Students Earn Prizes at Annual Science Fair

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (6/29/98) -- More than 100 students from 19 Los Angeles-area middle and high schools competed for U.S. savings bonds in the 21st annual Robert Herndon Engineering and Science Seminar held June 5 at The Aerospace Corporation.

In the experiments category, first-place team members each received a $1,000 bond; second-place, a $500 bond; and third-place, a $200 bond. Essayists competed for $500 and $250 savings bonds.

Winning first place in the middle-school experiments competition was the team from Charles Drew Middle School near Watts with its experiment on water evaporation. A six-member team from Van Nuys High took first place in the high school competition with its blood-glucose stabilization diet for astronauts. Beliela Jackson from Hawthorne High was the overall winner in the essay category, earning a $500 savings bond for her entry, "The Need for Reusable Fuel."

Aerospace judges and employees examined the innovative student exhibits, which were set up in two facing rows of tents stretching the length of the company mall.

"We had more requests from schools for participation than we could accommodate," said Dr. Wanda Austin, general manager of the Electronic Systems Division and seminar chair. "We were limited by space and budget."

Aerospace Mentors

Volunteer mentors from Aerospace worked with the teams to help them develop their experiments. Michelle Johnson was a mentor for Drew Middle School. Al Young was a mentor for Van Nuys High School, and Karl Hering worked with the team from Hawthorne High.

Other winners in the high-school category included teams from the California Academy of Math and Science, second place, and Banning High School, third place. Mentors Oliver Blackshire and Sharon Dodd supported the students.

In the middle-school category the team from Ohr Eliyahu Academy was second. Their mentors were Angie Lewis and Paul Rodriguez. El Segundo Middle School placed third. Their mentor was Karl Hering.

The Herndon seminar is named in memory of former Aerospace director Robert Herndon. His widow, Mary, attended the event.