Burke students rock regional science fair

Burke County students rocked the regionals on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Watauga High School in Boone. The medal-earning students will advance to the state level at N.C. State University in Raleigh on March 21.

First-place winners:

• In Earth Science — Lucy Fisher, Liberty Middle School, with “What Is the Best Earth-Friendly Material to Protect the Inside of a Package?”
• In Engineering — Adalyn Thomas, Heritage Middle School, with “Spin to Win: Testing Rotor Design for Maximum Wind Power”
• In Technology — Hughes Haas and James Russ, Walter Johnson Middle School, with “Real or Rendered: Can Our Minds Tell the Difference?”

Second-place winners were:

• In Biological Science A — Madeline Bowman, Heritage Middle School, with “Paws and Playlist: A Study of What Makes Tails Wag”
• In Earth Science — Scarlett Rogers, Liberty Middle School, with “Farm Funk or Asphalt Junk? Which Runoff Is a Daphne Killer?”
• In Physics — Fernando Magallon, Liberty Middle School, with “Going Greener with GEERS (Geo-Electrolysis Energy Recovery System)”
• In High School Biological Science A — Knowlton Lee, Patton High School, with “Speed Kills”

Third-place winners were:

• In Biological Science A — Sydney Burleson and Hayden Burleson, Walter Johnson Middle School, with “The Art of Influence”
• In Chemistry — Emilio Risso-Hemstreet and Fisher Collinson, Walter Johnson Middle School, with “Battle of the Cleaners”
• In Earth Science — Gabby Fisher, Patton High School, with “Evaluation of Hurricane Helene’s Impact on the Eastern Hellbender in North Carolina”