Guinyard-Butler Middle School has Excellent Showing at Regional Science Fair

Guinyard-Butler Middle School (GBMS) had an exceptional showing at the CSRA Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Prior to sending students to the regional fair, GBMS hosted their school wide science fair on February 10, 2023. Mr. Alex Kinard, 7th grade science teacher, coordinated the fair with categories including animal science, chemistry, earth and planetary science, electricity and magnetism, engineering, food science, material science, medicine and health science, physics, plant science, and thermal science.

According to Mr. Kinard, “The GBMS Science Fair was a great opportunity for students to show their scientific skills. We had great participation, and I was excited to bring the fair back to our school, as this is what Science is all about.”

First place school winners in each category included:

• Ankitha Konka - Animal Science

• Hampton Gantt - Chemistry

• Morrison Wilson - Earth and Planetary Science

• Ryan Von - Electricity and Magnetism

• Shelby Jackson - Engineering

• Jonathan Bolton - Food Science

• Logan Perlote - Material Science

• Kyle Sanders - Medicine and Health Science

• Ethan Elkins - Physics

• Simon Sanders - Plant Science

• Case Davis - Thermal Science.

As a school winner, each student had the opportunity to compete in the regional science fair. Hosted by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC, the 2023 CSRA Science and Engineering Fair took place March 11, 2023 at the University of South Carolina Aiken. All projects included a log book, research paper, and pre sentation board. The Central Savannah River Area includes the eastern Georgia counties, as well as the western South Carolina counties of Aiken, Edgefield, Allendale, and Barnwell.

Of the eleven students who represented GBMS at the CSRA science fair, nine of them placed during the awards ceremony at the culmination of the weekend event. Even more remarkable, thirteen of the thirty awards presented to middle school students in the entire CSRA were awarded to students from GBMS.

• Jonathan Bolton - 1st place Food Science award and $60 Amazon gift card, U.S. Naval Science Award and medallion, 2nd place Overall and trophy

• Ethan Elkins - 3rd place Chemistry award

• Hampton Gantt - 2nd place Food Science award

• Shelby Jackson - Honor Mentionable Physical Science award

• Ankitha Knoka - 1st place Chemistry award and $60 amazon gift card

• Kyle Sanders - 3rd place Food Sciences award

• Simon Sanders - 3rd place Life Sciences award

• Ryan Von - 1st place in Electricity/Magnetism/Ther­mo­dynamics award with $60 Amazon gift card and Lemelson Early Inventor Prize with a $100 prize

• Molly Wilson- 2nd place Physical Science award and Association for Women Geoscientist award.

SRNS also nominated Jonathon Bolton for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) based on his Second Place overall project. The Thermo Fisher JIC, previously the Broadcom MASTERS, is the nation’s premier STEM research competition for middle school students.

“Barnwell School District 45 congratulates these outstanding students,” shared Superintendent Crissie Stapleton. “We are so proud of their dedication to the work they do. We know science fairs can be an extensive process, but they truly are instrumental in developing critical thinking, problem-solving, time management, and communication as our students work with school staff to apply the principles of the scientific method.”

Mr. Kinard also expressed his appreciation for those involved in the process, “I personally thank all the GBMS staff and parents for their help. A big shout out goes to Taylor Rice at SRS Education Center for helping guide me through the process, find judges, and so much more. A final word of thanks goes to the five SRS employees who judged the GBMS Science Fair Projects. I can’t wait until next year.”

Barnwell School District 45 continually works to enhance and expand STEM opportunities for students. Recently named a Lighthouse School District for their extensive STEM opportunities, the district’s GBMS Science Fair serves as an example of that work in action.