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FEBRUARY 28, 2020 Entertainment RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS, THEATERS & EVENTS

Brentwood student takes home science fair prize

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by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer

When Brentwood sixth-grader JT Scheeper won a recent science fair, he thought it was a joke.

But the budding scientist’s talents are real.

JT’s work to determine the strongest and most absorbent paper towel brand recently earned him top honors amongst a group of his peers at the fifth Brentwood Classical Conversations Homeschool Student Science Fair.

“I was very surprised,” said JT, 12, about his victory. “I thought they were joking.”

The eight participants, most of whom are sixth-graders, were tasked with formulating a testable research question, accompanied by a typed research paper and a trifold presentation board, all of which were examined by seven community judges during a formal project showcase event.

A homemade paper towel-holding contraption that streamlined JT’s strength and absorbency testing — yielding Bounty as the top tested brand — highlighted his winning combination of work, but show judges also praised his research paper quality, presentation and overall body of work.

“I thought it was really neat, because at 12, you usually just grab a paper towel — you don’t think about different brands,” said program tutor Heather Cannon.

For his part, JT said he picked up valuable experiences throughout the scientific journey.

He got to spend quality time with his grandfather, who aided in the contraption’s construction, and he learned that it’s important to formulate one’s own conclusions.

The endeavor also taught students how to responsibly research, apply the scientific method, cite sources and write an essay.

“I learned that you can’t really trust any commercials, because companies have to advertise their products,” JT said. “We have to test for ourselves to see which one is the best.”

Cannon said she was proud of all the projects. Others delved into the effects of positive or negative speech on plant growth; taste-testing using different flavors paired with unexpected colors; testing for the temperatures at which different types of pinecones open up; how soda affects your insides; how sugary drinks affect and damage your teeth; testing for which brand of popcorn leaves the fewest kernels; and observing whether earthworms migrate toward the dark or the light.

“I was so proud of them,” she said. “Especially with the teacher being at home, you don’t know what they are do

Photo courtesy of JT Scheeper

Brentwood sixth-grader JT Scheeper recently won a local science fair for his work to determine the most absorbent and strongest brand of paper towel.

ing at home. I didn’t see anything until that day, so it was really impressive. I felt they did a great job and took it seriously.” For more information about Classical Conversations Homeschool, visit www.classicalconversations.com. To comment, visit www.thepress.net

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