Walker Prewett’s keen interest in how bees work has earned him some bigtime accolades.
The South Douglas Elementary School fifth grader recently won first place in the Douglas County School System Elementary Science Fair for his project researching whether the size of a beehive affects the amount of comb it produces.
Jennifer Gillespie, the STEM teacher at SDES, said Prewett started setting up his hives last year and began his project exploring his hypothesis in February. He collected data on five different trials and ultimately determined that the size of the hive didn’t affect the honeycomb.
"Outstanding students like Walker not only shine in the classroom, but also bring creativity and dedication to projects like his beehive Science Fair endeavor, demonstrating that true excellence combines knowledge with passion," she said.
Prewett even bottled his honey and designed a label, “Redheads Honey,” Gillespie said.
She said Prewett’s favorite part of the project was spending time with his dad, and, “of course, getting to eat the honey.”
Prewett also won first place at the district science fair last year for his project researching whether the number of worms in a composting bin matters.
“Walker is an amazing young man with a brilliant mind for science,” SDES Principal Brad Corbett said. “Each year we can’t wait to see what he comes up with for his Science Fair project. His project made sense this year because he is an amateur beekeeper. We are so proud of Walker!”
In addition to Prewett, two other students also earned top honors at this year’s district elementary science fair, which took place at the DCSS Central Office on March 25.
Khloe Young from New Manchester Elementary took second place overall for her project titled, “The Darkside of Green.” And Gael Mata Delgado from Dorsett Shoals Elementary took the third-place trophy for his project “The Train of Tomorrow.”
