Jacob Hogue was glad that he made a project for this year’s Montgomery County R-II Science Fair on Jan. 13.

It took the Montgomery County freshman two places to work on it.

Hogue went to the University of Missouri in Columbia and the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla to create a concrete recycling project.

“I got the plastic pellets that I used in concrete from Mizzou,” Hogue said. “I went to S&T to use their hydraulic press to test it. I couldn’t have done it without the colleges’ support.”

The effort helped him win a big award at the end of the science fair, which was held at the gymnasium of Montgomery City Elementary School. He was one of two recipients to earn an Above and Beyond trophy from CertainTeed. The other recipient was third-grader Mercer Cothren.

“It was great,” Hogue said. “The project was fun.”

Hogue was one of numerous students from kindergarten to high school who competed in this year’s science fair, which returned after it was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to his trophy, Hogue also earned a second-place medal in the ninth-grade high school division.

“I enjoyed it,” Hogue said. “I’ve done it since sixth grade and I got first place every year but this year. But that’s all right.”

CertainTeed was one of numerous sponsors in this year’s science fair. The others were New Florence Wood Products, Uncle Ray’s, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Companion Animal Hospital, Ameren, Farmers’ and Laborers’ and Peoples Savings Bank.

“It’s really nice to have all of the community support,” said Jim Elder, who shares chairperson duties with wife, Susan. “That’s a blessing. We have a very strong community here.”

The Elders have been chairpersons of the science fair since 2018. Jim said he always wanted to work in a science fair.

“Up until COVID hit, I’ve been coming to second grade classrooms here (at MCE) and doing four lessons a year with them,” he said. “I work in science. I work for the USDA and the research arm. I really like doing that. I love teaching. I think this is something that will benefit the kids with their reading, their writing, their arithmetic and their critical thinking. It will really benefit them in the long run.”

Susan said she was impressed with the projects from all of the participants.

“It’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s so great to see how the kids exceed. They’re so proud of their projects and they work so hard. It’s very rewarding.”

The top three finishers in each age division earned medals. There were also prizes given away, such as telescopes, microscopes, Chromebooks, hoverboards, LEGO kits and gift cards.

Sydney Poindexter, a second-grader, won a first-place medal and a microscope for her project on crystals.

“It’s very, very cool because it’s the first science fair that I have ever done,” Sydney said.

Julia Elder, who is Jim and Susan’s daughter, won first place in the fourth-grade division for her project on glue.

“I really like it,” Julia said. “I’m really proud of my board and I’m excited that I won a medal.”

MCHS junior Cora Johnson earned a first-place medal for her salt preference project in the 11th grade high school division. She used cupcakes for her experiment and found out that salt has been overused in diets.

“I’m always glad that I did the science fair,” Johnson said. “I did my very first one in seventh grade, which was cool. They have done some really amazing things.”