Ignacio Middle School students studied animal science, physics, chemistry and other topics for the San Juan Regional Science Fair on March 3 in Durango. Three students placed in their grade levels, qualifying them to attend the Colorado State Science Fair next month in Fort Collins.
The state qualifiers, sixth grader Kourtney Schurman, seventh grader Jeffrey Brittain, and Jason Hampton-Foutz, an eighth grader, discussed their projects Wednesday at the school.
Brittain took second place in the animal science category in his grade with his study of deer populations and crossings in Southwest Colorado.
Hampton-Foutz measured the amounts of sugar in drinks and found on average, they had five grams more sugar than what was listed in the nutritional information on the bottles. Mountain Dew and Pepsi had 10 grams more, his research found. Under federal law, companies have 20-percent leeway in their ingredients, so the overage is legal, but some companies aren't being truthful about the amounts, he said. His project took third place in the medical category of eighth grade students.
Schurman measured the length of strides in three horses. She measured the horses' height and videotaped them loping, the divided the numbers to measure their stride length. She found that the smaller the shoulder angle of the horse, the longer the stride, and that older horses have a shorter stride. Her project took first in animal science in sixth grade.
Other IMS students who competed in the regional fair:
Sixth grade, Alannah Gomez; Laura Witt, honorable mention in animal science; Alexis Pontine, third place in physics; Amanda Henderson; Lexy Young, third animal science; Evelynn Chamblee; Cyrus Naranjo, honorable mention in physics and the Armed Services special award.
Seventh grade Demi Jauschild; Matthew Balleau; Curtis White, third place in energy and transportation; Shelcie Gosney, honorable mention plant sciences; Abigail Barthel, third place in animal sciences and special award in health; Charlize Valdez, medical special award.
Eighth grade Elizabeth Valdez, special chemistry award; Makayla Miller-Peterson; Sydney Cruz; Ian Weinrich; Keegan Schurman and Makayla Howell.
