Riverside County Students Earn Gold Medals, Advance to State, National, and International Science Fairs (3)

RIVERSIDE – 107 students earned gold medals, including three sweepstakes winners, while dozens of prizes and entries into state, national, and international fairs were awarded at the conclusion of the 2022 Virtual Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair which was held online on March 15, 2022.

A total of 398 students from 25 affiliate fairs represented public, charter, and private schools, and presented their findings in 307 projects spanning 19 subject matter categories from Biochemistry and Behavioral and Social Sciences, to Microbiology and Robotics and Intelligent Machines.

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 April 12, 2022. 

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:

Elementary Division Sweepstakes (Grades 4-5)

Emma Budai
Carrillo Ranch Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
A Simple and Affordable Method to Study the Food Preference of Mosquitoes Using Food Dyes

Junior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 6-8)

Renzo Paunil
St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish School, Diocese of San Bernardino
Biodegradability of Commercial Cleaning Wipes

Senior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 9-12)

Sarah Stutsman
Corona High School, Corona-Norco USD
Auto-Dissemination: Analyzing the Function of a Novel Tool in Mosquito Control

Four Senior Division students advanced to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held virtual May 7-13, 2022.

Sarah Stutsman
Corona High School, Corona-Norco USD
Auto-Dissemination: Analyzing the Function of a Novel Tool in Mosquito Control

Ishan Gonehal
Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Simulate to Innovate: Cell Signaling Simulations of Stem Cell Mutants with Enhanced Transcription Factor Binding to Optimize Crop Productivity

Daniel Link & Andrew Yin
Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Evaluation of Static Machine Learning Malware Classifiers 

2022 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair Gold Medal Winners

Grade 4 Gold Medal Winners

Lilyana Covington, Seneca ES, Moreno Valley USD

Aryanna Dato, Nuview ES, Nuview USD

Summer Garcia, Harvest Valley ES, Romoland SD

Giovanni Gonzalez, Winchester ES, Hemet USD

Noe Gonzalez, Winchester ES, Hemet USD

Elijah Holm, Seneca Elementary, Moreno Valley USD

Gerardo Martinez, Edward Hyatt World Language Academy, San Jacinto USD

Esteban Pelayo, Winchester ES, Hemet USD

Olena Turkel, Mission Vista Academy

Holden Withers, Foothill ES, Alvord USD 

Grade 5 Gold Medal Winners

Emma Budai, Carillo Ranch ES, Desert Sands USD

Bridget Caverly, Woodrow Wilson ES, Corona-Norco USD

Carson Duong, Susan B. Anthony ES, Corona-Norco USD

Charvi Elayaraja, Clara Barton ES, Corona-Norco USD

Ankitha Garuadapuri, Clara Barton ES, Corona-Norco USD

Max Goudie, John F. Kennedy ES, Riverside USD

Arianna Sandoval, Amelia Earhart ES, Desert Sands USD

Rohit Satheeshkumar, Susan B. Anthony ES, Corona-Norco USD

Roshhan Satheeskumar, Susan B. Anthony ES, Corona-Norco USD

Ian Thomas, James Carter ES, Desert Sands USD

Mia Torres, Creekside ES, Moreno Valley USD

Evelyn Trujillo, Amelia Earhart ES, Desert Sands USD

Junior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 6-8)***▲

Amanda Acosta, Vista Verde MS, Val Verde USD

Samuel Beaumon, St. Catherines of Alexandria Parish School

Danni Brasher, Dr. Augustine Ramirez MD, Corona-Norco USD

Sophia Cabacang, Landmark MS, Moreno Valley USD

Tenzing Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD

Natalia Castanon, Badger Springs MS, Moreno Valley USD

Ashley Chavarria, Landmark MS, Moreno Valley USD

Hayden Cox, Palm MS, Moreno Valley USD

Katelyn Dulco, Home Gardens Academy, Corona-Norco USD

Kevin Ghopreal, Lakeside MS, Val Verde USD

Noah Holm, Vista Heights MS, Moreno Valley USD

Dieunise Howard, Lakeside MS, Val Verde USD

TracyTed Inting, Raymond Cree MS, Palm Springs USD

Ariana Mapalo, Badger Springs MS, Moreno Valley USD

Alyson Master, Cielo Vista Charter School, Palm Springs USD

Malaya Matthews Hall, Vista Verde MS, Val Verde USD

Laura Omiwade, Vista Verde MS, Val Verde USD

Renzo Paunil, St. Catherines of Alexandria Parish School, Diocese of San Bernardino

Lara Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD

Arav Randhawa, Garretson ES, Corona-Norco USD

Avijeet Randhawa, Garretson ES, Corona-Norco USD

Jack Roland, Vista Heights MS, Moreno Valley USD

Owen Vaughan, St. Edward School, Diocese of San Bernardino

Senior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 9-12)***

Odera Arene, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Leanna Beasley, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Eliza Bryson, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD

Joseph Dadlez, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Ishan Gonehal, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Moises Hur, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Sungwon Hur, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Alex Ivanov, Beaumont HS, Beaumont USD

Jack Jennings, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Tanaya Jog, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Jeewan Kaur, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

Jonathan Kim, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Seongyung Lee, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Daniel Link, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Emily Liu, Riverside STEM Academy, Riverside USD

Ellorie Anne Mariano, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

Aisha Randhawa, Corona HS, Corona-Norco USD

Russell Rawlings, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Rafael Rosales, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Roberto Ruiz Mata, Vista del Lago HS, Moreno Valley USD 

Emma Shah, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Sarah Stutsman, Corona HS, Corona-Norco USD

Kishan Talati, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Madeline Wilson, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Natalie Yee, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

Andrew Yin, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

*** Gold medal winners in Junior and Senior division advance to California State Science and Engineering Fair

▲ Gold medal winners in Junior division also advance to National Broadcom MASTERS Competition

2022 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair Community Awards

The Air Pollution Research Center at University of California Riverside

• $50 gift card – Yerik Castro, Butterfield ES, Moreno Valley USD
• $50 gift card – Katelyn Yang, Daphne Zhang, & Jessica Zhang, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

Inland Empire Professional Engineers in California Government

• $250 – Julia Messenger, Mark Twain ES, Riverside USD
• $750 – Tenzing Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
• $1,000 – Isabelle Kong & Fupeng Zhao, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

National Geographic Award 2022

• $100 – Jack Jennings, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

The California Society for Biomedical Research

• $250 – Odera Arene, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

The Energy Coalition

• $50 – Holden Withers, Foothill ES, Alvord USD
• $50 – Natalia Castanon, Badger Springs MS, Moreno Valley USD
• $50 – Ariana Mapalo, Badger Springs MS, Moreno Valley USD
• $50 – Ellorie Mariano, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP)

• $50 – Emma Budai, Carrillo Ranch ES, Desert Sands USD
• $125 – Renzo Paunil, St. Catherines Parish School, Diocese of San Bernardino
• $250 – Sarah Stutsman, Corona HS, Corona-Norco USD

Lemelson Early Inventor Prize

• $100 – Jerod Licera, Eastvale ES, Corona-Norco USD

Broadcom Foundation Sponsorship Award

Trevor Switzer, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD

Jack Roland, Vista Heights MS, Moreno Valley USD

Renzo Paunil, St. Catherines of Alexandria School, Diocese of San Bernardino

Julia Gonzalez, St. Catherines of Alexandria School, Diocese of San Bernardino

Danni Brasher, Dr. Augustine Ramirez MS, Corona-Norco USD 

Katelyn Dulco, Home Gardens Academy, Corona-Norco USD

Noah Holm, Vista Heights MS, Moreno Valley USD

Azalea Manco, Desert Springs MS, Palm Springs USD 

Tenzing Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD 

Catherine Shah, Frank Augustus Miller MS, Riverside USD

Lara Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD

TracyTed Inting, Raymond Cree MS, Palm Springs USD

Hank Jennings, Amelia Earhart MS, Riverside USD

Isabella Duran, Palm MS, Moreno Valley USD

Amanda Acosta, Malaya Matthews & Laura Omiwade, Vista Verde MS, Moreno Valley USD

Derek Zhang & Ricky Zhang, Dr. Augustine Ramirez MS, Corona-Norco USD

Turner Daudert, San Jacinto Leadership Academy, San Jacinto USD

Joseph Ortiz, Palm MS, Moreno Valley USD

Bayann Jadallah, Tomas Rivera Middle School, Val Verde USD

Rylee Peak, Palm MS, Moreno Valley USD

2022 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Affiliated Regional Awards

(awards provided as part of affiliation with Regeneron ISEF)

American Meteorological Society

Wren Gully, Temescal Canyon HS, Lake Elsinore USD

Cherrie Yee, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

American Psychological Association

Tanaya Jog, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

ASM Materials Education Foundation

Russell Rawlings, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD

Association for Women Geoscientists

Yuvika Shiv, Hillcrest HS, Alvord USD

Mu Alpha Theta

Alex Ivanov, Beaumont HS, Beaumont USD

NASA Earth System Science Award

Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD

Office of Naval Research - U.S. Navy/ U.S. Marine Corps

Ellorie Mariano, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

Ricoh

Cherrie Yee, Centennial HS, Corona-Norco USD

Society for In Vitro Biology

Suraj Jayaraman, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

Stockholm Jr Water Prize

Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD

United States Air Force

Pengxiang Tian, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

Nihal Sekhon, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Corona-Norco USD

United States Agency for International Development

Derek Zhang, Dr. Augustine Ramirez MS, Corona-Norco USD

United States Metric Association

Aisha Randhawa, Corona HS, Corona-Norco USD

Yale Science and Engineering Association

Sarah Stutsman, Corona HS, Corona-Norco USD

Participating districts and charter/private schools included:

• Alvord USD
• Banning USD
• Beaumont USD
• Chámmakilawish Pechange School
• Coachella Valley USD
• Corona-Norco USD
• Desert Center USD
• Desert Sands USD
• Hemet USD
• Lake Elsinore USD
• Mission Vista Academy
• Moreno Valley USD
• Nuview Union SD
• Palm Springs USD
• Palo Verde USD
• Rancho Christian School
• REACH Leadership
• STEAM Academy
• Riverside USD
• Romoland SD
• San Jacinto USD
• Springs Charter School
• St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish School
• St. Edward School
• The Journey School
• Val Verde USD