Sheldon, Iowa — Winners have been named in the Sheldon 8th Grade Science Fair.
The 29th annual fair involved 8th-grade students designing a controlled experiment to help solve a problem or answer a question.
The top winners will move on to the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa competition, which will be held virtually this year. The school and KIWA send congratulations to all students who participated and best wishes to those moving on to the virtual State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa to be held on March 27 and 28, 2025.
Receiving first place were Ashley Brinkman and Ava Honkomp with a project researching how the type of energy drink affects how fast a daphnia’s (that’s a water flea) heart beats per minute.
Receiving second place were Andie De Groot and Makaiah Vermeer, with a project researching how the amount of grapefruit juice in a Tylenol solution into which leaves are dipped affects the length, weight, and physical properties of caterpillars that eat those leaves.
Receiving third place were Brooke Jonas and Taylor Stellinga with a project researching how humidity affects the growth of a sweet corn stalk.
| Place | Group Members | Project Topic |
| 1st | Ashley BrinkmanAva Honkomp | How does the type of energy drink affect how fast the daphnia’s heart beats per minute? |
| 2nd | Andie De GrootMakaiah Vermeer | How does the amount of grapefruit juice in the Tylenol solution (into which leaves are dipped) affect the length, weight, and physical properties of the caterpillars that eat those leaves? |
| 3rd | Brooke JonasTaylor Stellinga | How does humidity affect the growth of a sweet corn stalk? |
| Honorable Mention | Ella IedemaAshya Mack | How does covering or not covering fried Oreos affect the amount of mold growth on the Oreos? |
| Honorable Mention | Theo Smith | How does the temperature at which a chocolate chip cookie is baked affect the density of the cookie after being chilled for 15 minutes? |
| Honorable Mention | Carlee BootsmaDelaney Van Beek | How does the different types of cigarettes affect the weight of the cotton pad after it has been exposed to cigarette smoke? |
| Honorable Mention | Avery MeineckePresley Simpson | How does the type of toothpaste affect how white the egg becomes after sitting in coffee for 24 hours? |
| Honorable Mention | Madison DavenportGiselle Garcia | How does adding carbon dioxide to Aloe Vera plants affect the frequency of the Aloe Vera plants? |
| Honorable Mention | Kullen Keizer | How does the PSI of a Wilson Evolution men’s basketball affect the height at which it bounces? |
| Honorable Mention | Blessing MatsikoWilliam Vreeman | How does the time an apple slice spends on the ground affect the amount of mold and bacteria that grow? |
| Honorable Mention | Sam Van Maaen | How does the brand of battery affect the time that the battery can power wind turbine blades? |
Front Row (L-R) (Kneeling): Makaiah Vermeer, Andie De Groot, Ashley Brinkman, Ava Honkomp, Taylor Stellinga, Brooke Jonas
Back Row (L-R) (Standing) : Ashya Mack, Sam Van Maaren, Presley Simpson, Avery Meinecke, Delaney Van Beek, Carlee Bootsma, Ella Iedema, Blessing Matsiko, Kullen Keizer, Theo Smith, William Vreeman, Madison Davenport, Giselle Garcia
