Region 1 serves students in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee and Pickens counties.
                                 Courtesy photo

Region 1 serves students in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Courtesy photo

CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) hosted the 2023 South Carolina Region 1 Science Fair for elementary, middle, and high school students from seven upstate counties on March 17, 2023. The Fair was made possible through the sponsorship of Ortec, Inc.

Eighty-nine students displayed science projects on topics ranging from fingerprints and toothpaste to disinformation and diapers. Region 1 serves students in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Student volunteers from SWU’s School of STeM and 20 judges assisted with the event, including SWU faculty and professionals from Duke Energy, Sealed Air, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Oconee Christian Academy, Clemson University, and SWU alums.

Ortec, Inc. generously provided financial support for the 2023 South Carolina Region 1 Science Fair. Winners received over $3,000 in scholarships and over $1,000 in prize money.

“Student entries to the SC Region 1 Science Fair represent many hours of hard work, problem-solving, and dedication from the student, their parents or guardians, and their teachers,” said Staci N. Johnson, Chair of STeM and Associate Professor of Biology.

Johnson added, “Research is rarely easy, but we hope participation in and receiving rewards at the SC Region 1 Science Fair spurs students toward more exciting and complex problems. The future is bright for those interested in pursuing careers in these areas. We hope our event serves as a step for many students toward a career in STEM.”

The 2023 South Carolina Region 1 Science Fair Winners are listed below:

Elementary Biology

1st place: Sanu Bandaranayake, Clemson Elementary School

2nd place: Hadley Anderson, Clemson Elementary School

3rd place: Lily Rothell and Ryleigh Greene, Northside Elementary School

Elementary Biomedical & Behavioral Science

1st place: Caroline Watson, Watson Home School

2nd place: Emily Wang, Morgan Word, and Jordan Snipes, Clemson Elementary School

3rd Place: Te’a Byrd, Summit Classical School

Elementary Chemistry

1st place: Zade Simpson and Eduardo Franco Gil, Northside Elementary School

2nd place: Aryana Langley and Audrey Ma, Northside Elementary School

3rd place: Sedryn Aldrich, Taylors Elementary

Elementary Energy

1st place: Marya Carver and Emberlynn Keaton, Northside Elementary School

2nd place: Rishi Santhanam and Jakob Mason, Northside Elementary School

3rd place: Charlie Boggs, Northside Elementary School

Elementary Physics & Engineering

1st place: Mollie Kanagy, John Kelly, and Bellaleigh Aldrich, Blue Ridge Elementary School

2nd place: Thompson Cooper, Northside Elementary School

3rd place: Arjun Singh, Clemson Elementary School

Junior Biological & Behavioral Sciences

1st place: Brenna Graybeal, Graybeal Home School

2nd place: Liam Amos, Amos Home School

3rd place: Eleanor Schmitt, Schmitt Home school

Junior Chemistry

1st place: Anna Beth Stonecypher, Stonecypher Home School

2nd place: Miriam Carnell, Carnell Home School

3rd place: Maija Harris, Summit Classical School

Junior Physics & Technology

1st place: David Brooks, Brooks Home School

2nd place: Aleksi Leinonen, Leinonen Home School

3rd place: Kylie Bankson, Bankson Home School

Senior Behavioral Sciences

1st place: Hannah Brown, D. W. Daniel High School

2nd place: Paige Durham, D. W. Daniel High School

3rd place: Kate Hollingsworth, D. W. Daniel High School

Senior Science & Technology

1st place: Callen Duncan, D. W. Daniel High School

2nd place: Tinisha Singh, Singh Home School

3rd place: Andrew Mogge, D. W. Daniel High School

1st Place Students invited to enter the National Broadcom MASTERS Science Fair

Junior Division in Biomedical and Health Sciences: Brenna Graybeal, Graybeal Home School

Junior Division in Biomedical and Health Sciences: Liam Amos, Amos Home School

Junior Division in Energy: Physical: David Brooks, Brooks Home School