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Presque Isle Today
By the People, for the People
Van Buren Students Earn Science Fair Scholarships
Three students from the small Aroostook County town win college awards for their standout projects.
Apr. 8, 2026 at 2:41pm
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A group of students from Van Buren District Secondary School (VBDSS) in northern Maine earned three college scholarships after representing the only Aroostook County school at the Maine State Science Fair. The students, guided by their teacher Laurie Spooner, spent months developing projects on topics ranging from the impact of social media on youth anxiety to the effects of commercial energy drinks. Their hard work paid off, with Madyson Caron, Ashlyn Bouchard, and Alex Violette each receiving significant scholarship awards to continue their education.
Why it matters
The success of the Van Buren students at the state science fair highlights the importance of encouraging students to explore STEM fields, ask big questions, and receive support from their school and community. For a small town in rural Maine, this achievement demonstrates the potential for students to excel when given the right resources and opportunities.
The details
The VBDSS students tackled a wide range of thoughtful and timely topics for their science fair projects, including the link between anxiety and social media use, the influence of weather on bird feeding behavior, creating a self-sustaining water system for a community garden, how bedtime reading affects teen sleep, and the impacts of commercial and homemade energy drinks. Before heading to the state competition in Orono, the students presented their work at a local mock science fair and received feedback from community mentors.
- The Maine State Science Fair was held on March 28, 2026 at Orono High School.
- VBDSS has participated in the state fair for the past four years.
The players
Van Buren District Secondary School (VBDSS)
A public secondary school serving the town of Van Buren, Maine, located in Aroostook County. VBDSS was the only school from Aroostook County represented at the 2026 Maine State Science Fair.
Laurie Spooner
A teacher at VBDSS who guided the students in developing their science fair projects. Spooner was also named the 2026 Aroostook County Teacher of the Year.
Madyson Caron
A VBDSS student who earned a $2,500 renewable scholarship to the University of Maine at Presque Isle for her science fair project.
Ashlyn Bouchard
A VBDSS student who earned a $2,500 renewable scholarship to the University of Maine at Presque Isle for her science fair project.
Alex Violette
A VBDSS student who earned a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Maine's College of Engineering for his science fair project.
The takeaway
The success of the Van Buren students at the Maine State Science Fair demonstrates the power of providing rural students with the resources and support to explore STEM fields and tackle complex, real-world problems. This achievement highlights the potential for small-town schools to produce exceptional young scholars when the community rallies behind them.
