PIQUA — One-hundred-thirty-two 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 12, 2022. Students exhibited projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics which they worked on from September through February of this year. The Science Day (Fair) program has been in Ohio since the 1949. 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.

This was the seventh year for the event at Edison State Community College. Organizers included area educators, STEM professionals and business representatives. About $8,000 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 many parents, teachers and guests on Saturday, in a tremendous show of support of the students’ efforts.

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. Local students participating at District and receiving Superior ratings were:

Anna High School: Isaac Edelmann, Madison Jeffries, Carly Koverman, Josephine Gehret, Madison Prenger;

Holy Angels: Henry Petersen, Taylor Platfoot, Calvin Linson, Anna Minneci, Kari Stewart, Avery Wyan, Ian Stiver, Bailey Cotterman, Carter Rigel, Josephine Flaute, Turner Lachey.

Lehman High School: Adith George, Annamarie Stiver, Brian Baumann, Brandon Jones, Alexander Lundy, Rocio Isabel Flores Berlanga, Layla Platfoot.

Upper Valley Career Center: Brylee Yohey, Abigail Purtee, MaKenna Homan, Sierra Henning. Versailles High School: Ethan Varner.

Special Awards included: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Awards in Mechanical Engineering – first place $75 Kaylie Kipp, second place $50 Ethan Varner, third place $25 David Rossman; Ohio Soybean Council Biosciences Awards, each $100 – Rocio Isabel Flores Berlanga, Layla Platfoot, Marissa Shook; Southwest Ohio Water Environmental Association – first place $100 team project of Aubrey Ernst and Audrey Jackson, second place $75 Alexander Lundy, third place $50 O’Keefe Cooper; Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge No. 174 Award for Engineering $100 each, Cora Gutierrez, Brian Bauman; Troy Fish & Game Club Award in Animal Sciences $100 – Ian Stiver; Troy Fish & Game Club Award in Environmental Sciences $100 – team project of Aubrey Ernst and Audrey Jackson; Premier Health Award for Medicine & Health Sciences $100 – Annamarie Stiver; Premier Health Award for Microbiology $100 – Kendall Escheman; Cargill Awards in Plant Science, each $100 – Liza Forson, Layla Platfoot; Fresh Eyes Editing Award in Medicine & Health Sciences $100 – Kiera Elliott.

Emerson Topic Category awards of $100 was presented to each first place $100 and $50 to second place if offered :

Award for Animal Science first Kara Stewart, second Katie Weddle; Award for Behavioral & Social Sciences first Madison Jeffries, second Mariah Kreusch; Award for Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Cellular & Molecular Biology first Brandon Jones; Award for Biomedical & Health Sciences first Reina Frame, second Carly Koverman; Award for Chemistry first Anna Minneci, second Samuel Dusek; Award for Earth & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering first Alex Lyall, second Marissa Shook; Award for Energy first Ethan Varner, second Samuel Wilhelm; Award for Engineering Mechanical first Haley Miller, second Shritna Kutcherlapati; Award for Material Science first Julie Sebastian; Award for Microbiology first Calvin Linson, second Ava McGaharan & Savannah Brown; Award for Math, Physics & Astronomy first Micah Arbogast, second Liam Hartley; Award for Plant Science first Teddy Miller, second Taylor Platfoot; Award for Software Systems first Adith George.

BASF Creating Chemistry Awards first $200 Isaac Edelmann, second $100 Wyatt Robbins;

BASF Awards in Medicine & Health Sciences first $200 Amelia Campbell, second $100 Ezekiel Wright; BASF Award for Best Presentation of Data first $200 Elliott Hagar, second $100 Madison Jeffries; Fresh Eyes Editing Award for Best Abstract $200 Amelia Campbell.

College of Wooster – Buckeye Women In Science, Research & Engineering (B-WISER) Camp. Ten camp scholarships to 7th & 8th grade girls, value each $100 Zipporah Bezy, Huan Chen, Anna Minneci, Lilly Tobe, Malayna Verdier, Samantha Williams, Raylin Combs, Kierstin Drew, Nevan Miley, Lillian Whelan, Cora Gutierrez, Shritha Kutcherlapati.

Ohio Tuition Trust Authority – College Advantage 529 Savings Plan Scholarship – value each $250 to Kendall Echeman, Kara Stewart.

Edison State Community College Scholarships – (each good for one 3 credit hour course) Mariah Kreusch, Ethan Stiver, Dani Paulus, Eve Welborn, Brieanna Finfrock.

All of the projects receiving superior ratings at the Upper Miami Valley District Science Day will proceed to the State Science Day held in May.

The Upper Miami Valley District Council would like to thank the 50 plus judges and event volunteers for their time and efforts which made this event possible. We also give a huge thanks to the event and awards sponsors, including: Title Sponsors ($5,000) EMERSON, Sidney, OH and BASF, Greenville, OH; and Major Sponsors ($1,000+) – Tipp City Rotary Club, Cargill, Inc., Fresh Eyes Editing, The College of Wooster, Edison State Community College; Major Sponsors ($500 – $999) – Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, Premier Health – UVMC, Troy Fish & Game Club, Wayne Health; Partner ($250 – $499) Ohio Soybean Council, Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge 174; Patron ($100 – $249) – American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Dayton Section, Southwest Ohio Water Environmental Association; Friends of Science (up to $99) – Martin E. English. Special thanks goes to Edison State Community College, its administration, faculty and staff for making the event a wonderful experience for the students.