McNick’s Science Scholars shine at Annual Science Fair

By Meghan Runte

The Annual Science Fair occurred on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, where seven students were recognized with two honorable mentions, two special awards, and the four overall winners. Students presented their research to a group of judges and answered questions from the judges before receiving their final scores on their projects.

Science teacher and department chair Ms. Mary Dennemann shared that the projects that typically do well are the projects that follow the scientific method. The scientific method consists of asking a question, gathering information, forming a hypothesis, designing and performing an experiment, interpreting data, drawing a conclusion, and sharing results. If a student follows these steps well, they have a better chance of doing well in competition.

Dennemann also said that another thing that helps students perform well in Science Fair is to show passion for the topic they are presenting. She shared that students should pick a topic they are interested in learning more about when deciding their project. When choosing a project, she said that students should also make observations and ask questions about the world around them.

Special Awards:

Governor’s Award for Information Science and Technology Research: “Basketball Predictions with AI” by sophomore Winnie Hums
NABT Award for Outstanding Life Science Project: “Vessel Materials Affecting the pH of Kombucha” by sophomore Therese Bursa

Honorable Mention:

Honorable Mention: “Boat Hull Angles Traveling Through Water” by sophomore Preston Greiner
Honorable Mention: “The Impact of Coastal Flooding on Various Types of Coastal Defenses” by sophomore Sophia Whicker

Top 3 overall winners:

3^rd place: “The Ground Effect” by sophomore Quinn Royce
2^nd place (tie): “Crossbeam Placement” by sophomore Micheal Esposito
2^nd place (tie): “Vegetative Versus Seed Propagation in Radishes” sophomore by Montgomery Gibson
1^st place: “Vessel Materials Affecting the pH of Kombucha” by sophomore Therese Bursa

Hums said that she really enjoyed participating in Science Fair. She said, “I enjoy thinking of something that I think needs to be researched more and diving into that field.” She also said that she knows “it might not be for everyone but find something to do that interests you, and it helps you continue through the project.”

Sophomore Frankie Colonna said she enjoyed Science Fair because “it wasn’t as high stakes and high maintenance as I thought. There wasn’t as much pressure on me as I anticipated.”