NATCHEZ — Faith Anne Brown was able to convert a science project about photosynthesis into two awards last week at a district science and engineering fair in Hattiesburg.

And several of her fellow fifth- and sixth-grade Cathedral School classmates also brought home awards, as 13 of the 31 students who attended placed in nine of the 10 available categories.

Brown, who competed in the botany category, did her project on photosynthesis and the difference in how various leaves gain energy from light.

Brown put ivy and pansy leaves in containers with water and sodium bicarbonate before placing them under a light. She then documented how the different leaves floated toward the light in order to convert that energy.

The experimentation and documentation of the project was the easy part, Brown said. It was going to the science fair and talking to judges that was somewhat nerve-wracking.

“They inspected the project and asked how my project would help people in the future, and if I would change anything if I could do it again,” Brown said. “I told them it helps people now because photosynthesis lets us be able to breathe, and that the only thing I would change is to try different color lights.

“Maybe that would have given me some different results.”

Two other judges also interviewed Brown for a separate award, the University of Southern Mississippi Women in Science and Engineering Award, of which only one is given.

Before the winners for the individual categories were announced, Brown said judges approached her and told her she had been selected as the winner of the USM award.

“I was so happy,” Brown said. “Right when they told me, I texted my mom and dad.”

The recognition was accompanied with a medal as well as a digital microscope, she said.

“I’ve taken the microscope out of the box, but I haven’t hooked it up to the computer, yet,” Brown said. “I’m going to use it to look at different foods and animals.”

Brown’s first trip to the district science fair became even more memorable after she was awarded the first-place medal in the botany category for her photosynthesis project.

“I was really happy and surprised, because I didn’t even think I was going to place,” she said. “That was my first time at the science fair, so I wasn’t expecting any of that.”

Brown is the daughter of Walt and Lashon Brown.

Other Cathedral School district science fair winners included:

•Behavioral science: Sixth place — Kirsten Sanguinetti

•Biochemistry: First place — Mallory Hinson, second place — Alex Dale and fourth place — Garrett Rentfro

•Chemistry: First place — Bailey Warden

•Earth/space/environmental: First place — Luke Schofield, fourth place — Jack Russ

•Engineering/computer/math: Second place — Colby Costa, fifth place — Hadley Henry

•Medicine and health: Third place — Ally Watson

•Microbiology: Second place — Connor Murray

•Physics: Second place — Fisher Iseminger