On a recent May morning in the South Orange Middle School cafeteria, the heat was on as young scientists, working individually and in pairs, presented their projects, all 52 of them, to the SOMS Science Fair judges. The competition was tough, with spectacularly original projects covering a range of topics from the measurement of stressful smells to the genetics of fingerprints to, yes, even the science of bad hair.

This year's fair was organized by science teacher Diane Grant and judged by Janice Flahery, Vernell Farrand, Betty Cicenia, Louis Cicenia and Jasmine Wright.

After 52 scientist interviews, careful deliberation and tallying of scores, Ms. Grant announced the winners of this year's fair on May 21 to a packed house at SOMS as the culmination of School in Action Night.

Congratulations to all participants of this year's Science Fair:

6th Grade Winners

1^st Place    Christine Charles and Hailey White: Bad Hair Day
                      Holly Lehren: Evidence at Hand: Fingerprint Patterns and Genetics
2^nd Place  Laura Hirsch: Can Nutrients Escape the Heat?
                      Vivienne Longstreet Joseph: Perfect Pitch
3^rd Place   Simon Pettigrew: I Pot
                      Jake Gruber and Ryan Murphy: Speed Balls
4^th Place   Sarah Schwartz: K9 Colors
                      Nathalie Spidle and Leah Strahs: The Stroop Loop

7th Grade Winners
1^st Place    Brett Ascher: Illusions Illuminated
2^nd Place  John Kirk and Liam Michaels: Meaty Madness
3^rd Place   Sarah Backstrand: Horse Power
4^th Place   Lienne Harrington: Acid Rain Seed Germination

8th Grade Winners
1^st Place    Annie Hilton: Click!
2^nd Place  Ysa Borstel: The Perfect Crime
3^rd Place   Ila Vaughan and Autumn Hawkins: How Do You Feel?