The Okaloosa County School District proudly recognizes its middle school students' achievements at the State Science and Engineering Fair, held in early April in Lakeland, Florida. This year, 716 student projects competed statewide, with about 430 in the Senior Division. Earning a place at this competition highlights students' dedication, innovation, and academic excellence. Among the standout performers were two Okaloosa middle school students who each earned first place in their respective categories, an extraordinary achievement in a field of highly competitive entries.
Brantley Lane, an 8th-grade student at Okaloosa STEMM Academy, captured first place in his category and was further distinguished as one of only four recipients of the prestigious Ying Scholar Award, a “Best in Show” honor for middle school projects. This recognition, also known as the Grand Award, includes a commemorative plaque and a $500 prize. Benjamin Nusimow, an 8th grader from Ruckel Middle School, won first place in Biomedical & Health Sciences – Junior Division. He also received the Northeast Florida Regional Science & Engineering Fair Award for his project, “Spot the Spot: Creating a More Efficient Skin Cancer Logistic Regression Model by Using Geometric Representations.”
Overall, Okaloosa students demonstrated remarkable success at the state level. Twelve of the fifteen participating students earned 16 awards, including special recognitions featuring certificates and cash prizes ranging from $25 to $100. Jennifer Cook, OCSD Science Fair Coordinator and Career and Technical Education Instructor, praised the students’ accomplishments. “This is a huge accomplishment to make it to a state-level competition,” said Cook. “I am so proud of all of our students and so excited for those who heard their names called for an award at State.”
Category Awards
These awards were selected by subject area experts and professionals, honoring the top performers in each field:
Aimi Frasca, Northwest Florida Ballet Académie – 3rd place in Environmental Engineering
Arianna Lopez, Northwest Florida Ballet Académie – Recognition in Intelligent Machines, Robotics & Systems Software
Ian Allen, Niceville High School – Recognition in Physics & Astronomy
Anna Claire Belk, STEMM Academy – Recognition in Biomedical & Health Sciences
Nolan Kirk, STEMM Academy – Suwanee Valley Award and Recognition in Plant Sciences
Moira Reyenga, STEMM Academy – 4th Place in Environmental Engineering
Special Awards
These awards recognize students who demonstrated excellence across a range of criteria, further highlighting their achievements:
Alexis Cole, Niceville High School – Monroe Marine Conservation Award in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Aviana Sheldon, Ruckel Middle School – Manatee Regional Award in Physics and Astronomy
Calvin Fortner, STEMM Academy – Brevard South Award and Recognition in Engineering
Ryan Gregg, STEMM Academy – Honorable Mention in Engineering
Superintendent Marcus Chambers praised the students’ exceptional performance. “We are incredibly proud of these students for their hard work, curiosity, and excellence,” said Chambers. “Their success reflects not only their dedication, but also the support of their teachers, families, and schools. These achievements showcase the high-quality learning in Okaloosa County.”
The Okaloosa County School District fosters innovation and academic excellence through the hard work of students, teachers, and mentors, and we are especially inspired by our middle and high school students who stepped forward to compete, demonstrating both their passion for science and their commitment to excellence.