DHS student takes top honors at 58th Regional Science Fair

A Dexter High School sophomore will be traveling to Los Angeles, Calif. in May to compete in the International Science Fair -- the result of having been named one of the top two finishers in the 2014 Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair held Tuesday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

The exhibit of Jon Rodgers, son of Jay and Tiska Rodgers of Dexter, was one of 278 Senior Division entries at the Science Fair. His display was titled, "Using Alliivibrio fischeri to Detect Water Toxins" and netted a host of awards for the local science enthusiast.

Attempting to put the basis of his experiment in non-scientific laymen's terms, Rodgers said, "Aliivibrio Fischeri is a very effective, economical, and quick method to detect toxins in water using bioluminescence. In this experiment, I tested the toxicity of water using the bioluminescent nature Aliivibrio Fischeri."

PROVIDED photo Dexter High School Jon Rodgers took top honors at Tuesday's Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair held at Cape Girardeau's Show Me Center. Rodgers will proceed to international competition in Los Angeles in May.

As part of the exhibition process at the fair, students remain positioned in the exhibition hall with their display and are required to answer any questions addressed to them by the team of 80 judges. Rodgers had no problem talking science with men and women many times his senior, and for his efforts, he returned to Dexter with the first place award in the Chemistry category, along with several other honors, including those from:

* The American Chemical Society

* Southeast Missouri Dental Society

* US Public Health Service, and

* Genius Olympiad

Jon Rodgers has had an interest in science for as long as he can recall. He came by that interest honestly, with a mother who this year marks her 10th year as a high school science instructor. Tiska Rodgers formerly taught at Puxico and began a career in Dexter with the start of the current school year. The 2013-14 school year marks the first time she has taught a child of her own in the classroom.

"My science fair experiment came to when I was reading an article about scientists studying bioluminescent bacteria, started researching, and I found it quite fascinating that such little organisms can contribute so much to society," Jon explained.

As a child, his parents encouraged and often assisted Jon in a variety of experiments.

"I loved experiments," he says, "like water rockets and my favorite oobleck -- a mixture of cornstarch and water that when applied pressure, solidifies, but as soon as the pressure is released, the substance flows like a liquid."

As an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Winner, the local sophomore will receive paid travel and lodging to Los Angeles from May 11-16 to compete in the 65th International Science and Engineering Fair.

"The entire experiment process and science fair has been a wonderful learning experience. I hope to do well at L.A. at the International Science & Engineering Fair, come back with experience and perhaps further my experiment next year," says the award-winning high school sophomore.

Rodgers also competed in the Junior Missouri Academy of Science Symposium Tuesday, where he earned a Superior rating for his work.

The other top finisher at the Science Fair was a Austin Van De Van fro Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau.

The event at the Show Me Center also featured 278 Junior Division exhibits, many of which were from Stoddard County Schools. Those exhibits earning awards from T.S. Hill Middle School included:

* Cassidy Bess - 3rd place Behavioral Sciences

* Nick Trout - 3rd place Biochemistry

* Rachel Singh - 3rd Place Chemistry

* Rhylan Hillis - 3rd place Engineering

* Sean Rybolt - 3rd place Physics

* Trenton Willis - 2nd place Physics, ASM Materials Educational Foundation Best Materials *Engineering project, Broadcom MASTERS competition nomination, and

* Michaela Gard, Cassidy Bess, and Maci Daniels - Best Collection Study.