2024 9-12 Place Awards By Category
| Category | Place | Names | Grade | School | Project Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Sciences | 1st | Brandon Lo | 12 | Bellarmine | Evaluating the Biodiversity Indexes of a Marine Protected Area and a Non-Protected Marine Area | |
| Animal Sciences | 1st | Katie Vaughn | 12 | Bellarmine | Comparison of Two Artificial Reefs' Ability to Recruit Organisms in Carr Inlet | |
| Animal Sciences | 2nd | Betty Roberts | 12 | Bellarmine | Assessing Post-Fire Mollusk Biodiversity in the Opal Creek Wilderness | |
| Animal Sciences | 2nd | Maya Deaton and Talia Patel | 12 | Bellarmine | Development of an Identification Key for Improving Accuracy of Larval Crab Population Counts in the Puget Sound Using DNA Barcoding | |
| Animal Sciences | 2nd | Christopher Bidus | 12 | Bellarmine | Comparing Formic Acid and Oregano Oil as Pesticides Against Varroa Destructors | |
| Animal Sciences | 3rd | Ben Schomogyi and Cole Wicklander | 12 | Bellarmine | The Design and Evaluation of a Trap for Tracking the Settling Preferences of Adolescent Crabs | |
| Biochemistry | 1st | Zakaria Khan | 12 | Bellarmine | Bone-Cartilage Interface Adhesion Energy for Osteochondral Defects | |
| Biomedical and Health Sciences | 1st | Rebecca Kim | 10 | Charles Wright | Breast Cancer in Adolescent and Young Women: Investigating Breast Microbiota, Estrogen, and Bacteria Impact on Biomarker Discovery | |
| Biomedical Engineering | 1st | Zain Shariff | 9 | Curtis | Tissue Detection in Ultrasound Images Using Real-Time Image Segmentation Model | |
| Cellular and Molecular Biology | 1st | Charlene Kim-Aun and Brynn Manke | 12 | Bellarmine | Phagocyte-Spheroid Interactions in Axon Degeneration | |
| Cellular and Molecular Biology | 2nd | Coen Smith | 11 | Tumwater | Gluten-Free Flours and their Effects on Sourdough Starters | |
| Earth & Environmental Science | 1st | Clarisse Fowlkes | 12 | Bellarmine | Comparing Water Retention Characteristics of Organic and Inorganic Soils | |
| Earth & Environmental Science | 2nd | Maya Krattii | 12 | Bellarmine | A Comparison of Sediment Microplastic Concentrations in Marine Protected Areas of the Puget Sound | |
| Earth & Environmental Science | 2nd | Maisie O'Callaghan | 10 | Bellarmine | Ocean Acidification in the Salish Sea: A Comparison of Two Sites, Horseshoe Bay and Wollochet Bay. | |
| Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics | 1st | Kevin Shen | 11 | Olympia | TAMING THE OBLIQUE WING: Improving Fuel Efficiency by Developing and Flight Testing an Oblique Wing Aircraft Utilizing a Novel Control Method | |
| Mathematics | 1st | Tutlalee Wines | 11 | North Kitsap | Geonacci Sequences: Exploring a Novel Geometric Extension of the Fibonacci Sequence | |
| Microbiology | 1st | Amaris Alstead | 12 | Bellarmine | Determining the Presence of Phytophthora Species in Soils of Diseased Alders at Puget Sound Parks | |
| Plant Sciences | 1st | Jacob Hundven | 12 | Bellarmine | The Effect of Changing Slope Percent on the Yield of Hydroponically Grown Romaine Lettuce | |
| Robotics and Intelligent Machines | 1st | Julia Shimshock | 12 | Bellarmine | Developing a Predictive Machine Learning Model for FRC Matches |
2024 6-8 Place Awards
| Grade | Place | Names | School | Project Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 1st | Chaitra Hasini Appani | Mountain View | Hydraulic Powered Lift Machine | |
| 1st | Lohith Talluri | Jefferson | Finding the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy Using Globular Star Clusters | ||
| 2nd | Asher Friedman | Catalyst | Can Cabbage Juice Work as a pH Indicator? | ||
| 2nd | Evan DeOme | Drum | Microplastics in My House | ||
| 3rd | Jyothsna Sree Rao Lakavath | Mountain View | Converting Impure Water into Pure Water Using Natural Methods | ||
| 3rd | Brandon Carrillo-Ramirez | Pioneer | Effect of Development on Chum Salmon Alevin Response to Light | ||
| Grade 7 | 1st | Isabella York & Milo Matsuda | Pioneer | Oyster Heat Redundant Cage | |
| 2nd | Ty Sigafoos & Jackson Duncan | Pioneer | Comparison of the L-5 and L-8 LiDAR Chips | ||
| 2nd | Jeremiah Vopat-Steiner | Pioneer | How to Make an Emergency Cell Phone Charger from Household Items | ||
| 3rd | Selina Kluetz Pernell | Stewart | The Modern Astronaut: How to Design a More Efficient Spacesuit | ||
| Grade 8 | 1st | Ashwath Polali | Mountain View | Investigate the Effectiveness of AI/ML for Waste Management and Sustainable Living | |
| 1st | Ashley Mahajan | Ferrucci | Preventative Medicine: The Effects of Ayurveda on the Symptoms of Infection | ||
| 2nd | Hayden Bodi | Pioneer | Exploring Generative AI: Prompt Influence on Wordiness and Hallucinations | ||
| 2nd | Jadyn Smith | Pioneer | Mycelium Bioplastic |
2024 Large Team Trial 6-8
| Category | Place | Names | School | Project Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Team | 1st | Samuel Simmons, LuNara Rakestraw, Aurora Vandrew, Henry McClaran | Pioneer | Effects of Nesting Tube Type, Color and Rosemary on Mason Bees |
| Large Team | 2nd | Joel Mabry II, Carter Poghen, Aiden Stewart, Jayden Sage | Pioneer | The Houdini Fly Traps |
| Large Team | 3rd | Jackson Lorenzo, Kevin Landeros, Urijah Petersen, Jaydn Rueda | Pioneer | Analysis of Compost and Planting Techniques on Pumpkins |
2024 K-5 Place Awards
| Grade | Place | Names | School | Project Title | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade K | 1st | Nuur Orakzai | Chambers | Keep Your Candy Cool with the Power of Evaporation | ||||||
| Grade 1 | 1st | Ethan Nnoli-Davis | Chambers | How Different Liquids Affect Plant Growth | ||||||
| 1st | Sai Mohith Adamala | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Ice Melt Magic: The Surface Area Factor | |||||||
| 2nd | Mia Schall | Bonney Lake | Silly Siphons | |||||||
| Grade 2 | 1st | Aishwarya Polali | Eismann | Sound Waves | ||||||
| 1st | Oliver Kluetz Pernell | Mary Lyon | Will the Carrots Sprout When the WiFi’s Out? | |||||||
| 1st | Sarah Radel | Sunset | Mentos Soda Fountain | |||||||
| 2nd | Jack | Chambers | Airplanes | |||||||
| 2nd | Ayush Mahajan | Edgerton | Global Warming and Climate Change | |||||||
| Grade 3 | 1st | Rowan Stephens-Smith | Emerald Hills | Pollution Effects on Daphnia Magna | ||||||
| 2nd | Noah Nnoli-Davis | Chambers | Rusty Bolt: How to Prevent Iron Oxidation | |||||||
| 2nd | Nirbhuy Arun | Lewis and Clark | Navigating Inversions in Complex Terrain of Washington via UAV Mounted Mobile Sensing Devices for Wind Machine Operations in Early Spring Frost Management for Specialty Fruit Crops | |||||||
| 3rd | Madeline Timlin & Violet Ward | Chambers | Crystal Magic | |||||||
| 3rd | Saanvi Kundur | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Biodegradable Plastic | |||||||
| Grade 4 | 1st | Arielle Hergesheimer | Eismann | Aquaponics: Growing Food with My Fish Tank Water | ||||||
| 2nd | Sienna Blair | Chief Leschi | Are Fish Affected by Roadway Runoff Pollution? | |||||||
| 2nd | Robert Lillico | Chief Leschi | Math Robot | |||||||
| Grade 5 | 1st | Suhaas Meka | Roosevelt | Bamboozled | ||||||
| 1st | Ethan McVicker | Emerald Hills | Ooze and Aahs: A Slime Mold Experiment | |||||||
| 1st | Silas Wright | Artondale | Super Heavy Rocketry! | |||||||
| 2nd | Smriti Suresh | Centennial | Which Material Combination Makes the Best Home Made Water Filter? | |||||||
| 2nd | Harish Uriti | J. P. Stewart | Spark of Illumination: Unveiling the Electromagnetic Dance! | |||||||
| 3rd | Nidhi G. Sudhagoni | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Energy from Tree Vibrations |
2024 Specialty Awards
Awards Provided Through Our Affiliation With ISEF
| Recipient | Sponsor | Award | Criteria | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwath Polali | Society for Science | Nomination to Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge | Recognizing rising stars at grades 6-8 | Mountain View | Investigate the Effectiveness of AI/ML for Waste Management and Sustainable Living | 8 |
| Ashley Mahajan | Society for Science | Nomination to Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge | Recognizing rising stars at grades 6-8 | Ferrucci | Preventative Medicine: The Effects of Ayurveda on the Symptoms of Infection | 8 |
| Charlene Kim-Aun and Brynn Manke | American Psychological Association | Achievement in Research in Psychological Science | Best research project in Psychological Science | Bellarmine | Phagocyte-Spheroid Interactions in Axon Degeneration | 12 |
| Amaris Alstead | Association of Women Geoscientists | Outstanding Project in the Geosciences | Increase the public awareness of the geosciences, illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of the geosciences, or promote the sensitivity to the earth as a global system. | Bellarmine | Determining the Presence of Phytophthora Species in Soils of Diseased Alders at Puget Sound Parks | 12 |
| Maya Krattii | NASA | NASA Earth System Science Award | Areas of atmospheric, climate, and geo sciences or environmental related to ecosystems | Bellarmine | A Comparison of Sediment Microplastic Concentrations in Marine Protected Areas of the Puget Sound | 12 |
| Maisie O'Callaghan | NOAA | Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award | Research that emphasizes NOAA’s mission of Science, Service, and Stewardship regarding understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts; | Bellarmine | Ocean Acidification in the Salish Sea: A Comparison of Two Sites, Horseshoe Bay and Wollochet Bay. | 10 |
| Brandon Lo | Office of Naval Research - U.S. Navy / U.S. Marine Corps | Excellence in STEM, Senior Division Naval Medal and $50 | For Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Bellarmine | Evaluating the Biodiversity Indexes of a Marine Protected Area and a Non-Protected Marine Area | 12 |
| Zain Shariff | Office of Naval Research - U.S. Navy / U.S. Marine Corps | Excellence in STEM, Senior Division Naval Medal and $50 | For Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Olympia | Tissue Detection in Ultrasound Images Using Real-Time Image Segmentation Model | 9 |
| Hayden Bodi | Office of Naval Research-US Navy/US Marine Corps | Excellence in STEM, Junior Division | For Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Pioneer | Exploring Generative AI: Prompt Influence on Wordiness and Hallucinations | 8 |
| Ashley Mahajan | Office of Naval Research-US Navy/US Marine Corps | Excellence in STEM, Junior Division | For Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Ferrucci | Preventative Medicine: The Effects of Ayurveda on the Symptoms of Infection | 8 |
| Rebecca Kim | Regeneron | Regeneron Biomedical Science Award $375 | Lead with science. Demonstrate command of and passion for science. Take on big Ideas in biological and medical categories. | Charles Wright | Breast Cancer in Adolescent and Young Women: Investigating Breast Microbiota, Estrogen, and Bacteria Impact on Biomarker Discovery | 10 |
| Katie Vaughn | RICHO Americas Corporation | RICHO Sustainable Development Award | Project addresses issues of environmental responsibility and sustainable development. | Bellarmine | Comparison of Two Artificial Reefs' Ability to Recruit Organisms in Carr Inlet | 12 |
| Isabella York & Milo Matsuda | Society for Science | Lemelson Early Inventor Award $100 | Demonstrate entrepreneurial thinking by developing a tangible invention method, process or device with market potential. | Pioneer | Oyster Heat Redundant Cage | 7 |
| Kevin Shen | U. S. Airforce | Certificate of Achievement US Air Force | Outstanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Olympia | TAMING THE OBLIQUE WING: Improving Fuel Efficiency by Developing and Flight Testing an Oblique Wing Aircraft Utilizing a Novel Control Method | 11 |
| Tutlalee Wines | U. S. Airforce | Certificate of Achievement US Air Force | Outstanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | North Kitsap | Geonacci Sequences: Exploring a Novel Geometric Extension of the Fibonacci Sequence | 9 |
| Rebecca Kim | U. S. Airforce | Certificate of Achievement US Air Force | Outstanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Charles Wright | Breast Cancer in Adolescent and Young Women: Investigating Breast Microbiota, Estrogen, and Bacteria Impact on Biomarker Discovery | 10 |
| Julie Shimshock | U. S. Airforce | Certificate of Achievement US Air Force | Outstanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) | Bellarmine | Developing a Predictive Machine Learning Model for FRC Matches | 12 |
| Christopher Bidus | US Agency for International Development | Science Champion | Projects with the potential to make an impact on international development challenges | Bellarmine | Comparing Formic Acid and Oregano Oil as Pesticides Against Varroa Destructors | 12 |
| Kevin Shen | US Metric Association | Use of International System of Units Award | Best use of the metric system | Olympia | TAMING THE OBLIQUE WING: Improving Fuel Efficiency by Developing and Flight Testing an Oblique Wing Aircraft Utilizing a Novel Control Method | 11 |
| Zakaria Khan | Yale Science and Engineering Association, Inc. | Yale Outstanding Exhibit | Outstanding 10-12 grade project exhibiting in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. | Bellarmine | Bone-Cartilage Interface Adhesion Energy for Osteochondral Defects | 12 |
Discovery and EPA Friends of Earth
Sponsored by Discovery Fair
Criteria: Related to health or condition of the Earth including flora and fauna in any manner.
Award includes a letter of encouragement from the Environmental Protection Agency, a certificate and one aluminum reusable water bottle from Discovery Fair
| Recipient | School | Project | Grade |
| Ethan Nnoli-Davis | Chambers | How different liquids affect plant growth | 1 |
| Mia Schall | Bonney Lake Elementary | Silly Siphons | 1 |
| Ayush Mahajan | Edgerton | Global warning signs and effects | 2 |
| Oliver Kluetz Pernell | Mary Lyon | Affect of WiFi on plants | 2 |
| Nirbhuy Arun | Lewis and Clark | Inversions, Sensing Devices, Wind Machines, and Frost Management in Fruit Crops | 3 |
| Rowan Stephens-Smith | Emerald Hills | Pollution Effects on Daphnia Magna | 3 |
| Saanvi Kundur | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Biodegradable Plastic | 3 |
| Arielle Hergesheimer | Eismann | Small-Scale Aquaponics - Growing Food in my Kitchen | 4 |
| Sienna Blair | Chief Leschi | Are fish affected by roadway runoff pollution? | 4 |
| Nidhi G. Sudhagoni | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Is It possible to make energy from Tree Vibrations | 5 |
| Smriti Suresh | Centennial | Which Material Combination Makes the Best Homemade Water Filter? | 5 |
| Suhaas Meka | Roosevelt | Bamboozled | 5 |
| Evan DeOme | Drum | Microplastics in My House | 6 |
| Jyothsna Sree Rao Lakavath | Mountain View | Converting Impure Water into Pure Water Using Natural Methods | 6 |
| Isabella York & Milo Matsuda | Pioneer | Oyster Heat Redundant Cage | 7 |
| Ashwath Polali | Mountain View | Investigate the Effectiveness of AI/ML for Waste Management and Sustainable Living | 8 |
| Jadyn Smith | Pioneer | Mycelium Bioplastic | 8 |
| Maisie O'Callaghan | Bellarmine | Ocean Acidification in the Salish Sea: A Comparison of Two Sites, Horseshoe Bay and Wollochet Bay. | 10 |
| Kevin Shen | Olympia | TAMING THE OBLIQUE WING: Improving Fuel Efficiency by Developing and Flight Testing an Oblique Wing Aircraft Utilizing a Novel Control Method | 11 |
| Amaris Alstead | Bellarmine | Determining the Presence of Phytophthora Species in Soils of Diseased Alders at Puget Sound Parks | 12 |
| Ben Schomogyi and Cole Wicklander | Bellarmine | The Design and Evaluation of a Trap for Tracking the Settling Preferences of Adolescent Crabs | 12 |
| Betty Roberts | Bellarmine | Assessing Post-Fire Mollusk Biodiversity in the Opal Creek Wilderness | 12 |
| Brandon Lo | Bellarmine | Evaluating the Biodiversity Indexes of a Marine Protected Area and a Non-Protected Marine Area | 12 |
| Christopher Bidus | Bellarmine | Comparing Formic Acid and Oregano Oil as Pesticides Against Varroa Destructors | 12 |
| Katie Vaughn | Bellarmine | Comparison of Two Artificial Reefs' Ability to Recruit Organisms in Carr Inlet | 12 |
| Maya Deaton and Talia Patel | Bellarmine | Development of an Identification Key for Improving Accuracy of Larval Crab Population Counts in the Puget Sound Using DNA Barcoding | 12 |
| Maya Krattii | Bellarmine | A Comparison of Sediment Microplastic Concentrations in Marine Protected Areas of the Puget Sound | 12 |
PSM awards for innovation in medical or environmental science.
| Recipient | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zakaria Khan | Bellarmine Award: $100 | Bone-Cartilage Interface Adhesion Energy for Osteochondral Defects | 12 |
| Rebecca Kim | Charles Wright Award: $50 | Breast Cancer in Adolescent and Young Women: Investigating Breast Microbiota, Estrogen, and Bacteria Impact on Biomarker Discovery | 10 |
| Jadyn Smith | Pioneer Award $50 | Mycelium Bioplastic | 8 |
| Asher Friedman | Catalyst Award $50 | Can Cabbage Juice Work as a pH Indicator? | 6 |
Sponsored by Ron Morris MD and Sarah Briehl
Award is certificate and $50 cash.
Category: Best Use of Research in the Biomedical, Bioengineering or Related Field of Statistics
Criteria: Prize Award for Project demonstrating learning, research and understanding in the areas of Biomedical Science, Biomedical Engineering, or Statistics as applied to Health Sciences.
| Name | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-8 | |||
| Ashley Mahajan | Ferrucci | Preventative Medicine: The Effects of Ayurveda on the Symptoms of Infection | 8 |
| 9-12 | |||
| Zakaria Khan | Bellarmine | Bone-Cartilage Interface Adhesion Energy for Osteochondral Defects | 12 |
Outstanding Data Awards K-5
Good data both in quantity and quality is essential for impressive science and engineering projects.
The award is $25 and a certificate sponsored by the Wick Family.
| Name | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Mohith Adamala | Olympia Regional Learning Academy | Ice Melt Magic: The Surface Area Factor | 1 |
| Rowan Stephens-Smith | Emerald Hills | Pollution Effects on Daphnia Magna | 3 |
| Suhaas Meka | Roosevelt | Bamboozled | 5 |
| Silas Wright | Artondale | Super Heavy Rocketry! | 5 |
The Pruett Family Science Award
Criteria: Projects Demonstrating Scientific Excellence
The award is an Educational Innovations Certificate $50
| Recipient | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-8 | |||
| Chaitra Hasini Appani | Mountain View | Hydraulic Powered Lift Machine | 6 |
| 9-12 | |||
| Zain Shariff | Curtis | Tissue Detection in Ultrasound Images Using Real-Time Image Segmentation Model | 9 |
Safety First Award
Sponsored by the Pruett Family
Criteria: This award is presented to recipients with the best efforts at project safety.
Award includes safety goggles and a certificate
| Recipient | School | Project | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-5 | |||
| Ethan Nnoli-Davis | Chambers | How different liquids affect plant growth | 1 |
| Sienna Blair | Chief Leschi | Are fish affected by roadway runoff pollution? | 4 |


