May 17th, 2010
Bowie students have hairy solution for oily problem

Left to right: Kaci Pucket, Teresa Cervantes, Andrea Martinez, Javier Mireles  Photo by Linda Contreras.

STAFF REPORT

A group of fifth grade students at Bowie Elementary School were so concerned about the leaking British Petroleum oil well in the Gulf of Mexico that they based a science project on it. Kaci Pucket, Teresa Cervantes, Andrea Martinez and Javier Mireles displayed their hairy solution to the problem at the Bowie Science Fair.

The team stuffed old pantyhose with hair and put the tube in a tub of water mixed with oil. The tubes soaked up most of the oil in a short time.

While this solution may strike the casual observer as untenable for the Gulf oil spill, it should be noted that an organization in San Francisco, Matter of Trust, has been collecting hair and nylons for weeks for just that purpose.

The team’s teacher, Lauren Daleo, said that she is proud of the students for their creative approach and their interest in current events and the environment.

The initial question of the experiment is posed.

The hair-stuffed pantyhose solution is displayed.

The question is answered.