After months of preparation, SLVHS students took on the county science fair in Watsonville on March 11.
Students participating from the high school ranged from sophomores to seniors; most seniors have been developing their projects for over three years. The SLV participants, projects, and their awards include:
Halie Davis, Ian Gallagher, and Quinn Lydon: Blooms in the Harbor: Is Arana Gulch Guilty? (Project of Merit Senior Division, Stockholm Junior Water Award)
Cassie Ackemann, Annika Bauerle, and Ava Badger: What’s The Stink In Shingle Mill Creek: Act II
Carly Hill and Mira Lion: Effect of Acanthocephalan Parasites on the Burrowing Behavior of Emerita analoga Or “Are Spiny-Headed Worms turning Sand Crabs into Zombies?” (3rd Place Senior Division, State Finalist)
Ellie Bourret, Julianna Manseau, and Kate Ussat: What’s Increasing the Crow and Raven Populations? Is it the Garbage? (Project of Merit Senior Division, Scwibles Award)
Ashley Welch and Maxwell Zinkievich: Using a More Sustainable Method of Data Collection to Determine The Effect of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on Air Quality in the San Lorenzo Valley (2nd Place Senior Division, American Meteorology Award, State Finalist)
Nate Alisago, Aiden le Roux, and Jared Rembao: Sustainability of Olympia Watershed: Can Humans and Wildlife Coexist? ( Project of Merit Senior Division)
Natalie Keesaw and Sophia Magliato: Are Mussels Dissolving in the Tidepools? (Project of Merit Senior Division, State Finalist)
Katelyn Lozier and Celeste Robinson: Mussels and Sea Stars: A Constant Battle (3rd Place Senior Division, State Finalist)
Trevor Cambron and Natalie Owens: SOD: Is it Still Spreading? What’s going on?
Senior Annika Baeurle and her partners have been observing and studying the levels of fecal coliform pollution in the San Lorenzo River. They collect samples from five sites along the San Lorenzo River that were chosen at the beginning of their project. These sites are checked once every two weeks and the samples are collected. Each science fair group has a mentor who helps them with their projects. Bauerle’s group was really set on track when one of their mentors, Jenny M. recommend using ammonia as a testing chemical. Since this group consists of all seniors, this will be their last year participating in the science fair.
Jane Orbuch, APES and Honors Bio teacher, is also the instructor of a separate science elective called Environmental Monitoring. Orbuch is the organizer of the projects in the science fair as well as the head mentor. Although Ms. Orbuch will not be returning to teach next year, she will be returning to continue instructing those sophomores and juniors who wish to continue with their projects another year.
Written by Tulsi Carrol
The Claw 