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Board of Education
Ms. Jane Royer Barr
Mr. Jack Dilles
Ms. Sandra Nichols
Mr. Dana Sales
Mr. Abel Sanchez
Mr. Bruce Van Allen
Mr. George “Bud” Winslow
Michael C. Watkins, Superintendent • 400 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 • 831-466-5600 • FAX 831-466-5607 • www.santacruz.k12.ca.us
May 20, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Santa Cruz County Students Win Big at the 2015 California
State Science Fair.
Los Angeles, California – Each year, the Santa Cruz County Science & Engineering Fair
provides the opportunity for local students to compete at the California State Science Fair in Los
Angeles, CA.
On Monday and Tuesday, May 18-19, 34 students from schools across Santa Cruz County
(Grades 6-12) competed against over 1,000 other students throughout California in this annual
statewide scholastic competition.
Santa Cruz County students won 1 Second Place Award, 1 Third Place Award, 3 Fourth Place
Awards, and 9 Honorable Mention Awards. See below for details on each project and a link to
the students’ official project abstracts.
2015 California State Science Fair
Santa Cruz County Award Winners
Second Place - Alternative Energy
Dev C. Dhruv, Grade 8
Microbial Fuel Cells: Generating Electricity from Organic Matter
Advisor: Mrs. Sally Ghilarducci
School: Scotts Valley Middle School
Honorable Mention – Applied Mechanics & Structures
Katie A. Shevlin, Grade 8
3D Printed Automatic Solar Powered Dog Food Dispenser
Advisor: Mr. Chris Nestlerode
School: Pacific Collegiate School
Fourth Place – Applied Mechanics & Structures
Benjamin Kolland, Grade 10
Separation Anxiety: A Plan for Safer Model Rocket Deployment
Advisor: Ms. Jasmin Gerer
School: Alternative Family Education
Honorable Mention – Chemistry
Alan P. Chen, Grade 6
Will Ice Cubes Melt Faster in Fresh Water or Salt Water?
School: Mission Hill Middle School
Honorable Mention – Cognitive Science
Julia P. Stuart, Grade 6
Owen P. Stuart, Grade 8
Wait a Minute! Time Perception in Children Can Change?
Advisor: Dr. Andrea Preble
School: Mission Hill Middle School
Honorable Mention – Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Audrey Q. Webb, Grade 8
Thermal Microcosm: A Study of Climate Change and Its Causes
Advisor: Mr. John Wright
School: Pacific Collegiate School
Fourth Place – Electronics & Eletromagnetics
Max Freedman, Grade 8
KAPower Ball: Generating Power with a Soccer Ball
Advisor: Mrs. Patty Freedman
School: Alternative Family Education
Honorable Mention – Electronics & Eletromagnetics
Anika M. Hayes, Grade 8
Building a 3D Printing Pen
Advisor: Mr. Chris Nestlerode
School: Pacific Collegiate School
Fourth Place – Environmental Engineering
Liam T. Smith, Grade 8
Crazy Composting
Advisor: Mr. Paul Brown
School: Holy Cross School
Honorable Mention – Environmental Sciences
Emily A. Chaffin, Grade 11
What's in Your Water? How Urbanization Impacts Water Quality
Advisor: Mr. Jasper Billings
School: Kirby (Georgiana Bruce) Preparatory High School
Third Place – Plant Biology
Sophie J. Parsa, Grade 9
Trees: Family or Foe?
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Gilbert
School: Santa Cruz High School
Honorable Mention – Product Science (Physical)
Tyler J. Hawes, Grade 7
Twinkie Resist
Advisor: Mrs. Christine Erskine
School: Scotts Valley Middle School
Honorable Mentions – Zoology
Alessio C. Bernardi, Grade 7
Homing Behavior in Monkeyface Prickleback, Cebidichthys violaceus
Advisor: Mr. Chris Nestlerode
School: Pacific Collegiate School
Emma K. Compton, Grade 8
Ochre Star: Is the Population Still Devastated?
Advisor: Mr. Chris Nestlerode
School: Pacific Collegiate School
Nature-Watch Mammalian Biology Award
Emily R. Auten C., Grade 7
Mammals Under The Moon
Advisor: Mr. Shaun Rudolph
School: Mission Hill Middle School
Website: http://science.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is a public agency whose purpose is to provide
educational leadership, resources and services to schools to ensure quality educational
opportunities for all students.
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