2015 MESAS MAIL-IN CONTEST
TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES: 538
Winners Announced May 2015
By Dr. Don M. Jordan, MESAS State Director
The State-wide MESAS mail-in contest was held this winter & spring. There were 538 entries, with 401 students from grades 4-6 (E Contest) and 137 students from grades 6-8 (M Contest). This year, the contests enclosed a broad range of topics with an emphasis on Plants, Animals, Microbiology, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, and Measurement following the Common Core Guidelines of South Carolina. We would like to extend our most sincere appreciation to the creators of the 2015 MESAS Mail-in Contest. They are: Dr. Don Jordan, Frank Jordan, Amber Atkinson, all of the Center for Science Education at USC with additional support from the council of South Carolina Academy of Science.
Awards were given in four categories; Grand, State, Regional and School Winners. A unique feature of the contest is that every school that participates is guaranteed at least one winner. The Grand Prizes went to 32 students ( 13 M and19 E) from six regions who submitted the top overall papers.
Region I: Brady Haas, Alexandra Krinke, and Sydney Lee of Powdersville Elementary (Sponsor Christy Papala), Lauren Minter of Springfield Elementary School(Sponsor Anne Glawe), Jacob Smith of Hodges Elementary School (Sponsor Cindy Hamlett), Ritika Surabhi, Jan Nawratil, and Carolina Villanueva-Suarez of Christ Church Episcopal School (Sponsor Cynthia Campell), Sarah Huska of The Huska Academy (Sponsor Daniela Huska), and Chloe Ellenburg and Cole Rogers of the Youth Leadership Academy (Sponsor Deboarah Garrick); Region II: Drayton Privette and Carlynn Rychener of Lake Murray Elementary School (Sponsor Kelly Reese) and Bailey Plemons of Hillcrest Middle School (Sponsor Carrie Hall) ; Region III : Louis Prete and Matthew Prete of A.R. Rucker Middle (Sponsor Jennifer Prete), Andrew Abramson and Saylor Bacon of St. Joseph Catholic (Sponsor Suzanne Richardson), and Abby Seay of Lugoff Elementary School (Sponsor Melissa Lloyd) ; Region IV : Ayan Guha of Montessori School of Florence (Sponsor Simi Sacher), Thomas Wukela of Savannah Grove Elementary School (Sponsor Samantha Broughton), Elena Morgan of All Saint’s Episcopal Day School (Sponsor Angie Lynch), Stephen Wukela of Savannah Grove Elementary School (Sponsor Samantha Broughton), and Mary Watts of Williams Middle School (Sponsor Sheila Barnes) ; Region V : Drew Hodges of Lakeview Elementary School (Sponsor Cleva Garner), Isobel Meroe-Epes of Porter-Gaud School (Sponsor Peyton Sasnett), Kennedy Lyon of Orange Grove Elementary Charter School (Sponsor Kennedy Lyon), Katie Radovanovic and Gelsey Jaymes from Porter-Gaud School (Sponsor Peyton Sasnett), and Joceana Bailey and Destanee Timmons of St. Stephen Middle School (Sponsor Kerrilynn Savage) ; Region VI : Marin Moody of Richard Carroll Elementary (Sponsor Lee Ashe)
The contest scores were very good overall and a good percentage of the entrants qualified for an award. We had 293 winners out of 538 participants (approx 54.5% of the total number of participants were winners). Certificates and prizes were mailed out to each student’s principal so that the awards could be presented at each school’s Awards Assembly. We congratulate each and every contestant for his or her excellent effort! We encourage every student in all South Carolina schools to participate next year. Below is a list of the winners and their school. Please note the cash prizes were limited to the Grand & State Winners for 2015.
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Grand WinnersGrade / Winner / School / Reg
5 / Brady Haas / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Lauren Minter / Springfield / 1
5 / Alexandra Krinke / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Sydney Lee / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Jacob Smith / Hodges Elementary School / 1
4 / Drayton Privette / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
4 / Carlynn Rychener / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
6 / Andrew Abramson / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Abby Seay / Lugoff Elementary School / 2
6 / Saylor Bacon / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
6 / Louis Prete / A.R. Rucker Middle / 3
4 / Matthew Prete / Discovery School / 3
4 / Ayan Guha / Montessori School of Florence / 4
4 / Thomas Wukela / Savannah Grove Elementary / 4
6 / Elena Morgan / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
4 / Drew Hodges / Lakeview Elementary School / 5
6 / Isobel Meroe-Epes / Porter-Gaud School / 5
5 / Kennedy Lyon / Orange Grove Elementary Charter School / 5
4 / Marin Moody / Richard Carroll Elementary / 6
8 / Ritika Surabhi / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
8 / Jan Nawratil / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
8 / Carolina Villaneuva Suarez / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
7 / Sarah Huska / The Huska Academy (homeschool) / 1
8 / Chloe Ellenburg / Youth Leadership Academy / 1
8 / Cole Rogers / Youth Leadership Academy / 1
6 / Bailey Plemons / Hillcrest Middle School / 2
6 / Stephen Wukela / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
7 / Mary Watts / Williams Middle School / 4
7 / Katie Radovanovic / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Gelsey Jaymes / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Joceana Bailey / St. Stephen Middle School / 5
7 / Destanee Timmons / St. Stephen Middle School / 5
State Winners
Grade / Winner / School / Reg
5 / Emilee Westmoreland / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Kenneth Sweezy / Hodges Elementary School / 1
4 / Amelia Scott / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Jack Davenport / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Antonio Hacket / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Jonathan Martin / Merrywood Elementary / 1
4 / Raja Villareal / Pincrest Elementary / 1
4 / Max Letchworth / Lugoff Elementary School / 2
6 / Peyton Windham / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
4 / Shelley Stevenson / West View Elementary School / 3
6 / Amanda Grubb / Montessori School of Florence / 4
4 / Gage Boykin / Richard Carroll Elementary / 6
4 / Price Wilson / Richard Carroll Elementary / 6
8 / Caroline DeBloom / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
7 / Jaydan Burgess / Gettys Middle School / 1
8 / David Floyd / Homeschool / 1
6 / Aryan Naveen / Langston Charter Middle School / 1
7 / Alexis Williams / RC Edwards Middle School / 1
6 / Hayden Herlong / Chapin Middle School / 2
7 / Abhijith Nair / Dent Middle School / 2
7 / l Fiumara / Hillcrest Middle / 2
7 / Nav Singh / Williams Middle / 4
7 / Christian Weichsel / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Thomas Finnegan / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Laken Fulmer / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Cade Gentry / Saluda Middle School / 6
Regional Winners
Grade / Winner / School / Reg
5 / Korry Collinson / Keowee Elementary School / 1
4 / Carter Duffie / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Peter Russell / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Destiny Hughes / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Collin Morris / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Rori Pumphrey / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Bailey Wilkre / Pincrest Elementary / 1
5 / Jensen McInnis / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Madelyn Simpson / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Gracie Gardner / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Dylan Booth / Hodges Elementary School / 1
5 / Kiera McGrath / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / William Ellenberg / Hodges Elementary School / 1
5 / Aidan Driscoll / Pincrest Elementary / 1
4 / Ethan Von Ahn / Cyber Academy of South Carolina / 1
5 / Marcelo Alvarez / Crosswell Elementary / 1
5 / Araceli Manuel / Eleanor S. Rice Elementary / 1
6 / Braceland Degenhart / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
4 / Maddy McMillion / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
5 / Steve Robinson / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
6 / Eliza Carrouth / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
6 / Christa LaSalle / Frances Mack Intermediate School / 2
5 / Alyssa Graham / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
4 / Mia Taradash / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
4 / Carola Ruiz-Colores / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
4 / Gavin Shantz / Rocky Creek / 2
6 / Jonathan Jordan / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
4 / Caleb Stevenson / Rocky Creek Elementary / 2
4 / Thomas Clark / New Providence Elementary / 2
5 / Marshall Seezen / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Sarah Dayhuff / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Zoe Cobb / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
4 / Alex Matthews / Lugoff Elementary School / 2
5 / McKenzye Garvin / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Denaisia Pinckney / Doby's Mill Elementary / 2
5 / Jordin Thomas / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Lillian Altschul / North Springs Elementary / 2
5 / Christopher Li / North Springs Elementary / 2
5 / Scott Dillon / North Springs Elementary / 2
5 / Joshua Yow / Bethel-Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Jacob Dennis / Pelion Elementary / 2
5 / Nathan Elizer / Bethel-Hanberry Elementary / 2
6 / Ashley Spencer / Heyward Gibbes Middle / 2
4 / Jonathan Zimdahl / West View Elementary School / 3
4 / Hugh McNulty / West View Elementary School / 3
4 / Jade Leveque / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Ibrahim Alimohamed / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Jill Brown / Berry Shoals Intermediate School / 3
5 / Lydia Gardner / Berry Shoals Intermediate School / 3
4 / Ashlyn Shaw / Lewisville Elementary / 3
5 / Benjamin Polchow / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Antonio Willis / Gold Hill Elementary / 3
6 / Eva Hinkleman / Homeschool / 3
5 / Will Walker / North Vista Elementary School / 4
5 / Harrison Walker / North Vista Elementary School / 4
5 / Sammi Cedilote / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
6 / Lauren Stokes / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
5 / Emma Kerce / Cathedral Academy / 5
6 / Luke Flynn / Porter-Gaud School / 5
6 / Traavone Dawson / St. Stephen Middle School / 5
4 / Natalie Carriker / St. James Elementary / 5
6 / Abigail Jefferson / Merriweather Middle / 6
5 / Austin Brown / North Augusta Elementary School / 6
6 / Anna Hale / Mead Hall Episcopal / 6
6 / Fatimah Rivers / Brunson Elementary / 6
8 / Hannah Edmonds / Belton Middle School / 1
8 / Hidde Sjollena / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
6 / Georgia Dodson / Youth Leadership Academy / 1
7 / John Castellano / Cardinal Newman / 2
7 / Ashley Noller / Chapin Middle / 2
6 / Marcus McConaghy / Columbia Adventist Academy / 2
6 / McKayla Ellis / Hand Middle School / 2
7 / Kaitlyn Doyle / Hillcrest Middle / 2
7 / Anastasia Clyborn-Wilson / Hillcrest Middle / 2
6 / Michael Goff III / Hillcrest Middle School / 2
7 / Cameron Edwards / Hunter Kinard Tyler / 2
8 / Aryeona Freeman / SC School For The Blind / 3
8 / Dashiell Stevanovich / Forestbrook Middle School / 4
8 / Johnathan Dozier / Southside Middle / 4
8 / Simrah Singh / Williams Middle / 4
7 / Pilar Stolarczyk / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Davis Koch / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Everett Hughes / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Matthew Herlong / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Caelan McGrath / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Alison Enlow / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Krishon Mathis / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Kade Ellison / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Noah Bell / Saluda Middle School / 6
School Winners
Grade / Winner / School / Reg
5 / Tanvi Giridhar / Bushy Creek Elementary / 1
5 / Tyler Williamson / Eleanor S. Rice Elementary / 1
5 / Peyton Sorrow / Hodges Elementary School / 1
5 / Garron Dombroski / Homeschool / 1
5 / Ryan Stephens / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Kallie Hunter / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Skyla Stenzinger / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Benjamin Clay / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Morgan Thornton / Keowee Elementary School / 1
5 / Zander Richardson / Merrywood Elementary / 1
5 / Jenna Calvert / Merrywood Elementary / 1
4 / Gracie Sanders / Pincrest Elementary / 1
5 / Brad Scott / Pincrest Elementary / 1
5 / Tyler Slagle / Pincrest Elementary / 1
5 / William Spoone / Pincrest Elementary / 1
5 / Maraina Frazier / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Abbie Conlin / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Kendall Boyd / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Kobe Powell / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Luke Hiller / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Ashley Tatem / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Emily Gibson / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Thomas Drayton / Powdersville Elementary / 1
5 / Hunter Maez / Springfield / 1
5 / Ryan Anderson / Springfield Elementary / 1
5 / James Jarrett III / Batesburg - Leesville Elementary / 2
5 / Samantha Gray / Bethel Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Gavin Shelley / Bethel Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Katherine Brown / Bethel Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Naziah Foster / Bethel-Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / William Oakes / Bethel-Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Drake Lesher / Bethel-Hanberry Elementary / 2
5 / Catherine Revels / Brockman Elementary / 2
4 / Whitney Holder / C.C. Pinckney Elementary / 2
6 / Petey Von Ahn / Chapin Middle School / 2
5 / Tykeem Reed / Columbia Adventist Academy / 2
4 / Quincey Snipes / Doby's Mill Elementary / 2
4 / Garmen Howard / Doby's Mill Elementary / 2
4 / Gregory Solomon Jacobs / Dutch Fork Elementary School / 2
5 / Hannah Lybrand / Harbison West Elementary / 2
6 / Alaysia Richardson / Heyward Gibbes Middle / 2
5 / Jariyah Childers / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Joseph Reyes-Garcia / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Rudy Miranda / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Angel Lopez / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
5 / Sharri Davis / L.W. Conder Elementary School / 2
4 / Corbin McCollum / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
4 / Dana Witherspoon / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
4 / Blake Blalock / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
4 / Meghan Pasala / Lake Carolina Elementary Upper Campus / 2
4 / Hayden Urso / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
5 / Lauren Herring / Lake Murray Elementary School / 2
5 / Nicole Curtis / Little Mountain Elementary / 2
4 / Mason Cherry / Lugoff Elementary School / 2
4 / Knowlton Atkinson / Lugoff Elementary School / 2
5 / Hayden Murray / Midway Elementary School / 2
5 / Hannah Grace Waters / New Providence Elementary / 2
5 / Kylie Craps / New Providence Elementary / 2
5 / Zachary Vereen / North Springs Elementary / 2
4 / Kaitlyn Lebecq / Rocky Creek Elementary / 2
5 / Max Thoder / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Will Kirk / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Hannah Jordan / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
6 / Cameron Steele / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
6 / Joseph Buchmaier / St. Joseph Catholic / 2
5 / Haya Kidwai / Berry Shoals Intermediate School / 3
4 / Sha'Laiyah Robinson / Lewisville Elementary / 3
4 / Dylan Hudson / Lewisville Elementary / 3
4 / Alexis Chase / Lewisville Elementary / 3
4 / Addison Dingman / West View Elementary School / 3
4 / Brynn Laney / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Abigail Turner / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Jesse Williams / West View Elementary School / 3
5 / Alex Rishmawi / West View Elementary School / 3
6 / Eleanor Farrell / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
6 / Taylor McCall / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
6 / Caroline Tatum / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
6 / Alexis Lee / All Saint's Episcopal Day School / 4
4 / Kayla Jones / McCormick Elementary / 4
5 / Daniel Grubb / Montessori School of Florence / 4
6 / Stephen Black / North Vista Elementary School / 4
4 / Cainen Palmer / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
5 / Reagan Collins / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
5 / Jessica Kirby / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
6 / Megan Mudge / Savannah Grove Elementary School / 4
5 / Marion Mitchell / Cathedral Academy / 5
5 / Makayla DeMaria / Cathedral Academy / 5
5 / Cadence Napier / Cathedral Academy / 5
5 / Joseph Chastain / Coastal Montessori Charter / 5
5 / Kate Attias / Coastal Montessori Charter / 5
5 / Penny Jackson / Harleyville Elementary / 5
5 / Evan Overeen / Harleyville Elementary / 5
5 / Dakota Herder / Jade Island Academy / 5
4 / Margaret Stevens / Lakeview Elementary School / 5
5 / Taylin Hall / Lakeview Elementary School / 5
5 / Curtis Lavmon / Lakeview Elementary School / 5
6 / Gabriel McWethy / McWethy Homeschool / 5
6 / Kian Shah / Porter-Gaud School / 5
6 / Jack Steyer / Porter-Gaud School / 5
5 / Selena Rosario / Sangaree Intermediate / 5
4 / Rickey Barnes / St. James Elementary / 5
4 / Thea Patney / Stiles Point Elementary / 5
5 / Chyna Hayes / Lloyd-Kennedy Charter School / 6
5 / Jaivin Heera / North Augusta Elementary School / 6
4 / Chandler Brown / Richard Carroll Elementary / 6
8 / William Pruitt / Christ Church Episcopal School / 1
6 / Taron Giridhar / Dr. Phinneze Fisher Middle School / 1
7 / Maryana Dombroski / Homeschool / 1
7 / Runli Liu / R. C. Edwards Middle / 1
6 / Kathy Cervantes / Youth Leadership Academy / 1
7 / Dalton Moorrees / Youth Leadership Academy / 1
8 / Shakira Muhammad / Busbee Creative Arts Academy / 2
8 / Blake Gibbons / Chapin Middle School / 2
7 / Tyquan Reed / Columbia Adventist Academy / 2
7 / Vamsi Gorrepati / Dent Middle School / 2
6 / Anna Sophocleous / Hand Middle School / 2
7 / Shaleria Bradley / Hillcrest Middle / 2
7 / Devin Koehler / Hillcrest Middle / 2
7 / Fatima Gutierrez / Hillcrest Middle / 2
6 / Summer Lowder / Hillcrest Middle School / 2
6 / Athena Hall / Hillcrest Middle School / 2
7 / Victoria Kinsey / Hunter Kinard Tyler / 2
7 / Marvasha Jones / Hunter Kinard Tyler / 2
7 / Abbigail Locklair / Hunter Kinard Tyler / 2
7 / Kimberly Bazard / Sandy Run K-8 School / 2
5 / Aniston Hong / Berry Shoals Intermediate School / 3
7 / Harley Blackwell / D.R. Hill Middle School / 3
7 / Noah Jones / Rainbow Lake Middle / 3
8 / Sarah Spencer / Southside Middle / 4
8 / Chase Leach / Southside Middle / 4
7 / Patrick Wang / Williams Middle School / 4
6 / Savannah Pender / Coastal Montessori Charter / 5
7 / Sarah Ward / Colleton County Middle School / 5
7 / Lindsey Pruss / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Jack Levenson / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Grayson Ellis / Porter-Gaud School / 5
7 / Gracie Brown / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Max Sasnett / Porter-Gaud School / 5
8 / Aidan Worthington / Porter-Gaud School / 5
6 / Ashley Morris / Sangaree Middle School / 5
8 / Emily Walls / Leavelle McCampbell Middle School / 6
6 / Abigail Jefferson / Merriweather Middle / 6
7 / Gavin Wheeler / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Zoe Horne / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / William Bedenbaugh / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Brenda Armenta / Saluda Middle School / 6
7 / Kaylee Long / Saluda Middle School / 6
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Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who participated!!
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