Newton County Schools celebrates Regional Science Fair winners

Thirty-six Newton County Schools (NCS) students earned awards at the Griffin RESA Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Competing against students from Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Pike, Spalding and Upson counties, NCS students demonstrated creativity, problem-solving and scientific inquiry through their research projects.

The regional competition provides students with the opportunity to conduct independent scientific investigations and present their research to judges and peers. The event features two divisions: The Junior Division for middle school students and the Senior Division for high school students. Students compete across a variety of scientific disciplines while showcasing their ability to explore real-world questions through research and experimentation.

NCS students earned numerous first, second, and third-place awards across both divisions, along with several prestigious special recognitions presented by national scientific organizations and professional groups. First-place winners in each division will advance to represent their schools and communities at the 2026 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair.

Among the most notable recognitions came from students at Newton County STEAM Academy, who earned multiple special awards in the Junior Division. 

Jaya Watkins and Mason Walker each received the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Award, the highest honor a middle school student can receive at the regional science fair. The award recognizes exceptional middle school research projects with the potential to compete at the national level.

“The Thermo Fisher Scientific Award is the highest honor a middle school student can receive at the regional fair,” said Dr. Vicki Meeler. “Of the three projects across the region that received this recognition, two were from Newton County Schools students.”

Also representing Newton County STEAM Academy, Cole Boudoucies received the Office of Naval Research Award for his project, further highlighting the strong research and innovation taking place among the school’s middle grades students.

In the Senior Division, Eastside High School student Chloe Khamphiphone earned the Association for Women Geoscientists Award in recognition of her project and its contributions to geoscience research.

Newton County Schools is proud of the following regional science fair winners: [Name (school, grade) Award, “project”]

Junior Division (Middle School) 

• Cole Boudoucies (Newton County STEAM Academy, 6th grade) 1st Place and Office of Naval Research Award, “Golf ClubLoft”
• Mason Walker (Newton County STEAM Academy, 6th grade) 1st Place and Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovator’s Challenge Award, “Making Energy”
• Jaya Watkins (Newton County STEAM Academy, 6th grade) 1st Place and Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovator’s Challenge Award, “Hue’s Got the Flavor: Exploring the Link Between Food Color and Taste Perception”
• Zettie Johnson (Newton County STEAM Academy, 6th grade) 1st place, “Teeth Whitening: What’s the Best Method?”
• Anthony Hortman (Veterans Memorial Middle, 8th grade) 1st place, “Defying Gravity”
  

  

• David Bastida, Caden Payne and Abbas Rana (Liberty Middle, 6th grade) 2nd place, “Solar Power Robot”
• Malia Cunningham (Newton County STEAM Academy, 8th grade) 2nd place, “Bounce Back: How Temperature Affects the Height of a Ball’s Bounce”
• Karter Gilmore, Bonham Ketcham and Rakiya Smith (Cousins Middle, 6th grade) 2nd place, “Heating With Magnets”
• A’King Robinson (Veterans Memorial Middle, 8th grade) 2nd place, “Study Smart, Not Harder”
• Bryan Sanchez (Veterans Memorial Middle, 8th grade) 2nd place, “Sweet Spots”
• Zayan Syed (Indian Creek Middle, 8th grade) 2nd place, “How Do Different Materials Affect Heat Transfer?”
• Kyndall Arrington (Newton County STEAM Academy, 8th grade) 3rd place, “Life in Color: A Color & Memory Connection Study”
• Bryson Clay, Naomi Neal and David Parrales (Liberty Middle, 8th grade) 3rd place, “Solar Power” 
• Emerson Fray (Newton County STEAM Academy, 8th grade) 3rd place, “Water Salinity & Desalination”
• Nikolai Garibay and Aiden Usiak (Newton County STEAM Academy, 7th grade) 3rd place, “Which Type of Wood is Most Durable?”
• Carynn Jefferson (Veterans Memorial Middle. 8th grade) 3rd place, “What MBTI Am I?”
• Arysa Killingbeck (Veterans Memorial Middle, 7th grade) 3rd place, “What’s Your Teachers’ Love Language?”
• Danny Vega (Veterans Memorial Middle, 8th grade) 3rd place, “Fool Me Once”
• Eratoristefe Yomere (Clements Middle, 7th grade) 3rd place, “Social Personality”

Senior Division (High School)

• Branson Moore (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 1st place, “Grevy’s Zebra: Why multimedia choices for conservation philanthropy aren’t so black and white”
• Emily Armendariz (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 2nd place, “Heart to Heart: Cardiovascular Effects of Taurine and Caffeine on Male and Female Daphnia magna”
• Robyn Asbell (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 2nd place, “Beyond the Label: What C. elegans Reveal About Red 40’s Effects on Human Gut Health”
  

  

• MJ Birdsong (Eastside High, 9th grade) 2nd place, “Does Turf Color Contribute to Global Warming?”
• Lizbeth Serrano Tzintzun (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 2nd place, “Healing Traditions: Investigating Iron Absorption with Vitamin C in Mexican Women”
• Izzy Braswell (Eastside High, 9th grade) 3rd place, “Can duckweed be used as a way to filter pollution out of municipal water sources?”
• Christopher Camba (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 3rd place, “Precision Forecasting: Predictive Modeling for Localized Tornado Risks”
• Cayden Dejournett (Eastside High, 9th grade) 3rd place, “Capsaicin Crisis”
• Solange Jones (Newton College & Career Academy, 12th grade) 3rd place, “Invisible Threats: How PM2.5 Impacts Maternal and Infant Thyroid Health Using Drosophila melanogaster”
• Jax Matias (Eastside High, 9th grade) 3rd place, “Can you generate electricity with a waterwheel?” 

“Participating in a science fair challenges students to take ownership of their learning by asking questions, investigating ideas, and presenting their discoveries,” said Dr. Ashante Everett, assistant superintendent for Teaching and Learning for Newton County Schools. “The accomplishments of these students at the regional level speak to their initiative, their determination, and the guidance of the educators who support them. We are proud to see Newton County Schools students excelling in scientific research and representing our district so well.”