Several students attending Okaloosa and Walton County schools earned awards and recognition at the State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) of Florida in Lakeland, Florida, April 4th – 6th. The SSEF is a three-day display of more than 900 science project exhibits prepared by aspiring scientists and engineers in grades six through twelve. Designed to recognize scientific talent in young people, the SSEF focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), introduces students to organized research, and provides teachers with a forum for the exchange of ideas.
Sponsored by a grant from the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA), the students were treated to a field trip to iFLY where they calculated predictions with experimental data of objects and had the opportunity to "skydive" in a vertical wind tunnel.
Twenty students competed at the regional level and were awarded a finalist spot for State level competition. Congratulations to all students for competing against other finalists across the state, especially those students who were recognized at the Awards Ceremony for their research and experiments.
State Award Recognition
Niceville High School
- Marisol Enguidanos - Pasco Award ($50)
- Sasha McCrain - West Panhandle Award ($50)
- Aurora Mendendhall - Recognition in Math and Computational Sciences
Marisol Enguidanos and Aurora Mendendhall will be attending the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Dallas, Texas, May 14-19.
Okaloosa STEMM Academy
- Sierra Neitzke - Recognition in Environmental Engineering Category
Rocky Bayou Christian School
- Colton Wilson - Florida Association of Science Supervisors Award ($50)
- Hailey Nutt - Recognition in Chemistry Category
St. Mary's Catholic School
- Kyle Sposato - Recognition in Plant Sciences Category
Paxton School (Walton)
- Zoe Orange - Recognition in Environmental Engineering Category and Palm Beach Award ($100)
Magnet Innovation Center (Walton)
- Summer House - Recognition in Engineering Category
A special thank you to the OCSD, Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), and National Defense Industry Association (NDIA), for sponsoring the student’s participation in the State Science Fair.