Rivermont Students Win Big at SSTF
Rivermont Collegiate is extremely proud to announce that Pavane Gorrepati, Meghana Pagadala, Prajwal Kedilaya, Matthew Newsome, Tristan O’Harrow, Christopher Huh, Summer Lawrence, and Abhishek Gowda were each presented one or more awards at the State Science and Technology Fair in Ames, Iowa on March 28th and 29th. Our Rivermont students earned an impressive 19 awards in all!
The 2008 winner is two-time champion, Pavane Gorrepati, who won the 1st Place Trophy in the 8th grade Physical Division and a $50 gift card. In addition to First Place, Ms. Gorrepati also won:
- The University of Iowa College of Engineering and Iowa State University College of Engineering - $1000 Scholarship
- 3rd Place Trophy - Intermediate Seminar Division, $50 and a Certificate
- 1st Place Grand Champion in Junior High Biological and Physical - $100, Grand Champion Rosette and Plaque
- National Society of Professional Engineers - Certificate and Pin
- Ames Local Section of the American Chemical Society - $75 and a Certificate
- Society for Science & Public Middle School Program - Certificate & Booklet
- Young Scientist Challenge Certificate and Qualified for National Competition in Washington, DC
- Iowa Conservation Education Council Youth Wilderness Trip – Scholarship and $100
- Iowa State University Program for Women in Science and Engineering Excellence in Science and Engineering Innovation - $20 Gift Card
Another outstanding achievement was earned by eighth grader, Meghana Pagadala, who won 2nd place in the 8th grade Biological Division. In addition to her 2nd place win, Ms. Pagadala was selected for:
- 4th Place in the Biological Sciences Seminar Competition
- Special recognition from the Iowa Water Pollution Control Association
As a high ranking fair winner, Meghana Pagadala qualifies to apply to the National Discovery Channel Challenge for middle school science students in Washington, DC.
Rivermont’s other high achievers include:
- Prajwal Kedilaya won 4th place in 8th grade Physical Division
- Matthew Newsome won 5th place in 8th grade Biological Division
- Tristan O’Harrow won the Distinguished Biology Project Award and Commendation from the United States Army
- Christopher Huh was awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: “Taking the Pulse of the Planet” Certificate and Medallion
- Summer Lawrence won 4th place in the 6th grade Biological Division
- Abhishek Gowda won 11th place in the 6th grade Biological Division
The State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa enabled Rivermont students the opportunity to demonstrate their unique talents and aptitudes. Furthermore, the students were able to express their commitment through diligence, accountability, and personal responsibility. Rivermont Collegiate Upper School Science Teacher, Linda Hampton, could not be more pleased: “I am very proud of all these Rivermont students for all of their hard work and dedication to their independent research projects.” For the past four consecutive years, Rivermont students have won first place honors at the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa.
Rivermont Students to Compete At SSTF
Eight students will represent Rivermont Collegiate at the 51st State Science and Technology Fair in Ames, Iowa on March 28th and 29th. The students were selected for state competition based on projects submitted at the annual Rivermont Academic Fair. These sixth and eighth grade students and their project will be competing for a combined total of over $60,000 in scholarships and prizes:
| Student | Project Title |
| Abhishek Gowda | “Do sports drinks affect people’s respiration and pulse rates as they exercise?” |
| Summer Lawrence | “Which micro organisms are most prevalent in Quad City soil?” |
| Pavane Gorrepati | “How to best solve our energy and environmental issues through the use of fuel cells: a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of methanol and reversible fuel cells under different operating conditions.” |
| Christopher Huh | “Can I build my own photometer to determine if the altitude of a location affects its haze level?” |
| Prajwal Kedilaya | “Can I build my own photometer to determine if the altitude of a location affects its haze level?” |
| Matt Newsom | “Which N-P-K ratio in fertilizers yields optimum growth in various grasses?” |
| Tristan O’Harrow | “From which common plant cells can the most DNA be extracted?” |
| Meghana Pagadala | “What impact does chemical run-off have on plants and algae in neighboring streams and ponds?” |
Both the Rivermont Academic Fair and the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa offer the opportunity for students to develop and hone their creative, critical, and generative thinking skills in the areas of science, engineering, and technology. For the past three consecutive years, Rivermont students have won top honors and first place prizes at the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa.