2023 Kern County Science Fair Results Announced
Approximately 460 4th through 12th grade students took part in Kern County's 35th annual Regional Science Fair, which took place at the Mechanics Bank Convention Center on March 14, 2023. There were over 420 projects in all. The annual event is the c...
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Approximately 460 4th through 12th grade students took part in Kern County’s 35th annual Regional Science Fair, which took place at the Mechanics Bank Convention Center on March 14, 2023. There were over 420 projects in all. The annual event is the culmination of months of hard work for students who rose through their school and district ranks for a chance to showcase their science projects and compete at the county level.

First place finishers in middle school and first and second place finishers in high school may be eligible to compete in the 73rd annual California Science Fair to be held virtually on April 11.

Two projects from the high school division will represent Kern County in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held in Dallas, Texas, on May 13-19. 1,800 students worldwide earn the right to compete for nearly $5 million in awards and scholarships. This year’s Kern County representatives are Harjaisal Brar from Stockdale High School and Aarohi Patel from Stockdale High School.

The following are the results in each category:

4th Grade

Aerodynamics/Hydronamics

First Place — Andrew Dubon, Sandrini Elementary

Second Place — Wyatt Stanley, Centennial Elementary

Third Place — Hayden Fulton, Rosedale North Elementary

Animal Science

First Place — Joy Casillas, Stockdale Elementary

Second Place — Katherine Meyers, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Third Place — Russell Hacker, Wallace Elementary

Honorable Mention — Liam Lemison, Douglas J. Miller Elementary

Chemistry I

First Place — Sebastian Torres, Stockdale Elementary

Second Place — Isabella Watkins, Hart Elementary

Third Place — Sophy Wyrick, Horizon Elementary

Chemistry II

First Place — Ethan Robles Vidrio, Owens Intermediate

Second Place — Naomi Hansen, Valley Oaks Charter School

Third Place — Kieran Bailey, Golden Hills Elementary

Honorable Mention — Addisen Martinez, Ronald Reagan Elementary

Electronics and Magnets

First Place — Johann Blizzard, Almondale Elementary

Second Place — Ethan Limon, Plantation Elementary

Third Place — Jacob Gabler, Rosedale North Elementary

Environmental Engineering

First Place — Dominic Rockmore, Grimmway Academy Shafter

Second Place — Jonah Vaultz, Old River Elementary

Third Place — Vanshi Shah, Ronald Reagan Elementary

Honorable Mention — Daniel Buendia, Highgate Elementary

Materials Science

First Place — Kevin Standridge, Standard Elementary

Second Place — Channing Zavolosieck, W.A. Kendrick Elementary

Third Place — Sarina Garcia, Nueva Vista Language Academy

Honorable Mention — Elizabeth Moren, Laurelglen Elementary

Physics and Astronomy I

First Place — Rian Mendez, Berkshire Elementary

Second Place — Maia Olson, Leo B. Hart Elementary

Third Place — Blake Watson, Discovery Elementary

Physics II

First Place — Joshua Gordon, Owens Intermediate

Second Place — Abigail Santillan, Rosedale North Elementary

Third Place — Avery O’Neil, Saint Ann-Ridgecrest

Plant Biology

First Place — Juliette Cantu, Nueva Vista Language Academy

Second Place — Landin Gutierrez, Laurelglen Elementary

Third Place — Brooklyn Larsen, Discovery Elementary

Product Science

First Place — Jessica Rivera, Morningside Elementary

Second Place — Jasmine Kopply, Del Vista Math & Science Academy

Third Place — Kiley Huang, Old River Elementary

Honorable Mention — Sophia Robles, Nueva Vista Language Academy

5th Grade

Aerodynamics

First Place — Selena Moreno, Granite Pointe Elementary

Second Place — Isaiah Ancheta, American Elementary

Third Place — Sebastian Sanchez, Franklin Elementary

Honorable Mention — Jamie Smith, Golden Hills Elementary

Applied Mechanics

First Place — David Gutierrez, Discovery Elementary

Second Place — Serena Thornburg, Cummings Valley Elementary

Third Place — Mikaylee Padilla, Myrtle Avenue Elementary

Biochemistry/Biology

First Place — Amrita Singh, Saint John’s Lutheran School

Second Place — Cole Coughran, Almondale Elementary

Third Place — Zyanya Perez, Terrace Elementary

Chemistry

First Place — Anderson Riley, American Elementary

Second Place — Alexander Magana, Douglas J. Miller Elementary

Third Place — Lauren Echeverria, Our Lady Of Perpetual Help

Honorable Mention — Elisabeth Sharrer, Endeavour Elementary

Earth and Environmental Science

First Place — Alejandro Maldonado, Nueva Vista Language Academy

Second Place — Ellie Huynh, Owens Intermediate

Third Place — Emily Hurst, Centennial Elementary

Electronics and Magnets

First Place — Grace Lin, Ronald Reagan Elementary

Second Place — Mason Chambers, American Elementary

Third Place — Nicholas Dixon, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Honorable Mention — Zackary Stricker, Highland Elementary

Materials Science

First Place — Allison Stansbury, Centennial Elementary

Second Place — Corinne Wadley, Saint Ann School

Third Place — Guinn Gallemore, Saint John’s Lutheran

Honorable Mention — Lily Plotner, Rosedale North Elementary

Plant Biology

First Place — Molly Cole, Kernville Elementary

Second Place — Madison Behill, Discovery Elementary

Third Place — Kyliana Lin, Highgate Elementary

Honorable Mention — Daniel Fontes, Rosedale North Elementary

Product Science

First Place — Yuvraj Dhaliwal, Buena Vista Elementary

Second Place — Lexie Barajas, Horizon Elementary

Third Place — Tristan Simpson, Quailwood Elementary

Honorable Mention — Alina Perez, Zephyr Lane Elementary

Honorable Mention — Annabelle Darrah, Del Rio Elementary

Middle School (6th – 8th)

Aerodynamics/Hydronamics

First Place — Anthony Riccomin, St. Francis Parish School

Second Place — Marcus Jephson, American Elementary

Third Place — Macayla Magugat, Stockdale Elementary

Honorable Mention — Yareli Vidales, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Alternative Energy

First Place — Ronak Bose, Warren Junior High

Second Place — James Paddock, St. Francis Parish School

Third Place — Genelie Melecio, Downtown School

Honorable Mention — Sari Legrama, Valley Oaks Charter School

Applied Mechanics

First Place — Mithileth Saravanan and Shashank Ramashubramanian and Sri Datta Charepalli, Discovery Elementary

Second Place — Sebastian Espitia, Palm Avenue Middle School

Third Place — Kaylee Rodriguez Lopez, Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy

Honorable Mention — Mia Olmedo, Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy

Biochemistry

First Place — Simar Singh, St John’s Lutheran School

Second Place — Phoenix Gurule, Douglas J Miller Elementary

Third Place — Harneet Mundi, Stonecreek Junior High

Honorable Mention — Abraham Davila, Thompson Junior High

Chemistry

First Place — Jason Mohanraj, Ronald Reagan Elementary

Second Place — Ameer Pimental, La Vina Middle School

Third Place — Hudsyn Duncan, Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Cognitive Science

First Place — Richard Balbuena, Ollivier Middle School

Second Place — Maanya Srivastava and Tanya Srivastava, St John’s Lutheran School

Third Place — Japji Kaur, Stonecreek Junior High

Honorable Mention — Liliana Sanchez and Miley Franco, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Earth and Environmental Science

First Place — Brooke Porter, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Second Place — Marco Geier-Rodriguez, Fruitvale Junior High

Third Place — Avni Ahuja, Buena Vista Elementary

Honorable Mention — Austin Davis, Stockdale Christian School

Electronics and Magnets

First Place — Matthew Orozco, Our Lady of Guadalupe

Second Place — Koen Olson, James Monroe Middle School

Third Place — Isaiah Garza, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Honorable Mention — Elizabeth Owens, Warren Junior High

Mammalian Biology

First Place — Ryan Datta, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Second Place — Akshaya Behara, St. John’s Lutheran School

Third Place — Allen Concepcion, St. Francis Parish School

Honorable Mention — Jessica Munoz, Almond Tree Middle School

Materials Science I

First Place — Samantha Truong, Warren Junior High

Second Place — Quan Laskey, Saint Ann School

Third Place — Nayeli Navarro, Warren Junior High

Honorable Mention — Emma Andrade Smith, Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy

Materials Science II

First Place — Rylee Owens, Lincoln Junior High

Second Place — Bailey Murano, Downtown School

Third Place — Simon Getty, Lincoln Junior High

Honorable Mention — Zachary Avila, Palm Avenue Middle School

Physics and Astronomy

First Place — Madelyn Maxwell, Our Lady Perpetual Help

Second Place — Manuel Ceja, Laurelglen Elementary

Third Place — Maddie Porter, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Honorable Mention — Luis Haro, Owens Intermediate

Plant Biology

First Place — Rebecca Peet, Valley Oaks Charter School

Second Place — Stella Lota, Buena Vista Elementary

Third Place — Carter Warkentin, Stockdale Christian School

Product Science

First Place — Ella Yi, St. John’s Lutheran School

Second Place — Cambria Azimian, St. Francis Parish School

Third Place — Kyle Whatmough, Valley Oaks Charter School

Honorable Mention — Grace Vorhees, Rio Bravo-Greeley

Zoology

First Place — Jazmin Garzon, Mountain View Middle School

Second Place — Ximena Espinoza, Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy

Third Place — Angelina Jaime and Yahayra Flores, Palm Avenue Middle School

Honorable Mention — Juan Barraza, Bill L. Williams Elementary

High School (9th – 12th)

Behavioral & Social Sciences

First Place — Aarohi Patel, Stockdale High School

Second Place — Ekamjot Natt, Stockdale High School

Third Place — Jagriti Jha and Stephanie Felix, Stockdale High School

Honorable Mention — Sanjna Mizer, Stockdale High School

Chemistry

First Place — Gurleen Toor, Stockdale High School

Second Place — Amrit Toor and Aubrey Jamison and Olivia Carrisoza, Ridgeview High School

Computational Analysis and Mathematics Science

First Place —Kathryn Ready, Highland High School

Second Place — Kaitlyn Corral and Kyle Kimbriel, Ridgeview High School

Third Place — Jillian Carrisoza, Ridgeview High School

Honorable Mention — Anurag Banerjee, Stockdale High School

Earth and Environmental Science

First Place — Madelyn Gayita, Ridgeview High School

Second Place — Tanvi Thallapalle, Stockdale High School

Third Place — Warren Woolf, Valley Oaks Charter School

Honorable Mention —Ivan Tran and Summer Cortez, Ridgeview High School

Mammalian Biology

First Place — Harjaisal Brar, Stockdale High School

Second Place — Rodolfo Garcia, Ridgeview High School

Third Place — Diego Rojas and Jiya Sharma and Kevin Corral, Ridgeview High School

Physics

First Place — Parveen Dhaliwal, Ridgeview High School

Second Place — Diego Abad and Nicholas Frutos, Ridgeview High School

Third Place — Brayden Maokosy, Ridgeview High School

The Kern County Science Fair is administered by Kern County Superintendent of Schools with primary sponsorship provided by Aera Energy LLC. Additional support is offered by Chevron North America Exploration and Production, California Resources Corporation, Kern County Science Foundation, American Chemical Society – Mojave Desert Section, CSU Bakersfield, and Bakersfield College.