IRWIN COUNTY STUDENT TAKES SCIENCE FAIR TITLE

          Wilson Evans from Irwin County High School was the first place winner in the senior division (grades 9 - 12) and overall grand award winner of the Abraham Baldwin College Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The title of his project was "How Can You Keep Cut Flowers Fresh?"

          With his victory, Evans received a trophy and the Harry R. Gross Memorial Award. This award is presented to the senior division winner. Evans' name will be placed on a traveling plaque that will be kept at his school for the next year. He will also receive a $100 cash award, which will be presented at Irwin County High School's honors program in the spring.

          Alison Rowell from Lowndes County Middle School won first place in the junior division (grades 6 - 8) for her project "Clarinet Wars: Wooden vs. Plastic?"           

          Elizabeth Guzy from Hahira Middle School won second place in the junior division for her project "Centrifugal and Centripetal Forces." Both junior division winners received trophies.

          The teachers of the first place winners in the senior and junior divisions also received awards. Helene Dutcher teaches Evans, and David Wells teaches Rowell.

          The American Chemical Society Award of a $50 savings bond for the best chemistry project in the fair went to Jaclyn Lumpkin of Turner County Middle School. The title of her project was "Does Time Affect the Success of Removing Tea Stains from Carpet?" Her teacher, Avie Farmer, received a year's subscription to the Journal of Chemical Education.

          A total of 124 students from five counties (Lowndes, Turner, Irwin, Ben Hill, and Colquitt) participated in the fair. ABAC Science & Mathematics Division Chair Ray Barber coordinated the event.

          Twenty students and one alternate qualified for the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (State Competition) in Athens on April 11 - 13. Qualifiers by county include Kenneth Harris, Sabrina Ragaller, Ashleigh Kenny, Rachel Cooper, Landon Barber, Andrew Smith, Chad Fender, Ashley Duckett, Jacob O'Neal, Danielle Hamm, Katie Colson, Guzy, and Rowell of Lowndes; Joanna Hair and Clayton Cumbee of Ben Hill; James Hall, Nishant Sharma, and Lumpkin of Turner; Evans of Irwin; and John Desselle of Colquitt. The alternate is Ansley Thomas of Lowndes County.

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