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 Science Winners Lauded
by Sarasota Herald-Tribune/Sarasota County Schools SARASOTA, FL – Young scientists were honored with prizes, cash awards and – for two top-ranked high school students – a chance to shine in international competition as the 2010 Regional Science, Engineering and Technology Fair came to a close last night. The annual awards ceremony was held at the School Board auditorium, where Superintendent Lori White and district leaders recognized 140 students of all ages for placing first, second or third in twelve different categories of research. Special awards for exceptional projects were also presented. Two students will go on to represent Sarasota County at the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair next month.
The $500 Dart Foundation Award for Medicine & Health was presented to Alyssa Heere, another Sarasota High School student, for "Effect of ADHD Medication on the Heart Rate of Daphnia." Cindy Kaiser, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, presented cash awards to all first place winners and major scholarships to outstanding high school participants. The Faulhaber Foundation Prize for the Scientific Exploration of Nature went to two Sarasota High students, who received awards of $1,000 each. Richard Schineller’s project, "Effects of Radio Waves on Ferro Fluids," took first place in the physics category. Wayne Dahlberg’s engineering project, "The Effectiveness of an On-Demand Hydrogen Cell on the Efficiency of an Internal Combustion Engine," placed first in its category. The $500 Dart Foundation Award for Medicine & Health was presented to Alyssa Heere, another Sarasota High School student, for "Effect of ADHD Medication on the Heart Rate of Daphnia." Heere also received the Carl Luer Biological Science Award, recognizing the student who best represents the spirit of scientific inquiry.  Sarasota County Schools
Alyssa Heere, winner of the Dart Foundation Award, with Dr. Carl Luer.Phillippi Shores Elementary School, Sarasota School of Arts and Science and Suncoast Polytechnical High School captured the Christopher P. Puchalla, Sr School Award for Encouraging Young Engineers. Each first, second and third place winner received a certificate and a "Bright Future" card game, a gift from Applied Materials, Inc. The California-based company created the game to engage students in becoming good stewards of the earth’s resources. Decks were also distributed to fifth grade science classrooms. The two overall winners of the high school contest will go on to compete internationally next month. Sarasota High School’s Jared Carter and Out-of-Door Academy’s Brittany Wenger will represent the county at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in San Jose, California from May 9–14. Carter’s experiment, "Body Armor Utilizing a Sheer Thickening Fluid," captured top honors in the chemistry division. Wenger’s project, "Does Practice Make Perfect? The Role of Training Neural Networks," bested all others in the computer science category. All expenses for their travel and participation in the Intel ISEF are paid for by the Education Foundation.
Einstein Sponsor is the Dart Foundation. The Intel ISEF has been called the "Olympics, the World Cup, and the World Series of science competitions." Now in its 60th year, the Intel ISEF is the world's largest pre-college science competition and the only science project competition for students in grades 9–12. The Intel ISEF brings together students, teachers, corporate executives, and government officials from around the world. This year, more than 1500 students from 50 countries will compete for over $4 million in scholarships, tuition grants, scientific equipment, and scientific trips. Susan Puchalla, Sarasota County Schools’ science curriculum specialist and the fair’s director for the past ten years, said that 756 Sarasota County students from 37 public, private and home schools submitted 701 individual and team projects to the regional competition this year. More than 120 volunteer judges helped determine the overall winners, winners in each of the categories, and recipients of special awards. Student projects were evaluated at county-wide competition held at Robarts Arena in late January. First place projects were featured at the Sarasota County Fair in March. Sarasota County Schools collaborates with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and the Sarasota County Fair Association to present the fair each year. Hundreds of Sarasota County students participate by completing research in science, engineering, math or technology using the scientific or engineering method. The Education Foundation underwrites the regional fair, the county’s participation in international competition, and numerous cash awards through the generosity of community sponsors. Local sponsors support the Regional Science Fair at various levels. New this year as DaVinci Sponsor is The Faulhaber Foundation, Inc. Einstein Sponsor is the Dart Foundation. The Sagan Sponsor is the Sarasota-Manatee Area Manufacturing Association. 2010 Sarasota Regional Science, Engineering & Technology Fair – Specia Awards By School Booker High School: American Psychological Association Award What Tunes You On?, Chantel Mihailovic & Rachel Rancourt – Behavioral & Social Science Brookside Middle Schools: The Planetary Society Awards for Innovative Vision Advanced Solar Water Purification, Savanah Benz – Engineering Epiphany Cathedral School: Office of Naval Research Award (Middle School) Which Snack Gives Me the Most Energy During Swim Meets?, Olivia Grangeon – Medicine & Health Laurel Nokomis School: Office of Naval Research Award (Middle School) What is the Effect of Rapid Cooling on Recrystallization?, Jordan Kindt – Chemistry McIntosh Middle School Office of Naval Research Award (Middle School) Ready, Set, Don’t Fertilize, Devin Serino – Environmental Science New Gate School: US Air Force Award for Mathematics Fibonacci’s Golden Ratio, Beth Osborne-Schwarz & Katya Young – Mathematics Out-of-Door Academy: Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist, Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award, & US Army Award for Computer Science Does Practice Make Perfect? The Role of Training Neural Networks, Brittany Wenger – Computer Science Phillippi Shores Elementary School: The Christopher P. Puchalla, Sr School Award for Encouraging Young Engineers (Elementary Division) Riverview High School Stockholm Junior Water Prize Water Quality in Sarasota County, Russell Shilling & Michael Stanton – Environmental Science Sarasota High School: Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society Award Analysis of Existing Card-Counting Strategies Using Computer Blackjack, William Olson – Mathematics Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist US Metric Association Award US Army Award for Physical Science Body Armor Utilizing a Sheer Thickening Fluid, Jared Carter – Chemistry The Faulhaber Foundation Prize for the Scientific Exploration of Nature ($1000 award), The Planetary Society Awards for Innovative Vision, & Office of Naval Research Award (High School) Effects of Radio Waves on Ferro Fluids, Richard Schineller – Physics The Faulhaber Foundation Prize for the Scientific Exploration of Nature ($1000 award), ASM Materials Engineering Award, & National Society of Professional Engineers & Professional Engineers in Industry Innovative Engineering Award The Effectiveness of an On-Demand Hydrogen Cell on the Efficiency of an Internal Combustion Engine, Wayne Dahlberg – Engineering Dart Foundation Award for Medicine & Health ($500 award), Carl Luer Biological Science Award & US Army Award for Life Science Effect of ADHD Medication on the Heart Rate of Daphnia, Alyssa Heere – Medicine & Health Omar Cooper Student Achievement Award ($2,000 award & a 12-month mentorship with Dr Jay Leverone, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program) & National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award A Correlation Between Boat Traffic & Marine Life, Shelby Gladhill – Environmental Science American Meteorological Society Awards A Comparative Analysis of Heat Retention between Three Greenhouse Gases & Ambient Air in a Controlled Environment, Amanda Holly – Earth Science American Meteorological Society Awards Comparison of Two Methods for Harvesting Energy from Waves, Garette Moler – Earth Science Stockholm Junior Water Prize US Army Award for Environmental Science The Effects of Residual Chlorine on Different Stages of Gulf Coast Oyster Larvae, Celeste Lyon – Environmental Science US Army Award for Engineering The Effect of a Cooling System on Solar Cells, Nathan Elsishans – Engineering Office of Naval Research Award (High School) US Air Force Award for Science The Optimization of Ethanol in a Gas Engine: Does the Percent of Ethanol in an Engine Affect Its Running Time?, Patrick White-Thompson – Chemistry US Air Force Award for Science Invertebrate Number & Species on Certain Types of Grassflats in Sarasota Bay, Christina Morgan – Zoology US Air Force Award for Science Roberts Bay Rookery Island: Installation of Rip Rap, Good or Bad?, Zelda Blowers & Courtney Dust – Environmental Science Sarasota School of the Arts & Sciences: The Christopher P. Puchalla, Sr School Award for Encouraging Young Engineers (Secondary Division) Office of Naval Research Award (Middle School) What Bridge Design Holds More Weight?, Justin Richard – Engineering Suncoast Polytechnical High School: The Christopher P. Puchalla, Sr School Award for Encouraging Young Engineers (Secondary Division) Association for Women Geoscientists Award Human Influence on Nature Preserve at Cedar Point, Aurora Rosenberger, Oliver Jones, & Sebastian Lamper – Environmental Science RICOH Sustainable Development Award Casino Verde, Xavier Calderone & Jonathan Hittle – Behavioral & Social Science The Tabernacle Christian School: US Public Health Service Award Hang Up & Drive!, Billy Russel – Behavioral & Social Science |
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