SJSH students win award at International Science Fair

Isaiah Saunders (left) and James Ross (right) at Expo-Sciences International. Photo provided.

Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board
News Release

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St. Joseph-Scollard Hall’s James Ross and Isaiah Saunders have returned from Expo-Sciences International with an award. The recent Grade 12 graduates earned one of three Awards of Merit in their category, Energy and Transportation, at the event hosted in Slovakia on July 18, 2011.

Winners of the 2011 North Bay Regional Science Fair, Ross and Saunders were selected as members of Team Canada for their project "Going Green: The Aspen Solution". They showcased their project among 1500 other students from more than 75 countries around the world.

“We weren’t expecting this,” Ross said of winning the award. “We couldn't stop smiling when we heard the news, it was the biggest surprise of our lives”.

Their innovation, producing ethanol from aspen tree bark, has been so well received by the scientific commu-nity that Ross said they will apply for a patent. “Once we get the patent, we plan to keep working on it with our teacher, Mr. Chechak.” Ross said the pair thought of their project idea when they discussed animals eat-ing bark. “We figured if animals eat it, then there must be sugar in there, which, when fermented with yeast, can produce ethanol.” Their technology proved to be effective. Their calculations showed 63 litres of ethanol can be produced from a single aspen tree.

The SJSH grads are both headed to Carleton University in September 2011. Ross will pursue a bachelor of science while Saunders will study engineering.

“We congratulate Isaiah and James for their outstanding work at the international level exposition, ” said Anna Marie Bitonti, Director of Education. “The level of their success along with Mr. Chechak’s guidance and sup-port are fine examples of the overall academic excellence at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall. We extend our best wishes to Isaiah and James for much continued success as they pursue their post-secondary education at Carleton University.”

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