Twelve projects and their young scientists are heading to the 59th annual Georgia Science and Engineering Fair after receiving first place honors at the regional competition. Two projects received the grand prize award and automatically advanced to the international tournament.

These first place winners will compete against over 700 students from around Georgia for prizes and the opportunity to attend the INTEL International Tournament during the state competition slated for March 28-31 in Athens, Georgia: Andrew Griffith, Jake Hancock and Mitchell Watson, Flat Rock Middle; Asad Abdulla and Christian Concepcion, Fayette County High; Brahma Natarajan, J.C. Booth Middle; Brein Millea, Starr’s Mill High; Emilia Amalfitano, Starr’s Mill High; Jennie Lee, Fayette County High; John Grimes, Whitewater High; Katie Runyan, Starr’s Mill High; Larissa Romanow, Jackie Roshelli and Courtney Stone, J.C. Booth Middle; Zenia Zheng, J.C. Booth Middle; Emma Kearney and William Kearney, McIntosh High and Stefan Coburn, Fayette County High.

The grand prizewinners are Emma Kearney and William Kearney of McIntosh High and Stefan Coburn of Fayette County High. As grand prizewinners of the regional competition, they will automatically represent Georgia at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair in Albuquerque, New Mexico in May where 1,300 students from throughout the United States and 40 countries will compete for prizes and scholarships.

The Regional Science and Engineering Fair was held on March 1 at the University of Georgia Experimental Station in Griffin. The fair is a competition based on quality of scientific research completed by students. The regional competition includes the public school systems of Fayette, Henry, Newton, Griffin-Spalding, Butts, Pike, Lamar and Thomaston-Upson counties. A total of 30 projects from the competition advanced to the state level.