The fifth annual Tyrone Area Agricultural Education AgriScience Fair was held on Thursday, December 8, 2017, at the Tyrone Area High School.  Sixty-five students faced their fear of public speaking as they presented their AgriScience Fair project to a panel of judges. Seventeen of them will move on from the local to the state competition on January 5, 2018, at the state farm show complex in Harrisburg.

Students were given their AgriScience Fair project assignment the third day of school and have been working on the projects since the fall.  The students submitted written reports on November 29 and then PowerPoints or display boards on December 5.

Freshman Brandon Lucas completed his project on Wiggle Worms, a study determining if redworms or earthworms will make a plant grow better. When asked what he thought about the process, ninth grader Brandon Lucas  said, “When life gives you science, turn it into AgriScience.”

“Dirt is more complex than one actually thinks,” said freshman Micheal Buck, who conducted an experiment on soil permeability.

Ninth grader Karly Diebold’s project was inspired by her dad.

“My Dad gave me the idea and then I took off with it by researching information for the literature review and eventually conducted the experiment.”  Karly’s study determined which placement of starter fertilizer will grow corn the tallest.”

“The best advice I can give students is to pick a topic you truly have an interest in. I’ve been riding 4-wheelers since I can remember and just wanted to incorporate that into my project. I was shocked when my name was announced as one of the 17 projects who qualified for states,” said ninth-grader Alyssa Luciano.

Seniors Daniel Peterson and Zach Patterson have been focusing their projects on ag mechanics for the past three years.  This year they really wanted to get to states and have their eyes set on winning their division and category at the state level.

“We are graduating and really wanted to test something relevant to everyday life – Octane levels on engines.  Our results showed us some interesting information.  Our hope is to earn our first trip to the National FFA Convention next October,” said Patterson.

The judges consisted of retired superintendents and principals, retired teachers, current school board members, and 4-H extension personnel.  Freshman Mara Focht and Shyanne Webster both agreed that the judges we very nice and offered suggestions on how to build their projects and make improvements.

“AgriScience is a great way to educate others about different study topics and help students gain confidence in public speaking,” said senior Grace Gensimore.

Freshman Laura Kohler added that she enjoyed the interview because it helped her to prepare for the future in regards to job interviews.

“I was so worried and nervous about the interview, but the judges were so nice and made me feel comfortable and helped build my confidence,” said freshman Lyndsey Fleck.

The seventeen students who will moving on to the state competition are:

Plant Systems:

Karly Diebold – 9^th grade

Brandon Lucas – 9^th grade

Kaylee Updike – 10^th grade

Animal Systems:

Lyndsey Fleck – 9^th grade

Mara Focht – 9^th grade

Shyanne Webster – 9^th grade

Travis Yazzie – 11^th grade

Environmental Services and Natural Resource Systems:

Michael Buck – 9^th grade

Laura Kohler – 9^th grade

Grace Gensimore – 12^th grade

Social Systems:

Reilly Ronan – 11^th grade

Food Products and Processing Systems:

Garin Hoy – 9^th grade

Natalie Berrena-Barr – 10^th grade

Power, Structural and Technical Systems:

Alyssa Luciano – 9^th grade

MaKenna LaRosa – 10^th grade

Zach Patterson & Daniel Peterson – 12^th grade