Stephanie Tatum excels at boxing and last week, she used her knowledge of the skills of boxing to garner a first place ribbon in the Chelsea Junior High seventh and eighth grade Science Fair.

“I chose boxing as my science fair project because it's my favorite sport,” 13 year-old Tatum said. “I wanted to teach other people about boxing.”

Tatum has been boxing for four months at the Chelsea PAL boxing gym. She has lived in Chelsea for three years and was born in Dewey.

In her project, Tatum showed what materials are needed to sucessfully and safely box an opponent, including head gear, wraps, boxing gloves and a mouthguard.

The purpose of her science fair project was to show how a boxer's stance will affect punches thrown during a match. Tatum covered the boxing rule, the particulars of boxing rounds and she even touched on the history of boxing stating it first appeared as an Olympic game at the 23rd games in 668 B.C.

“I was right,” Tatum said. “If you don't have the right stance, it will affect your punches.”

Tatum is the daughter of Kevin Tatum of Chelsea and Vicky Jones of Copan. She has four brothers and sisters: Winter, 7, Damon, 17, Dustin, 21 and Amber, 16.

Some of Tatum's favorite things include: television show, Spongebob Squarepants; subject, science; food, pepperoni and cheese pizza; teachers, Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Williams; and says her best friend is Janetta Sherwood.

Tatum has big plans for her future, which include her love of boxing.

“I want to get a boxing scholarship and go to college and become a pro-boxer,” she said.

Chelsea Police Chief Dustin Chadwell, a member of the PAL program, said Tatum has come far in the sport.

“Stephanie's come a long way since she started,” he said. “She's got a lot better form and has a strong desire to compete.”