Cherokee County Elementary Students Sweep Top Honors at Georgia State Science Fair

Woodstock Community News Staff

Fifteen Cherokee County School District elementary students returned home with hardware from the Georgia K-5 Science and Engineering Fair, held at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville — and the haul was impressive: five first-place finishes, two Grand Top 10% awards, and a sweep of recognition spanning chemistry, physics, engineering, microbiology, and computer science.

The Grand Top 10% award represents the competition's highest distinction, and two Cherokee County students claimed it. First-grader Sanjay Gogineni of Macedonia Elementary School earned first-place honors and a Grand Top 10% Award in the Primary Division for his chemistry project, "Cabbage Magic: A Colorful pH Experiment," sponsored by teacher Georgia Knowlton. Fifth-grader Krithi Kulkarni of Hickory Flat Elementary School matched that achievement with a first-place honor and Grand Top 10% Award for "Cracking the Code," a systems software project sponsored by teacher Janet Wheeler. That a first-grader and a fifth-grader both reached the top tier of a statewide competition underscores the depth of talent — and preparation — running through the district's elementary schools.

Three more students claimed first-place finishes. Granger Bales, a third-grader at Ball Ground Elementary STEM Academy, took first in Earth and Environmental Sciences for "Electrified Water," sponsored by teacher Mary Marble. At Clark Creek Elementary STEM Academy, teacher Karen Garland sponsored two first-place projects: fourth-grader Rebecca Pennington's "Which Toothpaste Is More Effective?" and third-grader Natalie Tetteh's "Which Liquid Dissolves Sugar the Fastest?" The back-to-back wins from a single classroom are a quiet testament to what strong teacher mentorship can produce at the elementary level.

Second-place honors went to three students across two subject areas. Hank Feise, a second-grader at Bascomb Elementary, earned second in Physics and Astronomy for "Need 4 Speed," sponsored by teacher Jennifer Mendenhall. Luca Heller, a first-grader at Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy, placed second in Earth and Environmental Sciences for "Cloud Capacity," sponsored by teacher Leah Spradlin. Emerson Reese, a fifth-grader at Carmel Elementary, took second in Physics and Astronomy for "Which Sporting Ball will Go the Highest Launched Vertically?" sponsored by teacher Kate Henriques.

Six students rounded out Cherokee County's showing with third-place finishes. At Little River Elementary, fourth-graders Ayushman Gadhavi, Aditya Nair, and Adrian Sobrino collaborated on "Milk Wars: The Spoilage Edition" in Microbiology, sponsored by teacher Shaniqua Young — one of only two team entries among the county's honorees. At Johnston Elementary, teacher Susan Turco guided two third-graders to the podium: Andie Hesser in Chemistry for "The Meltdown Test" and Cole Robitaille in Engineering Mechanics for "Plane and Simple." Tucker Hill, a second-grader at Macedonia Elementary, placed third in Materials Science for "Terrific Torch Test: Which Material Burns the Most?" sponsored by teacher Georgia Knowlton. Sheryl Ann Sam, a second-grader at Carmel Elementary, closed out the list with "Buzz About Fizz: How Soda Affects Objects Compared to Water" in Chemistry, sponsored by teacher Kate Henriques.

The breadth of schools represented — Macedonia, Hickory Flat, Ball Ground, Clark Creek, Bascomb, Hasty, Johnston, Little River, and Carmel — signals that competitive science achievement in Cherokee County isn't concentrated in one corner of the district. It's spread across communities from Canton to Ball Ground to Holly Springs, reflecting a countywide culture of scientific curiosity that starts well before middle school.

The Georgia K-5 Science and Engineering Fair is designed specifically to give elementary-age students a pathway into competitive STEM achievement, building habits of inquiry and problem-solving that carry through middle and high school. Georgia College and State University, the state's designated public liberal arts university located in Milledgeville, regularly hosts statewide academic competitions of this kind.

Local sponsors Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority, Cobb EMC, and Gas South supported the district's participation in the fair. The Cherokee County School District operates several specialized academies, including the STEM-focused campuses at Ball Ground Elementary and Clark Creek Elementary — both of which placed multiple students among this year's top finishers.

All 15 students and their teacher sponsors are scheduled to be recognized at an upcoming Cherokee County School Board meeting. Details on the date and location will be available through the Cherokee County School District.

Source: Cherokee County School District