(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – After superior ratings at school-level and regional competitions, several students at Mill Creek Elementary School earned honors at the Alabama Science & Engineering Fair.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville hosted the state science fair on April 3-5.

“The science fair gives students an opportunity to use the scientific method to conduct an in-depth research project on a topic that they are interested in and would like to learn more about,” Mill Creek fair sponsor Jacqueline Smith said.

Some students base their projects on concepts in classroom study “but many students research ideas that are based on real-life problems,” Smith said.

In the physical science division for fifth grade, Taylor Kramer took fourth place with “Avoid the Shock of Shock.”

“Taylor Kramer’s project was very interesting,” Smith said. “Taylor used water balloons to model blood spatter patterns, and her sister Lauren Kramer tested the shock value of different materials.”

Lauren Kramer presented “Does Velocity Matter? Measure the Spatter” to earn second place in a special award category from the Alabama Modeling & Simulation Council. Kramer also received an overall honorable mention.

Alec Benzeck’s project “Aerodynamics” and Nives Meyers’ work “Bouncing Quarters” received honorable mentions.

In the chemistry division for sixth grade, Madison Werkheiser captured second place for her project, “Don’t Hate Me Because I Am Beautiful.” Werkheiser also won a special award from the Department of Health & Human Services and the sole award that the Surgeon General’s Office presents in the junior division.

“Madison Werkheiser’s research project determined which types of makeup would develop bacterial growth after being used,” Smith said.

Among sixth-graders in the engineering division, Sean Flynn received an honorable mention for “Gauss Rifle.”