Took 1st place in the middle school science fair. She studied the growth patterns of feeding one group of plants beer, and the other group of plants H2O. Results: the beer-fed plants grew faster and taller than the H2O-fed plants, but died quicker. She went on to enter the beer vs. H20 plant experiment in the Wisconsin Statewide Science Fair competition. Karen received an Environmental Conservation award, "in recognition of creative scientific endeavor in environmental conservation", by the National Park Service, Dept. of Interior.