Six students from Mount Pleasant Junior High competed in the Region VIII ESC Science and Invention Fair in early February. The Fair was moved to a virtual format due to the inclement weather. Students set up their displays and were recorded giving their presentations which were then submitted for judging. Four MPJH students were awarded certificates for their projects.

In the 7th grade Behavioral/Biological category, Marley Broach placed 6th with her project “How Different Types of Water Affect Plant Growth.” Broach watered plants with 3 different types of liquid including tap water, filtered water, and sanitizer. She found that the plant watered with tap water grew more than the one watered with filtered water, while the sanitizer killed the plant.

In the 8th grade Behavioral/Biological division, Rylie Mendez took home 2nd place with her project “Music Soothes the Soul.” She sought to discover what genre of music was best for calming anxiety. After careful online research and polling MPJH students and faculty, she concluded that classical music was most relaxing.

Also in the 8th grade Behavioral/Biological division, Makayla Mather placed 5th by searching for the truth behind “the 5 second rule” which believes that if a piece of food is dropped, it can be eaten safely if it is picked it up within 5 seconds. She experimented with popcorn dropped on various surfaces around the house and outdoors and tested them for bacterial growth over time to confirm or refute her hypothesis.

In the Middle/High School Inventions category, 7th grader Rey Munoz earned 6th place for his greenhouse built from recycled water bottles. Munoz found an innovative

way to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic water bottles to help grow plants and replenish the earth.

Also participating for MPJH were 7th graders Rubi Gutierrez and Jesus Mata. Gutierrez researched which room in the school contained the most bacteria. She dropped a strawberry on the ground in various rooms and grew bacteria in petri dishes over the course of two months. Mata sought to discover how age affects reflexes. He tested the reflexes of students and adults in the school by dropping a meter stick and measuring how many centimeters it took to catch it. He measured visually by dropping it without warning and audibly by having the participant close their eyes and listen for an audible signal to catch. He discovered that with age, audible reflexes improved while visual decreased.

Student science projects could be Behavior/Biological which would include the study of plants, molds, fungus, bacteria, or human and/or animal responses to the environment, or Chemical/Physical which would study the physical and chemical changes in matter. Students could also submit an invention that was able to solve a real problem or satisfy a need.

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MPJH participants in the Region 8 Science and Invention Fair (L to R): Marley Broach, Makayla Mather, Rubi Gutierrez, Rey Munoz, Jesus Mata