A dozen Arizona students are advancing to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
The students took top honors in the Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Fair, which drew 6,807 students from across the state.
In all, 672 grand and sponsored prizes were handed out, including trips, scholarships and cash prizes ranging from $25 to $2,500.
Matthew Fosdick of Empire High School; Cassidy Chamillard of Tucson High Magnet School and the UA Sky School; Sylvia Zarnescu of Catalina Foothills High School; Zoey Zhao of the UA Sky School; Yuqi Zhang, an international exchange student from China studying at Basis Tucson North; Jack Lansing Picton of Canyon del Oro High School; and Luis Flores Juarez of Yuma High School are headed to the ISEF as finalists from Southern Arizona.
Traveling as observers are Madeline Cheu of Emily Gray Middle School and Karah Mayer of the UA Sky School.
Local students also attending as finalists from state are Joseph and Damion Galasso of Galasso Home School, and Natalia Jacobson of Empire High School.
6 campuses earn A+ School of Excellence awards
Six Southern Arizona schools have been named A+ Schools of Excellence.
The Arizona Educational Foundation honor for 2018 went to Vail School District’s Senita Valley Elementary School, Desert Sky Middle School and Vail Academy and High School; Tucson Unified School District’s Fruchthendler Elementary School and Mansfeld Magnet Middle School; and the Elgin School in the Sonoita Elementary School District.
Applicant schools are evaluated in the areas of student focus and support, school culture, active teaching and learning, curriculum, leadership, community and parent involvement and assessment data.
Schools receive $500 and a banner designating them as an A+ School of Excellence winner.
