BY JOYCE HUNT

BY JOYCE HUNT

Rappahannock News Contributing Writer

Headmaster Michael Vargo announced winners of Wakefield Country Day School’s annual science fair on Friday. Over 50 students in fifth through ninth grades submitted individual projects. Students in kindergarten through fourth submitted class projects.

The “Best of Show” ribbon was awarded ninth grader Whitney Matthews of Flint Hill for her project “Music’s Influence on Memory”. Matthews investigated whether or not background music enhances a students performance on memorization tasks, and if so, which style of music is most effective. Her conclusion was that music did enhance the process, and classical music was most effective.

Second place in show was given to seventh grader Rachel Marx of Strasburg. Regina Knight of Washington, won third place in show.

Fifth graders receiving awards included Sawyer Sutton of Winchester, first place for “Comparing Nutrient Rich and Nutrient Poor Soils-How Important Are Soil Nutrients to Plants;” second place, Kevin Riedel of Washington, and third place, Benjamin Luke, also of Washington.

Sixth grade winners were first place, Regina Knight of Washington, for “Does Classical Music Improve Math Performance”; second place, Benjamin Clark of Flint Hill; and third place, Dorian Matthews of Flint Hill.

Seventh grade honors went to Rachel Marx of Strasburg, first place, for “What Mordant Extracts Color Natural Fibers Best”; Jesse Ferreira of Front Royal, second place; and Aaron Marx of Strasburg, third place.

Eighth/ninth grade awards were received by Whitney Matthews of Flint Hill, first place; Arlen Sherwood of Washington, second place; and Christina Luke of Washington, third place.

Judges for the fair were Cady Soukup, John Jamieson, Craig Altenburg and Craig Landrum of Blue Ridge Technology.