Sixty-Three Students from Upper Miami Valley Heading for State Science Day
One hundred-forty-two students from Miami, Darke, Shelby and Champaign Counties competed in the Ohio Academy of Science Upper Miami Valley (UMV) Regional Science Day, held at Edison State Community College, Piqua, Ohio on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Students exhibited projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics which they worked on from September through February of this year. The Science Day (Fair) program has been in Ohio since 1949. Students who complete and present a science or engineering project at a local science fair in their school, or at a county event, may qualify to compete at the Regional level.
This was the 11th year for the event at Edison State Community College. Organizers included area educators, STEM professionals and business representatives. Over $8,000 was distributed in awards, provided by area sponsors including many businesses and individuals interested in supporting STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). The students were accompanied by many parents, teachers and guests on Saturday, in a tremendous show of support for the students’ efforts.
The Upper Miami Valley students participating at the UMV Regional Science Day and receiving Superior ratings were: from Anna HS –Samuel Baldonado, Melanie Kranenburg; from Arcanum HS – Jean Pitman, Kamryn Martin, Kayla Harrison; from Arcanum Butler MS – Tim Johnson, Chloe Rieman, Laci Dillman; from Covington MS – Ella Collins, Kennedy Shively, Kendall Peters; from DeColores Montessori – Sofia Royer, Joshua Leis, Ben Weigand; from Graham MS – Alice Rogers, Mallorie Erter, Reese Barger, Ellen Kies, Mackenzie Crooks, Xavier Garcia, Liam Kizer, Jase Rogers, Alaina Lockwood; from Holy Angels – Gianna Gradwell, Killarney Cooper, Jonah Francis; from Jackson Center – Tysen Gariety, Sam Scott, Carly Lotz, Brinkley Wallace, Huitt Kipker, Eli Springer; from Lehman HS – Ernesto Flores, Bailey Cotterman, Nora Lamm, Abigail Williams, Jillian Black, Emma Keller, Luke Dexter, Avery Wyan; from Miami East HS – Kara Hale; from Miami East JHS – Sawyer Bates, Anderson White, Asher Vonderembse, Jackson Gray, Elizabeth Iiames; St. Patrick-Troy – Allie Gutman; from Upper Valley Career Center – Emalyn Johnson, Braelin Browning, Kaelin Steward;
from Urbana HS – Michael Nannarone; from Tippecanoe HS – Aubrey Ernst, Joshitha Kondapalli; from Tippecanoe MS – Maximilian Lesher, Emily Riehle, Ujval Kondapalli, Lucas McGinnis, Adhwaith Ega; from L. T. Ball Intermediate – Tipp City – Aisha Nair, Nicole Toon, Graham Dunlap; from Upper Arlington HS – Keshav Goyal and from Hastings MS–Upper Arlington - Anjana Goyal.
Scholarships awarded included: College of Wooster – Buckeye Women In Science, Engineering & Research (B-WISER) Camp. Ten summer camp scholarships value each $100 to Erinn Stewart, Eden Pellman, Rylynn Palser, Alayna Gonzales, Cydney Huelsman, Lilly Nation, Tilly Hill, Elizabeth Iiames, Julia Iiames and Emily Riehle. Ohio Tuition Trust Authority – College Advantage 529 Savings Plan Scholarship, value each $250 to Aisha Nair, L. T. Ball – Tipp City and Allie Gutman, St. Patrick–Troy. Edison State Community College Scholarships (value each $560 good for one 3 credit hour course) to Michael Nannarone, Jean Pitman, Melanie Kranenburg, Joshitha Kondapalli, Emalyn Johnson.
Sponsored Awards included: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Awards (each $50) to Ben Weigand, DeColores Montessori, Ernesto Flores, Lehman HS, Samuel Baldonado, Anna HS, Aubrey Ernst, Tippecanoe HS; McNerney Family Spirit of Teamwork Award ($100 each) Grades 5-8 to Xavier Garcia, Liam Kizer & Jase Rogers, Graham MS and Grades 9-12 to Abigail Williams & Jillian Black, Lehman HS; Southwest Ohio Water Environmental Association (3 awards $100, $75, $50) to Caleb Lotz & Elias Shuster, Jackson Center, Mackenzie Crooks, Graham MS to Caleb Miller, Tri-Village; Southern Ohio Chapter of Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Award ($50 each) grades 5-8 to Zella Nichol & Dallas Skaggs, Covington MS and grades 9-12 Jean Pitman, Arcanum HS; Sebastian Family Award for Best Presentation of Data ($100 each) grades 5-8 to Sawyer Bates & Anderson White, Miami East JHS and grades 9-12 Joshitha Kondapalli, Tippecanoe HS; CareerVolt Award for Best Abstract ($100 each) grades 5-8 to Emily Riehle, Tippecanoe MS and grades 9-12 Kara Hale, Miami East HS.
Topic Category Awards (up to six each category – 1st 100, 2nd thru 6th $50 each)
Martin E. English DVM Awards in Animal Science 1st Emily Riehle, Tippecanoe MS, 2nd Elizabeth Iiames, Miami East JHS; Wayne Health Care and CareerVolt Awards for Behavioral Science 1st Kara Hale, Miami East HS, 2nd Michael Nannarone, Urbana HS 3rd Chloe Rieman, Arcanum MS, 4th Emalyn Johnson, UVCC, 5th Reese Barger & Ellen Kies, Graham MS, 6th Jean Pitman, Arcanum HS; BASF Creating Chemistry Awards x 6 1st Alice Rogers & Mallorie Erter, Graham MS, 2nd Tim Johnson, Arcanum MS, 3rd Bailey Cotterman, Lehman HS, 4th Braelin Browning, Upper Valley CC, 5th Xavier Garcia, Liam Kizer & Jase Rogers, Graham MS, 6th Abigail Williams & Jillian Black, Lehman HS; BASF Awards in Engineering, Computer Science & Robotics 1st Ernesto Flores, Lehman HS,2nd Aubrey Ernst, Tippecanoe HS, 3rd Joshua Leis, DeColores Montessori, 4th Ben Weigard, DeColores Montessori, 5th Kamryn Martin & Kayla Harrison, Arcanum HS; Troy Fish & Game Awards in Energy & Environmental Science 1st Joshitha Kondapalli, Tippecanoe HS, 2nd Mackenzie Crooks, Graham MS, 3rd Jaxen Anderson, Tippecanoe HS; Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge 174 Awards for Material Science 1st Carly Lotz & Brinkley Wallace, Jackson Center, 2nd Aisha Nair, L. T. Ball – Tipp City, 3rd Gianna Gradwell, Holy Angels, 4th Lucas McGinnis, Tippecanoe MS; Premier Health – UVMC and Wilson Health Awards for Biomedical & Health & Microbiology 1st Keshav Goyal, Upper Arlington HS, 2nd Sawyer Bates & Anderson White, Miami East JHS, 3rd Kaelin Steward, UVCC, 4th Nora Lamm, Lehman HS, 5th Ujval Kondapalli, Tippecanoe MS, 6th Alaina Lockwood, Graham MS; BASF Awards for Physics & Math 1st Asher Vonderembse, Miami East JHS, 2nd Emma Keller, Lehman HS, 3rd Max Lesher, Tippecanoe MS, 4th Sam Baldonado, Anna HS, 5th Nicole Toon & Graham Dunlap, L. T. Ball; Cargill Awards for Plant Science 1st Tysen Gariety & Sam Scott, Jackson Center, 2nd Kendall Peters, Covington MS, 3rd Tristyn Frazier, Piqua HS.
All of the projects receiving superior ratings at the Upper Miami Valley Regional Science Day will proceed to the State Science Day held on May 16 at The Ohio State University.
The Upper Miami Valley Regional Council would like to thank the 50 plus judges and event volunteers for their time and efforts which made this event possible. We also give a huge thanks to the event and awards sponsors, including: Title Sponsor ($5,000) BASF, Greenville, OH; and Major Sponsors ($1,000+) Edison State Community College, Cargill, Tipp City Rotary Club, Wayne HealthCare, College of Wooster, B-WISER Camp Scholarship, Lightle Family Science Fund; Major Sponsors ($500 - $999) CareerVolt (Sheila M. Cherry), Premier Health – UVMC, Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, Wilson Health, McNerney Family, Troy Fish & Game Club; Partners ($250 - $499) Tipp-Monroe Optimists, Tippecanoe Masonic Lodge 174, David Shepherd, McMurry Family, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Garmann Miller Architects, Sebastian Family, Abbey Credit Union, Patrons ($100 - $249) Abbott Nutrition – Tipp City, 100 Proof Press, Wells Brothers, Inc., Martin E. English, DVM, The Wahl Family, Dave Werts & Georgia Bayman, James McGarry, North Star BlueScope Steel, The Chaney Family, SO Chapter of Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, Royal Crest Insurance, Choice One Engineering, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Special thanks goes to Edison State Community College, its administration, faculty & staff for making this event a wonderful experience for these students.
For more information about Upper Miami Valley Science Days, please contact:
Dr. Martin English, 790 E. Shoop Rd., Tipp City, OH 45371,
or email: info@ohioumvsd.com /website: www.ohioumvsd.com,