(PRESS RELEASE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
HIGH SCHOOL SUPER JUDGING … Northwest Ohio will send two finalists to the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May to compete with nearly 2,000 student scientists from around the world. Two others were selected from the Northwest Ohio Science and Engineering Fair as nominees for the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Genius Olympiad. From left: Arend Schuurman, a Hilltop junior, and Gavin Sifuentes, a Pettisville junior, are the nominees for the Genius Olympiad and will attend the international science fair as observers; James Short, the director of the NWOSEF, and Julia Dickinson, a Hilltop senior, and Gunner McClure, a Patrick Henry junior, will compete at the international fair that will be held in Columbus.
JUNIOR HIGH SUPER JUDGING … The top junior high school science projects at the Northwest Ohio Science and Engineering Fair held February 22 at Northwest State Community College were completed by eighth graders from Hilltop and Fort Jennings. From left: Leah Kahle and Connor Leis from Fort Jennings, Zia Siegel from Hilltop, and Tyler Hedrick from Fort Jennings.
PRESS RELEASE – Nearly 40 junior high and high school students participated in the 2025 Northwest Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NWOSEF) held February 22 at Northwest State Community College with Hilltop senior Julia Dickinson and Patrick Henry junior Gunner McClure selected finalists for this year’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May.
Dickinson’s project was titled “Engineering and Product Testing and Effective Antiperspirant” while McClure’s project was “Multi Stage Ionic Thruster Mark 2.”
They will both present their projects for judging at the ISEF May 11-16 in Columbus. They will compete for honors in various categories with roughly 2,000 other student scientists from around the world.
Also selected to attend the international fair as student observers from the NWOSEF were Gavin Sifuentes, a Pettisville junior, and Arend Schuurman, a Hilltop junior.
They are the local fair’s nominees for the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Genius Olympiad that will be held this summer.
Sifuentes’ project was titled “Comparing Nitrate and Phosphate Levels within Wetlands Pond to Surface Runoff Pond” and Schuurman’s project was titled “Temperature Effect on the Electrical Production of PV Solar Panels.”
The top junior high school science projects were presented by Hilltop eighth grader Zia Siegel and Fort Jennings eighth graders Connor Leis, Tyler Hedrick and Leah Kahle.
Siegel and Leis were the local fair’s nominees for the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovator Challenge.
Worthington Steel of Delta was the title sponsor of the 2025 NWOSEF. Einstein sponsors ($1,000) of the fair were Spangler Candy Company, North Star Bluescope Steel of Delta and Northwest State Community College for providing the facility and services.
Cousteau Level sponsors were Harold Gerten and Steve Cameron of CamCom Engineering with Edison Level sponsors Louis and Rene’ Levy and Jeff Wetmore and Goodall Level sponsorship by Jean Wetmore.
The junior and senior high school science fair winners by category:
ANIMAL SCIENCE, JUNIOR HIGH: Tyler Hedrick, first; Waylon Meyer, second; and Elliott Stechschulte, third; all from Fort Jennings.
ANIMAL SCIENCE, HIGH SCHOOL: Lauren Giesige, first; Patrick Henry.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, JUNIOR HIGH: Austin Maenle, first, Fort Jennings; Tina Dickinson, second; and Carlee Schaffner, third; both from Hilltop.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, HIGH SCHOOL: Isabella Ackley, first; and Molly Dickinson, second; both from Hilltop.
BIOCHEMISTRY, JUNIOR HIGH: Caleb VonSossan, first; and Brynn Calvelage, second; both from Fort Jennings.
CELLULAR BIOLOGY, HIGH SCHOOL: Brooklyn Kuszmaul, first, Hilltop.
CHEMISTRY, JUNIOR HIGH: Kaylee Zimmerman, first; and Alyza Pothast, second; both from Fort Jennings; Nayah Rodriguez, third; Hilltop.
ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION, JUNIOR HIGH: Leah Kahle, first; Abbie Kahle, second; and Josie Anspach, third; all from Fort Jennings; and Roarke Layman, fourth, Hilltop.
ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION, HIGH SCHOOL: Arend Schuurman, first, Hilltop.
ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL, JUNIOR HIGH: Cayden Swick, first, Fort Jennings.
ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL, ENGINEERING HIGH SCHOOL: Gunner McClure, first; and Levi Johnson, second; both of Patrick Henry.
ENGINEERING, MATERIALS, JUNIOR HIGH: Oliver Schroeder, first; and Logan Miller, second; both of Fort Jennings.
ENGINEERING, MATERIALS, JUNIOR HIGH: Julia Dickinson, first, Hilltop.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, JUNIOR HIGH: Tanzen Miller, first, Fort Jennings.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, HIGH SCHOOL: Jordan Schaffner, first, Hilltop; and Gavin Sifuentes, second, Pettisville.
MEDICINE AND HEALTH, HIGH SCHOOL: Fiona Freimuth, first; and Brooke Sherdt, second; both of Patrick Henry; and Kenley Routt, third, Hilltop.
MICROBIOLOGY, JUNIOR HIGH: Zia Siegel, first, Hilltop.
PHYSICS, JUNIOR HIGH: Connor Leis, first, Fort Jennings.