April 22, 2009        

 DSBN Students to Compete in Canada Wide Science Fair

Two student scientists from the District School Board of Niagara will head west this May to compete in the Canada Wide Science Fair in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School Students Bindu Kovvuru and Supritha Nilam earned their tickets to Winnipeg by winning Canada Wide Science Fair Awards at the Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair held at Brock University in late March.

For her project entitled “Phytoremediation: Using geraniums as hyper accumulators in phytoextracting lead from our environment”, Bindu took home a number of awards, including a Brock University Entrance Scholarship, the Gallea Environmental Award, the Brock Biology Award, the Brock Chemistry Award and the University of Guelph Plant Science Award.

Supritha’s project “Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics – Part 2: From Lab to Land”, is a follow-up to her 2008 project, which also earned her the right to compete at the Canada Wide Science Fair. In addition to winning the Canada Wide Science Fair Award, Supritha earned a Brock University Entrance Scholarship, the Ontario Agricultural College Award and the Ontario Horticulture Society Award.

Sir Winston Churchill was named as the school with the most outstanding representation in the secondary category.

DSBN Science and Environmental Consultant Sean Hanna says students’ participation in these events allows them to “demonstrate their keen interest and innovative approach to questions of science. These students all have very bright futures ahead of them.”

The Canada-Wide Science Fair is the country’s largest extra-curricular youth science event. This year’s edition will showcase the talent and efforts of more than 500 students between Grades 7 to 12. Projects are judged in various categories, including life sciences, health sciences, physical sciences, biotechnology, engineering, computer science and the recently added environmental innovation category.

The fair runs from May 9 to 17.


DSBN Award Winners at the 2009 Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair


Canada Wide Science Fair Award
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Supritha Nilam, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics

Brock University Entrance Scholarships
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Supritha Nilam, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics

Senior Division – Second Place
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Senior Division – Third Place
Supritha Nilam, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics

Senior Division – Honourable Mention
Emilia Ling, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Effects of a Daytime Nap on Campus

Vale Inco Award for Schools with Outstanding Representation
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School

Juvenile Division – Honourable Mention
Mackenzie Hunter, Anna Jones, Col. John Butler Public School, Are Compact Fluorescent Lights Safe?

Junior Division Winner – Enbridge Gas Award
Andrew McBurney, Princess Margaret Public School, Biodegradability

Junior Division – Third Place
Mackenzie Wiens, Col. John Butler Public School, Anthocyanin Extraction in Cherries and Grapes

Varsha Jayasankar, Power Glen Public School, Antioxidants – Do they Really help extend a fruit’s shelf life?

Junior Division – Honourable Mention
Valerie Dykstra, Jordan Public School, Measurement of airborne pollutants through wet disposition

Haydon Irving-Crabbe, Vineland Public School, Ant Quake

Canadian Militia Awards
Evan Verworn, Thorold Secondary School, Wireless Energy

United States Army Certificates
Emilia Ling, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Effects of a Daytime Nap on Campus

Even Verworn, Thorold Secondary School, Wireless Energy

Meridian Credit Union Award
Mackenzie Wiens, Col. John Butler Public School, Anthocyanin Extraxction in Cherries and Grapes

Brock University Psychology Department
Emilia Ling, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Effects of a Daytime Nap on Campus

Niagara Electrical Association – Robert Burke Memorial Award
Mackenzie Hunter, Anna Jones, Col. John Butler Public School, Are Compact Fluorescents Safe?

Ontario Agricultural College Award
Supritha Nilam, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics

The Dr. Doyle Award
Ustina Huh, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, The Role of Motivation in Performance on the Leger Shuttle Run

Ontario Horticulture Society Award
Supritha Nilam, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Anti-Oxidants and Plant Dynamics

Consulting Engineers of Ontario – Niagara Chapter Award
Even Verworn, Thorold Secondary School, Wireless Energy

Hydro One Networks Inc Award
Mackenzie Hunter, Anna Jones, Col. John Butler Public School, Are Compact Fluorescents Safe?

Gallea Environmental Award
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Brock Biology Award
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Brock Chemistry Award
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Vineland Reseach and Innovation Centre Award
Varsha Jayasankar, Power Glen Public School, Anti-Oxidants – Do they really help extend a fruit’s shelf life?

Carly Dunbar, West Park Secondary School, Death by Salt

University of Guelph Plant Science Award
Mackenzie Wiens, Col. John Butler Public School, Anthocyanin Extraxction in Cherries and Grapes
Bindu Kovvuru, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Phytoremediation

Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Varsha Jayasankar, Power Glen Public School, Anti-Oxidants – Do they really help extend a fruit’s shelf life?

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Award
Mackenzie Hunter, Anna Jones, Col. John Butler Public School, Are Compact Fluorescents Safe?

Valerie Dykstra, Jordan Public School, Measurement of airborne pollutants through wet disposition

Haydon Irving-Crabbe, Vineland Public School, Ant Quake

Catherine Gavaris, Col. John Butler Public School, Clean Dirt?