Cloquet sophomore wins award for science research

Cloquet sophomore Pery Boyd-Affias will be honored Jan. 26 at the Science Museum of Minnesota's Native American Science Fusion Series events. The Donaldson award is given to one Minnesota Native American high school student who has shown exceptional achievement and or passion for a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) related field of study, in or outside of the classroom. Boyd-Affias was nominated by his research teacher/mentor Cynthia Welsh.

Welsh has been working with Boyd-Affias since his seventh-grade year, along with William Bauer, who helped the young scientist use computer programming to enhance his research and results.

The telling of his science research story illustrates academic and cognitive skills that are deserving of the Donaldson American Indian Award, said Welsh, telling of his progression through Cloquet's science fair program.

In seventh grade, Boyd-Affias did a science research project on the effect of food type on crayfish eating preference. For this work he received a second-place animal science award, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Award at the Northeastern Minnesota Regional Science Fair. He participated at the National American Indian Science & Engineering Society fair and was a 2016 Donaldson Science Fusion Native American Day presenter.

In eighth grade, he and partner Maya Fairbanks evaluated the effect of road run off on the growth of romaine lettuce plants; this project helped them win numerous awards. At the regional fair they received a first-place plant science award (advancing to state), the Broadcom Masters (Top 10 percent), the American Indian Science and Engineering Award, a First Place Paper award and advanced to state. On top of all that, their project was the Top Middle School National Grand Award Winner for the 2016 National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair. Again, they were presented their work at the Donaldson Science Fusion Native American Day.

In high school, working solo, he expanded his research to include the effect of road run off on Lemna minor, an aquatic plant also known as duckweed. For this work, he was again awarded a First Place-Plant Science award at the regional fair as well as the Metric Award. He went on to win fourth place (top 20 percent) at the Minnesota Academy of Science State Science Fair. He also participated in the National American Indian Science & Engineering Society's online fair.

"His interest and enthusiasm for science is contagious, especially his interest in aquatic plant science," Welsh said.

This year, his sophomore year, he is studying the drainage ponds on the new middle school grounds. For this project he is learning two important new skills, computer programming and the use of ArcGIS Online. He is working on writing a program using JavaScript that will digitize photos of Lemna minor to evaluate the degree of green color or plant health. He is also using ArcGis Online to create a map that evaluates the water drainage in the four middle school ponds.

According to Welsh, Boyd-Affias is very conscious of planning out his future academic path. He is a part of the Trio College preparatory program based out of the College of Saint Scholastica. His plan is Post-Secondary education at the Fond du Lac tribal college, where he will earn his associate degree and an ArcGIS certificate. He hopes to become a landscape architect specializing in ArcGIS mapping.

Not only is Pery gifted academically, his interests are wide and varied. He participates in student council, pep band, soccer, and sings in his church choir. Even with his busy schedule, he volunteers to help seventh-graders with their science projects and can often be found listening and helping middle school students put together their boards; he is always willing to lend a hand. He plans to volunteer to chaperone middle school students at the Monarch Ecology Fair this December.

Pery's Ojibwe culture is a vital part of his life: he lives on the reservation and attends many cultural events, including powwows and ricing. He attends an after-school Ojibwe culture and language class and has a firm grasp of his native language.