Questions about the science

William Barber, a retired engineer with Grumman Aerospace Corp. and a 10-year educator in the Citrus County School District, quizzes Lecanto Middle School student Marissa Rose, 13, left, and Kaitlynn Weidner, 13, on Wednesday morning at the Citrus County Auditorium in Inverness during the Citrus Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The girl’s project involved asking the question: Does hair color affect how much static electricity hair can hold? About 350 students from schools across the county, grades fifth through 12th, presented their projects for judging with hopes of advancing to the 58th annual State Science and Engineering Fair in Lakeland on March 26 through March 28. About 50 adults, such as Barber, served as judges, asking questions of the students to determine the winning projects.

Judge Steve Farnsworth examines Lecanto Middle School sixth grader Joseph Piraux’s project that involves biomass energy.