County Students Win Awards at State Science Fair

LOS ANGELES — Each year, the Santa Cruz County Science & Engineering Fair provides the opportunity for local students to compete at the California State Science Fair in Los Angeles, CA. On April 24 & 25, 2017, forty-two students from schools across Santa Cruz County (Grades 6-12) competed in this annual statewide scholastic competition.

The California State Science Fair is the final science fair of the academic year for students throughout the State of California in grades 6 – 12, serving California’s future scientists since 1952. It is hosted by the California Science Center (formerly, the California Museum of Science and Industry). This year there were 927 participants from 400 schools presenting 814 projects meeting in competition for awards totaling $60,000.

Santa Cruz County students won 1 First Place Award, 1 Second Place Award, 1 Third Place Award, 2 Fourth Place Awards, and 1 Honorable Mention Award. See below for details on each project and a link to all of the students’ official project abstracts.

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2017 California State Science Fair
Santa Cruz County Award Winners

Toxicology — First Place; Jackson K. Damhorst, Grade 9 Max A. Freedman, Grade 10, Advisor; Mrs. Patty Freedman — School: Alternative Family Education, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County – Effects of Varroa Mite Treatments on Bee Memory (cssf.usc.edu/Current/Projects/S2299.pdf)

Mammalian Biology — Second Place; Sae H. Ackerstein, Grade 6 – School: Mission Hill Junior High School, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County – The Seals of Elkhorn Slough: How Close Is too Close? (cssf.usc.edu/Current/Projects/J1301.pdf)

Physics & Astronomy — Third Place Gabriel A. Damon, Grade 12, Anita Ilango, Grade 12, Megha Ilango, Grade 12, Advisor: Dr. Puragra Guhathakurta – School: Cupertino High School, Cupertino, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz High School, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County – Kinematics of H-alpha Emitting Stars in Andromeda (cssf.usc.edu/Current/Projects/S1807.pdf)

Physics & Astronomy — Fourth Place; Ryan M. Beam, Grade 9, Advisor: Mr. John Postovit – School: Scotts Valley High School. Testing How Infill Affects the
Conductivity of 3D Printed Heat Shields (cssf.usc.edu//Current/Projects/S1801.pdf)

Product Science (Physical) — Fourth Place; Naiya H. Samios-McQuain, Grade 6, Sofia E. Storlazzi, Grade 6, Advisor: Mrs. Allison Birkhead – School: Gateway Middle School, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County – The Effect of Concussion Bands Tested at Various Heights (cssf.usc.edu/Current/Projects/J2118.pdf)

Earth & Atmospheric Sciences — Honorable Mention; Gillian M. Healey, Grade 8, Advisor: Mr. Joey Silva – School: Salesian Sisters Elementary School, Corralitos, Santa Cruz County – How Saturated Is Saturated? (cssf.usc.edu//Current/Projects/J0906.pdf)