John Brown students participate in science fair

Sadie Russell was part of her brother’s Science Fair experiment: The effects of food coloring. She went an entire week without foods with artificial coloring. No Mountain Dew. No Gushers fruit snacks. No Nacho Cheese Doritos. Fruit Loops were out, too.

“It was really hard,” said Sadie, a third-grader at John Brown Elementary School. “I couldn’t eat gum, and I love eating gum.”

When the family tried to eat as much artificially colored foods as possible, Sadie noticed a difference.

“When I went to sleep, I couldn’t go to sleep for a half-hour,” she said. “Usually it takes 20 minutes.”

Fifth-grade brother Drew’s project – which also tested the effect of food coloring on flowers – was among 159 projects John Brown Elementary students entered in the school’s Science Fair.

High school science students judged the students’ projects, said third-grade teacher Fonda Stewart, organizer of the Science Fair.

“This year we had some pretty interesting things,” she said.

Fifth-grader Jacob Allison won a Super Scientist award for his project “Can a nail be made rust-proof?”

He dipped several nails into various substances including honey, mayonnaise and anti-bacterial soap.

“We just ran around the house looking for random stuff,” Jacob said. All the nails were placed into a container with a wet towel.

After two weeks, all were covered in rust. Some more than others. A spray-painted nail held up best.

Madison Rennison, a third-grader and winner of a Super Scientist award, put pieces of candy on blotting paper and dribbled water on top of the candy to see which candies bled the most.

Sprees.

Classmate Kallie Garn attempted to answer “A Rising Question.”

She made two batches of cookies and pancakes: One batch with baking soda and the other with baking powder.

Baking powder made the best pancakes.

For the cookies, baking soda worked best.

“The powder was like too fluffy on the cookies,” Kallie said.

The Best of Show trophy went to sixth-grader Taylor Garn.

Plaques were awarded to Super Scientists Madison Rennison, third grade; Terren Weirick, fourth grade; Jacob Allison, fifth grade; and Jeremy Friedrick, sixth grade.

Winners in the Kindergarten to third-grade division included first place Cole Turner, third grade; second place McKenna Fiddes, first grade; third place Kallie Garn, third grade.

Fourth-grade winners are: First place Owen Shelton, second place Lydia Myers, third place Jasmine Raymond.

Fifth-grade winners are: First place Tyrel Derrick, second place Jett Paz, third place Hope Shelton.

Sixth-grade winners are: First place Larissa Lagenderfer, second place Taylor Shuman, third place Madison Seymour.