winners in the middle school categories and all winners in the high school categories, as well as the elementary grand prize and grand prize runner-up are eligible to enter the Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Feb. 24 at Northern Kentucky University.
“Our fair is growing by leaps and bounds,” Brown said. “This year, 70 high school students participated in the fair. This is record number and we expect this population to continue to grow, mostly because students have found an avenue to apply what it is they are learning within their Career and Technical Educational (CTE) pathways. We see great teamwork from high school students as they tackle scientific problems together.
“As fair director, it is my mission to empower our students to be better today than they were yesterday,” Brown said. “I am a product of the science fair and I know the benefits it brings. I am grateful for the many mentors in my life who helped me along this journey and it is my purpose and desire to give unto others as it was given unto me. It is truly an honor to be a part of our student’s life journey. My hope is that as a community we continue to believe, support and encourage our students to be the best they can be and more.”
This year’s fair sponsors were Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., King’s Daughter Medical Center, Clark’s Pump-N-Shop and other anonymous donors.
Award winners are listed below by grade level and category.
Middle School Awards
Physics and Astronomy: first, Molly Howard and Kiley Whitt from Elliott County High School; second, Samuel Sherrard and Nathaniel Duncan from East Carter Middle; third, Maggie Johnson from Louisa Middle.
Engineering and Mathematics: first, Emma Perkins from East Carter Middle; second, J.T. Staton from Lakeside Elementary; third, Jadon Gordon from McKell Middle.
Biomedical and Behavioral Health Sciences: first, Jazsequa Fountain and Kaylee Lester from Blaine Elementary; second, Ryleigh Campbell and Jade DeGiorgio from Holly Family School; third, Abigail Lycans and Victoria Penix from Louisa Middle.
Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences: first, Brylee Holden Blair and Kassi Burke from Louisa Middle; second, Carter Abshire, homeschooled; third, Anna Fraley and Regan Phillips from East Carter Middle.
Chemistry: first, Anyah Tuhy and Heavenly Mays from West Carter Middle; second, Joseph Hardesty, homeschooled; third, Molly Perry and Garrett Jenkins from West Carter Middle.
First and second place middle school winners in each category will advance to the regional SEF.
High School Awards
Physics and Astronomy: first, Kash Stevens and Molly Lewis from Elliott County High; second, Cameron Walker and Zachariah Tussey from Greeup County High; third, Christopher Adkins and Nathaniel Buckner from Elliott County High.
Engineering and Mathematics: first, Nathan Gillispie from West Carter High; second, Jayde Holbrook from West Carter High; third, Dylan Harr and Tristan Vanderpool from Greenup County High.
Robotics and Computer Science: second, Dawson Wyatt and Willard Ferguson from Lawrence County High.
Biomedical and Behavioral Health Sciences: first, Andrew Gregory Preston and Kinsey McDaniels from Boyd County High; second, Paulina Walker and Emily Vance from Lawrence County High; third, Libby Smith and Marianna Hernandez from Holy Family Collegiate High School.
Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences: first, Katelyn Pauley and Zayla Granillo from Lawrence County High; second, Lincoln Rose from Lawrence County High; third, Roger Wheeler and Hunter Morgan from Boyd County High.
Chemistry: first, Ryan Griffith and Abigail Frazier from Boyd County High; second, Evan Greene and Terence Oney from Elliott County High; third, Luke Ellis and Katie Barnwell from Boyd County High.
First, second and third place high school winners will advance to the regional SEF.
Talent Night is Feb. 23
ACTC will host a Talent Night at 7 p.m. Friday Feb. 23 at the J.B. Sowards Theatre on ACTC’s College Drive Campus. This showcase gives amateur talent in the Tri-State a chance to share their talents in music, song, dance, poetry, comedy and drama.
The event is open to youth and adults and there is no contestant entry fee. To register, contact Al Baker, ACTC Director of Cultural Diversity, at 606-326-2422 or email alvin.baker@kctcs.edu.
ACTC campuses closed for President’s Day
In observance of President’s Day, all ACTC campuses will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19. ACTC will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
