15 Mar 2021 West Central Regional Science Fair results announced

Posted at 2:35 PMh in News by

HOT SPRINGS — Three Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students earned a trip in May to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair at the West Central Regional Science Fair.

Aly Navarro, a senior from Hot Springs, won first place overall followed by Cameryn Berryhill, a junior from Evening Shade, in second place and Catherine Kwon, a senior from Little Rock, in third. Navarro’s project studied the source of unknown deposits found in the pipes of Libbey Fountain, one of the public jug fountains in Hot Springs National Park. Berryhill researched how a certain soil microbiome affected the growth of native and invasive plants. Kwon’s project researched whether there was a way to predict neonatal seizures. It is the second year in a row that Kwon qualified to compete in the ISEF competition.

Aly Navarro (from left) won first place, Dr. Brian Monson, director of the West Central Regional Science Fair and second place winner Cameryn Berryhill.

Individual category winners of the regional science fair held Feb. 25-26 were also recognized. Students who placed in first through third in their individual categories are eligible to compete in the Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair that will be held virtually on April 2.

The Regeneron ISEF is the world’s largest and most prestigious undergraduate research competition. Judging for the contest sponsored by the Society for Science will be held virtually May 3-6. The conference at which competition winners will be announced as well as various panel discussions will be held virtually May 16-21.

Individual award winners by category were:

Animal Science: 1. Chloe Kirk of Eureka Springs; 2. Claire Green of North Little Rock; 3. Angelina Guevara of Fort Smith; Honorable Mention: Hope Coffman of Benton.

Behavioral and Social Science: 1. Nikki Weatherington of Perryville; 2. Ben Wertenberger of Bryant; 3. Josie Lee of Bryant.

Chemistry: 1. Soumya Chauhan of Bentonville; Honorable Mention: Matthew Hill of Hot Springs.

Computer Science: 1. Joshua Stallings of Little Rock; 2. Lawson Smith of Nettleton; Honorable Mentions: Mason Duren of Keiser and Aiden Thacker of Jonesboro.

Earth Science: 1. David “Bear” Moore of Hampton.

Engineering — Electrical and Mechanical: 1. Team of Elijah Holland of Clarksville and Michael Hawkins of Hot Springs. 2. Mason Kaye of Jacksonville.

Engineering — Materials and Bioengineering: 1. Kaleb O’Connor of Tyronza; 2. Team of Connor Breshears of Maumelle and Jeremy Della of Ozark; 3. Nicholas Herring of Cabot.

Environmental Science: 1. Terrance Meinardus of Alma; 2. Team of Evan Elk of Jonesboro and Olivia Norman of North Little Rock; 3. Whitney Hazeslip of Cabot.

Mathematics: 1. Tie between Rebeka Lewis of Mount Ida and Cindy Nguyen of Sherwood; 2. Tristan Goodell of Maumelle.

Medicine and Health Science: 1. Catherine Kwon of Little Rock; 2. Arindam Deb of White Hall; 3. Alesha McAdoo of Benton; Honorable Mention: Trey Clark of Harrison.

Microbiology: 1. Aly Navarro of Hot Springs 2. Annabel Spayde of Conway.

Physics/Astronomy: 1. Ashton Trumble of Conway; 2. Mika Brown of Hope.

Plant Science: 1. Team Sheridan Dethrow of Jonesboro and Gweneth Keith-Powell of North Little Rock.

Several Special Awards were also announced including:

Catherine Kwon won third place.

Regeneron Science Talent Search Awards: Catherine Kwon of Little Rock, entrant.

American Meteorological Society Award for outstanding climate or earth science project: David “Bear” Moore of Hampton.

American Psychological Association Award: Nikki Weatherington of Perryville.

ASM Materials Education Foundation Award for outstanding materials science: Nicholas Herring.

Association of Women Geoscientists Award for outstanding geoscience by a female student: Whitney Hazeslip of Cabot.

Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Award: Rebeka Lewis of Mount Ida and Cindy Nguyen of Sherwood.

NASA Earth System Award for outstanding earth science project: David “Bear” Moore of Hampton.

NOAA Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award for outstanding project in NOAA-related science: Team of Evan Elk of Jonesboro and Olivia Norman of North Little Rock.

Office of Naval Research Award for outstanding project related to mission of Navy and Marine Corps: Catherine Kwon of Little Rock and Terrance Meinardus of Alma.

Society for In-vitro Biology Award for outstanding 11th-grade life science project: Team of Sheridan Dethrow of Jonseboro and Gweneth Keith-Powell of North Little Rock.

Soybean Science Challenge Award: Claire Green of North Little Rock and her adviser Dr. Lindsey Waddell.

U.S. Air Force Awards: Aly Navarro of Hot Springs.

Stockholm Junior Water Prize for best aquatic science project: Whitney Hazeslip of Cabot and Terrance Meinardus of Alma.

Yale Science and Engineering Association Award for best 11th-grade exhibit in computer science, physics, chemistry or engineering: Soumya Chauhan of Bentonville.

U.S. Agency for International Development Award: Rebeka Lewis of Mount Ida.

About ASMSA: The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts is one of 17 public residential high schools in the country specializing in the education of academically gifted students. Located in historic downtown Hot Springs, the school is a campus of the University of Arkansas System. For more information about Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, visit www.asmsa.org or call 501.622.5100.