Stephanie Hsiang does not like taking medicine. The Niceville High School freshman's quest for a "natural way" to inhibit bacterial growth in the mouth led her to discover the merits of oregano oil last year. She developed a science fair project that tested the efficacy of various herbs and spices on oral bacteria and found that oregano oil was very effective against the bacteria that cause caries (cavities) and gum disease.

This year, she put oregano oil to the test to see how it performed against three types of candida fungus. Excessive growth of the fungus can cause oral thrush, particularly in patients whose immune systems are compromised by illnesses such as cancer or diabetes. Working in the lab at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, Stephanie proved that the natural remedy was extremely effective against the fungus.

"After 12 hours, the oregano oil almost completely eradicated it," she said. The oil trounced all of its competitors: Colgate toothpaste, Listerine mouthwash, baking soda and salt.

Stephanie will head to the state competition in Lakeland and then on to Reno, NV, where she will compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair. She will be joined by her brother, Jeremy, a junior at NHS, and two students from the Collegiate High School of Northwest Florida State College: Aubrey Craig and Kevin Knight.

Stephanie has been competing in science fair since sixth grade. As a child, she says, "I wasn't that curious - I wasn't that 'stick a fork in a socket' type of kid." She first became interested in the science fair when she was in elementary school, watching Jeremy and her sister Esther prepare their projects. "I would see them analyzing data and working in their lab books. Once they were finished, they'd present their projects to me and I always thought it was cool."

The junior division does not compete internationally, but Davidson eighth-grader Jay Vishwanath is happy to be heading to state. He, too, was looking for natural remedies against bacteria, but was disappointed with the performance of the spices he selected. "I'll try next year with a higher concentration [of the spices]," he said.

Nerds or Heroes?

Jay's father, Sasikumar, a physician in Crestview, grew up in India where teachers are revered and success in school is applauded. He notes that American children have the best resources in the world, yet Hollywood has promoted a culture which is anti-intellectual. "There's no equivalent word for 'nerd' in any other language," he says. "They [smart students] are treated as heroes in other countries."

In the United States, he says, people place a very high value on achievement in sports, as compared to academics. "Playing ball will not get us out of the recession or keep our position as world leaders," he notes. "People around the world don't respect us for our ability to play sports."

Okaloosa Steps Up to Make Science a Priority

In Okaloosa County in recent years, there has been a push to increase interest in science and math. Schools have sponsored "science nights" for parents; the school district has invested in more teacher training and partnerships have been made with local engineering societies, corporations and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Innovative programs such as SSTRIDE and the CHOICE Aerospace Institute give students a hands-on approach to high level science. Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate science courses are offered at all the high schools. At Crestview High School, students can take classes in Crime Scene Investigation, while at Choctawhatchee High School, CHOICE students are teaming up with MIT engineers to design medical devices. Meanwhile, Niceville High School has won international recognition for its census of marine life (NaGISA) program, in which students will soon be mapping the DNA of organisms found on our beaches and in the Gulf of Mexico.


All the way to STATE - the Regional Science Fair Winners:

Senior Division
Behavior and Social Sciences - Kevin Knight, NWFSC Collegiate (International)
Chemistry - Aubrey Craig, NWFSC Collegiate
Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering - Justin Garland, Crestview HS
Energy & Transportation - Katherine Stone, Fort Walton Beach HS
Environmental Sciences - Anna Bethea, Fort Walton Beach HS
Medicine & Health Sciences - Stephanie Hsiang, Niceville HS
Microbiology - Jeremy Hsiang - Niceville HS

Junior Division
Behavior & Social Sciences - Jeremy Cheney, Davidson MS
Biochemistry - Camille Haeusler, Destin MS
Chemistry - Daniel Reid, Richbourg MS; Evan Stegner, Davidson MS
Computer Science - Jonathan Baughman, Davidson MS
Earth & Planetary Science - Morgan Taylor, Bruner
Engineering: Materials & Bioengineering - Conner Lynch, Rocky Bayou Christian School
Energy & Transportation - Cody Haeusler, Destin MS
Environmental Management - Peter Barys, St. Mary's Catholic School
Environmental Sciences - Kyle Saleeby, Destin MS
Mathematical Sciences - Vishnu Sriram, Davidson MS
Medicine & Health Sciences - Ashley Grabowski, Rachel Rehr, Davidson MS/Meigs MS
Microbiology - Jay Vishwanath, Davidson MS
Physics & Astronomy - Nick Hopkins, Meigs MS