The Doane Stuart School’s award-winning Science Program generated the top winners, out of more than 100 participants, in the latest Joseph Henry Science Fair. This year in the Grades 4 – 6 division, 5th grader Jonathan Peatfield took 1st place for his project What’s Up With Watts? In the Grades 7 - 8 division, Isabelle Burger-Weiser took 1st place for her project Turning Over a New Leaf and Lizabeth Kelly took 2nd place for her project Seeing Spots.

In an interview with Jessica Bloustein, WAMC, on May 1, 2006, Jonathan Peatfield discussed his views on his project and how science is his favorite subject. He proved that higher wattage light bulbs melt ice cubes faster than lower wattage bulbs. “It is like the ice cubes represent the Polar Ice Caps and the light bulb represents the more heat that gets through the ozone layer. It is because of the higher amount of sun that gets through because of the ozone layer being destroyed.” Isabelle Burger-Weiser reflected on her project about the temperature at which Rhododendron leaves curl; it happens at -5o F. “I was always puzzled how sometimes the leaves curled and sometimes they didn’t. I measured 10 times and took 30 measurements each time in my yard.” Isabelle is looking forward to advancing her research and adjusting it to show how the changing weather and warmer winters affect her hypothesis.

Front Row L-R: Austin Dehnert, Jeffrey Stone, Lizabeth Kelly, Isabelle Burger-Weiser, Jonathan Peatfield, Zach Marlay-Wright. Back Row L-R: Lauren Michel, Kelly Walsh, Eun Hee Kim, Rosalie Smith, Bryan Miller, Brendan Fleig-Goldstein, Hanora Tracy, Hannah Hohenstein-Flack.