2018 Eastern Arizona Regional Science Fair Competition Results

The EAC Discovery Park Campus hosted the 2018 Eastern Arizona Regional Science Fair Competition with projects and displays from 46 students from seven Eastern Arizona Schools; Duncan High School, Thatcher High School, Safford Middle School, Pima Jr. High School, Dorothy Stinson Elementary, Discovery Plus Academy, and Thatcher Elementary School. The Science Fair competition provides an opportunity for some of the sharpest student minds in Eastern Arizona to come together and display the results of using the scientific method and creating an experiment to answer a proposed question. The Competition is a yearly event sponsored by the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative (EASI) through grants from Freeport-McMoRan and the Graham County United Way to support Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) education in Eastern Arizona.

The competition was divided by grade levels: 5th & 6th Grade, 7th & 8th Grade, and High School Grades, with three categories in each level; Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. The judges for this year’s competition were Freeport-McMoRan employees and members of the professional community. The 1st and 2nd Place winners in each category and grade level received a trophy and a Rosette place ribbon, the 3rd Place and Honorable Mention recipients received a rosette place ribbon, and all participants received participation ribbons.

As an added incentive, the 1st place overall winners in each grade level deemed by the judges to be the most original, useful, and well created projects, received an RCA “Voyager” tablet with keyboard.   The Best Overall 5th and 6th Grade display went to Xavier Owens from Dorothy Stinson School with “Battery Life” that explores the affect that temperature has on battery life. The Best Overall 7th and 8th Grade display went to Seth Russell from Pima Jr. High School with “Nutty Energy” investigating the potential energy stored in different kinds of nuts. And the Best Overall High School display went to Payton Damron and Delanie Claridge from Duncan High School with “Clean as a Daisy” to determine which type of cleaner will best kill common bacteria. Additionally, each 1st place winner in each category will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship to the annual EASI Summer Science Camp applicable to their grade level; EASI Summer Science Camp for grades 6th – 9th, the Tonto Creek STEM Camp in Payson for grades 7th – 10th or the Anatomy & Physiology Camp for grades 9th -12th. The displays were open for public viewing Friday and Saturday March 9th and 10th in the Discovery Park Campus – Ranch House, and an awards ceremony for trophy and award presentations was held on Saturday evening at 5:00PM with a full house of winners’ families and friends.

The Eastern Arizona Science Initiative, or “EASI”, is composed of teachers, professionals, and community members throughout Graham and Greenlee counties, cooperating to improve science education in Eastern Arizona and to provide extracurricular opportunities for students who demonstrate an interest or higher aptitude for science, and to provide opportunities for teachers to improve their content knowledge in science.  Special thanks to Freeport McMoRan, the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), the participating students and their parents, and especially the great teachers who took this opportunity to demonstrate the importance of applying the principles of science to real-life problems and questions.

High School:

1st Payton Damron / Delanie Claridge
(H. S. Overall Winner)
DHS Clean as a Daisy
2nd Lorenzo Harris / Nate Rapier / Michael McGrath DHS Stealthy Structures
3rd Gerardo Cerna / Karla Flores / Kade Stacy DHS Selective Hearing
HM Chase Carnes / Lillie Smith DHS Testing Blocking Materials
HM Michael Lennon / Jay Garner DHS Race Car Darts

Middle School:

1st E Amora Baldwin SMS Decomposing Trash
2nd E Christopher Curtis SMS Erosion
1st L Seth Russel  (M. S. Overall Winner) PJH Nutty Energy
2nd L Sophia Romero SMS Breathtaking
3rd L Brenden Gunnett SMS School Germs Vs. Home Germs
HM L Brielle Ray PJH Deeper Sleeper
1st P Shade Hargis SMS Light it Uup
2nd P Emma Workman SMS Cost Comparison CFL/LED
3rd P Rene Holcomb SMS Did You Want A Soft Serve?
HM P Samantha Pippo PJH Bring the Heat

5th & 6th Grade:

1st E Elisa Verdugo DPA Kitchen Grown Leather
2nd E Mackenzie Millar TES Egg-O-Rama
3rd E Ethan Homer TES Purify Power
1st L Jason Vallejos DSS Don’t Throw Your Veggies Away!
2nd L Bradoc Waite DSS Uh Oh, I Wet My Plants!
3rd L Sadie Richardson DPA Cool Beans!
HM L Ethan Leavitt DSS Fastest Fuel
HM L Temberlie Sanders TES Changing Colors of Flowers
1st P Xavier Owens (5th & 6th Overall Winner) DSS Battery Life
2nd P Maigan Ferrin DPA Flammability of Fabrics
2nd P Joseph Bull TES I Can’t Hear My Mom!
3rd P Dean Batty DPA How to Highlight Liquid
HM P Michelle Walter TES Engludo
  • Payton Damron / Delanie Claridge (H. S. Overall Winner) - DHS
  • Seth Russell - (M.S. Overall Winner) - PJH
  • Christopher Curtis 2nd Place Earth Science - SMS
  • Emma Workman 2nd Place Physical Science - SMS
  • Shade Hargis 1st Place Physical Science - SMS
  • Amora Baldwin 1st Place Earth Science - SMS
  • Jason Vallejos 1st Place Earth Science - DSS
  • Maigan Ferrin 2nd Place Physical Science - DPA
  • Joseph Bull 2nd Place Physical Science - TES
  • Xavier Owens (5th & 6th Overall Winner) - DSS
  • Elisa Verdugo 1st Place Earth Science - DPA
  • Lorenzo Harris, Nate Rapier, Michael McGrath 2nd Place - DHS

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