An aerial view of the 190 exhibits in the 2025 West Virginia Science and Engineering Fair sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Education. Twenty-one students from the region placed in the show. (Photo Provided)

CHARLESTON — Twenty-one students from the region placed at the 2025 West Virginia Science and Engineering Fair sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Education on March 10 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

The fair featured 260 high school, middle school and elementary school students with 190 exhibits in categories including chemistry, technology, plant science, engineering and robotics, among others.

Eighty judges adjudicated 46 first place, 44 second places, 52 third places and 18 honorable mentions.

Local placing participants were:

Division I (elementary)

* Behavioral and Social Sciences: honorable mention, “What’s Your Mood,” Carlee Johnson, Hadley Staats and Maggie Shreve, Wood County.

* Earth and Environmental Science: first, “Rockin’ Reservoirs,” Raiden Sayre, Jackson County.

* Energy: first, “Forced Floating,” Charlotte Theys, Wirt County.

* Engineering: second, “Propeller Efficiency,” Kavya Babariya, Wood County.

* Medical Sciences: first, “We Eat Nails for Breakfast,” Gianna Bryant, Jackson County.

* Physics and Astronomy: second, “The Mystical Flight of the Arrow,” Carter Lemon, Wood County.

* Plant Science: second, “Seed Starter vs Potting Soil,” Daniellle Osborne, Roane County.

* Technology: third, “Ollie the Dancing Robot,” Connor Price, Roane County.

Division II (middle)

* Animal Science: second, “Whiteline,” Aven Pifer, Wood County.

* Behavioral and Social Sciences: third, “Priming & Anchoring,” Gabriel Floyd, Wood County.

* Chemistry: second, “Murky and Clear,” Ayden Smith, Wood County.

* Earth and Environmental Sciences: first, “Get the Lead Out,” Ainslie Koreski, Wood County.

* Energy: second, “Which fire starter is best to take backpacking?” Landon Russell, Wood County.

* Mathematics and Data: first, “Name Brand vs. Generic,” Emily Shuman, Wood County.

* Medical Sciences: second, “Arduino Mimicry of the Pancreas,” Jayden Matthew, Wood County.

* Physics and Astronomy: honorable mention, “I’m So Dizzy!” Eliana Higgins, Wood County.

* Technology: first, “Battle of the Bots,” James D’Eramo, Wood County.

Division III (high school)

* Mathematics: third, “Evolutionary Algorithms,” Landon Haught, Wood County.

* Robotics and Intelligent Machines: second, “Reach into the Mind,” Smit Babariya, Wood County.