Six Sonoma County students have been invited to move onto the California State Science Fair in Los Angeles in May after winning a local competition on Feb. 24, according to officials at the Sonoma County Office of Education.
Twenty-six other students won blue ribbons and will advance to the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair this month.
Awards were determined by teams of local scientists, business people, teachers and other community members. The judges viewed student project displays, then interviewed students to determine the quality and thoroughness of their research.
Top honors went to:
Allen Chu of Maria Carrillo High who presented a project called “Is there a correlation between short-term memory and IQ?”
Jessica Conrad of Maria Carrillo High who presented a project called “Are Wi-Fi radio waves harmful?”
Cameron Crook of Maria Carrillo High who presented a project called “Are phytoplankton affected by a decrease in light?”
Samantha Royall of Mary Collins at Cherry Valley who presented a project called “Which type of water filter is best, sediment or carbon?”
Each of the students earned $100 for themselves and $100 for their school, along with a telescope donated by the NASA outreach program at Sonoma State University.
Two other students earned a trip to the regional and state competition.
Kathleen Cuschieri of Maria Carrillo High’s presentation of “How does what everyday people find attractive compare to what the media advertises as attractive?”
Tiffany Wei of Maria Carrillo High presented “What type of music affects people the most in terms of speed and accuracy when working on math problems?”
More than 100 students participated.
Other students receiving 2010 Science Fair blue ribbons:
James Arietta
Maria Carrillo High
Hormone effects on plants
Jacob Austring and Sean Snyder
Technology High
Do rocket fins affect trajectory and speed?
Arthur Baney
Technology High
Computerized simulation of genetic selection in evolution
Shyla Barry
Mary Collins at Cherry Valley
Fabric dyes—natural vs. synthetic
Michael Beard
Healdsburg Junior High
Out in the cold
Stella Brown
Mary Collins at Cherry Valley
How do different light sources affect the growth of plants?
Lena Eiger
Kenilworth Junior High
The cloud chamber
Michael Goodanetz
Valley Oaks High
Bacon or cookies?
Sophia Grubb
Rancho Cotate High
Surface adsorption effect on protein denaturation by alcohol
Husna Hadi
Technology High
Effects of engaging in cellular conversations while operating a motor vehicle
Ellie Haiman and Jared Martino
Technology High
Effects of temperature and light on algae growth
Sam Hauptman
Maria Carrillo High
Brain freezes
Yanelly Jimenez and Acacia Garcia
Valley Oaks High
Yanelly and Acacia’s music project
Brianna Lehane
St. Francis Solano
Who has a cleaner mouth: a dog or a human?
Caitlyn Long and Kevin Miller
Technology High
Subliminal messages, a new form of mind control
Danielle Maillard
St. Francis Solano
Yummy visions
Colin Metcalfe
Maria Carrillo High
Effects of lowered temperatures on the adaptability of bacteria
Michael Setchko Palmerlee
Maria Carrillo High
Plants and pollution
Garrett Soiland
Jewett Academy
Effects of an enhanced carbon dioxide atmosphere on plant growth
Andrew Strachan
Rincon Valley Middle
Optimizing a Lego NXT drag racer