Most Successful Year —See Video

Forrest Csulak found a “Catalytic Conundrum” was worth exploring, and his investigation of battery efficiency earned him second place in the High School Chemistry category at the Kern County Regional Science Fair on Tuesday, March 29.

Junior Josh Arreola was curious about how efficientl Nicola Tesla’s idea for a bladeless wind turbine could be. His project won first place in the High School Aerodynamics category. Both students will be going on to compete at the state level. They will be joined by four other young scientists from the El Tejon Unified School District.

“We had a total of 14 students attending the [Kern County Regional Science Fair] competition,” wrote parent Lisa Arreola, from Neenach. “This has been the most successful year for the district.” She reports that a total of 13 science projects went to the county event: nine from El Tejon School (one was a group project, the rest were individual projects); two projects from Pine Mountain Learning Center; and two projects from FMHS.

There were a total of ten awards at the county level: one first place, four second place, one third place and four honorable mentions. Four special awards were also given, to Brianna Edwards, Fletcher Matthews, Forrest Csulak and Josh Arreola. Six students are eligible to move on to the state science fair.

“Their successes came from the students’ perseverance and commitment to their projects. Students also received outstanding expertise from their mentors. Dr. Bryan Hallmark, Mr. Bradford Oliver, Mrs. Andria Bloom, Mr. Barry Lindaman, Ms. Debi Csulak and Mrs. Lisa Arreola. All dedicated their time with the students to ensure that their projects were ready to go on to the Kern County competition,” Arreola reported.

ETUSD Students Competing:

Fletcher Matthews, Lily Hallmark, Brianna Edwards, Kelly Stegeman, Rachel Hallmark, Jamie Bizzini and Charles Robertson, Brent Howell,, Forrest Csulak, Josh Arreola, Joe Bizzini, Michael Stegeman, Austin Flores and Mason Townsend

2011 Kern County Science Fair Awards

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION—Grades 9-12

Aerodynamic/Hydrodynamics

First Place: Joshua Arreola – Frazier Mountain High

Chemistry

Second Place: Forrest Csulak – Frazier Mountain High

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION —Grades 6-8

Agricultural Science

Second Place: Brianna Edwards – El Tejon School

Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science

Second Place: Lily Hallmark – El Tejon School

Materials Science

Second Place: Joseph Bizzini – El Tejon School

Thermochemistry and Kinetics

Third Place: Fletcher Matthews – PMLC

Also receiving county science fair awards were:

Mammalian Biology, Physiology and Zoology

Honorable Mention: Jamie Bizzini – El Tejon School

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION—5th Grade

Physics

Honorable Mention: Rachel Hallmark – El Tejon School

Heat Physics

Honorable Mention: Kelly Stegeman – El Tejon School

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION—4th Grade

Physics I

Honorable Mention: Austin Sather-Flores – El Tejon School

Sponsors for the 2011 Kern County Regional Science Fair included Aera Energy LLC, Chevron North America Exploration and Production, Occidental of Elk Hills, Kern County Science Foundation, Tejon Ranch Company, Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center and TYBRIN Corporation. The science fair is administered by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools.

[For the record: Brent Howell was first identified in this story as Bent Howard. That error has been corrected. ]

This is part of the April 01, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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