A multi-tasking kind of day for Jennifer Payne

When Jennifer Payne wasn't winning the top prize at this weekend's Rotary Science Fair at Algoma University College, she was shuttling off to another campus building to compete in the Kiwanis Festival of Music, Speech Arts & Drama.

The Grade 10 student at Sir James Dunn Collegiate and Vocational School almost didn't make it to the science fair award presentation on Saturday because of her guitar recital.

And after she won one of four berths in the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Vancouver, she was faced with the tough decision of whether to hang around to answer questions from reporters or return to the music competition to hear the adjudicator's remarks. Jennifer's science fair project investigated the touch sensitivity of human subjects on difference parts of their hands.

She tested the effect of age and gender on a value called the two-point discrimination threshold: the minimum distance over which two small points (in this case toothpicks) are detected as separate stimuli when pushed against the skin.

The palm of the hand was less sensitive to such stimuli than the tip of an index finger or thumb, and sensitivity appeared to decrease with age, her research concluded.

Two-point discrimination threshold is used to assess neurological damage causes by burns, car accidents and diabetes.

Also winning the right to compete at the Canada-wide science fair were Justin Oja and Kelly Barrett from Parkland Public School and Anna Canduro from St. Mary's French Immersion School.

*********************** TOP AWARDS

Pfizer Canada Award of Excellence

First Entry to Canada-wide fair (to be held in Vancouver, BC)

First place - Best of Fair

"Touch Sensitivity (2-Point Discrimination)" by Jennifer Payne, Sir James Dunn

Teacher: C. Vis

Sci-Tech Ontario Stepping Stone Award

Second Entry to Canada-wide fair

Second place - Best of Fair

"Blood Pressure" by Justin Oja and Kelly Barrett, Parkland Public School

Teacher: Mrs. Tessier

Benjamin Cohen Family Memorial Trophy

Third Place - Best of Fair

"Mission: 50 Feet or Bust - Water Rocketry" by Anna Canduro, St. Mary's French Immersion (Teacher: R. Kennedy)

Ontario Association of Medical Laboratories Award; Top Laboratory Sciences Project

"Effect of Molecular Weight on Liquid Viscosity and Density" by George Payne and Andrew Dal Cin, Anna McCrea Public School (Teacher: Mr. Parniak)

Alfred Askin Shields (School with most winners in each grade category)

1. Senior school (grades 11-12): Korah Collegiate

2. Intermediate school (grades 9-10): Sir James Dunn

3. Junior school (grades 7-8): Parkland Public School

********************** SPECIAL AWARDS

Don Wallace Memorial Awards

* Best in Life Sciences

"Blood Pressure" by Justin Oja and Kelly Barrett, Parkland Public School

Teacher: Mrs. Tessier

* Best in Physical Sciences

"Keep'n It Kewl" by Stephanie Bell and Taylor Del Bel, Grand View Public School

Teacher: G. Grbich

* Best in Creativity and Innovation

"Hear It, See It, React" by Blake Sullivan and Scott Thornton, East View Public School

Teacher: M. Dugas

CFS - Great Lakes Forestry Centre Award (Deserving of Recognition)

"Vitamin C - Are You Getting Enough?" by Brent Irwin, Northern Heights Public School Teacher: Mrs. Marrato

Gary Rahn Memorial Award (2 Best Natural History Exhibits)

1. "Time is Dripping Away" by Katie Pietrzakowski, St. Mary's French Immersion (Teacher: R. Kennedy)

2. "Keep Cool, Stay Strong" by Jenn Kendall and Michael Kendall, Northern Heights Public School (Teacher: Mrs. Cond)

Algoma Steel Award - Best in Engineering and Computing Sciences

"Mission: 50 Feet or Bust - Water Rocketry" by Anna Canduro, St. Mary's French Immersion (Teacher: R. Kennedy)

Ontario Power Generation Award - Best in Earth and Environmental Sciences (Winners Tied)

"Time is Dripping Away" by Katie Pietrzakowski, St. Mary's French Immersion (Teacher: R. Kennedy) "Keep Cool, Stay Strong" by Jenn Kendall and Michael Kendall, Northern Heights Public School (Teacher: Mrs. Cond)

Professional Institute of Public Servants Award - Best in Biotechnology

"Microwave: Beneficial?" by Peter Nearing and Julean Albidone, St. Paul School (Teacher: Mrs. LeBoeuf)

University of Ottawa Admission Scholarship Award - Best Senior Project

"Iron Extraction" by Robert Fewchuk and Greg Nanne, Korah Collegiate (Teacher: J. Harvey)

************************ AWARDS WITHIN CATEGORIES

Biotechnology Best of Category - Overall

1st - "Microwave: Beneficial?" by Peter Nearing and Julean Albidone, St. Paul School Teacher: Mrs. LeBoeuf

2nd - "Bubbles in the Bucket (The Fermentation of Wine)" by Quinton Burrows, Anna McCrea Public School Teacher: Mr. Parniak

3rd - "Bananas -- How Can Their Ripening Be Controlled?" by Mike Guattieri, East View Public School Teacher: J. Kennedy

Health Sciences Best of Category - Overall

1st - "Touch Sensitivity (2-Point Discrimination)" by Jennifer Payne, Sir James Dunn Teacher: C. Vis

2nd - "Amazing Motor Skills" by Cam Coulter and Johnny McMillan, Anna McCrea Public School Teacher: Mr. Parniak

3rd - "A Dog's Diet" by Ben Tonon, Northern Heights Public School Teacher: Mrs. Marrato

Earth and Environmental Sciences Best of Category - Overall

1st - (Top Two Winners Tied): "Time is Dripping Away" by Katie Pietrzakowski, St. Mary's French Immersion Teacher: R. Kennedy "Keep Cool, Stay Strong" by Jenn Kendall and Michael Kendall, Northern Heights Public School Teacher: Mrs. Cond

3rd - "Incandescent vs. Compact Fluorescent" by Rebecca Leigh and Maija Irvine, Prince Charles Public School Teacher: Mrs. Barnard

Engineering and Computing Sciences

Best of Category - Overall 1st - "Mission: 50 Feet or Bust - Water Rocketry" by Anna Canduro, St. Mary's French Immersion Teacher: R. Kennedy

2nd - "Handle with Care" by Bren Piper, Grand View Public School Teacher: G. Grbich

3rd - "Insane Insulators" by Ben Elliott and Taylor Delarosbil, Parkland Public School Teacher: Mrs. Tessier

Life Sciences

Best of Category - Overall 1st - "Blood Pressure" by Justin Oja and Kelly Barrett, Parkland Public School Teacher: Mrs. Tessier

2nd - "Hear It, See It, React" by Blake Sullivan and Scott Thornton, East View Public School Teacher: M. Dugas

3rd - "Vitamin C -- Are You Getting Enough?" by Brent Irwin, Northern Heights Public School Teacher: Mrs. Marrato

Physical and Mathematical Sciences Best of Category - Senior

1st - "Iron Extraction" by Robert Fewchuk and Greg Nanne, Korah Collegiate Teacher: J. Harvey

2nd - "Absorbency of Sodium Polyacrylate (Best Diapers)" by Alyssa Sangster and Liza Turpin, Korah Collegiate Teacher: J. Harvey

3rd - "Testing the Spread of Pollution Using Conductivity" by Mary Medaglia and Phil Lucchetti, Korah Collegiate Teacher: J. Harvey

Physical and Mathematical Sciences Best of Category - Junior

1st - "Keep'n It Kewl" by Stephanie Bell and Taylor Del Bel, Grand View Public School Teacher: G. Grbich

2nd - "Effect of Molecular Weight on Liquid Viscosity and Density" by George Payne and Andrew Dal Cin, Anna McCrea Public School Teacher: Mr. Parniak

3rd - "Whiter Teeth" by Scott Wolowich and Greg Bright, Grand View Public School Teacher: G. Grbich

***********************