VHS Science Research Students Shine at Science Fair

February 23, 2023 – We wish to congratulate Viera High Science Research students for their achievements at the Brevard Public Schools Regional Science and Engineering Fair awards.  The ceremony took place on Saturday, Feb 11.  We wonder if this means that some of these talented students have moms and dads who are rocket scientists. This is the Space Coast, after all.

Students participating in the fairs were able to earn place awards in one of 13 categories in either junior or senior divisions. Some students earned bids to the state-level fair held in Lakeland from March 29-April 1 with best-in-show honorees having the opportunity to advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, GA from May 8-13.

Several students from Viera will be moving on to the state level.  The organization behind the event, the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists (FFFS) has a commitment to stimulating student, teacher and public interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with the Annual State Science Engineering Fair of Florida (SSEF) held each year in Lakeland, Florida.

Students put a tremendous amount of effort into their projects, sometimes choosing subjects so advanced that the concepts must be explained to their teachers. As part of their projects the students can get help from graduate students, professors and professionals and many even continue their research with professors at the university level once they advance to higher education.

As part of the science fairs the students have the opportunity to earn special awards, as well.  Here is the list the Viera High School students and their achievements.

Sources: Home Town News ; Viera High School Facebook

Emma Carpenter

•       1st place in Mathematics and Computational Science
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair
•       Bid to attend the Orlando Science Center Competition
•       American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Award
•       Florida Association of Science Teachers Award
•       L3 Harris Award
•       US Air Force Award

Lavanya Nataraja

•       1st place in Intellegent Machines, Robotics and Systems Software
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair
•       Bid to attend the Orlando Science Center Competition
•       L3 Harris Award

Kara King

•       2nd place in Cellular/Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair

Kaitlyn Westhaver

•       2nd place in Earth and Environmental Sciences
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair
•       American Meterorological Society Award
•       US Stockholm Water Award

Ryleigh Gregory

•       3rd place in Biomedical an Health Sciences

Avery Johnson and Kai Betts

•       1st place in Earth and Environmental Sciences
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair
•       Bid to attend the Orlando Science Center Competition
•       L3 Harris Award
•       US Stockholm Water Award
•       Zal Research Award

Jimmy Egdorf

•       1st place in Physics and Astronomy
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair
•       Bid to attend the Orlando Science Center Competition
•       Harris Radio Club Award
•       L3 Harris Award

Luke Rodgers    

•       2nd place in Chemistry
•       Bid to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair

Arielle Hamilton

•       3rd place in Behavioral and Social Sciences

Noah Foisy

•       3rd place in Plant Science

Casey Taylor, Sebastian Roman and Aarav Akolar

•       3rd place in Earth and Environmental Sciences

Layla Almedia and Sofia Rodrigues

•       4th place Earth and Environmental Sciences