Benjamin Sandstrom and Claire Amey are two of the Liberty Middle School students who qualified for the State Science and Engineering Fair. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Liberty Middle School students experimented with perception, turbines and psychology in their projects for the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville hosted the fair on March 12.

In advance of the regional meet, Liberty conducted its fair on Feb. 17. Carla Beardslee, Amy Lyons and Rachel Willoughby coordinated Liberty’s projects. Judges were Dr. Carolyn Pistorius and Rhonda Duvall.

“Some kids are on fire for football, others for cheerleading but there is a group of students that academics are very important and these competitions mean so much to them,” Beardslee said.

Winning at the Liberty fair, Cameron Stephens entered a physical science project that “dealt with using a multimeter to test the conductivity between Gatorade and orange juice,” Beardslee, a National Board Certified Teacher, said.

In behavioral science, Lily Wright discovered the types of chemicals that make tie-dyed shirts brighter than others. In the physical science division, David Park developed a project on wind turbines.

Jimmie Gallagher chose to work on a physical science project to determine if the cleanliness or dirty condition of a baseball affects its speed when it is thrown.

Mary Vaughan and Nathan Asaf pursued a team project in physical science. “Mary and Nathan tried to determine how the color of food sways a persons perception of taste.  They are going to state,” Beardslee said.

Although this year was his first science fair, Benjamin Sandstrom qualified for state competition in the physical science division. Sandstrom tested the different blade conditions that would produce the most electricity in a wind turbine.

“Benjamin also won $100 special award from the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers,” Beardslee said.

“Claire Amey was our big winner of the night,” Beardslee said. “Claire won first place in behavioral science and a special award from the American Psychology Association. Her project dealt with the reliability of eyewitness testimony.”

Amey has placed in the fair for three years.