The results of the 30th annual Great Women in Engineering and Science Essay Contest are in! The competition was fierce again this year with an outstanding 246 entries from 19 schools in Colorado and Wyoming. A panel of 15 volunteer judges enjoyed reviewing all of the essays. Congratulations to every entrant!
 
The top three awards are a $75, $50, and $25 prize in addition to the science kit and science book awarded to the honorable merit and honorable mention recipients. The top three award winners are listed below in no particular order. Their prizes will be announced at the Society of Women Engineers Rocky Mountain Section award banquet to be held on April 22, 2017. The following students will receive a personal invitation to the event:
 
Megan Haussmann of Lakewood, CO for her essay on Lise Meitner. Megan attends 6th grade at Devinny Elementary and was sponsored by teacher Heather Wacinski.
 
Paige Hill of Greeley, CO for her essay on Nettie Stevens. Paige attends 6th grade at Harold S. Winograd K-8 and was sponsored by teacher Delia Haefeli.
 
Olivia Schramm of Windsor for her essay on Sofia Kowalevski. Olivia attends 6th grade at Windsor Middle School and was sponsored by teacher Ruth Brunner.

School Awards: This year 9 schools will receive the school library award for outstanding participation in the essay contest. To qualify for this award a school must submit essays from at least 20% of the 6th graders in the participating classes. The books provide information on women engineers and scientists. These excellent references will support teachers and classrooms in future research, not only for this contest, but also for other scientific, historical, or biographical projects.
 
The aim of the school library award is two-fold: to supply 6th graders throughout Colorado and Wyoming with research materials and to encourage teachers to include the essay contest in their curricula in order to expose all of their students to the significance and opportunities of science-related careers. The schools receiving awards this year are:

• Arrowwood Elementary, Highlands Ranch, CO
• Branson School, Branson, CO
• Denver Academy of Torah, Denver, CO
• Devinny Elementary School, Lakewood, CO
• Prairie Wind Elementary, Gillette, WY
• Sargent Elementary School, Monte Vista, CO
• S. Christa McAuliffe S.T.E.M. Academy, Greeley, CO
• Windsor Middle School, Windsor, CO
• Worland Middle School, Worland, CO

Honorable Merit Awards: Five students will receive Honorable Merit Awards this year. This year’s prize is a Snap Circuits Jr. electronics kit. The Honorable Merit award recipients are:

• Coren Dorrington                                            
  Devinny ElementaryLucille Dreyer                                                 
  Windsor Middle School
• Emily Hinson                                                   
  Windsor Middle School
• Lydia Pita                                                        
  Estes Park Middle School
• Roya Sadeghi                                                  
  Devinny Elementary

 
Honorable Mention Awards: Ten students will receive Honorable Mention Awards this year. This year’s prize is the book 101 Great Science Experiments by Neil Ardley. The Honorable Mention award winners are:

• Noah Bearden                                                 
  ​Windsor Middle School
• Jack Bishop                                                      
  Worland Middle School
• Julia ML Burky                                                  
  Worland Middle School
• James Gray                                                      
  Devinny Elementary
• Jack Gustafson                                               
  Windsor Middle School
• Megan Cary Peterson                                      
  Sargent Elementary School
• Harley Redding                                                
  Worland Middle School
• Sophia Scheuerman                                        
  Worland Middle School
• Jordan Sharon                                                
  Arrowwood Elementary
• Elaine Zou                                                        
  Eagleview Middle School

 
 
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and a participation prize.
 
Thank you to the panel of judges who spent their valuable time reviewing the essays. Without their commitment this contest would not be possible.