This year,

14 students received honorable mention or special recognition awards and

20 projects were selected to advance to the regional science fair sponsored

in Griffin. Regional winners will advance to the state fair scheduled

for later this year.

At the county

competition, a team of two judges evaluated each project. Judges rated

the projects using the same rubric that is implemented at both the regional

and national level. The rubric evaluates the experiments on creative ability,

scientific thought/engineering goals, thoroughness, skill and clarity.

The judges

selected the top two projects in the life science and physical science

division as well as in the team category for both middle and high school.

Those projects, along with other strong contenders as determined by the

judges, advanced to the regional competition.

"Out of

the 18 projects that we sent last year, 17 of them won awards. That says

a lot about our students and their abilities," said Sharon Boyer,

coordinator of science and health for the Fayette County School System.

This year,

two students received special awards sponsored by the Armed Forces Communication

and Electronics Association, Atlanta Chapter and Publix Supermarket on

Ga. Highway 74 in Peachtree City. Amanda Cavanuagh of Fayette County High

School received the AFCEA award for her project titled Solar Flares: How

They Affect the Earth's Atmosphere.

She received

a $50 cash prize and a one-year membership to the organization. She will

also be invited to attend a recognition luncheon later this year at Fort

McPherson. Each year the AFCEA gives this award to a senior student.

Lauren Norman

of Fayette Middle School was the winner of the technology award with her

project titled Winging It. She took home a scooter courtesy of Publix.

Norman said she was pleased to receive the prize since her old scooter

was broken.

Students receiving

honorable mention awards at the fair were given $25 gift certificates

from Fisher Scientific. Those students awarded honorable mentions were

Joey Gaspierik and David Byrd, Amy Evans and Sarah Wittkop, Stephanie

Smith, Meagan Lee, Emily Mask, Lisa Shean, Jason Veclotch, Marissa Brown,

Daniel Lin and Alison Hunter.

Students taking

first and second place in the life science, physical science and team

junior and senior divisions were awarded a $50 and $30 cash prize, respectively.

Students placing first and second in those divisions advanced to the regional

competition. Junior division: (life science) Johathan Smith, first place;

Katie Tramonte, second place; (physical science) Allison Fratto, first

place; Evan Roth, second place; (team) Michelle Baily and Natasha Lee,

first place; Joseph Morris, Brian Heufner and Brian Forsyth, second place.

Also advancing

to the regional competition in the junior division was Jane Abel, Melissa

Crowell, Kelcie Wilson and Ravi Dayabhai.

Senior division:

(life science) Melinda Murray, first place; Gretchen Lawhorn, second place;

(physical science) Shirley Li, first place; Carey Owens, second place;

(team) Alex Crawford and Billy Castillo, first place; Angela Garza and

Erin Patterson, second place.

Also advancing

to the regional competition in the senior division was Tony Hung, Amy

Ladewig, Ginger Dunn, Don Williamson, Kimberly Capell, Tracy Welch, Jacqueslyn

Kirsch and Lindsay Anderson.