Press Release
Middle School Science Fair
May 13, 2026
CVRSF is an affiliate fair of the Society for Science
CVRSF 2026 Nominees
The Central Virginia Regional Science Middle School Fair was held May 13, 2026 at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, VA. The 56 middle school students presenting their projects represented nine area middle schools. Our fair affiliation area includes public and private schools in the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, and City of Lynchburg. We appreciate the support of our corporate sponsors, including Framatome as the Grand Corporate Sponsor. We celebrate the accomplishments of our young scientists and engineers! The category winners, along with special awards, are listed below.
Meet Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade
Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
5th Grade Challenge
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Lennox | Vega | Team | Blonde Ambition | Chemistry 101 | Monelison Middle School |
Sarah | Saechao | Team | Blonde Ambition | Chemistry 101 | Monelison Middle School |
Chase | Mason | Team | How different liquids affect the corrosion of Aluminum | Chemistry 102 | Sandusky Middle |
Josiah | Shinn | Team | How different liquids affect the corrosion of Aluminum | Chemistry 102 | Sandusky Middle |
Zach | Bauer | Individual | Can Nature Cure Heartburn | Chemistry 103 | Linkhorne Middle |
Rebecca | Mink | Individual | Crystal Growing | Chemistry 104 | Sandusky Middle |
Addalynn | Saunders | Individual | Eggsposed! The Shocking Truth About What Drinks Do to Your Teeth | Chemistry 105 | Liberty Middle School |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Worth | Sigler | Individual | H2O2 and the 4 Temps | Chemistry 106 | Linkhorne Middle |
Krissy | Saunders | Individual | How Low Can it Go? | Chemistry 107 | Monelison Middle School |
Grayson | McCabe | Individual | Rethink your Drink | Chemistry 108 | Sandusky Middle |
Cheyenne | Weber | Individual | Stain Busters | Chemistry 109 | Amherst Middle School |
Gracelyn | Mays | Individual | The Fat Factor: Swine Breeds | Chemistry 110 | Amherst Middle School |
Sa'Riyah | Morgan | Individual | The Growing Gummy Snake | Chemistry 111 | Amherst Middle School |
Corbin | Price | Individual | Energize Your Fruits and Veggies | Electricity 101 | Liberty Middle School |
Owen | Tucker | Individual | From Pulp to Power: Which Produce Packs the Brightest Punch? | Electricity 102 | Forest Middle School |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Mia | Della-Penna | Team | Problematic Static | Electricity 103 | Forest Middle School |
Scarlett | Nugent | Team | Problematic Static | Electricity 103 | Forest Middle School |
Dillon | Kane | Individual | Breaking Bridges | Engineering 101 | Forest Middle School |
Greyson | Siehien | Individual | Breaking Point: Testing the Limits of 3D Printing Filaments | Engineering 102 | Liberty Middle School |
Alex | Lopez | Team | Marker vs. Material | Engineering 103 | Monelison Middle School |
Dominic | Rucker | Team | Marker vs. Material | Engineering 103 | Monelison Middle School |
Nora | Bryan | Individual | Sound Glasses | Engineering 104 | Staunton River Middle |
Ellen | Sand | Individual | The Effect of 3D Filament Wall Thickness on Structural Rigidity | Engineering 105 | Forest Middle School |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Sloan | Dupree | Team | The Effect of Wind Turbine Blade Shape on Power Generation | Engineering 106 | Linkhorne Middle |
Eve | Flavin | Team | The Effect of Wind Turbine Blade Shape on Power Generation | Engineering 106 | Linkhorne Middle |
Lillian | Gardner | Individual | Battle Against Erosion: Which cover crop wins? | Environmental Science 101 | Staunton River Middle |
Abram | Pekar | Individual | How Does Ground Cover Affect Erosion | Environmental Science 102 | Amherst Middle School |
Emma | Mitchell | Individual | Iron in Well Water | Environmental Science 103 | Staunton River Middle |
Kyleigh | Butler | Individual | Spill Happens: Clean Waste with Waste | Environmental Science 104 | Monelison Middle School |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
James | Flavin | Team | Testing Microremediation - using fungi to reduce environmental pollutants | Environmental Science 105 | Linkhorne Middle |
Oliver | Brunett | Team | Testing Microremediation - using fungi to reduce environmental pollutants | Environmental Science 105 | Linkhorne Middle |
Kalisteth | Burrows | Individual | Which Buffer is Best? Battling OCean Acidification | Environmental Science 106 | Linkhorne Middle |
Aria | Gugliotta | Individual | Deep Impact | Physics 101 | Linkhorne Middle |
Tyler | Hebdon | Individual | Friction Cars | Physics 102 | Forest Middle School |
Kai | West | Individual | How is tennis ball bounce height affected by temperature? | Physics 103 | Linkhorne Middle |
Mackenzie | Hall | Team | Power of the Fruit | Physics 104 | Monelison Middle School |
Aleigha | Smith | Team | Power of the Fruit | Physics 104 | Monelison Middle School |
Ivy | Cheatham | Team | Ramp Angles Affect on a Rolling Object | Physics 105 | Sandusky Middle |
Louisa | Troyer | Team | Ramp Angles Affect on a Rolling Object | Physics 105 | Sandusky Middle |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Zayden | Johnson | Individual | Ramping a Hot Wheel | Physics 106 | Staunton River Middle |
Keegan | Campbell | Individual | Slip-Slide-Score: Testing Off-Ice Hockey Pucks | Physics 107 | Amherst Middle School |
Seaona | Jett | Individual | The Float Egg-speriment | Physics 108 | Sandusky Middle |
Mya | Jennings | Team | The Popping Point | Physics 109 | Monelison Middle School |
Sky | Phelps | Team | The Popping Point | Physics 109 | Monelison Middle School |
Maggie Jo | Campbell | Team | Unseen Warriors: How our Bodies Defend Against Pathogens | Physics 110 | Amherst Middle School |
Eliza | Payne | Team | Unseen Warriors: How our Bodies Defend Against Pathogens | Physics 110 | Amherst Middle School |
Azylen | Coleman | Team | What Room Makes Our Cheers PoP | Physics 111 | Amherst Middle School |
Jada | Mitchell | Team | What Room Makes Our Cheers PoP | Physics 111 | Amherst Middle School |
Congratulations to All Our Participants!
Thermo-Fisher 6-8th grade Science Fair
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Student's First Name | Student's Last Name | Team or Individual | Title | Category | School |
Olivia | Tucker | Team | Can Life Take Root on Mars: An Investigation in Seed Germination in Martian Regolith Simulant | Plant Science 101 | Amherst Middle School |
Skylar | Weeks | Team | Can Life Take Root on Mars: An Investigation in Seed Germination in Martian Regolith Simulant | Plant Science 101 | Amherst Middle School |
Virginia | Phillips | Team | How Deicers Affect Plant Life | Plant Science 102 | Dunbar Middle |
Abigail | Relyea | Team | How Deicers Affect Plant Life | Plant Science 102 | Dunbar Middle |
Louis | Sims | Individual | Long Live the Rose | Plant Science 103 | Liberty Middle School |
Naomi | Vullamparthi | Individual | The Seed Race | Plant Science 104 | Monelison Middle School |
Ryzon | Vasquez | Individual | Water Phytoremediation | Plant Science 105 | Linkhorne Middle |
Sophia | Siehien | Individual | Which Light Source Helps Basil Grow Best Indoors | Plant Science 106 | Liberty Middle School |
Kennedy | Lamberth | Individual | Which soil will work best for my herbs | Plant Science 107 | Sandusky Middle |
6-8th Grade Category Winners
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Chemistry
Electricity
Engineering
Environmental Science
Physics
Plant Science
1st place
Zachary Bauer
Linkhorne Middle School
CHEMISTRY
2nd place
Gracelyn Mays
Amherst Middle School
CHEMISTRY
3rd place
Addalynn Saunders
Liberty Middle School
CHEMISTRY
Honorable Mention
Cheyenne Weber
Amherst Middle School
CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY Award Winners
1st place
Owen Tucker
Forest Middle School
Electricity
2nd place
Mia Della-Penna
Scarlett Nugent
Forest Middle School
Electricity
3rd place
Corbin Price
Liberty Middle School
Electricity
Electricity Award Winners
1st place
Ellen Sand
Forest Middle School
Engineering
2nd place
Dillon Kane
Forest Middle School
Engineering
3rd place
Alex Lopez
Dominic Rucker
Monelison Middle School
Engineering
Honorable Mention
Greyson Siehien
Liberty Middle School
Engineering
Engineering AWARD WINNERS
1st place
Kalisteth Burrows
Linkhorne Middle School
Environmental Science
2nd place
Lillian Gardner
Staunton River Middle School
Environmental Science
3rd place
Emma Mitchell
Staunton River Middle School
Environmental Science
Environmental Science wINNERS
1st place
Aria Gugliotta
Linkhorne Middle School
Physics
2nd place
Kai West
Linkhorne Middle School
Physics
3rd place
Seaona Jett
Sandusky Middle School
Physics
Honorable Mention
Ivy Cheatham
Louisa Troyer
Sandusky Middle School
Physics
Physics Award Winners
1st place
Ryzon Vasquez
Linkhorne Middle School
Plant Science
2nd place
Sophia Siehien
Liberty Middle School
Plant Science
3rd place
Virginia Phillips
Abigail Relyea
Dunbar Middle School
Plant Science
Plant Science Award Winners
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
National Biology Teacher Award (NABT)
VA Lakes & Watershed - Best Water Project
Lynchburg Dental Science Awards
Air Force Award
Naval Research Award
Best Communicator Award
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Virginia Lakes & Watersheds Association Award
Best project showing research about projecting the quality and uses of Virginia’s water resources and watersheds.
Abram Pekar
Amherst Middle School
Abram Pekar
May 13, 2026
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
National Biology Teachers’ Awards (NABT)
Excellence in research investigating biological and environmental questions
Gracelyn Mays
Amherst Middle School
May 13, 2026
Gracelyn Mays
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Lynchburg Dental Society Awards
The best overall research design, curiosity & presentation..
Zach Bauer
Linkhorne Middle School
Aria Gugliotta
Linkhorne Middle School
Zack Bauer & Aria Gugliotta
2026
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
U.S. Air Force Award
Outstanding Science and Engineering Project
Dillon Kane
Forest Middle School
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
U.S. Navy - Naval Science Award
Outstanding project focusing on Naval Research Interests
Ellen Sand
Forest Middle School
Kai West
Linkhorne Middle School
Ellen Sand & Kai West
May 13, 2026
Special Awards
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Best Communicator Award
Outstanding communication skills exhibited by student
OwenTucker
Forest Middle School
Special Awards Winners
Projects Nominated for the
Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
Central Virginia Regional Science Middle School Fair was held May 13, 2026, at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, VA. We are pleased to announce that the top 7 projects were nominated for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC). JIC is the nation’s premier STEM research competition for 6th , 7th, and 8th grade students. The top 10% of students competing at CVRSF have the honor of continuing their science fair journey by applying to compete in the Thermo Fisher JIC. The Top 300 Junior Innovators will be selected from all the national entrants from affiliated fairs around the country and receive a prize of $125. From the Top 300, thirty finalists will be selected and compete for over $100,000 in prizes, including a top prize of $25,000 and scholarships for STEM summer camps. Additionally, each of the finalists’ schools receive $1,000. We celebrate the accomplishments of our young scientists and engineers!
Projects Nominated for the
Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
Chemistry
Zach Bauer, Linkhorne Middle School
Electricity
Owen Tucker, Forest Middle School
Engineering
Ellen Sand, Forest Middle School
Environmental Science
Kalisteth Burrows, Linkhorne Middle School
Physics
Aria Gugliotta, Linkhorne Middle School
Kai West, Linkhorne Middle School
Plant Science
Ryzon Vasquez, Linkhorne Middle School
2026 Central Virginia Regional Science Fair
Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
Congratulations to our Winners!
Have a fabulous summer!
For more information about the Central VA Regional Science Fair,
visit our website