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Farmers and corporations are taking notice of a student-developed experiment on whether fertilizer or biostimulants are better for plants.
Four Memorial Park Middle School graduates will leave for Washington, D.C., on Saturday to present their project in the eCYBERMISSION contest.
The competition, sponsored by the U.S. Army, asks students to come up with a real-life problem and a solution. The students, who placed first for eighth grade in the regional competition, chose to study how fertilizer runoff containing nitrates damage water and soil.
“The point of the project is to learn new information but the key part is to do something with it,” said Larry Lesh, retired educator and the team’s adviser.
The students set up shop at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne’s greenhouse and used fertilizer on some plants and biostimulants, a more organic and natural way to help plants grow, on others. Overall, they discovered biostimulants are not only cheaper but also better for the environment.
The students, Landan Mintch, Emily Barrand, Danielle Whitney and Melanie Kowalski, wrote to hunger organizations Heifer International and Educational Concerns Hunger Organization. Both groups are now conducting experiments based on the students’ findings. A Wells County farmer is also testing the fertilizer-versusbiostimulants theory on his crops, and the students are farming a small garden at Salomon Farm.
They’re hoping to secure a meeting at the U.S. Department of Agriculture during their stay in Washington, D.C.
The team said they learned a lot about science and farming but also learned about broader topics, such as writing a paper, making professional phone calls and working on a team.
“You learn to really communicate a lot better with the people you’re working with and get things across,” Mintch said.
•Elizabeth A. Mundroff, Carroll High School graduate, has been awarded the 2009 PEFCU Citizenship Award by the Undergraduate Studies Program at Purdue University.
•Holy Cross Lutheran School students receiving awards for their excellence in reading as indicated by their accomplishments with the Accelerated Reader are: Conner Goetz, Corey Staley, Alison Hazelet, Natalie Hazelet, Michaela Hesse, Peniel Endashaw, Michala Blodgett, Faith Runge, Pamela Chen, and Susan Chen.
•Students winning district awards in the Dave Deuter Memorial Essay Contest are: Molly Johnson, Wyneken Memorial Lutheran; Cheyenne Verschure, Price Elementary; Jesus Guerrero, Waterloo Elementary; Samantha Roller, Andrews Elementary; Andrea Ledgerwood, Prairie Heights Middle; Brandon Rios, South Side Elementary; Hannah McElroy, Hendry Park Elementary; Brandt Couch, Southern Wells Elementary; and Katie Weigel, Northern Heights Elementary.
•South Side High School graduate Yasamin Oloomi received the Garet & Carolyn Crosby scholarship from the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Fort Wayne.
•Fort Wayne students receiving a $3,000 Sam Walton Community Scholarship from the Wal-Mart Foundation are: Bishop Dwenger High students David Huneck and Michael Saadeh; and Canterbury High student Megan Pedro.
•Joanna Wittke of Fort Wayne, has been awarded a $1,000 Washington Foundation Scholarship from the University of Montana.
•South Side High School graduates receiving $1,000 non-renewable scholarships from the South Side High School Alumni Association and Foundation are: India Ballard Bonfitto, Christopher Lamping, Kaylyn Sands, Sydney Weinert, DeShaun Harris, Antesha Prosser, Soe Soe and Jessica Grabowski.
•The following students were awarded scholarships by the Fort Wayne Community Schools scholarship committee: Dana Koomler, Alida Priest, Emily Harris, Jasmin Khatana, Ria Massey, Khoa Ngo, Cyteria Womack, Cristi Lehman, Jessica Davidson, Morgan Uhen, Jazmine Rosemond, Jaquanda Capers, Soe Soe, Paul Shupe, Samantha Maki, Jess Gaze, Brooke Bowley, Shelby Vaughn, Chelsea Crawford, Sara Sims and Odessey Morris.
