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Pasco Students Compete In State Scence Fair
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Published: May 3, 2008
NEW PORT RICHEY - A dozen Pasco County middle and high school students received recognition at the 53rd State Science and Engineering Fair.
The Florida Foundation for Future Scientists, based at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, has hosted the event since 1957. This year's edition was held April 16 - 18, in Lakeland.
The purpose of the fair is fostering and encouraging Florida's talented young people to pursue careers in science, engineering and research. The fair is a three-day display of science project exhibits that illustrate the creativity and research the students exercised in self-designed projects.
Each year nearly 950 sixth- through 12th-grade students display their projects and illustrate their research in competition for awards in various scientific disciplines.
Experts in those disciplines evaluate the displays to determine the winners. Another aim of the event is giving students a chance to see the work of like-minded young people from around the state
A total of 27 Pasco County students competed at the state finals this year. They had earned their places in Lakeland with strong showings at the district competition, held Feb. 2 at River Ridge High School.
The science program at J.W. Mitchell High School, in Trinity, had a good showing at the state fair. Five of its students' displays caught the judges' eyes.
Samantha Beach took third place in the Environmental Sciences category. Fellow Mitchell student Carlos Flores was also recognized for his project in that category.
Branden Anglin, whose showing at the regional tournament earned him a second straight trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, tied for fourth place in the Botany category The 2008 Intel event will be held May 11 - 18 in Atlanta.
Rounding out the Mitchell High awards were Cornelius VanWyk, who earned honorable mention in the Engineering Sciences category; and Brian Hunsicker, who earned recognition in the Physics category.
Among other Pasco County high school students, Karina Ruisi of Sunlake High School, in the Land O' Lakes area, earned recognition as well. She received a certificate from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services for her project in the microbiology category.
Joshua Hammer of Zephyrhills High School took fourth place in the category of Medicine and Health. Like Anglin, Hammer also earned a spot to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair at the regional tournament.
In the middle school division, Jennifer Levengood of Charles S. Rushe Middle School, in Land O' Lakes, took third place in Chemistry.
Christopher Pirrello of Bishop Larkin Interparochial Catholic School, in the Port Richey area, was a fourth-place finisher in Botany in the middle school division.
Meanwhile two Hudson Middle School students came home with awards. Alexander Mancini took honorable mention in the Zoology category, and Katlyn Wakeland earned recognition in Environmental Sciences.
"There are not enough words to describe the caliber of the projects that were presented at this fair,' said Pasco County Schools Science Curriculum and Instructional Supervisor Laura Hill.
Hill thanked the parents, teachers, administrators and the district for the support and funding it took to make it possible for the students to participate in the fair.
Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or at
klowry@suncoastnews.com
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