Science and engineering fair shows off future researchers

LANTANA — Hundreds of parents and coordinators packed the auditorium of Santaluces High School for the 2012 Palm Beach Regional Science and Engineering Fair Awards on Dec. 13 for the excitement of watching the students receive their first- through fourth-place awards.

“These are the students that will become the researchers who find the cure for cancer, develop new technologies that solve the energy crisis, and make the world a better place in more ways than there is space to name,” said Gregory Goebel, Science Program Planner.

Dozens of the special awards that were given to the students were sponsored by various community partners that believe in the talent of Palm Beach County students.

The competition was described as particularly stiff this year, making selection of the top 40 projects across all categories extremely difficult. Those 40 projects will be entered into Florida’s 58th Annual State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) being held in Lakeland, March 26 – 28, 2013.

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast will award each SSEF participant with a cash award of at least $100. Scripps Florida will award each student with a medal and gift card to The Gardens Mall when they showcase their projects there on CELLebrate Science Day, Feb. 2, 2013.

“We would like to thank all of our sponsors for contributing to our efforts of rewarding students for excellence in science,” said Goebel. “We welcome future contributions from individuals or groups that would like to encourage students to continue to explore science and develop research techniques.”

The 40 SSEF invitees from the Palm Beach Regional Science and Engineering Fair are:

Junior Division (Grades 6-8)

Rachel Caspar – Jupiter Middle School
Austin Consagra – Wellington Landings Middle School
Bahar Daryaee – Saint Juliana Catholic School
Brittany Duffey – Loggers’ Run Middle School
Ray Jia – Loggers’ Run Middle School
Edwin Kling – Jeaga Middle School
Lindsay Maclachlan – Independence Middle School
Madison McCue – Bak Middle School of the Arts
Sarah Palumbo – Eagles Landing Middle School
Logan Perkins – St. Mark’s Episcopal School
Julia Raymond – Rosarian Academy
Rachel Reyblat – Omni Middle School

Senior Division (Grades 9-12)

Sarah Barden – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Catherine Chen – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Anthony Coons – American Heritage School
Daniel Dufresne – Palm Beach Central High School
Carle Dugan – Palm Beach Central High School
Savannah Flak – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Goda Graudinis – Palm Beach Central High School
Maria Elena Grimmett – Oxbridge Academy
Anuradha Gulati – Suncoast High School
Jessica Hamorsky – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Ximena Hasbach – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Joshua Hellerstein – Suncoast High School
Sylvie Hyman – Spanish River High School
Tristin Jones – American Heritage School
Alexandra Kaye – Palm Beach Lakes High School
Elizabeth Le – Palm Beach Central High School
Christine Leeds – Palm Beach Central High School
Ryan Meingasner – Seminole Ridge High School
Alex Naum – Palm Beach Central High School
Gray Newfield – Oxbridge Academy
Anthony Olive – Palm Beach Central High School
Andrew O’Neill – Suncoast High School
Leah Parker – Forest Hill High School
Blayke Polselli – Suncoast High School
Zachary Solloway – Park Vista High School
Alexander Todor – Suncoast High School
Christopher Wan – A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Paul Wassel – Seminole Ridge High School