Serious science: Hundreds compete in Kern’s 36th annual Regional Science Fair
The numbers tell an impressive story: About 540 students in fourth grade through high school presented more than 486 projects on Tuesday at Kern County’s 36th annual Regional Science Fair at Mechanics Bank Convention Center.
Imagine: Youth engaged in science of all types working on their projects, sometimes for months, to show off what they learned and discovered as judges roamed the groups to grade their work.
Those middle school and high school students who captured first place are eligible to compete in the state fair to be held virtually on April 16, according to the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office.
And two projects are to join the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles on May 12-17. The are Cade Nahama from Bakersfield High School and Ishmeet Singh from Stockdale High School, KCSOS reported.
KCSOS, which administers the local science fair, noted primary sponsorship is provided by Aera Energy LLC. Additional sponsorship and support is offered by Chevron North America Exploration and Production, Lockheed Martin, California Resources Corp., Kern County Science Foundation, American Chemical Society-Mojave Desert Section, Berry Petroleum Co., Grimmway Enterprises and American Petroleum Institute San Joaquin Chapter.
The following are the results in each category, as provided by KCSOS:
4th GRADE Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
First place: Kaesaline Chao, Leo B. Hart Elementary Second place: Jaylah Cruz, Albany Park Elementary Third place: Jesselle Madrigal, Princeton Elementary
Chemistry
First place: Aaron Carr, Golden Hills Elementary Second place: Viraj Sharma, Panama Elementary Third place: Kailana Burrows, Almondale Elementary
Earth and Environmental Sciences
First place: Nathan Ramos-Leal, Owens Elementary Second place: Victoria Strosnider, Franklin Elementary Third place: Kassandra Diaz, Albany Park Elementary Honorable mention: Peyton Bailey, Golden Hills Elementary
Environmental Engineering
First place: Avyaan Jain, Ronald Reagan Elementary Second place: Crusoe Kirkpatrick, Centennial Elementary Third place: Ines Jauregui Laurelglen Elementary Honorable mention: Eli Janssen, W.A. Kendrick Elementary
Materials Science
First place: Slater Shahan, Laurelglen Elementary Second place: Sawyer Vercammen, W.A. Kendrick Elementary Third place: Frida Santiago, Berkshire Elementary Honorable mention: Braxton Newland, American Elementary
Physics and Astronomy
First place: Nikolas Kelesides, Buena Vista Elementary Second place: Annabelle Tingley, Laurelglen Elementary Third place: Sebastian Ramirez, Nueva Vista Language Academy Honorable mention: Jayce Dyer, Stine Elementary
Product Science
First place: Arnulfo Rodriguez, Nueva Vista Language Academy Second place: William Elliott, Stine Elementary
Third place: Giancarlos Mascarinas, Douglas Miller Elementary Honorable mention: Izaiah Lopez, Redwood Elementary
Zoology
First place: Katariina Morales, Heartland Charter Second place: Madelyn Felkins, Heartland Charter
Third place: Gio Damas, Crescent Elementary Honorable mention: Morgan Lobre, Independence Elementary
5th GRADE Aerodynamics
First place: Alejandro Hernández, Saint Ann School Second place: Jonathan Cookson, Tompkins Elementary Third place: Emerson Armstrong,
St. John’s Lutheran School
Honorable mention: Andrew Dubon, Louise Sandrini Elementary
Applied Mechanics and Structures
First place: Sanay Mahajan, Ronald Reagan Elementary Second place: Praganya Jeyaprassad, Discovery Elementary
Third place: Hailee Guerrero, Alicante Avenue Elementary Honorable mention: Graham Giumarra, St. Francis Parish School
Chemistry
First place: Eisley Cabalka, Stockdale Elementary Second place: Luke McInturf, Tompkins Elementary Third place: Sarina Garcia, Nueva Vista Language Academy Honorable mention: Gabriel Infante, Myrtle Avenue School
Earth and Environmental Sciences
First place: Adhrit Saha, Ronald Reagan Elementary Second place: Leighton Powell, Owens Elementary
Third place: Ava Parraz Rafaello, Palla Elementary Honorable mention: Sloane Taylor, American Elementary
Electronics and Electromagnetics
First place: Nehemiah Bo, Suburu Elementary Second place: Olive Cantelmi, St. Francis Parish School Third place: Noah Mears, Highgate Elementary
Food Science
First place: Ethan Robles Vidrio, Owens Elementary Second place: Alekha Goldberg, Peak to Peak Mountain Charter Third place: Josh Tomono, St. John’s Lutheran School Honorable mention: Naomi Hansen, Valley Oaks Charter
Mammalian Biology
First place: Tristan Tolentino, Owens Elementary Second place: Axel Batdorf, Kernville Elementary
Third place: Russell Hacker, Wallace Elementary Honorable mention: Sophy Wyrick, Horizon Elementary
Materials Science
First place: Lennon Journey, St. Francis Parish School Second place: Aliyah Martinez, Del Vista Math Science Academy
Third place: Nicola Altavas, St. John’s Lutheran School
Physics and Astronomy
First place: Luke Kemp, Centennial Elementary
Second place: Nathaniel Dixon, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Third place: David Wyatt Stanley, Centennial Elementary Honorable mention: Esias Sims, Amy B. Seibert Elementary
Plant Biology
First place: Isabella Watkins, Leo B. Hart Elementary Second place: Zoya Steklov, Endeavour Elementary Third place: Ella Busby, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Honorable mention: Benjamin (Jonah) Vaultz, Old River Elementary
Product Science
First place: Alexa Hernandez, Granite Pointe Elementary Second place: Sebastian Hernandez, John L. Prueitt Elementary
Third place: Ariela Sanchez, Nueva Vista Language Academy Honorable mention: Jayla Aguirre, Downtown School
6th-8th GRADES Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics
First place: David Valdovinos, McKee Middle
Second place: Luca Milliken, St. Francis Parish School Third place: Matthew Cornell, Panama Elementary Honorable mention: Sebastian Mos, St. Francis Parish School
Alternative Energy
First place: Stella Lota, Earl Warren Junior High Second place: Sari Legrama, Valley Oaks Charter
Third place: Luis Haro, Chipman Junior High
Applied Mechanics and Structures
First place: Avin Benny, Rio Bravo-Greeley Second place: Anneliese Kimmel, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Third place: Iris Zhao, Earl Warren Junior High Honorable mention: Camila Mendez, Heartland Charter
Behavioral and Social Sciences
First place: Ellie Huynh, Owens Elementary
Second place: Isacc Santoyo, Downtown School
Third place: Zyanya Perez, Terrace Elementary Honorable mention: Miley Franco, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
First place: Ronak Bose, Earl Warren Junior High Second place: Rupsa Daripa, Earl Warren Junior High Third place: Ryan Brar, St. John’s Lutheran School
Chemistry
First place: Emmeline Blakie, Saint Ann School Second place: Bailey Murano, Downtown School
Third place: Mason Chambers, American Elementary Honorable mention: Madelyn Walker, Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
Earth and Environmental Sciences
First place: Carroll Hay, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Second place: Bryan Moe, Stockdale Christian School Third place: Sidhaan Ranganath, Earl Warren Junior High Honorable mention: Emily Hein, Owens Elementary
Electronics and Electromagnetics
First place: Paul Blakie, Saint Ann School
Second place: Dhruv Reddy, St. John’s Lutheran School Third place: Aiden Alvarez, Palm Avenue Middle Honorable mention: Cooper Werdel, St. Francis Parish School
Environmental Engineering
First place: Serena Thornburg, Jacobsen Middle Second place: Amrita Singh, St. John’s Lutheran School Third place: Cole Coughran, Almondale Elementary
Food Science
First place: Archer Serxner, St. John’s Lutheran School Second place: Sebastian Espitia, Palm Avenue Middle
Third place: Nicholas Dixon, Rio Bravo-Greeley Honorable mention: Arielle Chen, Ronald Reagan Elementary
Mammalian Biology
First place: Shalini Dandamundi, St. John’s Lutheran School Second place: Akshaya Behara, St. John’s Lutheran School
Third place: Teagan Hathaway, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Materials Science
First place: Dyianne Remotigue, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School
Second place: Ivan Cortes, Thomas Jefferson Middle Third place: Zayden Jimenez, Amy B. Seibert Elementary Honorable mention: Steven Serna, McKee Middle
Physics and Astronomy I
First place: Kate Lin, Earl Warren Junior High
Second place: Emily Flores, Stine Elementary
Third place: Jasline Martinez, Palm Avenue Middle
Physics and Astronomy II
First place: Yareli Vidales, Thomas Jefferson Middle Second place: Ismerai Briseno, Ollivier Middle
Third place: Valeria Perez, Thomas Jefferson Middle Honorable mention: Natalie Wiebe, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School
Plant Biology
First place: Molly Cole, Wallace Middle
Second place: Brooklyn Hardy, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Third place: Madison Behill, Discovery Elementary Honorable mention: Amelia Eao, Earl Warren Junior High
Product Science — Biological
First place: Esmeralda Frausto, McKee Middle
Second place: Hallie Rawson, Rio Bravo-Greeley
Third place: Ava Delgado, Palm Avenue Middle
Product Science — Physical
First place: Gianna Porter, Old River Elementary Second place: Nathaniel Bertiz and Tristan Cruz, St. Francis Parish School
Third place: Brooke Perri, St. Francis Parish School Honorable mention: Yuvraj Dhaliwal, Buena Vista Elementary
Zoology
First place: Stella Beard, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Second place: Lucy Hampton and Natalie Martinez, Endeavour Elementary
Third place: Avery Morris, Lincoln Junior High
9th-12th GRADES Behavioral and Social Sciences
First place: Maanya Srivastava and Tanya Srivastava, Stockdale High
Second place: Illeanna Salinas, Reese Cunningham and Samantha Fonseca, Ridgeview High Third place: Kevin Corral and Parjot Sodhi, Ridgeview High
Cognitive Science
First place: Amanjot Gakhal, Markus De Guzman and Nicolas Serrano, Ridgeview High Second place: Gurpreet Nijjar, Ridgeview High
Third place: Adelin Pineda, Ridgeview High Honorable mention: Jayden Oliver, Del Oro High
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
First place: Gurleen Toor, Stockdale High
Second place: Alondra Vega Martinez, Gennesis Parra and Valerie Ojeda, Ridgeview High Third place: Samriddhi Singh, Stockdale High
Chemistry
First place: Tanvi Thallapalle, Stockdale High
Second place: Amenda Nguyen and Aylin Hernandez, Ridgeview High
Third place: Isabel Correa, Julianne Alba and Kaylie La, Stockdale High Honorable mention: Perlla Ghumid, Stockdale High
Computational Analysis
First place: Ishmeet Singh, Stockdale High Second place: Warren Woolf, Valley Oaks Charter
Earth and Environmental Sciences
First place: Madelyn Evans, Ridgeview High Second place: Edwin Campos and Miguel Estevez, Del Oro High
Third place: Leah Zizo, Ridgeview High Honorable mention: Aaliyah Young, Berenice Manzo and Madison Wallace, Ridgeview High
Electronics and Electromagnetics
First place: Cade Nahama, Bakersfield High
Second place: Anurag Banerjee, Stockdale High
Third place: Luis Lopez, Miguel Quiroz and Zacharious Marquez, Ridgeview High
Environmental Engineering
First place: Alexis Doran and Madelyn Gayita, Ridgeview High Second place: Aleesa Linares and Kimberly Velasco, Ridgeview High
Mathematical Sciences
First place: Aarohi Patel, Stockdale High
Second place: Kathryn Ready, Highland High
Third place: Jimmy Dao, Ridgeview High
Microbiology
First place: Parveen Dhaliwal, Ridgeview High
Second place: Nathan Chavez and Jiya Sharma, Ridgeview High
Third place: Simar Singh, Stockdale High
Physics and Astronomy
First place: Magi Portell, Ridgeview High
Second place: Jacob Ellis and Kristie Fone, Ridgeview High Third place: Emily Landaverde and Sukirat Kaur, Ridgeview High
Zoology
First place: Ekam Natt, Stockdale High
Second place: Karis Lee, Stockdale High
Third place: Avni Kalra, Stockdale High
Honorable mention: Alexandra Cruz Rivera, Del Oro High