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Science savvy teens put Sunburst, MT on the globe- All six Sunburst students who qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair came away with major cash awards.

When cattle started aborting on her family’s ranch northwest of Kevin last spring, 16-year-old Lacy Gillespie went to work on the problem in her high school’s science lab.

By KAREN IVANOVA
Tribune Regional Editor

Collecting liver biopsies and blood samples with the help of a local veterinarian, her work eventually led her to the University of Wyoming, where she used sophisticated equipment to discover a severe copper deficiency in the herd.

"The vet I was working with was surprised the cows were even alive, let alone out walking around," said Gillespie, who used her two-year study as a school science project.

Her research staved off crisis on her parent’s drought-stricken ranch, where 15 calves were aborted, stillborn or died days after birth that spring.

Her efforts also may have launched her path to a veterinary career.

Last week, Gillespie’s research placed among the top five student zoology projects in the world at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Cleveland, Ohio.

Her entry beat out competition from China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Canada and the United States.

Gillespie came away with a total of $2,200 in cash awards.

What’s equally impressive is that Gillespie, now 17, is not in a league of her own at rural North Toole County High School, with a student body of 81.

All six Sunburst students who qualified for the competition came away with major cash awards.

Joe Pudelka, a junior, used an electron microscope and laser equipment to create acetone-based "electrospun nanofibers."

The low-cost material could be used for drinking water filters and other applications in Third World countries, said Pudelka, who is seeking a patent for his invention.

His work earned a Schlumberger Educational Award of $500.

Juniors Amanda Nagy and Darcy Diegel won a Fourth Place Grand Award of $500 in the category of Medicine and Health.

They studied the risks of overheating plastic food packaging materials — such as those used for ground beef or TV dinners.

The team tested toxicity levels of four different types of plastics on water fleas.

Consumers should think twice before re-heating coffee in a Styrofoam cup or overheating cheese dip in a plastic container, Diegel said.

Their study found that cancer-causing toxins from the material can leach into oils in food.

"If you’re going to heat stuff in plastic, if there’s rules on the box, follow them," Diegel said.

Seniors Tanya Lazenby and Maggie Fairhurst also took a $500 fourth place award in the Botany category.

They used advanced protein testing techniques, similar to those used in DNA research, to test mint plant resistance to Verticillium Wilt, a scourge that can live in a mint farmer’s soil for 25 years.

The students conduct their research during a special study hour called "Individualized Science Investigations," said science teacher Larry Fauque.

He has overseen the class since its inception 30 years ago.

"I’m their mentor. I really don’t consider myself their teacher in this course," Fauque said. "They work on projects that are open-ended and, because of that, I work right along with them."

The program has earned North Toole County High School a national reputation.

Fauque’s teams took first place in the small schools division at the State Science Fair this spring.

The Sunburst team also took second place in the small schools category at the state Science Olympiad in Bozeman in November.

The students apply for grants to fund their research and use the Internet to find mentors from around the world, Fauque said.

In the process, students learn patience, perseverance, computer skills, writing skills and more.

"Even though we use science as the vehicle for doing what we do, it teaches them a lot about life skill," said Fauque, who adds that he learns along with them. "We’re kind of all in this together."

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/news/stories/20030523/localnews/351545.html

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