MENDOCINO Co., 5/10/21 — This year marked the 35th celebration of the annual Mendocino County Science Fair, although as with many local tradition’s, this year’s fair was fully virtual. Despite the social distancing, Mendocino County students turned in 97 different projects representing 16 different schools, and Aedan Lockwood-Chenelle, a 6th grade student at Willits Charter, won an honorable mention in the statewide competition.
Here’s the announcement from the Mendocino County Office of Education with the list of projects included below:
Mendocino County, CA – On March 20, the Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) hosted the 35th annual Mendocino County Science Fair, moving the event online to comply with COVID safety guidelines. One hundred three students submitted 97 projects representing 16 local schools. Seventeen volunteer judges assessed the projects and voted to advance the top 10 to the California state science fair that was held on April 13. At the state competition, Willits Charter School sixth grader Aedan Lockwood-Chenelle garnered an Honorable Mention by placing fifth in the junior toxicology division for his project titled, “Weeding Out Round-Up.”
Shane Hildebrand, MCOE Director of Continuous Improvement thanked the team of dedicated educators, parents and community members who worked together to make the virtual contest a success. He said, “All of us here at the Mendocino County Office of Education were so inspired by the effort the students put into this year’s projects. This last year has been incredibly challenging for students, families, and educators, so it was especially gratifying to see students pursue their experiments with passion and curiosity.”
Mendocino County students in grades 3-12 submitted science fair projects as teams and as individuals. Projects ranged from biology, chemistry, geology & earth sciences, environmental science & ecology psychology, health sciences, engineering & technology, and physics. The winners are listed below.
SPECIAL AWARDS
Yee Kit Chan from Instilling Goodness / Developing Virtue Schools received the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS) Award. This award recognizes students’ scientific study and encourages them to continue developing their scientific interests. Students eligible for this award must be in grades 7-11 and meet certain criteria by CAPS.
Aedan Lockwood-Chenelle from Willits Charter School and Kaci Maynard from River Oak Charter School received the Outstanding Young Scientist Award.
Connor Quigley from St. Mary of the Angels and Eddie Bower from Bower Homeschool received the UC ANR Hopland Research and Extension Center for Excellence in Environmental Science/Ecology.
Savanah Rorabaugh from River Oak Charter School and Adalyn France from Willits Elementary Charter School received the Paul Joens-Poulton Avantgarde Award. This award honors Joens-Poulton’s efforts in spearheading the county science fair and his promotion of scientific education for students within the county. This award recognizes a project that would be characterized as advanced, unorthodox and/or experimental.
Logan Devine from Willits Charter School received the Evelyn Smith Excellence in Science Award for his project, “Can Deleted Files be Recovered?” MCOE established this award as a memoriam to Evelyn Smith, a supporter of science education whose enthusiasm and efforts for the science fair benefited students, instructors, and the community.
CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR
Ten projects and three alternate projects advanced to the California State Science Fair. The Mendocino County Science Fair state judges selected the following students in grades 6-12 with Class A and Class B Projects to compete at the state level (in no particular order).
California State Science Fair – Qualified Projects
Student(s)Project Title School Abigail Sherf Which Wax Works Well? Willits Charter School Eddie Bower The Wildest Wildfire Project of Them All: Exploring Plant Growth in Burned and Unburned Coastal Hills in Sonoma County, California Bower Homeschool Yi Fan Chan Cooling Properties and Freezing Times of Various Water Temperatures Ukiah Independent Study Academy Connor Quigley Which House Siding is the Most Fire Resistant? St. Mary of the Angels Logan Devine Can Deleted Files Be Recovered Willits Charter School Danielle Skinner Best Hatched By… Laytonville Elementary School Tyler Knight To Drink or Not to Drink Laytonville Elementary School Aedan Lockwood-Chenelle Weeding Out Round-Up Willits Charter School Yee Kit Chan Observing Trends and Correlations in Sleep Quality and Stress of Students Immersed in Different Mode of Instruction and Learning Instilling Goodness/Developing Virtue Schools Kyler Hall Wacing Wabbits Willits Charter School
ELEMENTARY DIVISION – CLASS A PROJECTS
Ribbon of Superior Bronach Bowles A Dog’s Favorite Color Blosser Lane Elementary Ribbon of Superior Autumn Brockman pH of Water in Brooktrails, CA Sherwood School Ribbon of Superior Jameson Matheson Cold vs. Warm Crystal Growing Blosser Lane Elementary Ribbon of Superior Aiyana Adams The Rise and Fall of Water Temperature Blosser Lane Elementary Ribbon of Superior Asher Mansfield What Causes Green Flames? Blosser Lane Elementary Ribbon of Superior Adalyn France Types of Cats Who Likes to Sit in Boxes Willits Elementary Charter School Ribbon of Superior Esteban Orozco Battery Voltage River Oak Charter School Ribbon of Superior Kaci Maynard Are Your Hands Really Clean? River Oak Charter School Ribbon of Superior Ocean Shattuck Magnet Powered Rockets River Oak Charter School Ribbon of Excellence Savanah Rorabaugh Do Cats Have A Paw Preference? Willits Elementary Charter School Ribbon of Excellence Taylor Thorpe Borax Slime vs Contact Lens Solution Slime: Which is Stretchier? Arena Elementary Ribbon of Achievement Daisy Collins Water Balloons with Household Items Blosser Lane Elementary Ribbon of Achievement Kayley Medina Gaona Blowing Up a Balloon with Baking Soda and Vinegar Arena Elementary
JUNIOR/SENIOR DIVISIONS – CLASS A PROJECTS
Ribbon of Superior Connor Quigley Which House Siding is the Most Fire Resistant? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Superior Tyler Knight To Drink or Not to Drink Laytonville Elementary School Ribbon of Superior Sofia Vaccaro The Effect Willits Charter School Ribbon of Superior Eddie Bower The Wildest Wildfire Project of Them All: Exploring Plant Growth in Burned and Unburned Coastal Hills in Sonoma County, California Bower Homeschool Ribbon of Superior Abigail Sherf Which Wax Works Well? Willits Charter School Ribbon of Superior Kyler Hall Wacing Wabbits Willits Charter School Ribbon of Superior Yi Fan Chan Cooling Properties and Freezing Times of Various Water Temperatures Ukiah Independent Study Academy Ribbon of Superior Yee Kit Chan Observing Trends and Correlations in Sleep Quality and Stress of Students Immersed in Different Mode of Instruction and Learning Instilling Goodness/Developing Virtue Schools Ribbon of Excellence Danielle Skinner Best Hatched By… Laytonville Elementary School Ribbon of Excellence Aedan Lockwood-Chenelle Weeding Out Round-Up Willits Charter School Ribbon of Excellence Vada Morgan Oil Spill Cleanup Willits Charter School Ribbon of Excellence Alexandra Ramos Toddler Choice Baechtel Grove Middle School Ribbon of Excellence Ruby Dauenhauer How Color Affects Temperature Point Arena Elementary Ribbon of Achievement Cael Phenicie Which Kitchen Trash Bag Has the Best Durability for Its Value? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Achievement Adelaide Ross Are Students More Focused on Distance Learning or in School? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Achievement Caleb Hubley, Steven Dunnicliff, Bode Gower Do Different Liquids Affect Our Body Cells and Can the Effects Be Reversed? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Achievement Aiyana Wright Happy Health Succulents Sherwood School Ribbon of Achievement Gabriela Aguilar, Rosie Aguilar Villagomez Music and Heart Rate Arena Elementary Ribbon of Achievement James Martin Copper Electroplating Coins St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Achievement Austin Ross Are Students More Focused on Distance Learning or in School? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Achievement Dillon Buchanan Puppy Love Willits Charter School
JUNIOR/SENIOR DIVISIONS – CLASS A PROJECTS
Ribbon of Superior Logan Devine Can Deleted Files Be Recovered? Willits Charter School Ribbon of Superior Leo Estrada The Spud That Could Arena Elementary Ribbon of Superior Khloe Neuroth Bombs Away Laytonville Elementary School Ribbon of Excellence Molly Kaluna-Jones What Materials Block Wi-Fi Signals? St. Mary of the Angels Ribbon of Excellence Jade L’Heureux Personal Hotspot Eagle Peak Middle School Ribbon of Excellence Enzo Vaccaro Let It Glow Willits Charter School Ribbon of Excellence Hunter Paris Autonomous Line-Following Car Willits Charter School Ribbon of Achievement Jonah Myers, Evan Lodge Mechanical Pellet Stove Concept St. Mary of the Angels
State science fair results are available at csef.usc.edu.