The Duncan Banner

Education

Related Photos

  • Caleb Mikel shows off his winning science fair project Saturday. Mikel received the Marion Nottingham Award for having the best project in the science fair. Derrick Miller/The Duncan Banner

    Science Fair
February 20, 2012

Legacy lives on through award

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Marion Nottingham made be gone, but his legacy lives on.

This year, Plato Elementary School fifth-grader Caleb Mikel was the recipient of the Stephens County Science Fair award named for Nottingham. The award is the best-in-show honor for the science fair.

Although the award is given to a student each year, this is the first time the award has been given since Nottingham died. A retired science teacher and former Optimist Club member, Nottingham died March 12, 2011, at 82 years old. He had been present at the 2011 Science Fair to present the award to last year’s recipient, Darien Vassella.

This year, Mikel was given the award by Jason McIntyre, who was one of the Halliburton employees heading up this 2012 event.

Mikel’s project determined if air pressure could crush a can.

Demonstrating his project, Mikel put a tablespoon of water in aluminum cans and put the cans on a hot plate until the water began turning into vapor. From there, he turned the cans over in water (ice water, room temperature, boiling) to see if the change in temperatures would crush the cans.

What he found was that the colder the water, the more effective the crushing.

“One day I was in a hot tub and I jumped into a cool pool,” Mikel said. “I felt like I was being crushed, and I wanted to know why.”

After doing research, he began forming the thesis for his science fair project.

“I did learn a lot,” Mikel said. “Air pressure can crush cans. So can water pressure.”

The Science Fair is sponsored by both the Optimist Club and Halliburton. This year, there was a change in the people who were charge of the event. While some of those in charge have been involved, McIntyre said this is the first year for them to take full control without supervision.

“This is really the first year, trial by fire,” McIntyre said. “We’ll continue to get better next year.”

He said this year’s fair reflected a trend that has become more and more tenuous each year. In the past few years, there has been little high school participation in the fair. This year, there was no one of high school age involved from any of the schools in Stephens County.

“There’s typically not a lot of high school participation,” McIntyre said.

In all, there were 88 projects entered, and McIntyre said there are plans to increase participation next year.

“We’re going to the elementary and middle schools in November to get the word out earlier,” he said.

Text Only
Education
  • Comanche School Superintendent Terry Davidson.jpg Comanche’s superintendent submitting resignation to help save teachers jobs

    All across the state, teachers and administrators are taking measures to keep their schools afloat after the deep cut in educational funding.

    May 19, 2013 2 Photos

  • Comanche School Superintendent Terry Davidson.jpg State budget cuts push educators into early retirement

    Oklahoma has made some of the deepest cuts in the nation in education funding in recent years, third only to Arizona and Alabama. According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, “Over the last five years, the state has cut per-pupil education aid for primary and secondary schools by 20 percent, or $706 per student.” At Comanche Public Schools, those cuts translate to $770,000.

    May 19, 2013 1 Photo

  • Crossman Award.jpg Braught receives Crossman Award

    There can be only one. And from 222 Duncan High School seniors and five nominees, Jack Braught was that one.
    Braught was named Friday as the 2013 recipient of the Crossman Award, which is similar to a valedictorian award. The Crossman Award is the Duncan High School’s top student award. The award was presented during the awards assembly.

    May 18, 2013 2 Photos

  • Jack Braught 2013 Crossman winner.jpg Duncan's Jack Braught named 2013 Crossman Award winner

    Jack Braught was named the 2013 Crossman Award winner during an awards assembly Friday at the Duncan High School.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • 3-28 Crossman Nominees.jpg Crossman Award presentation today

    Today, one of five nominated senior students at Duncan High School will be named the Crossman recipient. The awards event is scheduled for 12:45 at the DHS auditorium.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Cameron University School of Business Building to be named Cynthia S. Ross Hall

    The Cameron University School of Business Building will be re-named Cynthia S. Ross Hall, following approval Friday,  by the University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and Rogers State University Board of Regents. Regent Richard R. Dunning, Chairman, requested the name change in recognition of the extraordinary contributions made by Cameron President Cindy Ross over the past  11 years.

    May 12, 2013

  • Honoring mom at graduation.jpg Classmates remembered at B-D graduation

    For the Bray-Doyle Class of 2013, commencement Friday was an opportunity to honor the memory of two classmates whose lives were cut short before reaching graduation.

    May 12, 2013 5 Photos

  • Emerson Elementary joins in Land Run.jpg Emerson third graders learn Oklahoma land run history

    When state education standards change from PASS Objectives to Common Core, several things will be impacted, including the mock land runs performed at several Duncan elementary schools.

    May 12, 2013 1 Photo

  • V-A to consider employment contracts

    Several employment positions will be voted on during the Velma-Alma Board of Education’s regular meeting Monday.

    May 12, 2013

  • Dr. John McArthur.jpg McArthur to lead Cameron University

    On Friday, Dr. John McArthur was named Cameron University’s 17th president, effective July 1, 2013. He is replacing Dr. Cindy Ross, who earlier this year, announced her intention to retire this summer.

    May 12, 2013 1 Photo