Months of scientific research, innovation and creativity have paid off for an Elizabethtown High School (EAHS) junior and a Warwick High School sophomore, the two top winners of the 72nd North Museum Science and Engineering Fair, presented by the Arconic Foundation. Their projects were selected from those of 170 students in grades six through 12 from 21 Lancaster County schools on March 7 following hours of judging and interviewing by more than 75 STEM-related professionals from dozens of local companies, schools and universities.

Ella Stricker from EAHS was named Grand Champion for her experiments in earth and environmental sciences, investigating a more cost-effective method of producing eco-friendly plastics to help combat plastics pollution. Stricker's project was titled "Optimizing Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Production in Bacteria: A Sustainable Approach to Eco-friendly Plastics."

Warwick High School's Austin Van Grouw won Senior Division Champion for his project in chemistry and materials science, exploring the possibility of using wood ash instead of sand - a depleting resource - in concrete. This project was titled "The Effect of Wood Ash on Properties of Concrete."

Stricker and Van Grouw will go on to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles in May. The North Museum will pay for all registration fees, other fees, travel expenses and accommodations.

The North Museum Science & Engineering Fair, which has been managed by the North Museum since 2009, is one of six in Pennsylvania that is affiliated with ISEF. Students from every public school district in Lancaster County, as well as all private, charter, online and home schools are invited to enter the local competition. Next year's competition will begin with registration in October. Registration is free of charge to all participating students.

For a complete list of winners, visit http://www.northmuseum.org.