Seven Mancos students are advancing to the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair at CSU in Fort Collins from April 9–11 after a successful run at the regional science fair at Fort Lewis College on Feb. 4.
The regional competition drew students from the San Juan Basin Region, which includes schools from Dove Creek to Pagosa Springs. Sixteen Mancos students received awards at the regional event.
Sophomores Colter Dennison, Cuinn Archer and Vaughn Bankston, seventh graders Caprise Priestley, Addison Alexander and Ryel Fury-Hacko, and sixth grader Annabel Cowan qualified for the state competition.
“All of the students who participate at regionals have put in a lot of work to get there,” sixth grade math and science teacher Brady Archer told The Journal.
Mancos students competed in a local science fair to determine if they would move on to the regional competition. At regionals, students showcased their projects and participated in interviews with judges.
“I think our students do a great job of being prepared for the interview process and showing the judges how much they have learned using the scientific method,” Archer said. “Our high school group has spent most of the school year researching and gathering data for their projects. They really set the standard for us.”
Archer added that students who previously qualified for state help prepare others for regionals.
“I am always proud of all of our students who participate at the regional level. They always represent themselves and the Mancos community really well,” Archer said.
Six sixth graders placed at the regional competition. Althea Gostlin placed first in environmental sciences, Brody Halladay placed second in energy and engineering, Lucas Schmidlin placed second in earth and space sciences, Cowan placed second in medical and behavioral sciences, and Beckett Jones placed third in energy and engineering.
Lessah Laird received an honorable mention in medical and behavioral sciences.
In the junior division, Priestley placed first in plant sciences, Emma Oakes placed second in behavioral sciences and Alexander placed second in plant sciences. Emmett Barger placed third in physics, and Fury-Hacko placed third in energy and engineering, while Josalyn Magie and Jessica Kroll were named honorable mentions in plant sciences.
In the senior division, Bankston placed first in engineering and Dennison placed first in environmental sciences. Archer placed second in engineering.
