San Andreas, CA…More than 70 students across the county participated in the 33rd Annual Calaveras County Science Fair held Saturday, March 10, 2018 at the Calaveras River Academy/Mountain Oaks gymnasium in San Andreas. The Calaveras County Science Fair is made possible in part by a grant from the Teichert Foundation. The Grand Prize for the 2018 Calaveras County Science Fair went to sixth grader Julsie Anderson from Avery Middle School. Julsie’s project, “Current State of Batteries,” earned her a traveling trophy for her school and a place at the 2018 California State Science & Engineering Fair.

“Julsie’s extensive research and knowledge on battery usage and market trends really impressed our judges,” said Calaveras County Office of Education Student Events Coordinator Lindsey Titus. “Her thoroughness and integrity were outstanding,” said Science Fair Judge Brian Galvin. “I would hire her as a researcher right now, if I could!”

A public viewing of projects just before judging allowed families and community members a chance to explore the 63 displays that filled the gym.

Competitive projects were judged in four categories: Life Science, Behavioral and Cognitive Science, Physical Science and Engineering, and Math and Computer Science, and all students received ribbons based on the quality of their project.

The top projects in each category were:

· Life Science – “Does Coffee Affect Spinach Growth?” by Benjamin Kiekhaefer, 7th grade, Mountain Oaks School

· Behavioral Science – “The Stroop Effect” by Nina Hollars, 6th grade, Avery Middle School

· Physical Science and Engineering – “Current State of Batteries” by Julsie Anderson, 6th grade, Avery Middle School

· Math and Computer Science – “Stylus Technology” by Samantha Bussel, 6th grade, Christian Family Learning Center

Demonstration projects were judged by popular vote. “Hydrolic Backhoe” by Jesse Johnson, a seventh grader at Christian Family Learning Center, won the top award. Jesse built an interactive display with clear plastic syringes that revealed exactly how his hydrolic model functioned.

While the Calaveras County Science Fair accepts projects from students in grades 4-12, only students in grades 6-12 are eligible to compete in the state fair. Six projects were qualified by the judges to compete in the 2018 California State Science & Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in April:

· “Current State of Batteries” by Julsie Anderson, 6th grade, Avery Middle School

· “Does Coffee Affect Spinach Growth?” by Benjamin Kiekhaefer, 7th grade, Mountain Oaks School

· “The Stroop Effect” by Nina Hollars, 6th grade, Avery Middle School

· “Which Bridge Can Hold More Weight?” by Sophia Ruff, 7th grade, Christian Family Learning Center

· “Which Nut has the Most Fat?” by Sophia Bouma, 6th grade, Avery Middle School

· “Gaussian Linear Accelerator” by Cody Orvis, 7th grade, Avery Middle School

“We had great participation countywide this year,” said Lindsey Titus. “Many judges were impressed by the interview skills of our students, and we are very excited for the students who were selected for state.”

A list of all the winners of the 2018 Calaveras County Science Fair is posted at https://www.ccoe.k12.ca.us/Page/sciencefair.

###