DMPS Middle Schoolers Earn Top Honors at Science Fair
Gary McCall and Risa Vandegrift, 8th graders at Cowles Montessori School, earned the overall top honors at the 2016 State Science and Technology Fair at Iowa State University.
Forty-six middle schools students from Des Moines Public Schools participated in the 2016 State Science and Technology Fair at Iowa State University on Friday.
Twenty-one of those DMPS students earned awards, including top honors. Gary McCall and Risa Vandegrift from Cowles Montessori were presented with the Reserve Champion award.
Overall results for DMPS students in the event’s seven categories were as follows:
Astronomy, Earth, and Environmental Science
- Aria DeLara (Merrill Middle School) Honorable Mention in 6th grade
- Cooper Kissell (Merrill Middle School) 2nd place in 7th grade and 3rd place overall
- Jaden Miller (Brody Middle School) 1st place in 7th grade and 2nd place overall
- Jennifer Robles (Meredith Middle School) Honorable Mention in 8th grade
Chemistry
- Georgia Matthews (Merrill Middle School) 1st place in 6th grade
- Kallie Von der Linde (Merrill Middle School) 2nd place in 6th grade
Energy and Transportation
- Carolina Castillo and Lanie Moore (Weeks Middle School) Honorable Mention in 6th grade
- Cael Fitch (Merrill Middle School) 1st place in 7th grade and 1st place overall
- Yanni Antoniou (Merrill Middle School) 2nd place in 7th grade and Honorable Mention overall
- Andy Montalvo (Weeks Middle School) 3rd place in 7th grade
Engineering and Physics
- Esther Ubadigbo (Meredith Middle School) 8th grade Honorable Mention
Human and Social Sciences
- John Puri (Merrill Middle School) 1st place in 6th grade and 3rd place overall
- Ashton Belknap (Merrill Middle School) 2nd place in 6th grade and Honorable Mention overall
- Gary McCall and Risa Vandegrift (Cowles Montessori School) 1st place in 8th grade and 1st place overall. Gary and Risa also won $2500 scholarships from the Iowa State College of Human Sciences and earned Reserve Champion of the entire fair.
- Georgia Page (Merrill Middle School) 3rd place in 7th grade
Microbiology, Biomedical, and Health Sciences
- Samantha Rodriques (Weeks Middle School) 1st place in 6th grade and 3rd place overall
- Kyliana Benesh-Llopp (Callanan Middle School) Honorable Mention in 8th grade
Plant Science
- Olivia Ovrum (Merrill Middle School) Honorable Mention in 7th grade
Special Awards
- Drake Ashmore (Callanan Middle School) NOAA award
In addition, seven DMPS students were selected to participate in the prestigious Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering Rising Stars), the premier science and engineering competition for middle school students.
Science fairs around the country nominate the top 10% of 6th, 7th and 8th grade participants to enter this prestigious competition.
DMPS Students invited to participate in the Broadcom MASTERS are:
- Yanni Antoniou (Merrill Middle School) 7th grade
- Ashton Belknap (Merrill Middle School) 6th grade
- Cael Fitch (Merrill Middle School) 7th grade
- Cooper Kissell (Merrill Middle School) 7th grade
- Jaden Miller (Brody Middle School) 7th grade
- John Puri (Merrill Middle School) 6th grade
- Samantha Rodriques (Weeks Middle School) 6th grade
