OHS Science/Engineering Peer Choice Awards

Over the past few weeks before the winter break, Odessa High School and Junior High science students had been busy conducting independent science research entitled the Second Quarter Research Project. This project is designed to encapsulate the knowledge and the ability to formulate a testable research question, design and execute an experiment with quantifiable results, scientifically compare the experimental results with a control method, and discuss their findings with the rest of the class via PowerPoint presentation. Although this project divulges each student’s knowledge regarding science, it also teaches them other skills such as manipulating technological probe ware, creating complex PowerPoint presentations, and time management.

As each student presented his or her findings to their peers in each class, they all scored one another based on scientific thought, presentational skill and the appearance of the PowerPoint; each student’s score was created from the class average, and the top four projects were selected. Just as scientists peer-review one another’s research, our students do the same. This has come to be known as the 2Q OHS Peer Choice Awards in Science and Engineering. The first and second place award winners were invited to present their research during a school assembly for grades 6-12 held Tuesday, January 13, from 10:30-11:45 a.m. They did an excellent job. All students passing the 2Q Research Project are welcome to present their research at a public or community event to earn Honors Credit in any of the high school sciences.

Division of Integrated Sciences

1. Kiegan Wehr – The Comparison between Downloading or Streaming Data

2. Hannah Sheldon – The Correlation of Voltage between Coca-Cola and Salt Water Batteries

3. Jayd Jennings – The Effect of Dissolved Oxygen Levels in Crab Creek due to Agriculture Sources

4. Gaven Elder – Finding the Speed of Light in Gelatin

Division of Biological Sciences

1. Elizabeth Larson – Resulting Garden Soil pH after Contact with Homemade Fertilizers

2. Molly Schafer – The Effectiveness of the Human Body to Lower the Battery Percentage Used on a Cell Phone Using Thermoelectric Generators

3. Zoe Clark – The Effect of Iron Chloride and Magnets on Plant Growth

4. Rebecca Fortner – The Effect of Light Wavelengths on the Chlorophyll of a Plant Leaf

Division of Chemistry

1. Stacia Lesser – The Amount of Hydrochloric Acid Neutralized When Comparing Baking Soda and Store Brand Antacid

2. Caleb Singer – The Comparison of Homemade Extracted Ethanol Fuel from Apples Compared to Denatured Ethanol

3. Alexis Burdick – The Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide vs. Coconut Oil on the Enamel of the Tooth

4. Katie DeWulf – The Effect of Zinc Sulfide on the Brightness of Glow Sticks

4. Briette Boss – Comparing the Accuracy of the Techniques used on Goldenrod Paper Secret Messages by using Candle Wax and Tape

Division of Physics

and Engineering

1. Thorsen Wehr – The Generation and Analysis of Waves with Varying Nonlinearity through a One-Dimensional Chain of Spheres

2. Trevor King – The Correlation between Wire Wound Count and Increased Magnetism

2. Carsen Weber – The Correlation between Varying Thicknesses of Oobleck and Kevlar on the Amount of Dissipated Energy and Penetration Depth of a 9 mm Round into Ballistics Gel

4. Jenna Shafer – Color Constancy; Identifying Colors with Low Light Conditions