The 43rd annual Humboldt County Doris Niles Science Fair was held last week, with more than 255 students in grades K-12 collaborating on 169 projects. The projects were on display at the Sequoia Conference Center, and more than 54 judges assisted in selecting projects to send to the state competition.
Six projects were selected to go on to the California Science and Engineering Fair:
- Zane Garwood, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “How Can I Safely Cross? Real Life Game of Frogger on Arcata’s Roads Leads to Amphibian Deaths”
- Callum Macdonald, 7th Grade, Freshwater Charter Middle School, “Is transportation getting you down?”
- Audra Woolace, 7th Grade, Redwood Preparatory Charter School, “Galvanic Processes: Metals and the battle of nobility”
- Asa Deshais, 7th Grade, Freshwater Charter Middle School, “Time to Chill Out: Best Activities to Lower Your Heartrate”
- Quetzal Heacock, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “How Benthic Macroinvertebrates are a Good Indicator of Stream Health”
- Leo Dixon & Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
Superintendent of Schools Michael Davies-Hughes and Carlton Nielsen, President of Rotary Club of Eureka were on hand to announce the winners.
“What stands out to me at this year’s Science Fair is the curiosity behind the projects,” said Davies-Hughes. “Our students are asking questions, testing ideas, and thinking like real scientists. The future is bright for Humboldt County with these students leading the way!”
In addition to recognizing the top projects in each grade, a number of special awards were given out. Many of these awards are sponsored by local organizations.
Klara Krause, 6th Grade, of Jacoby Creek School, “Which Floral Medium will Provide the Best Vase Life for a Rose?” Credit: Submitted
Doris Niles Award
- Klara Krause, 6th Grade, Klara Krause, “Which Floral Medium will Provide the Best Vase Life for a Rose?”
Judge’s Choice Award
- Zane Garwood, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “How Can I Safely Cross? Real Life Game of Frogger on Arcata’s Roads Leads to Amphibian Deaths”
The Friends of the Arcata Marsh Awards
- 1st Place: Olivia Brown & Brooke Webb, 5th Grade, Pacific Union School, “Flood Fighters”
- 2nd Place: Quetzal Heacock, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “How Benthic Macroinvertebrates are a Good Indicator of Stream Health”
- 3rd Place: Ayla Dunn, Georgia Wilson, & Aidan Pryor, 7th Grade, Northcoast Prep Academy, “Killer Walnuts”
The North Group Sierra Club Awards
- 1st Place: Leo Dixon & Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
- 2nd Place: Jade Blodgett, 8th Grade, Northcoast Prep Academy, “Keepers of the Kelp: sea otters and how they affect kelp cover”
- 3rd Place: Cora Sheppard, 8th Grade, Northcoast Prep Academy, “Plants in Peril: The Effect of Soaps and Shampoos on Polka Dot Plants”
Redwood Regional Audubon Society Award
- Zane Garwood, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “How Can I Safely Cross? Real Life Game of Frogger on Arcata’s Roads Leads to Amphibian Deaths”
Professional Engineering in California Government Awards
- 1st Place: Olivia Brown & Brooke Webb, 5th Grade, Pacific Union School, “Flood Fighters”
- Honorable Mention: Reid McSorley, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Rocket Nose Cone Shape on Maximum Height and Velocity”
- Honorable Mention: Jameson Wolf, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Wind Generation Optimization”
Save the Redwoods League Award
- Leo Dixon and Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
Stillwater Sciences – Excellence in Environmental Sciences Award
- Leo Dixon and Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
The North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District Awards
- 4th Grade: Hank Kelley, Pacific Union School, “Slip-N-Slide”
- 5th Grade: Oliver Florz-Berg, Fuente Nueva Charter School, “Soil Erosion with Fire and Water”
- 7th Grade: Jameson Wolf, Jacoby Creek School, “Wind Generation Optimization”
- 7th Grade: Rebecca Huffman, Redwood Preparatory Charter School, “Infrared Gaseous Chemicals”
- 8th Grade: Leo Dixon and Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Award
- Jameson Wolf, 7th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Wind Generation Optimization”
North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society
- Leo Dixon and Sylas Kauffmann, 8th Grade, Jacoby Creek School, “Vertical Variation: A Study of Prairie Creek Biodiversity”
For more information, please visit https://hcoe.org/science-fair/ or contact the HCOE Science Fair Coordinators Mayra Guzman and Haley Davis at sciencefair@hcoe.org.