special to the democrat

WESSON — Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Science Division recently hosted the 24th Annual Science Quest competition for high schools in its seven-county district.Approximately 100 students from 16 schools competed in the areas of biology, chemistry, and physics.

Winners of the biology competition were Elly Smith of Cathedral High School in Natchez, first place; Austin Brister of Brookhaven Academy, second place; Christal Davis of Wesson Attendance Center, third place; Julia Pendley of Brookhaven High School, fourth place; and Amy Mueller of West Lincoln, honorable mention.

Winners in the physics competition were Owen Smith of Brookhaven High School, first place; Amber Grady of Brookhaven High School, second place; Blaise Braden of Brookhaven High School, third place; Gavin Mendus of Lawrence County High School, fourth place; and Derrick Garrity of Cathedral School in Natchez, honorable mention.

Full tuition scholarships to Copiah-Lincoln for two years were awarded to the first place winners in each category. Second place winners in each category received a full tuition scholarship for one year. Third place winners receive a $500 tuition scholarship for one year and fourth place winners receive $250 tuition scholarship for one year. First through fourth place winners received plaques. Honorable mention winners in each category received textbooks.

While students were involved in the academic testing, their high school science teachers attended a seminar presented by Shelley Huskey, Co-Lin organic and general chemistry instructor; Amy Rutland, Brookhaven High School science instructor and Lisa Lloyd, Mississippi Delta Community College science instructor.

Each participating high school received a crime scene investigation lab kit courtesy of Copiah-Lincoln’s Tech Prep Program.

The Tech Prep Initiative provides these and other materials to attending secondary science educators in an effort to infuse hands-on, laboratory-centered activities that connect classroom instruction to the real world. Copiah-Lincoln’s Tech Prep Coordinator is Jackie Martin.

Dr. Donna C. Sullivan of the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Division of Infectious Diseases made a special presentation to the goup.

Each participating school was also eligible to win five new microscopes courtesy of the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation, one new microscope courtesy of InfoLab of Clarksdale, Ms., five $100 gift certificates to Frey Scientific for the purchase of science equipment, and six science lab kits courtesy of the Co-Lin science division.