Best of show named at science fair

By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer

March 06, 2008 12:13 am

—
If you think you need protection from ultraviolet rays, consider the plight of the painted lady butterflies.
Hilldale Middle School eighth-grader Adrien Rutherford did, and it earned her a $150 cash award and a trip to the International Science Fair this May in Atlanta. She took best in show, junior division, at the Muskogee Regional Science Fair on Wednesday with her display on the effects of ultraviolet rays on painted lady butterflies.
Ashley Weeks took best in show, senior division, with her display on how phases of the moon affect plant growth. Weeks also wins a $150 cash award and a trip to the International Science Fair.
The Rutherford and Weeks entries were among 308 entries in the science fair, held Tuesday and Wednesday at Muskogee Civic Center. They also were among 30 students, plus three teams, to advance to the State Science Fair in Ada.
As Rutherford went to her display after Wednesday’s awards ceremony, a friend talked on her cell phone: “Hey Mrs. Rutherford, Adrien’s going to internationals.”
The friend then told Rutherford, “Your mom said to give you a big kiss for her in front of everybody.”
Rutherford wore a gray hoodie decorated with butterflies to the ceremony.
“I love butterflies, and that’s why I got the idea to do it,” she said.
The eighth-grader said she divided butterfly chrysallises that she ordered from a kit into three groups. She shined an ultraviolet light on one group for 24 hours and another group for 48 hours. The third group didn’t get any ultraviolet light.
She said she expected the rays to affect the butterflies, still, the results surprised her. Some of the insects that got 48-hour exposure had withered wings.
Rutherford said the results showed her that human skin also could be harmed by ultraviolet rays.
Ashley Weeks started her science fair project almost as soon as school started last year. That way, she could follow her plants through three months of moon phases: September, October and November.
She said she wanted to test the notion found in the Farmers’ Almanac that moon phases affect plant growth.
“The Almanac said the full moon or new moon affects growth,” she said. “But I found out the opposite, that the first quarter and last quarter of the moon affects plant growth.”
Weeks planted radishes, turnips, spinach and lettuce and followed each plant’s growth over three months.
“It was really my mom’s garden,” she said. “I took it over for a season.”
She said the weather could have been a variable in her experiment.
Weeks’ display, cut in the shapes of two Men in the Moon, was almost as tall as her. She said her mother helped her cut the display boards.
“I can’t stand straight-edged boards,” said Weeks, who hopes to be a neurosurgeon.

Muskogee Regional Science Fair winners
Best of Show
Junior Division: 1. Adrien Rutherford, Hilldale; 2. Darby Jarvis, Grandview; 3. Dylan Oney, Muskogee.
Senior Division: 1. Ashley Weeks, Wagoner; 2. Willie Reaves, Muskogee; 3. tie, Lindsey Huggins, Muldrow, Harrison Dragoo, Muskogee.

State Science Fair Qualifiers
Individuals: Adrien Rutherford, Hilldale; Harrison Dragoo, Muskogee; Darcy Worth, Grandview; Willie Reaves, Muskogee; Darby Jarvis, Grandview; Ashley Weeks, Wagoner; Alessandro Calderoni, Hilldale; Lindsey Huggins, Muldrow; Tyler Davidson, Westville; Charlotte Kirk, Westville; Zuri Holder, Muskogee; Alex Coburn; Muskogee; Jordan Wasson, Hilldale; Eli Turley, Wagoner; Madison Ford, Wagoner; Rachel Hill, Muldrow; Dylan Oney, Muskogee; Layla Butler, Muldrow; Tory Worth, Grandview; Natasha Patel, Wagoner; Jarod Lane and Brennan Beck, Wagoner; Lester Ryan, Muskogee; Cara Fullenwider, Muskogee; Mason White, Muldrow; Tyler Snyder, Westville; Sam Stratton, Muskogee; Hunter Capers, Wagoner; Ava Yeabower, Hilldale; Matt Robison, Muskogee; Jarrett Carter, Westville.
Teams: Alex Hames, Sarah Stotts, Muskogee; Dmitria Mahee and Erika Mahee, Wagoner; Jessica Rowe and Bonnie Jordan, Westville.

Division Ribbon Winners
Zoology
Junior: 1. Adrien Rutherford, Hilldale; 2. Louisa Kirk, Westville. Honorable Mention: Kayley Sparks, Woodall and Julice Thornton, Hilldale.
Senior: 1.Harrison Dragoo, Muskogee; 2. Kari Lockabaught and Sara Krvezek, Wagoner. Honorable Mention: Deidra Eagleton, Westville.
Behavioral and Social Science
Junior: 1. Darcy Worth, Grandview; 2. Sam Stratton, Muskogee. Honorable mention: Max Kozak, Wagoner, Mattie Dragoo, Muskogee.
Senior: 1. Willie Reaves, Muskogee; 2. Jessica Rowe and Bonnie Jordan, Westville. Honorable Mention, Sarah Brown, Wagoner, Brandon Finerty, Muskogee.
Earth and Space
Junior: 1. Darby Jarvis, Grandview; 2. Tyler Snyder, Westville; Honorable Mention: Travis Cosby, Woodall; Ed Baker, Muskogee.
Senior: 1. Ashley Weeks, Wagoner; 2. Cara Fullenwider, Muskogee.
Engineering
Junior: 1. Allesandro Calderonio, Hilldale; 2. Hunter Capers, Wagoner. Honorable Mention: Jacob Hiller, Muskogee.
Senior: 1. Lindsey Huggins, Muldrow; 2. Jarod Lane and Brennan Beck, Wagoner.
Math and Computers
Junior: 1. Tyler Davidson, Westville; 2. Coleman Crawley, Westville. Honorable Mention: Miranda Rice, Wagoner, Dawson Floyd, Muldrow.
Senior: 1. Charlotte Kirk, Westville; 2. Melanie Grooms, Muskogee. Honorable Mention, Alec Baker and Madeline Mays, Wagoner; Katherine Gonzales, Wagoner.
Medicine and Health Science
Junior: 1. Tory Worth, Grandview; 2. Ava Yeabower and Madeline Gott, Muskogee; Tori Coates and Chip Collins, Westville.
Senior: 1. Natasha Patel, Wagoner; 2. Ryan Lester, Muskogee. Honorable Mention: Jewel Yell and Amy Yell, Westville.
Physics
Junior: 1. Jordan Wasson, Hilldale; 2. Alex Hames and Sarah Stotts, Muskogee. Honorable Mention: Kali Romine and Brent LaCrone, Hilldale.
Senior: 1. Eli Turley Wagoner; Matt Robison, Muskogee; 2. Jarrett Carter, Westville. Honorable Mention, Levi Willis and Tristan Trumbla, Westville.
Chemistry
Junior: 1. Darby Jarvis, Grandview; 2. Zuri Holder, Muskogee. Honorable mention: Whtney Stroup, Woodall; Brett McVay, Westville.
Senior: 1. Alex Coburn, Muskogee; 2. Dmitria and Erika Mahee, Wagoner. Honorable Mention: Lyndsay Tabor Muldrow; Brent Huggins, Wagoner.
Environmental Science
Junior: 1. Dylan Oney; 2. Ashley Smith and Ashley Kindle, Westville. Honorable Mention, Austin Evans, Wagoner.
Senior: 1. Layla Butler; 2. Kate Muzlijakovick, Wagoner. Honorable Mention, Tarah Mahan, Muldrow.
Botany
Junior: 1. Madison Ford, Wagoner; 2. Mason White, Muldrow. Honorable Mention: Trent Kirkpatrick, Hilldale; Asa Jernigan, Muskogee.
Senior: 1. Rachel Hill, Muldrow; 2. Terri Anglen, Muldrow. Honorable Mention , Sheridan Tabor, Muldrow; Shelby Singletery, Westville.
U.S. Air Force
Junior: 1. Adrien Rutherford, Hilldale; 2. Darby Jarvis, Grandview.
Senior: 1. Ashley Weeks, Wagoner; 2. Willie Reaves, Muskogee.
Most Promising Project
Juinor: Dylan Oney, Muskogee.
Senior: Harrison Dragoo, Muskogee.
Association for Women Geoscientists: Lindsey Huggins, Muldrow.
American Meteorological Society: Cara Fullenwider, Muskogee.
U.S. Metric Society: Ashley Weeks, Wagoner.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, certificate for promoting healthy lifestyles: Jaylen Heaven, Muskogee.
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association Outstanding Overall Engineering Project: Lindsey Huggins, Muldrow.
National Society of Professional Engineers: Jarod Lane and Brannan Beck, Wagoner.
RICOH Award, for addressing issues of environmental responsibility: Layla Butler, Muldrow.
Stockholm Water: Ava Yeabower: Hilldale.
Yale Science & Engineering Association: Lyndsey Huggins, Muldrow.
Intel Excellence in Computer Service: Willie Reaves, Muskogee.
Most Promising Exhibit in Engineering Design and Principal: Jarrod Lane and Brennan Beck, Wagoner.
Best Use of Natural Energy: Hunter Capers, Wagoner.
Best Math Related Project: Charlotte Kirk, Westville.

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