Young scientists recognized in Santa Cruz County Science and Engineering Fair

Some of the brightest young minds that Santa Cruz County has to offer gathered at the fairgrounds in Watsonville on Saturday, Feb. 28 for the 27^th annual Santa Cruz County Science and Engineering Fair.
While the schools from Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley were both well-represented at the event, it was San Lorenzo Valley High School seniors Natalie Gallagher and Connor Lydon who took home top honors for the third installment of their project of monitoring the air quality of their home valley.
In addition to the $1,000 prize, the duo will be invited to present their project at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for May in Pittsburgh, Penn.
Scotts Valley Middle School student Emma Schaefer-Whittall was selected as the overall winner of the sixth to eighth grade division for her project “Is The Science Fair… Fair?”
Below is a list of the projects recognized at the event.
A (*) symbol indicates that the project was selected as a California State Science Fair participant.
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Natalie Gallagher and Connor Lydon, first place, senior Earth and Planetary Science
division: “Secrets of San Lorenzo Valley’s Atmosphere Part 3.” Winners of the American Meteorological Society special award.*
Jurgen Prambs and Mikaela Slade, first place, senior Animal Sciences division: “Terrestrial Salamanders of the San Lorenzo Valley.” Awarded Genius Olympiad special award.*
Cassandra Ackemann, Ava Badger, and Annika Bauerle, second place, senior Microbiology division: “What’s the Stink in Shingle Mill Creek?”
Quinn Lydon and Ian Gallagher, third place, senior Environmental Sciences/Management division: “Phytoplankton in the Monterey Bay: Harmful or Helpful?”
Carly Hill and Mira Lion, third place, senior Animal Sciences division: “Sand Crab Ecology at Seabright Beach.”
Alicia Magliato and Veronica Vickers, project of merit, senior Animal Sciences division: “Sea Star Wasting Syndrome: Impacts on the Intertidal Zone.” Also awarded the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.
Scotts Valley Middle School
Emma Schaefer-Whittall, first place, junior Behavioral and Social Sciences division: “Is The Science Fair… Fair?” Winner of the Office of Naval Research Science and Technology special award and named a Broadcom Master.*
Tyler Hawes, second place, junior Engineering: Materials and BioEngineering division: “Twinkie Resist.”*
Dev Dhruv, second place, junior Energy and Transportation division: “Microbial Fuel Cells.”*
Ryan Beam, project of merit, junior Computer and Mathematical Sciences division: “Rubik’s Revenge.”
Nika Gladkov, Mineral and Gem Society Special Award: “The Viking Sunstone.”
Baymonte
Faith Mealing and Jonathan Siemsen, project of merit, junior Animal Sciences division: “The Effect of BPS on neurological development C. elegans.”
San Lorenzo Valley Elementary School
Maxwell Gross, first place, Earth and Planetary Science elementary division: “Water Velocity and Alluvial Fans/Deltas.” Winners of the Mineral and Gem Society special award.
Jaden Ruff, second place, Medicine and Health Sciences elementary division: “Pain Management.” Winner of the National Association of Biology Teachers’ special award.
 
Vine Hill Elementary School
Elle Walters, first place, Environmental Management elementary division: “Keeping Cool, Green Roofs Do The Job.”
Peyton Pettyjohn, third place, Energy and Transportation elementary division: “On Your Mark… Get Set… Go!” Winner of the U.S. Metric Association special award.
Nicole Amadia, third place, Behavioral and Social Sciences elementary division: “Egg Doesn’t Matter.”
Jordan Amadia, Plug In America special award: “How Much Power?”
Brook Knoll Elementary School
Julia Georgi, first place, Plant Sciences elementary division: “What Kinds of Plankton Live Near Santa Cruz?”
Jonah Verinsky, second place, Environmental Management elementary division: “Let’s Clean Up Oil!” Winner of the Monterey Bay Aquarium special award.
Audrey Watson, second place, Plant Sciences elementary division: “What Works Better When Preserving Cut Carnations?”
Elizabeth Brennan, third place, Plant Sciences elementary division: “Grass Growing Race.”
Boulder Creek Elementary School
Ashley Mason, second place, Physics and Astronomy elementary division: “Liquid Rocket Propulsion.”
Leila Dagan and Coral Tripp, third place, Environmental Sciences elementary division: “Seashells and Ocean Acidification.” Winners of the National Association of Biology Teachers’ special award.
Hailey McKinney and Ruby Hammer: Monterey Bay Aquarium special award: “How’s The Water? “
Bonny Doon Elementary School
Marco Evans, first place, Engineering: Materials and BioEngineering elementary division: “Making Bronze at Home and the Properties of Bronze.” Winner of the U.S. Air Force special award.
Derek Fester, project of merit, Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical junior division: “The Engineering of a Homemade Hovercraft.”
Adrian Jacobs, Plantronics special award: “Determining Which Rocket-Candy Propellant Preparation Method Results in the Greatest Thrust.”