DARKE COUNTY — One hundred and sixty students from Miami, Darke, Shelby and Champaign counties competed in the Ohio Academy of Science Upper Miami Valley District Science Day, held at Edison State Community College, Piqua, on Saturday, March 10. Students exhibited projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics they worked on from September through February of this year.

The Science Day (Fair) program has been in Ohio since the 1940s. Students who complete and present a science or engineering project at a local science fair in their school, or at a county event, may qualify to compete at the District level. Ohio now has 17 districts, the newest of which is the Upper Miami Valley District comprising the four aforementioned counties.

This was the third year for the event at Edison State Community College. Organizers included area educators, STEM professionals and business representatives. More than $7,000 was distributed in awards, provided by area sponsors including many businesses and individuals interested in supporting STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). The students were accompanied by several hundred parents, teachers and guests.

All Upper Miami Valley students who received a superior rating at their respective local or county Science Day in February were eligible to compete at the District Science Day. Students participating at district and receiving Superior ratings were: from Anna High School — Rachel Shoemaker, Jake Kovacs; from Ansonia High School — Daphne Kies; from Ansonia Middle School — Marissa Shook; from Arcanum High School — Sarah Riley, Kyle Collins, Kristen Short, Samantha Aukerman, Christopher Manning, Karr Stump, Vance Wetzel, Paige Kreusch, Brendin Gillem, Julia McCullough; from Bethel — Julie Sebastian, Jasmine Harris, Jackie Harris; from DeColores Montessori School — Graham Milligan; from Franklin Monroe High School — Logan Garber; from Graham Elementary — Alyse Regier; from Graham Middle School — Ethan McLean, Cooper Strader, Grace Tyler; from Greenville Middle School — Ella Strawn, Lexi Slade, Trevor Coppess, Avery Ernst, Marissa Sypolt; from Greenville High School — Zachary Miller, Landon Muhlenkamp, Ash WilliaMiddle School.

From Holy Angels, Sidney — Adith Joshua George, Samantha Sargeant, Emilee Van Skiver, Ethen Stiver, Ashlyn Hamblin, Michael O’Leary, David Rossman; from Lehman High School — Abigail Jones, Jacquie Schemmel, Maximilian Schemiesing, Melanie Brunner; from Milton-Union High School — Sydney Dohrman, Abigail Hissong; from Milton—Union Middle School — Madison Stasiak; from Piqua Catholic Elementary — Molly Greene; From Piqua High School — Jenna Parker; from St. Patrick, Troy — Eva Dexter, Joseph Pannapara; from Tippecanoe High School — Leena Vyas, Victoria Jacobs; from Tippecanoe Middle School — Brandon Hood, Ethan Royse, Luke Hoover, Amelia Campbell; from L.T. Ball Intermediate — Parker Kaibas, Collin Snyder, Audrey Kinninger, Sadhil Mehta, Brynna Sears, Marissa Hollon, Jackson Windeknecht, Riley Nicholls; from Troy High School — Ella Furlong; from Versailles High School — Lauren Menke, Alec Barga, Kennedy Hughes.

Special Awards included: Boonshoft Museum of Discover Family Membership — Audrey Kinninger; American Society of Mechanical Engineers Awards in Mechanical Engineering — first place $75 Ashley Martin, second place $50 Jacob Osborne, third place $25 Erin McKinney; Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge No.174 Award in Engineering, each $100 — project of Karr Stump & Vance Wetzel, project of Trevor Coppess & Avery Ernst; Chaney Family Award for Engineering Design, Trophy plus $100 — Ashley Martin; Fresh Eyes Editing Award for Biomedical Research $50 — Jenna Parker; Premier Health Award for Medicine & Health Sciences $100 — Will Moddeman; Cargill Awards in Plant Science x 2, each $100 — Abigail Jones, Jacquie Schemmel; Ohio Soybean Council Biosciences, 3 award, each $100 — Abigail Hissong, Abigail Jones, Jacquie Schemmel; Troy Fish & Game Club Award in Animal Sciences $100 — Cooper Strader; Troy Fish & Game Club Award in Environmental Sciences $150 — Marissa Shook; Southwest Ohio Water Environmental Association — first place $100 Adith George, second place $75 Zachary Miller, third place $50 Bryanna Sears & Marissa Hollon; Miami Soil & Water Conservation District Award in Environmental Sciences $50 — Zachary Miller; Mackenzie E. English Award for Earth Science $50 — Demi Show; College of Wooster — Buckeye Women In Science, Research & Engineering (B—WISER) Camp —Ten camp scholarships, value each $100 — Marissa Shook, Ella Strawn, Lexi Slade, Amelia Campbell, Marissa Sypolt, Skylar Fletcher, Kate Garber, Mara Flood, Kelly Witwer, Minaxi Pandey; Ohio Tuition Trust Authority — College Advantage 529 Savings Plan Scholarship, value each $250 — Samantha Sargeant, Eva Dexter; Edison State Community College, course Scholarships — Lauren Menke, Victoria Jacobs, Landon Muhlenkamp.

New this year were EMERSON AWARDS — Trophy & $100 each for Animal Science, Samantha Sargeant; for Behavioral & Social Sciences, Sarah Riley; for Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology, Melanie Brunner; for Chemistry, Sadhil Mehta; for Earth & Environmental Sciences, Marissa Shook; for Embedded SysteMiddle School & Software SysteMiddle School Holden Lapham & Bill Yang; for Energy Graham Milligan; for Engineering Mechanical, Molly Greene; for Material Science, Brandon Hood; for Mathematics, Leena Vyas; for Medicine & Health Sciences, Jenna Parker; for Microbiology, Maximillian Schmiesing; for Physics & Astronomy, Jake Kovacs; for Plant Science, Logan Garber; for Robotics & Intelligent Machines, Derek Borsody. New BASF Awards this year — in Chemistry, 1st $200 — Audrey Kinninger, 2nd $150 — Julie Sebastian, 3rd $100 — Ash WilliaMiddle School. BASF Awards in Medicine & Health, 1st $200 — Jenna Parker, 2nd $150 — Lauren Menke, 3rd $100 — Ella Strawn & Lexi Slade. BASF Award for Best Presentation of Data $100 — Emilee Van Skiver. Award for Best Abstract from Fresh Eyes Editing, Sheila Cherry, PhD, $100 to Leena Vyas.

Students selected to compete at the Buckeye Science & Engineering Fair on Saturday, April 1 at The Ohio State University were Leena Vyas, Tippecanoe High School; Abigail Hissong, Milton-Union High School; Rachel Shoemaker, Anna High School; Lily Hemm, Troy High School; Kearsten Kirby, Miami East High School; Anthony Masso—Rivetti, Greenville High School; Chase Osterday, Franklin—Monroe High School; Christian Brumbaugh, Arcanum High School.

All of the projects receiving superior ratings at the Upper Miami Valley District Science Day will proceed to the State Science Day held at The Ohio State University in Columbus on Saturday, May 12, where more than $1 million in scholarships and special awards will be presented.

The Upper Miami Valley District Council offered the event with the help of more than 80 judges and event volunteers. Sponsors include new title sponsors ($5,000) EMERSON, Sidney, and BASF, Greenville; and major sponsors ($1,000+) — Tipp City Rotary Club, Cargill, Inc., The College of Wooster, Edison State Community College; Major Sponsors ($500 — $999) — Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, Troy Rotary Club, Dungan & LeFevre Co. LPA, Dayton Society of Natural History; Partner ($250 — $499) Premier Health, Ohio Soybean Council, Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge 174; Patron ($100 — $249) — American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Dayton Section, Fresh Eyes Editing — Sheila Cherry, PhD, Chaney Family, Dill Family, Southwest Ohio Water Environmental Association; Friends of Science (up to $99) — Miami Soil & Water Conservation District, Mackenzie E. English.

For more information about Upper Miami Valley Science Days, contact Dr. Martin English, at 667-3217, [email protected] or visit ohioumvsd.com, or contact Angela McMurry, Darke County Educational Services Center, at 548-4915, Ext. 221.