Students from schools across Fremont County gathered at Central Wyoming College last week for the West Central Regional Science Fair, where they showcased their curiosity and creativity through hands-on scientific research.
“We had a wonderful morning with students participating in this year’s science fair,” said Dr. Bill Finney, Professor of Chemistry & Physics at CWC. As the project lead for Wyoming INBRE at CWC and director of the science fair, Finney emphasized how important events like these are for student learning.
“Science fair is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn science by doing rather than just by reading about it from a book,” he said. “I was pleased that not only did we have several senior division projects from schools across Fremont County, but we also had students who have been thinking about doing a science fair come to see what it is about. I am hopeful that this will lead to many more projects in the future!”
The results of the Science Fair are as follows:
Junior Division
1st Place – Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Engineering
Berkeley Beutler, Wind River Middle School – Best Sediment for Cast Fossils
Teacher: Brandy Mickelson
Senior Division
1st Place – Animal Science
Mica Smedts, Williamsburg Academy – Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk Zones in Lander: What makes a Hotspot?
Teacher: Anna Smedts
1st Place– Robotics, Intelligent Machines, and Embedded Systems and Systems Software
Hunter McIntyre, Kayden Higgenbothem, Emmet Visher, Pathfinder High School – Weather Balloon Payload Stabilizer
Teacher: Sam Hartpence
1st Place – Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Engineering
Brandon Metz and another Pathfinder Student, Pathfinder High School – Measuring Particulates as a Function of Altitude
Teacher: Sam Hartpence
CWC is committed to supporting STEM education and helping students develop science, technology, engineering, and math skills. The science fair serves as a stepping stone for students interested in STEM fields, providing them with real-world research and experimentation experience.
To learn more about STEM opportunities at CWC, visit our Science, Technology, Engineering & Math program. For information on how to participate in next year’s science fair, visit our Science Fair page.
