Fayette students win at region science fair

Fayette middle and high school students racked up many wins at the 2026 Griffin RESA Regional Science & Engineering Fair.

Five local students will represent Griffin RESA at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair this May: Sara Hoti, Parishey Khan, and Zackary Nizker of McIntosh High, and Zynila Crawford and Russell LaGrande of Sandy Creek High.

Every year, tens of millions of students participate in science fairs around the globe but only about 1,800 earn the right to compete for nearly $5 million awards bestowed each May at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

Local students won a number of special awards.

J.C. Booth Middle’s Maverik Jones won the Lemelson Early Inventor Award.

Riya Jaiganesh, Vishu Murahari, Sri Vishaka Senthilnathan, Arnavi Deshmuky, and Maverik Jones of J.C. Booth Middle and Agustin Fritschy of Rising Starr won the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Award.

Jonathan Schiffman of Starr’s Mill High won the American Psychological Association Award and the Regeneron Biomedical Science Award.

Justin Lin and Risha Naidu of Whitewater High won the Water Environment Federation / Stockholm Junior

Water Prize.

Saket Sonone of McIntosh, Saakshaat Sawhney of J.C. Booth, and Brynlee Coombs of Whitewater Middle won the Office of Naval Research Award.

Brynlee Coombs of Whitewater Middle won the Ricoh Sustainable Development Award.

Zynila Crawford and Russell LaGrande of Sandy Creek won the Yale Science & Engineering Association, Inc. Award.

Zynila Crawford and Russell LaGrande of Sandy Creek, Natalie Gaucher of Rising Starr, and Brynlee Coombs of Whitewater Middle won the United States Air Force Award.

Students in both the senior and junior divisions who placed 1st will represent Griffin RESA in the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair this March.

A total of 27 students earned 1st place in the senior division: 18 from McIntosh, 2 from Sandy Creek, 3 from Starr’s Mill, and 4 from Whitewater High.

High school 1st place winners are (McIntosh) Avery Bergan, Brennan Coiro, Pragnya Gramani, Sara Hoti, Parishey Khan, Sophia Nam, Zackary Nizker, Elliot Oh, Lynn Oh, Charlie Ostertag, Lara Otico, Sam Sangaraboina, Manoela Schapinsky Da Rocha, Saket Sonone, Sachin Subramanian, Gavin Weida, Spencer Xie, Amie Yokoyama; (Sandy Creek) Zynila Crawford, Russell LaGrande; (Starr’s Mill) Selznick Edward Raja, Joshua Goodeau, Jonathan Schiffman; (Whitewater) Brynlee Coombs, Justin Lin, Ludovic Lythgoe, Risha Naidu,

A total of 18 students earned 1st place in the junior division: 1 from Bennett’s Mill, 8 from J.C. Booth, 6 from Rising Starr, and 3 from Whitewater Middle.

Middle school 1st place winners are (Bennett’s Mill) Amari Kemp; (Booth) Arnavi Deshmuky, Riya Jaiganesh, Maverik Jones, Vishu Murahari, Amogh Ramesh, Saakshaat Sawhney, Sri Vishaka Senthilnathan, Paul Vu; (Rising Starr) Aspen Diewock, Agustin Fritschy, Natalie Gaucher, Vivienne Huggins, Emmie Pavoni, Caleb Smith; (Whitewater) Chris Clemmons, Avery Jaynes, Daniel White.

The Griffin RESA Regional Science & Engineering Fair is an affiliated fair of the Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF). The Griffin RESA Regional Science and Engineering Fair is a competition for middle and high school students attending Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Newton, Pike, Spalding, and Upson county school systems.