SIKESTON AND LEOPOLD PUPILS TOP WINNERS

Students from Sikeston and Leopold High Schools will advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair after capturing the top senior-division displays in the 37th Annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair.

Drew Kiesling, a sophomore at Sikeston Senior High, and Melissa Engelen, a junior at Leopold, earned the all-expense paid trip to the international competition, which will be held May 9-15 in Mississippi Beach, Miss. It will draw more than 750 contestants from the United States and a number of foreign countries.

"I'm in total elation," Kiesling said. "Being at the international science fair will be enough for me."

Kiesling's project was entitled "Does Clostridium Pasteuranium Consume Chlorofluorocarbons?"

In his project, Kiesling tested a bacteria to see if it would break down and possibly absorb the CFC's that are released into the environment.

Looking ahead to the 44th International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), Kiesling said, he plans to make some changes in his display in the meantime, including doing more statistical analyses and adding more charts and graphs.

This was the first year of study on his topic, Kiesling said, but he plans on expanding the project over the next couple of years.

Engelen's project was a three-year study and this will mark her second time to compete at the ISEF.

Engelen's project was entitled "The Effects Of Bacillus Thuringensis On Agricultural Pests A Three Year Study."

Engelen said she exposed agriculture pesticides to bacteria in order to find an alternative method for pesticides and chemicals.

In preparing for the ISEF, Engelen said she plans "to take the judges comments and her own quirks and make some improvements on my backboards."

While at the ISEF, Engelen said, they will see people from other countries. "You may speak different languages, but you also speak the language of science," she said.

Ruth Hathaway, director of the Regional Science Fair said there will also be some time for fun while at the international fair.

They will get to tour some things out of the ordinary, like the naval bases, ship yards and Shedd's Aquarium, Hathaway said. "There is be one full day of judging," she said, "and it will probably be close to eight hours of interviewing.

"But there are huge cash awards to be won and the competition will be fierce because these will be the best from 13 countries."