L to R; Ethan Romero, Etthan Barjas, and Ivan Romero of Bell Gardens Intermediate School show off their Lean Back Chair at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. The chair allows the user to lean back without the danger of falling over. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Middle and high school students from charter, private and public schools in Los Angeles County presented their science fair projects to judges at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair on March 11 at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Center in Los Angeles.
Participating middle and high school students, including students who are home-schooled, had six months to work on their own choice of projects within the science fair’s 21 junior categories for middle school, or the 15 senior high categories.
There were 927 students presenting 694 projects at the 2024 fair, with participation in the fair “almost double that of last year,” wrote Eric Hartung, the science fair’s 2023-2024 president of the executive board, in an email.
Eric Gu, left, and Jolie Friedman of Brentwood School present their Telebot at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. The telebot is controlled by wearing a brain-thought sensing device telling it to move forward or backwards. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A study in coffee at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Students from around the Southland competed for prizes in science, technology, engineering and math which will be awarded on March 24th. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Raadiya Sabah of Dodson Middle School in Rancho Palos Verdes shows off her recycle bin which rewards users with a treat for recycling their trash at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Sabah’s device dispenses candy after the user deposits recycled material in the bin. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Students and judges check out presentations at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Students from around the Southland competed for prizes in science, technology, engineering and math which will be awarded on March 24th. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Avedis Ghazarian of Blair High School in Pasadena, shows off his Firebot at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Ghazarian’s fireboat is a remote controlled first responder device to detect dangerous chemicals, smoke and other materials in emergency situations. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Evan Friedman of Ranco Pico Jr. High in Santa Clarita, shows off his swept-forward wing designed plane at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Friedman says the swept forward wing design, once tried by Grumman, should be developed again for use with drones and unmanned aircraft. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The cooling processor under the lid of Evan Goodman and Simon Oshev’s Chill-Pill solar powered cooler at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. The solar cooler is designed for unhoused people to keep thier medications at the proper temperature. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Evan Goodman, left, and Simon Oshev from the Science Academy STEM Magnet in North Hollywood present their Chill-Pill solar powered cooler at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. The solar cooler is designed for unhoused people to keep thier medications at the proper temperature. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Students and judges check out presentations at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Students from around the Southland competed for prizes in science, technology, engineering and math which will be awarded on March 24th. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Juan Castro of Pioneer School in Whittier shows off his Umbrellatron at the 74th annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair at the Shrine Auditorium on Monday, March 11, 2024. Castro’s Umbrellatron provides shade, solar power and a cooling fan for hot days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Categories for the senior group included animal biology, plant biology, chemistry, ecology, engineering applications, engineering research, mathematical/computer science and earth/space science.
One goal of the fair is to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM) for students who may not have considered STEM areas as future career options.
Winners in 36 categories and also special awards will be announced on March 24 during a virtual ceremony.
The first and second place category winners in Los Angeles County will advance to the California State Science and Engineering Fair. Winning students from the California state event then advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Special awards that are judged and given by representatives of the sponsoring award.
Students represented school districts from all around L.A. County including Alhambra, Altadena, Antelope Valley, Arcadia, El Segundo, Glendale, William S. Hart, Inglewood, La Canada, Los Angeles, Montebello, Palos Verdes, Pasadena, Temple City, Torrance and Whittier. Students from independent/private schools and Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic schools also entered their science projects.
Details about the process, that began in 2023, that students went through to participate in the 2024 fair: tinyurl.com/yc5va675
Information about the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair: www.lascifair.org/
