From how sleep affects your grades to the dangers of mixing household chemicals, students explored a variety of topics for their science projects. Having spent weeks researching and developing their ideas, more than 300 students recently showcased their work at the STEAM Fair, which was held at Mahopac Middle School gymnasium.
The event – which highlighted the creativity and curiosity of the Mahopac students – was coordinated by science teachers Margaret Fox and Kelly Kischak, as well as high school science National Honor Society adviser Elizabeth Stephens.
Eighth grader Taylor Wyman shared her research on the genetics of fingerprints in her project, “Who’s Got Your Prints? Are Fingerprints Hereditary?” Wyman’s hypothesis was that fingerprints are inherited, and to test this, she compared the fingerprints of children with those of their parents across 11 different families.
“I found that 64% of the cases showed similar fingerprint patterns, whether loops, arches or whorls, between parents and children,” Wyman said.
When asked by a STEAM Fair judge what she would change about her project if given the chance, Wyman suggested expanding her sample size to include more families for more reliable data.
Teammates Delilah Alvarado, Nora Beltrami and Mikaela Polanco Cartmill presented a project on “The Impact of Music on Puzzle Solving Performance.” Their goal was to determine whether background music, or the lack thereof, affected concentration and task performance. They had three groups of five participants each solve a number puzzle under different conditions, with pop music, classical music or no music at all.
“We hypothesized that the group working in silence would perform the best, as they’d be the least distracted,” Cartmill said. The results supported their hypothesis, with the no-music group solving the puzzle the quickest on average.
“I love listening to music while I am doing homework, but it was interesting to see that the group with no music playing performed the best,” Beltrami said. “We recommend that each person should test what works best for them.”
When asked about possible improvements, Alvarado suggested adding more types of puzzles in future experiments. “Some people are better with numbers, while others excel with words,” she said. “Including different puzzle types would give a fuller picture of how music affects brain performance.”
The STEAM Fair is a highly anticipated event each year, kicking off the day before Thanksgiving break. On that day, high school students from the Mahopac Science National Honor Society visit every middle school science classroom to discuss the upcoming fair, review the scientific method and help students brainstorm ideas. About four to six weeks before the event, high school students provide mentoring sessions for any middle schoolers who want additional guidance. This year, more than 200 middle school students participated in the mentoring opportunity.
The projects were judged by a panel of middle and high school science teachers, as well as high school Science National Honor Society members. To ensure fairness, each project was evaluated twice, once by a teacher and once by a pair of SNHS students. After the judging, winners were announced in each scientific category, with first-place winners having the opportunity to represent Mahopac at the Westchester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair, which will take place at Edgemont High School on April 26.
Overall, the event was a great success, showcasing the impressive talent and hard work of the middle school students. The STEAM Fair continues to inspire curiosity and scientific exploration in students of all ages.
Chemistry
First Place
“Sweet Success! Testing Sugar Alternatives” (Maddy Bucci, Bridget Morrione and Milena Stepinac)
Second Place
“The Perfect Marshmallow” (Nora Furfaro and Emma Godin)
Third Place
“Battle of the Bottles” (Victoria Lofaro and Katie Safieh)
“Which Liquid Best Dissolved Sunscreen?” (Yulista A. Quast, Reagan Tirado and Paola Yunga)
Health, Medicine and Psychology
First Place
“Electrolytes – Fuel Your Body” (Anthony Dicob and Luca Furfaro)
Second Place
“Defeat the Heat!” (Adriana Madera and Karissa Ziegelhofer)
“Pearly Whites” (Arianna DeSilva and Daniela Flores)
Third Place
“Two Truths and A Lie” (Mia Bally, Camryn Barrett and Ava Guzzo)
Physics and Mathematics
First Place
“Slime the Magnet” (Jaylee Tenenpaguay)
Biology
First Place
“Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited?” (Ellen Caraher and Lily Torsiello)
Second Place
“Comparing DNA Extraction: Strawberry Vs Banana” (Emma Kassman, Arianna Loprieno and Samantha Wohl)
Third Place
“Who’s Got Your Prints? Are Fingerprints Hereditary?” (Taylor Wyman)
“Will It Grow?” (Alison Marszycki, Elaina Morrissey and Giavanna Scarano)
Engineering, Technology and Computers
First Place
“Renewable Energy” (Ava Mueller and Arya Pellegrino)
Second Place
“The Trebuchet” (Liam Mortimer, Donovan Mosely and Logan Viggiano)
Environment
First Place
“Regrowing Plants” (Jasmine DeFino)
Second Place
“Hydroponics: Growing Without Soil” (Cora Ramahlo and Ayun Roh)
Third Place
“Attractive” Plant Growth” (Jack Blauer and Thomas Theanthong)
