03/10/11

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SWCS Golden Spread Chapter Provides Special Awards at

Science and Engineering Fair

                                                                                                                                                    Story by: Quenna Terry

On February 18 Lubbock hosted the 2011 Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the United Spirit Arena where the Golden Spread Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), in the High Plains and South Plains region, provided special awards to students for projects related to soil and water conservation.

USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) representatives from the local area judged  5^th through 8^th grade projects for the  Golden Spread Chapter’s special awards.  NRCS judges were Manuel DeLeon, wildlife biologist for the High Plains, Damon Hertel, civil engineer in Lynn County and Seth Sowder, soil scientist in Lubbock.

This year the first place award was presented to Charles Lascano, a 7^th grade student from Christ the King Academy in Lubbock.  His project was entitled “An Easy Way for Farmers to Save Water” that involved different residue covering the soil to reduce evaporation loss.

The second place award went to Blayden Myers in the 5^th grade at Lubbock Cooper West Elementary in Lubbock.  Blayden’s project was entitled “Chronicles of Erosion”, a project where he determined sand as the most erosive soil.

Finally, the third place winner was Tanner Best, a 6^th grade student from Lubbock Cooper Middle School with a project entitled “Cottons Final Plan Height as Affected by Variable Rates and Timings of PGRs for Five Varieties”.  Tanner’s project involved the evaluation of  plant growth regulators on  cotton plants  utilizing micro subsurface drip irrigation, an efficient irrigation system that helps to reduce water use.

The Golden Spread Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is one of many chapter throughout the state.   Part of the society’s mission serves as an advocate for conservation professionals’ and  provides outreach and education to the public for soil and water conservation.  Anyone interested in finding out more about the Texas Council of Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society should visit the website at  http://www.tx-swcs.org/.