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Science superstar
By SUSAN THURSTON © St. Petersburg Times, published April 22, 2001 HUNTER'S GREEN -- At 13, Justus Roberts II already knows a lot about success and winning. His family room wall is covered with medals, ribbons and trophies, including one taller than he is. He even has a resume. His accomplishments range from scholastic football star to national tae kwon do champ. Now he adds science whiz to the list. Justus won Best of Fair for his age group in the Hillsborough Regional Science and Engineering Fair Feb. 27-28 at the University of South Florida. He also placed first in the medicine and health category. "It felt good," said Justus, who lives in Hunter's Green. "All the girls were giving me hugs, and the guys were giving me high-fives." His project was among 267 submitted by sixth- through eighth-graders from across the county. It looked at the cleanliness of water in dentist tools. Justus concluded that dentist offices aren't as antiseptic as many people think. In fact, the water squirted into patients' mouths often contains bacteria. Lots of it. The project studied water at five dentists in Tampa. Justus collected samples from different syringes and toilet bowls in each office, and placed them in sterile dishes to observe how much bacteria would form over several days. Then he did the same for bottled water from local grocery stores and for regular tap water. His findings grossed out his parents, but proved his theory: Water in the dental syringes was more contaminated than the other samples, including the toilet bowl water. "Every time you sit in a dentist chair you take a risk of being exposed to a bacteria," said the seventh-grader from Benito Middle School. "You might as well drink from a toilet." Justus got the idea for the experiment from watching 60 Minutes on television. The program compared dental syringe water and faucet water, and came up with similar results. On a hunch, Justus took the idea a step further and tested toilet water. Justus called 25 dentists across Tampa, but only five agreed to take part in his study. The others feared bad publicity, he said. He wrote letters about the results, but hasn't heard back. Justus isn't naming the offices, but said everyone who sees a dentist should be concerned. Although the situation does not pose a serious health risk, the bacteria that builds up in syringe tubes could be harmful to people with weakened immune systems. He advises patients to make sure hygienists flush out the syringes for a few minutes before using them. The project earned him an A-plus in science class and the envy of his classmates. He got extra credit for entering the science fair. Many middle schools require a science project as part of the curriculum. The students come up with their own hypothesis and conduct the research. "It makes them understand that science is all around them and it's applicable to their lives and the real world," said Andi Ringer, supervisor for middle school science for Hillsborough schools. She described Justus' project as thorough, original and well-thought out. Ringer and other district administrators went to Fort Myers last week for the state competition hosted by the Florida Foundation of Future Scientists at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The fair drew about 700 regional winners from middle and high schools across the state. Competition was stiff. Justus won fourth place in a category for medicine and health. Participating in the event was a big deal for Justus and his family. His grandmother, Mabel Watson, traveled from Cleveland, Ohio, to attend. "His efforts and hard work paid off," said his proud father, also named Justus, who works for IBM. Justus II began the project in October and did the experiments in December. He spent almost all of his winter break writing a 50-page report detailing the project and his findings. "I had only one day to play," said the energetic teen who also enjoys football, soccer and piano. Justus hopes the experience will help later in life as he pursues a career as a crime scene investigator or cardiologist. He is already thinking about ideas for next year and is eager to add another trophy to his collection. "Science makes you think. It keeps your brain working," he said. - Susan Thurston can be reached at (813) 226-3463 or thurston@sptimes.com.
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