Kyle likes to build and experiment with designs of model rockets. He is in multiple bands and also plays football, soccer, and baseball. Because he enjoys "working on things that fly, such as rockets and model airplanes," Kyle would like to become an aerospace engineer someday. His honors science teacher is Kyle's mentor. "She opened my eyes to all the different fields of science," says Kyle.
Puccinia hemerocallidis, or daylily rust, is an invasive species of fungus that kills daylilies. After a local daylily farmer went of out business because of the fungus, Kyle began searching for a solution. He discovered that gardeners were trying a variety of potentially hazardous chemicals to treat daylily rust. He wanted to find a less dangerous method of combating the fungus.
Kyle discovered that silicon could strengthen the walls of plant cells. Because the fungus attacks by puncturing the cell wall, Kyle thought silicon treatment might strengthen the plants enough to withstand the fungus. He collected 98 fungus-ridden daylilies and planted them in two plots. He applied silicon-potash solution once a week for two months. He then counted the number of fungus pustules on the underside of each leaf. Untreated plants averaged about five pustules, while treated plant averaged less than one. He concluded that a simple silicon solution could help defeat the fungus.
