Students participating in the annual science fair at Islip’s Commack Road Elementary School demonstrated their knowledge of the scientific method while showing an interest in a wide variety of topics. Tomatoes were grown, cats were tested, meat was submerged in soda and contraptions were assembled for the March 26 competition – all in the name of science.

A winner was selected for each grade level, based on evaluations by the teachers of Commack Road. The second-grade winner was Julianna Lofberg, whose project, “How Much Pop Does Your Popcorn Have?” tested the “popability” of different brands of popcorn. Third-grade winner Tyler Simonetti’s project attempted to identify the best method to remove dirt and germs from hands. Emma Infante, the school’s fourth-grade winner, focused her efforts on identifying the amount of sugar in popular drinks. Fifth-grader Richie Castranova’s project, “Homemade Water Filtration System,” showed how to make dirty water drinkable using different materials.

The four dedicated young scientists will have the opportunity to further show off their science expertise at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Elementary School Science Fair on May 2.

“Our Science Fair Committee would like to congratulate all of the students and families who put forth such a concerted effort to show their love of science,” said teacher Ted Dieumegard. “We wish Julianna, Tyler, Emma and Richie the best of luck.”