UKIAH, CA – On Saturday, March 30, the Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) hosted the 33rd annual Mendocino County Science Fair, where 212 students submitted 155 projects, representing 23 local schools. The top 10 submissions advance to the California state science fair, scheduled for April 29-30 at the California Science Center, Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Organizers there expect about 900 participants from 400 schools throughout the state to compete for more than $50,000 in awards.
Kimberly Barden, MCOE Student Events Manager thanked the team of dedicated educators, parents and community members who worked together to make the event possible. She said, “The Mendocino County Office of Education really appreciates the teachers, science fair coordinators, and parents who support the curiosity and commitment of these students in the field of science. We also deeply appreciate the 54 judges and other volunteers who made this event go so smoothly.”
Mendocino County students in grades 3-12 submitted science fair projects in several ways: as part of class projects, as teams (with two or three members), or as individuals. They entered projects in a wide variety of categories, including behavioral/health/social sciences, biological sciences, earth sciences, ecology/environmental sciences, engineering/technology (Earth/Space), mathematics as it relates to physical sciences, and physical sciences.
The winners are listed below.
CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR
Ten projects and three alternate projects advanced to the California State Science Fair. The Mendocino County Science Fair state judges selected the following students in grades 6-12 with Class A and Class B Projects to compete at the state level (in no particular order).
California State Science Fair – Qualified Projects
Grade Level Student(s) Project Title School
9-12 Dalton Robinson Parasite Susceptibility in Icelandic Sheep: A Comparison of Offspring of Iceland-born Rams VS American-born Rams Mendocino High School
9-12 Yee-Kit Chan,
Jaimie YuMSG and Cell Growth Developing Virtue Secondary School (Girls Division)
9-12 Willow Daun-Widner Lipids and Latex-How Common Lipids Affect the Elasticity of Medical Grade Latex Willits Charter School
6-8 Hunter Paris Parachute Predicament Willits Charter School
9-12 Mariah Cox The Effects of Wildfire Ash on Soil Nutrient Levels Laytonville High School
6-8 Audrey Sherf Tweeking Texts to Help Dyslexics Willits Charter School
6-8 Jade L’Heureux Infinity Rover Eagle Peak Middle School
6-8 Owen Schuster, Andreas Allende Making a Change for People Who Can’t Afford Electricity Eagle Peak Middle School
6-8 Michael Okawa I'm a Big Fan Baechtel Grove Middle School
6-8 Tyler Simerson Use and Reuse, but is Your
Straw Clean?St. Mary of the Angels
California State Science Fair – Alternate Projects
Grade Level Student(s) Project Title School
6-8 YiFan Chan Impact of Mixing Engine Oil Ukiah Independent Study Academy
6-8 Kylie Neuroth Carbon Dioxide Gas Laytonville
Middle School
6-8 Jonah Meyers What are Some Methods for making Buildings Safer in an Earthquake St. Mary of
the Angels
LOGO CONTEST WINNERS
Grades 3-5
Olivia Larson | Yokayo Elementary School |
ELEMENTARY DIVISION – CLASS A PROJECTS
Earth Science-Grades 3-4
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Nick Cramer The Dam
Sediment ProblemWillits Elementary Charter School
Life Science-Grades 3-4
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Abigail Sherf A "Maze"ing Plants Willits Elementary Charter School
Silver Phoenix Hernandez,
Sofia VaccaroGrowing Strong
Sherwood School
Bronze Tyler Knight Dancing Fish Laytonville Elementary School
Physical Science-Grades 3-4
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Skylyn Glassey Electromagnets Willits Elementary
Charter School
Silver Trinity Manion Fishing Line Comparison Laytonville
Elementary School
Bronze Eddie Bower Testing the Physical Resistance
of Pure Metal AlloysArena Union
Elementary School
Earth Science-Grade 5
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Adalaide Montagnino,
Alicia Fuentes,
Lila WigtonPetroleum Problem Manchester Union
Elementary School
Silver Briley Leonard &
Kassle DycheHow Water Affects
Soil ErosionEagle Peak
Middle School
Life Science-Grade 5
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Kadie Balthrop Childproof or Not? Willits Elementary Charter School
Silver Rios Munoz Effects of Food Coloring Eagle Peak Middle School
Physical Science-Grade 5
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Rudras Knoles Wrapped in Green Eagle Peak Middle School
Silver Gideon Hupp Cooking with the Sun Tree of Life Charter School
Bronze Joaquin Faiella,
Isaac CastroNatural Filter Manchester Union Elementary School
JUNIOR DIVISIONS – CLASS A PROJECTS
Earth Science-Grades 6-8
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Estrella Fuentes,
Giselle MejiaLet's Clean Up This Oil Spill Manchester Union
Elementary School
Silver Enzo Vaccaro It's Not Rocket Science Willits Charter School
Bronze Nora Marin This is Bananas! Eagle Peak
Middle School
Life Science A -Grades 6-8
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Shelby Perez Bowen Eww! Mold! Baechtel Grove
Middle School
Silver Jacob Kubin,
Maleah Walley#Get Filtered Eagle Peak
Middle School
Bronze Cameron Hubley, Steven
Dunnicliff, Bode GowerHow Do Different Liquids
Affect the Body's CellsSt. Mary of
the Angels
Life Science B -Grades 6-8
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Audrey Sherf Tweaking Texts
to Help DyslexicsWillits
Charter School
Silver Tyler Simerson Use and Reuse, But
is Your Straw CleanSt. Mary of
the Angels
Bronze Amy Liu, Han (Jane)
Zhang, Katherine WangTo Eat or Not To Eat? Developing Virtue
Secondary School
(Girls Division)
Physical Science -Grades 6-8
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Hunter Paris Parachute Predicament Willits Charter School
Silver Daniel Castro,
Damian RodriguezElectrolyte Challenge Manchester Union
Elementary School
Bronze Michael Okawa I'm a Big Fan Baechtel Grove Middle School
SENIOR DIVISIONS – CLASS A PROJECTS
Earth Science-Grades 9-12
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Mariah Cox The Effects of Wildfire Ash on Soil Nutrient Levels Laytonville High School
Silver Haiqi (Sola) Long, Audrey Chan Organic Superabsorbent Polymers Developing Virtue Secondary School
(Girls Division)
Life Science A -Grades 9-12
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Dalton Robinson Parasite Susceptibility in Icelandic
Sheep: A Comparison of Offspring
of Iceland-born Rams VS
American-born RamsMendocino High School
Silver Zoe Alvarado Do Length, Density, or Width
of Hair Affect the Texture of a
Rabbit’s Pelt?Willits Charter School
Bronze Zoe Jordan Finding a Correlation Between
Age and Heart Rate in Oryclalagus
cuniculus (Domestic Rabbit)Willits Charter School
Life Science B -Grades 9-12
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Yee-Kit Chan,
Jaimie YuMSG and Cell Growth Developing Virtue Secondary School
(Girls Division)
Physical Science -Grades 9-12
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Willow Daun-Widner Lipids and Latex-How Common
Lipids Affect the Elasticity of
Medical Grade LatexWillits Charter School
JUNIOR DIVISION ENGINEERING – CLASS B PROJECTS
Grades 6-8
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Jade L’Heureux Infinity Rover Eagle Peak
Middle School
Silver Jonah Meyers What are Some Methods for making Buildings Safer in an Earthquake St. Mary of
the Angels
Bronze YiFan Chan Impact Of Mixing Engine Oil Ukiah Independent Study Academy
CLASSROOM PROJECTS – CLASS C PROJECTS
Grades 3-5
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Student Representatives-Kamran Lopez, Calleigh Wear, and Adriana Alvarez Germ Buster Blosser Lane Elementary School
Silver Room 5-Ms. McClelland's Class Fizz Fun Blosser Lane Elementary School
Bronze Wren Samana, Roe Weidaw, Nishae Valente, Sasha Rodriguez, Claire Wang Crystals from liquid to solid Instilling Goodness Girls School
DISPLAYS/DEMONSTRATIONS – CLASS D PROJECTS
Grades 3-5
Medal Student(s) Project Title School
Gold Jen Harness My Experiment on Invisible Ink Willits Elementary
Charter School
Silver Vada Morgan Electromagnetic Motor Willits Elementary
Charter School
Bronze Jose Bernal, Ivan Bermudez Electric Car Arena Union
Elementary
Grades 6-12
Medal | Student(s) | Project Title | School |
---|---|---|---|
Gold | Soren Pinelli | The Light Show | Sherwood School |
Silver | Joshua Franklin | Acorn Processing | Ukiah Independent Study Academy |
Bronze | Alexandra Titus | Crystal Cave | Baechtel Grove Middle School |
SPECIAL AWARDS
Audrey Sherf from Willits Charter School received the Evelyn Smith Excellence in Science Award, an award established by MCOE in memory of Evelyn Smith who enthusiastically supported science education. Her efforts on behalf of the science fair benefited students, instructors, and the community.
Dalton Robinson from Mendocino High School received the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS) Award. This award recognizes students’ scientific study and encourages them to continue developing their scientific interests. Students eligible for this award must be in grades 7-11 and meet certain criteria by CAPS.
Baechtel Creek Medical Clinic in Willits sponsored two Outstanding Junior Science Awards for a project done by an individual student in grades 3 or 4, and in grade 5. Rios Munoz from Eagle Peak Middle School and Audrey Sherf from Willits Charter School each received a Certificate of Achievement and a check in the amount of $50 from Dr. Elizabeth Olsen.
Adalaide Montagnino, Alicia Fuentes, and Lila Wigton from Manchester Union Elementary School received the Paul Joens-Poulton Avantgarde Award. This award honors Joens-Poulton’s efforts in spearheading the county science fair and his promotion of scientific education for students within the county. This award recognizes a project that would be characterized as advanced, unorthodox and/or experimental.
If you would like to volunteer in the future or would like more information, please contact Kimberly Barden at (707) 467-5100 or kbarden@mcoe.us.
Photo Caption: Science Fair WinnersTop Row, Left to Right: Jade L’Heureux, Dalton Robinson, Audrey Sherf, Mariah Cox, Willow Daun-Widner, Hunter Paris, Tyler SimersonBottom Row, Left to Right: YiFan Chan, Yee-Kit Chan, Jaimie Yu, Kylie Neuroth, Jonah Meyes, Michael OkawaNot pictured: Owen Schuster and Andreas Allende |