The District 5 Ag Science Fair was held on March 18, 2026. We greatly appreciate Farm Credit for graciously allowing us to use their facilities for this event.
Four schools participated, including Cisne, DuQuoin, Mt. Vernon, and Olney, with a total of 25 student projects entered.
Top Project winners in each area included:
Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems:
Ezha Biyok, Olney — Comparing Duckweed and Wheatgrass’ Efficiency in Improving Water Quality
Plant Systems:
Rebecca King, Cisne — How Gibberellic Acid Affects Seeds
Animal Systems:
Shaylen Rowland, Mt. Vernon — Technology vs. Time: A Comparative Study of Equine Tendon Healing Methods
Food Products and Processing Systems:
Alivia Crain, DuQuoin — Which Cookie Sheet Is Most Beneficial for Cookies
Social Systems:
Brooke Weidner, Olney — What Are the Effects of Agricultural Education on Perceptions of GMOs in High School Students?
Judges for this event included Dane Hunter, University of Illinois Extension; Jeremy Jett, Sandoval Middle School; Chris Johnson, Pioneer Seed; Amy Telford, Salem High School; and Karli Welker, Farm Credit.
Thank you to the agriculture teachers and FFA advisors for including agriscience fair projects as part of your agriculture course requirements. Congratulations to all of the students who participated.