bottled vs.tap: - Virginia Water Environment Association

Stockholm JuniorWater Prize 2012VWEA is responsible for organizing theStockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP)competition in Virginia. SJWP is one of theworld’s most prestigious science competitionsfor high school students. Anyhigh school student (grade 9-12), with awater-related science project, is eligible toparticipate in SJWP. The competition consistsof four levels: regional, state, national,and international. Awards are given at eachof these levels to recognize the students’achievements in water-related research.VWEA volunteers judge for SJWP atregional high school science fairs all overthe commonwealth and give out SJWPregional award certificates to the best waterrelatedprojects. VWEA also encourages thewinning students to continue their researchand interest in water-related issues by givingmonetary awards.In March 2012, VWEA volunteers judgedat seven high school science fairs all overthe commonwealth (see table below).VWEA awarded a total of $1,550 to thewinning students (including $100 to a SJWPaward that was judged by Blue Ridge HighlandsRegional Science Fair judges).All students with water-related scienceprojects are encouraged to participate inthe state competition by submitting theirpapers online (www.sjwp.org). The statewinner receives an SJWP state medal, aone-year complimentary Water EnvironmentFederation (WEF) student membership, aframed certificate for their school, and getsto compete in the national competition.In late April 2012, VWEA volunteers NinaAndgren, Temple Ballard, Ken Demmons,Christine Radke, Sudhakar Viswanathan, andChristopher Moline reviewed 16 papers forthe state completion. The judges selectedAndrea Green and Catherine Mitchell (seephoto below) and their project Assessing OilSpill Cleanup: The Ecological Ramifications ofChemical Treatments to represent Virginia atthe national competition to be held in BostonAndrea Green and Catherine Mitchell are beingjudged by Nina Andgren.in June. Travel expenses to Boston for onestudent and their teacher were paid by VWEA.A new activity in 2012 was having VWEAvolunteers offer personal feedback to thestudents who had submitted unsuccessfulpapers to the state competition. Twostudents asked for and received personalfeedback, which they greatly appreciated.Please contact Nina Andgren (nina.andgren@uosa.org) if you are interested involunteering for SJWP in 2013.Table 1: SJWP winners at high school science fairsDate Name of Fair Judges Winners3-Mar Northern Virginia Science and Engineering Fair Nina AndgrenSonali Ambre1st: Andrea Green & Catherine Mitchell2nd: Helena Nicholakos & Claire Slevin2nd: Ashley Meredith3-Mar Blue Ridge Highlands Regional Science Fair Judged by science fair 1st: John Zachary White10-Mar Tidewater Science Fair Kathy Marshal1st: Graham YoungDenis Atwood2nd: Katherine StrikeFarah Foster3rd: Abigail Chen12-Mar Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair Sharma, AbhaAlex Tellez1st: Matt Smith & Jacob Perry2nd: Jonathan Schwaner3rd: Alex Perez-Reyes15-Mar Loudoun County Science and Engineering Fair Samant Garg 1st: Sierra Carlson2nd: Lana Vaillancourt2nd: Riley Sanborn17-Mar Fairfax County Area Regional Science and EngineeringPhill H. Yi, Yi1st: Camila MoscosoFairPavani Silaparasetty2nd: Mohammad Rahimi & Murwarid RahimiBob Forgione3rd: Kathryn Murray17-Mar Western Virginia Regional Science Fair Bob Canova 1st: Anne Barnes & Allie Green24-Mar Metro Richmond Science Fair Steven HerzogAnne Payne Bullock1st: Matthew King2nd: Clay Kulesza2nd: Kayla OakleyFall 2012 – The Conduit39