Orlando Science Schools (OSS) 7th-grader Yashasvi Bhat earned first place in the junior computer science category at the annual Dr. Nelson Ying Orange County Science Exposition held recently at Rollins College. Bhats’ “Robot Race” entry is among many award winning projects submitted by students at Orlando Science Schools, which is a public charter school in Orange County that serves grades K-12 and focuses on STEM education
The competition is open to all private and public school students. Thirty-four talented students from Orlando Science Schools participated in this year’s event. OSS had 16 entries from the 6th grade, 13 from 7th and five from the high school level division.
OSS students who were awarded top honors from the 54th Annual Orange County Science Fair included:
- Mohammed Abdullah and Ahmed Rashid: “A New Device Based on Thermoelectric Effect to Resolve Energy Crisis” (11th and 10th grade)
- Alexandria Bias: “Pop It!” (7th grade)
- Cristina Ta: “Race to Evaporation” (7th grade)
- Pierre Lesperance: “Gauss Rifle” (7th grade)
- Daniyal Ansari: “Does Color Affect Blood Pressure?” (7th grade)
- Alexandria Magee: “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”
- Justice Nasuti: “Sock It to Me” (6th grade)
- Rami Kabat (6th grade)
- Brandon Tran: “Which Airplane Design Will Fly the Longest?” (7th grade)
- Gina Perez: “Amplitude Modulation” (7th grade)
“It is truly rewarding to see Orlando Science Schools students utilizing critical thinking and transferring those skills into real-world science applications,” said Orlando Science Schools Executive Director Dr. Yalcin Akin. “We are honored by these students and their teachers for their impressive work and the innovation they demonstrate.”
More than 320 students from 24 different schools throughout Orange County submitted entries for the event. “We are thrilled with the record-breaking turnout,” said Bob Madewell, director of the Dr. Nelson Ying Orange County Science Exposition. “Our students continue to raise the standards for inventive projects.”
A diverse panel of more than 85 experienced judges from various businesses and educational institutions in Central Florida evaluated the entries and determined the award winners.
