University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Hosts 2nd Annual Science Fair

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The 2^nd Annual UA Rich Mountain Science Fair was held on February 10^th on the main campus in Mena. The fair was held in the Ouachita Center from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There were a total of 21 exhibits of which, 11 were competitive, and 10 were for display. A total of 31 students participated in the exhibition, 16 were U of A Rich Mountain students, and 15 were elementary-school-age through high-school-age students.

The projects entered in this year’s fair included the following titles: Catapult 2, Oscillating Reaction, Hatching Eggs, Catapult Launch, X-Impact, Hot Ice, The Launch, Natural Dye, Catapult 1, Is Black Ink Really Black?, Chem Champions, Plants Breathe Too, Animalicules, Flora of Polk County, Boney Similarities, Catalytic Glow, Is the Ice Dry?, Are U Charged?, Fun with Liq. N₂, Buttermilk Color, Superabsorbent. All participants received a certificate for their project entry.

The top projects received awards in the following categories: Best Project, Most Creative, and Community Choice. Awards recognized for honorable mention, second place, and first place in each category were:

Best Project, 1^st Place: X-Impact – Austin Tweedle, Emilio Soto, and Taide Velasquez of Caddo Hills High School. Prize awarded – 1^st Place plaque and $300 check.

Best Project, 2^nd Place: Is Black Ink Really Black? – Shreetika Gyanwali of Mena High School. Prize awarded – $150 check.

Best Project, Honorable Mention: Hot Ice – Jacob Ezell and Trey Lacoste of University of Arkansas Rich Mountain. Prize awarded – $50 gift card

Most Creative, 1^st Place: Hatching Eggs  – Haley Richardson, Makayla Fall, and Jaden Miller of Ouachita River Schools – Acorn High School. Prize awarded – 1^st Place plaque and $200 check.

Most Creative, 2^nd Place: Oscillating Reaction –Saujal Gyanwali of Mena High School. Prize awarded –$100 check.

Most Creative, Honorable Mention: Chem Champions – Christopher Thompson of Mena High School. Prize awarded – $50 gift card.

Community Choice, 1^st Place: Natural Dye  – April Burt and Miranda Burt. Prize awarded – 1^st Place plaque and $200 check.

Community Choice, Honorable Mention: Catapult 1 – Ivan Obregon of Mena High School. Prize awarded – $50 gift card.

A special thanks to University of Arkansas Rich Mountain staff and faculty, Dr. Hector Costamagna and Ms. Maureen Keese for top prize donations and for supporting the event. A special thank you to Union Bank of Mena for providing $250 for cash awards and for advertising the fair in marquee display, to Mena Walmart for three $50 gift cards, University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Foundation for providing the rest of the cash awards and for the reception, NIDEC Motor Corporation in providing the reception for the event.

“I am thrilled to have such a great supportive team for programs like these. Such support means a lot and helps only to do better and grow bigger in the years to come”, said Dr. Gaumani Gynawali, Chemistry and Physical Science Instructor.  “From this year’s participation and turn-out, I am already excited for next year and equally hopeful that we will have more competing and participating teams next year.”

Preliminary plans are being developed to host the 3^rd Annual Science Fair in the third week of February 2018.

For more information about the 2018 Science Fair and University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Science Club, contact: Dr. Gaumani Gyanwali, Chemistry and Physical Science Instructor and Science Club Advisor, at (479) 394-7622 ext. 1339 or gyanwali@rmcc.edu.

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