NICEVILLE, Fla. — Okaloosa County School District students earned top honors at the State Science and Engineering Fair in early April, with two middle school students taking first place in their respective categories, the Okaloosa County School District announced.
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The statewide competition featured 716 student projects, including about 430 in the Senior Division, underscoring the level of competition students faced.
Brantley Lane, an eighth-grade student at Okaloosa STEMM Academy, earned first place in his category and was named a recipient of the prestigious Ying Scholar Award, a “Best in Show” honor for middle school projects.
The recognition includes a commemorative plaque and a $500 prize and is awarded to only four middle school students statewide.
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Benjamin Nusimow, an eighth-grade student at Ruckel Middle School, also earned first place in the Biomedical and Health Sciences Junior Division.
His project, “Spot the Spot: Creating a More Efficient Skin Cancer Logistic Regression Model by Using Geometric Representations,” also received the Northeast Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair Award.
Overall, 12 of the 15 Okaloosa students who competed earned a combined 16 awards, including special recognitions with certificates and cash prizes ranging from $25 to $100.
Jennifer Cook, the district’s science fair coordinator and a career and technical education instructor, praised the students’ performance.
“This is a huge accomplishment to make it to a state-level competition,” said Ms Cook.
“I am so proud of all of our students and so excited for those who heard their names called for an award at State.”
Additional category award winners included Aimi Frasca of Northwest Florida Ballet Académie, who earned third place in Environmental Engineering, and Arianna Lopez of the same school, who received recognition in Intelligent Machines, Robotics, and Systems Software.
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Ian Allen of Niceville High School earned recognition in Physics and Astronomy, while Anna Claire Belk of STEMM Academy was recognized in Biomedical and Health Sciences.
Nolan Kirk of STEMM Academy received the Suwannee Valley Award and recognition in Plant Sciences, and Moira Reyenga of STEMM Academy earned fourth place in Environmental Engineering.
Special award recipients included Alexis Cole of Niceville High School, who received the Monroe Marine Conservation Award in Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Aviana Sheldon of Ruckel Middle School, who earned the Manatee Regional Award in Physics and Astronomy.
Calvin Fortner of STEMM Academy received the Brevard South Award and recognition in Engineering, while Ryan Gregg of STEMM Academy earned an honorable mention in Engineering.
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Superintendent Marcus Chambers said the students’ achievements reflect both individual dedication and community support.
“We are incredibly proud of these students for their hard work, curiosity, and excellence,” said Mr Chambers.
“Their success reflects not only their dedication, but also the support of their teachers, families, and schools. These achievements showcase the high-quality learning in Okaloosa County.”
The Okaloosa County School District said the results highlight the strength of its academic programs and the continued commitment of students, teachers, and mentors to excellence in science and engineering.
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