By Marisa Dawson, Courtesy Photos

Students from Bennington Middle School and Bennington High School are continuing to build a reputation for excellence in scientific research after earning numerous awards, scholarships and state-level honors during this year’s science fair season.

A team of 12 student researchers represented Bennington at both the Metro Science and Engineering Fair and the Greater Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair, with every student earning multiple awards or recognitions.

According to Bennington Middle School science teacher and 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year Lindsey Wilson, the success reflects more than just strong projects. “It’s a big deal, but honestly what stands out more is the students themselves,” Wilson said of having two state finalists this year. “Having two state winners just shows what’s possible when students actually are given a space to dig into ideas that they care about. It’s exciting for our science research program, but even more exciting for the students who put in the work and stuck with it.”

Wilson said Bennington has now advanced students to the state competition during all three years the district has participated in science research competitions. Only six students from the Metro region advance to state each year, representing approximately five percent of competitors. “This year alone, there were over 150 students competing in our region at the junior level,” Wilson said. “From each region, only six students are selected to advance to the state level, so the margin is really small.”

Among the state finalists were eighth grader Jenna Murray and seventh grader Tessa Ehlers.

Murray’s project, “How Small Choices Add Up: The Effect of Micro-decisions on Mood and Fatigue,” earned multiple honors at the Greater Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair, including a $100 Innovators Award, first place in Behavioral & Social Sciences and selection as a Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge finalist. Wilson said Murray’s achievement is especially impressive because only 10 percent of students from affiliated regional fairs nationwide are eligible for the recognition.

“It’s a really cool opportunity for her to take what she’s done and see how it fits on a national level,” Wilson said. “This is actually her second year being recognized at that level.”

Wilson praised Murray’s dedication and passion for research. “Jenna consistently pushes herself to be the best version of herself,” she said. “She builds on her work year after year and keeps raising her own bar. She’s very solid in her research and has a strong understanding of her topic, but what really stands out is her passion for it. She genuinely cares about what she’s studying.”

Ehlers’ project, “Determining Vitamin C Levels in Fresh and Freeze-Dried Fruits Through Chemical Analysis,” earned second place in Chemistry and a $2,500 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Science Scholarship.

“Tessa is incredibly focused and doesn’t get discouraged when things don’t work the first time,” Wilson said. “She’s one of the hardest working student researchers I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”

Wilson added that Ehlers devoted significant time to preparing for the presentation portion of the competition. “She took a very high-level topic and made it accessible and understandable to others, which is a really difficult skill,” Wilson said.

Other Bennington students also earned major honors across a variety of scientific categories.

At the Metro Science and Engineering Fair, Drake Wilson, Tessa Ehlers, Peyton Thomsen, Amaya Shaw, Aria Chaney, Leon Adler, Carson Thorberg and Tobiah Thorberg received plaques and monetary awards as category finalists. Drake Wilson and Leon Adler also received STEM kits from the UNO STEM Trail Center, while Ehlers received a gift from No More Empty Pots.

At the Greater Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair, Vladislav Bridgeford earned first place in Materials Science for his research on agricultural waste and mycelium as alternatives to plastic packaging. Drake Wilson earned first place in Physics and an Air Force Award for his project on bat weight and physics. Peyton Thomsen earned second place in Animal Sciences and an Air Force Award, while Aria Chaney earned second place in Behavioral & Social Sciences and an Air Force Award.

Leon Adler earned second place in Materials Science and the Ed and Lee Brogee Scientific Research Excellence Award. Carson and Tobiah Thorberg earned third place in Earth and Environmental Sciences along with the Stockholm Water Prize for their project investigating microplastics in drinking water.

Wilson said the program’s success comes from building a culture centered on curiosity, independence and authentic scientific inquiry. “We’ve tried to build a space where students are actually doing the real thinking and not just following a lab,” Wilson said. “They get to ask their own questions, mess things up, fix them and keep going.”

She also credited the support network behind the program, including staff members who help students refine ideas, troubleshoot experiments and practice presentations. Wilson noted that the program’s annual research showcase at the Bennington Public Library gives students an opportunity to present their work publicly before competitions begin.

For students involved in research, Wilson said the lessons go far beyond science itself. “A lot of it is learning how to think through problems instead of just looking for the ‘right answer,’” she said. “More than anything though, students gain persistence and learn how to keep going when things don’t work out as expected the first or even the second time.”

Wilson believes the growing recognition is also inspiring other students throughout the district. “There’s been a lot of pride, but also a lot of curiosity,” she said. “Each year, more students ask, ‘How do I get into that?’ It’s really started to build momentum where more students are seeing it as something they could actually do.”

For students considering joining the program in the future, Wilson emphasized that science research is open to anyone willing to work hard and stay curious. “You don’t need to have everything figured out to start,” she said. “You just need to be curious and have a willingness to work hard. Science research is really for anyone.”

As a coach and educator, Wilson said the most rewarding part is watching students begin to see themselves differently. “Honestly, it’s seeing students realize they can do it,” she said. “Not just win something, but actually see themselves as capable of doing real scientific work.”