BEND – Three Grant Union science students won awards at the regional Intel Northwest Science Expo science fair in Bend.

Receiving honors at the March 7 event were juniors Dawson Quinton, Jocelyn Smith and Taylor McCluskey – all students in Randy Hennen’s advanced biology class.

“All three students investigated relevant questions and had good experimental design and analysis,” Hennen said.

The event was held at Central Oregon Community College with projects grouped into four categories: Human Science, Engineering, Life Science and Physical Science.

Smith received first place in Physical Science for her project dealing with the effect of water temperature on rainbow trout growth.

She also received five additional awards: Outstanding Project in Atmospheric Science, Outstanding Geoscience Project, the U.S. Regional Stockholm Junior Water Prize, U.S. Air Force Outstanding Project, and a $2,000 scholarship from Oregon State University.

Quinton placed third in Life Science for research on the effects to soil pH on native and naturalized plant growth and germination.

McCluskey received an award for the project that best illustrated the Surgeon General’s health recommendations. She studied bacterial contamination of food left on the floor for various lengths of time.

Both Smith and Quinton qualify to advance to the NWSE state science fair in Portland set for April 3 at Portland State University.

“There is great value in participating in the process of science, because science is so much more than a body of knowledge,” Hennen said. “Becoming involved in the scientific process teaches students to think critically and logically.”