The 2025 Secondary Science and Engineering Fair Awards Ceremony was recently held at Manatee Technical College's main campus.
“We are proud of our students and teachers who submitted quality projects and competed at the county level,” said Lynne Johnston, STEM Coordinator.
Judges include local scholars from post-secondary institutions, research institutions and a museum. Special thanks to participating staff from USF, State College of Florida, LECOM, Roskamp Research Institute and Bishop Museum of Science and Nature for donating their valuable time to judge and score projects.
The School District of Manatee County commits to fostering the ingenuity and creativity of students through our STEM programs, and we look forward to many successful competitions to come.
Special thanks to Manatee Education Foundation, which continues to support that mission.
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Animal Sciences (ANIM)
Junior Division:
3rd place - Olivia A., Dr. Mona Jain Middle School
2nd place - Lainey R., Manatee School for the Arts
1st place - Emma M., Braden River Middle School
Senior Division:
Honorable Mention - Isaac H., Southeast High School
3rd place - Razili S., Southeast High School
2nd place - Chloe B., Southeast High School
1st place - Shalalai E., Manatee High School
Behavioral & Social Sciences (BEHA)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Alyssa M., Manatee School for the Arts
3rd place - Celia M., Braden River Middle School
2nd place - Annabelle C., Manatee School for the Arts
1st place - Layla E., Manatee School for the Arts
Senior Division:
1st place - Izabella P., Southeast High School
Biomedical & Health Sciences (BMED)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Adalyn T., Manatee School for the Arts
3rd place - Aarya P., Lakewood Ranch Prep Academy
2nd place - Isabella M., Manatee School for the Arts
1st place - Kaitlyn S., Haile Middle School
Senior Division:
Honorable Mention - Karen S.R.R., Manatee High School
3rd place - Nohemi T., Southeast High School
2nd place - Eshun B., Southeast High School
1st place - Petra M., Southeast High School
Chemistry (CHEM)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Jack O., Haile Middle School
3rd place - Ameer J., Braden River Middle School
2nd place - Katelyn M., Nolan Middle School
1st place - Wyatt D., Haile Middle School
Senior Division:
3rd place - Keira M.A., Manatee High School
2nd place - Anthony D., Manatee High School
1st place - Gabriela M., Southeast High School
Cellular/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (CMBI)
Senior Division:
3rd place - Diana G.L., Southeast High School
3rd place - Molly E., Manatee High School
2nd place - Lizbet H., Southeast High School
1st place - Addison W., Lakewood Ranch High School
Earth & Environmental Sciences (EAEV)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Fernanda C., Haile Middle School
3rd place - Luca M., Haile Middle School
2nd place - Bennett N., Nolan Middle School
1st place - Lincoln N., Haile Middle School
Senior Division:
2nd place - Manal C. and Jasmine M., Southeast High School
1st place - Wenli H., Southeast High School
Environmental Engineering (ENEV)
Junior Division:
2nd place - Samantha M., Nolan Middle School
1st place - Dexter T., Braden River Middle School
Senior Division:
2nd place - Sarahmia B.A., Southeast High School
1st place - Caitlyn C., Southeast High School
Engineering (ENMS)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Santiago P., Braden River Middle School
3rd place - Madelyn S., Haile Middle School
2nd place - Emile R., Lakewood Ranch Prep
1st place - Alexei K., Lakewood Ranch Prep
Senior Division:
Honorable Mention - Gabriel M., Southeast High School
3rd place - Kayde B., Manatee High School
2nd place - Cielo T., Southeast High School
1st place - Alexander S., Southeast High School
Intelligent Machines and Robotics (IMRS)
Junior Division:
3rd place - Austin E., Haile Middle School
2nd place - Jordan E.T., Riley W., and Maleah S., Braden River Middle School
1st place - Dominic R., Braden River Middle School
Senior Division:
1st place - Tuline K., Southeast High School
Mathematics & Computational Sciences (MACO)
Junior Division:
2nd place - Hugh T., Braden River Middle School
1st place - Mason D., Dr. Mona Jain Middle School
Senior Division:
1st place - Neelam J., Southeast High School
Microbiology (MCRO)
Senior Division:
2nd place - Miles R., Southeast High School
1st place - Isabella B., Southeast High School
Physics & Astronomy (PHYS)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Matthew A., Haile Middle School
3rd place - Ryder R., Marko P., and James S., Haile Middle School
2nd place - Ella F., Nolan Middle School
1st place - Matthew W., King Middle School
Senior Division:
Honorable Mention - Cruz G., Southeast High School
3rd place - Amy L., Manatee High School
2nd place - Kidus T. and Manuel A., Southeast High School
1st place - Aidan C., Southeast High School
Plant Sciences (PLNT)
Junior Division:
Honorable Mention - Meadow E., Lakewood Ranch Prep
3rd place - Kinley C., Braden River Middle School
2nd place - Rayanne R., Manatee School for the Arts
1st place - Zoe G., Braden River Middle School
Senior Division:
Honorable Mention - Jocelyn D., Southeast High School
3rd place - Yoheli V.B., Southeast High School
2nd place - Selma O., Lakewood Ranch Prep
1st place - Ivanka N., Lakewood Ranch Prep
Florida State Science and Engineering Fair Finalists:
Juniors -
Zoe G., Haile Middle School
Kaitlyn S., Haile Middle School
Wyatt D., Haile Middle School
Lincoln N., Haile Middle School
Mason D., Dr. Mona Jain Middle School
Dexter T., Braden River Middle School
Alexei K., Lakewood Ranch Prep
Matthew W., King Middle School
Dominic R., Braden River Middle School
Seniors -
Ivanka N., Lakewood Ranch Prep
Selma O., Lakewood Ranch Prep
Chloe B., Southeast High School
Shalalai E., Manatee High School
Neelam J., Southeast High School
Petra M., Southeast High School
Gabriela M., Southeast High School
Tuline K., Southeast High School
Alexander S., Southeast High School
Addison W., Lakewood Ranch High School
Caitlyn C., Southeast High School
Best of Show Winners
Junior Section – Wyatt D., Haile Middle School – Teacher: Elizabeth Trafford
Senior Selection* – Cailtlyn C., Southeast High School – Teacher: Steven Craig
*This award also qualifies Caitlyn for the International Science and Engineering Fair.
School of Excellence Award Winners
Middle School: Braden River Middle School
High School: Southeast High School
Special Awards
· American Psychological Association – Layla E.
· Association for Women Geoscientists – Caitlyn C.
· FAST Award – Junior Winner: Emma M., Senior Winner: Petra M.
· Lemelson Early Inventor Prize – Dominic R.
· Lego Innovation Award – Madelyn S. and Santiago P.
· NASA Earth System Science Award – Tuline K.
· National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Selma O.
· Naval Science Award – Shalalai E., Caitlyn C., Annabelle C., and Ella F.
· PENDA Award – Mason D.
· MOTE Researcher Prize – Zoe G.
· Junior Gizmos Genius Award – Kaitlyn S.
· Senior Gizmos Genius Award – Alex S.
· Ricoh USA, Inc. – Ivanka N.
· Wow from Woz: Robotics Achievement Award – Alexei K.
· Society for In Vitro Biology – Addison W.
· Stockholm – Chloe B., Shalalai E., Gabriela M., Isabella B., Wenli H., Diana G.L., Molly E., Aidan C., and Sarahmia B.A.
· U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) – Emile R.
· U.S. Metric Association – Aidan C.
· United States Air Force – Neelam J., Ivanka N., Wyatt D., and Matthew W.
· USF Top Innovators Award – Lincoln N., Dexter T., Tuline K., and Alex S.
· Yale Science and Engineering Association – Gabriela M.
· Regeneron Biomedical Science Award – Addison W.
