Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) hosted its 23rd annual Science and Engineering Fair on Saturday, March 19. Sixteen investigative and engineering projects were scored by 19 judges from a wide selection of Island organizations. Twenty-four physics students in 10 teams also competed in a wind-turbine challenge.
Sophomore Huck Moore was awarded the grand prize (Dr. James H. Porter/Tisbury Waterway Inc. Award) with his project, Removing carbon dioxide in seawater through electrical charges.
The other winners include:
First place, Investigative: Maia Donnelly — An investigation into the effect of activated charcoal and hydrogen peroxide on polluted water samples at different time intervals.
Second place, Investigative: Daniel Serpa — Constructing straw insulation as an alternative to harmful polystyrene.
Third place, Investigative: Edward Cherry — How rising sea surface temperatures in the Cape Cod Bay impact the cold stunning phenomenon on loggerhead turtles.
First place, Engineering: Kinley Rinzin — Metal cutting ring protector.
Second place, Engineering: Jacob Riis — SEAsaw upweller scaled-down prototype.
Third place, Engineering: Clara Cabral, Kayla Dow — Recycled reversible clothing.
Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation Award: Daniel Serpa — Constructing straw insulation as an alternative to harmful polystyrene.
Island Grown Initiative Award: Aidan Ziegenhorn — Effects of soil acidity on plants.
Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute (MRPI) Award: Jessie Dlabaj and Lily Sebastian — Testing M.V. ticks for borrelia and Babesia microti.
Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association Award: Jacob Riis — SEAsaw upweller scaled-down prototype.
Sustainability Award, sponsored by the Munn family: Clara Cabral and Kayla Dow — Recycled reversible clothing.
Lagoon Pond Association Award: Quinlan Slavin — The effect of carbon dioxide on the pH of seawater.
Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group Award: Huck Moore — Removing carbon dioxide in seawater through electrical charges.
Earth Science Award: Jacksun Engler — Farming in today’s world.
Biology Award: Zachary Utz — The effects of antibiotics on beneficial gut bacteria.
Physics Award: Lily Moran and Laiza Miller — Healthy frozen snack alternative.
Chemistry Award: Owen Kiernan — Ocean acidity.
Technology Award: Brook Ward and Violet MacPhail — Engineering a natural and plant-based fabric dye.
Wind turbine results
Direct-drive turbines:
- Filippo Mucci
- Gabriella DeBlase and Genevieve Hyland
- Linus Munn and Daniel Serpa
Geared-drive turbines
- Jack Walsh and Henry Kyburg-Abbott
- Nellie Long, Oliver Lively, & Rayssa DeOliveira
- Jack Crawford, Annabelle Brothers, and Simon Hammarlund
In addition, Jessie Dlabaj and Lily Sebastian, Daniel Serpa, Caroline Kelleher, and Maia Donnelly competed in the Region V Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair, held virtually on March 5. Jessie Dlabaj and Lily Sebastian and Maia Donnelly will be competing in the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair on May 5 and 6.
MVRHS is grateful for the community support from judges and our sponsors, Tisbury Waterways, Inc., Marine & Paleobiological Research Institute, Lagoon Pond Association, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, Island Grown Initiative, Vineyard Conservation Society, Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Vineyard Power, Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association, the Munn family, and Louis Paciello and Great Harbor Market for delicious food.
