Wednesday, February 17, Lamar Community College’s Wellness Center was abuzz on with students from Alta Vista, Eads, Holly, Lamar Middle School, Lamar High School, Parkview, Plainview, Springfield, Walsh, and Wiley as they competed in the annual Southeast Colorado Regional Science Fair.  The regional science fair featured 204 projects from elementary through high school level, from which 25 junior high and high school projects were chosen to continue to the state science fair in April.

Projects vary in their scientific interest but are all judged based on the depth of scientific method presented. A monetary prize is awarded to first, second, and third places within each category and an overall Grand and Reserve Champion are chosen from each of the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Additional awards are presented by Arkansas Valley Dental Association, Baca County Coroner’s Office, Colorado Chapter of Soil and Water Conservation, Inez Hickey Crill Family, and the Lamar Community College Foundation.

Walsh Schools boasted both Grand and Reserve champions in the elementary with Ian Parra winning Grand Champion and Maddison Hefley taking Reserve.  In the Junior High division, Sage Higbee and Ashely Gilmore of Lamar Middle School were named Grand Champion and Wayttyn Wollert of Wiley Schools received Reserve Champion.  Shannon Bland of Lamar High School was awarded the overall Grand Champion for the high school division with Nathaniel George of Walsh taking Reserve.  Special awards included Emmilie Byrne of CODA , Dylan Renquist , Nathaniel George and Jaxon Freiberger of Walsh, Shannon Bland of Lamar, Elijah Neilsen of Alta Vista, and Ty Piner and Wayttyn Wollert of Wiley.