CNUSD Students Win Big at County Science Fair

Riverside, CA - Students across Riverside County showcased their innovative projects at the Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair. This year’s fair, held at the Riverside Convention Center, attracted the highest participation since 2016.

The projects presented covered a wide range of topics, exhibiting these students' dedication to exploring various scientific disciplines. From biology to engineering, these young scientists demonstrated their commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing real-world challenges.

Many CNUSD students were recognized for their outstanding contributions, earning accolades and paving the way for future success. Their achievements not only reflect their individual talents but also highlight the district's commitment to fostering excellence in science education.

Gold, silver (runner-up), and bronze (third place) medals were presented, along with community donor awards. Within each of the 19 subject matter categories, students competed in the Elementary division (grades 4-5), Junior division (grades 6-8), and Senior division (high school). Winners in the Junior and Senior division advance to the California State Science and Engineering Fair to be held online on April 16, 2024.

Sweepstakes awards were presented to one project in Grades 4/5 combined, one project in the Junior Division, and one project in the Senior Division. The following CNUSD students brought home awards:

Junior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 6-8)

Vienna Zhou
El Cerrito Middle School
Decoding the Matrix of Movement: Using Python to Determine Physical Activities

Senior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 9-12)

Angelina Yang
Eastvale STEM Academy/Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Fabrication and In-Depth Evaluation of Reconfigurable Metallo-Polyelectrolyte Complexed Gels for Heavy Metal Ion Filtration

The following students advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held May 11-17, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Angelina Yang
Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Fabrication and In-Depth Evaluation of Reconfigurable Metallo-Polyelectrolyte Complexed Gels for Heavy Metal Ion Filtration

Harleen Virk
Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Wired for Sustainability: Minimizing Copper in Vehicles

2024 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair Gold Medal Winners

Grade 5 Gold Medal Winners

Troy Fogle, Orange Elementary 
Aaron Rodriguez, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery
Ryan Steet, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery

Junior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 6-8)

Vienna Zhou, El Cerrito Middle School
Roshhan Satheeshkumar, El Cerrito Middle School
Rohit Satheeshkumar, El Cerrito Middle School
Maya Robles, Academy of Innovation
Sai Srinika Bommineni, River Heights Intermediate
Caitlin Buensuceso, Raney Intermediate
Avijeet Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate
Arav Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate
Shreyansh Medatati, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate
Delisha Azad, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate

Senior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 9-12

Harleen Virk, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School  
Arif Rahman, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Nimmer Kaur, Centennial High School
Vinaya Ayinampudi, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Isabella Ta, Centennial High School
Sheccid Gaeta, Centennial High School
Haoyuan Wang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Elizabeth Mattar, Corona High School
Samantha Floyd, Corona High School
Angelina Yang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Ayush Moghe, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Anantvir Singh, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Derek Zhang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Nil Patel, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Madison Saldana, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

2024 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair Community Awards

HDR, Inc. Sustainability Awards and Award Ribbons 

Tyson Dylan Deal, Garretson Elementary School

Inland Empire Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) 

Tyson Dylan Real, Garretson Elementary School

Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP)

$250 – Vienna Zhou, El Cerrito Middle School

$500 – Angelina Yang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominees

Vienna Zhou, El Cerrito Middle School
Maya Robles, Academy of Innovation
Sai Srinika Bommineni, River Heights Intermediate
Caitlin Buensuceso, Raney Intermediate
Shreyansh Medatati, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate
Delisha Azad, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate

2024 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Affiliated Regional Awards

(awards provided as part of affiliation with Regeneron ISEF)

Association for Women Geoscientists 

Harleen Virk, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Angelina Yang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Broadcom Foundation 

Vienna Zhou, El Cerrito Middle School

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Rohit Satheeshkumar, El Cerrito Middle School
Roshhan Satheeshkumar, El Cerrito Middle School

Office of Naval Research

Angelina Yang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Nimmer Kaur, Centennial High School

Regeneron Biomedical Science Award 

Angelina Yang, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

United States Agency for International Development 

Ayush Moghe, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Nil Patel, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Madison Saldana, Eastvale STEM Academy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Additional details on this year’s Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair are available at https://www.rcoe.us/student-events/science-engineering-fair/.