Middle school students in the Socorro Independent School District showcased their science skills by tackling real-world issues at the district’s annual science fair in December, where hundreds of young scientists presented projects, shared ideas and competed for top honors.
This was the second year that Adrian Lawrence, an eighth-grader at Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School, participated in the competition. For his project, “Buzz off Bug!” Lawrence compared four different insecticides to determine which one was most effective at eliminating pests without harming plants. He said he wanted to use his passion for science to find a solution that could benefit the agricultural industry.
“I think that science is pretty cool. Science probably is my favorite of the four subjects that I usually learn at school, and probably the one I'm the best at,” said Lawrence, whose project won second place in the animal sciences category.
His project was one of 450 showcased by sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at the annual districtwide fair. They competed in 22 categories across three main areas: life science, engineering, and physical science. Winners were announced for first, second, and third place in each category, along with three individual sweepstakes winners and one campus sweepstakes winner.
Additionally, students competed in a new category titled “Technology Enhances the Arts” or TECA.
Cindy Apodaca, SISD secondary science instructional officer, said that the new category allowed students to explore artificial intelligence in the arts.
“Students use their knowledge from technology and what they know with technology and how it can improve the arts, how it can enhance art, how it can make art better,” Apodaca said.
She said students used AI to simulate graphics or art designs that a human might create.
“AI is very, very new, and so I think it's a way of kind of keeping up with technology and with the new things that are coming up in technology,” Apodaca added.
Eastlake Middle School eighth graders Camila Gandara and Denisse Vazquez won first place in the TECA category. Their project explored how the brain responds to music compared with how a coding program analyzes the same sounds. Their work highlighted the differences between human emotion and AI in their responses to rhythm and music.
“We concluded that no matter how (artificial life) goes or how much it gets in the future, it will never be compared to the experience, feeling, or mind of a human,” Gandara said.
2025 SISD Middle School Science Fair Winners
Life Science
Animal Sciences
1st place – Roberta Villalvazo, Sun Ridge Middle School
2nd place – Adrian Lawrence, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
3rd place – Aleein Gomez, John Drugan School
Behavioral and Social Sciences
1st place – Darcy Aranda, William D. Slider Middle School
2nd place – Angela Galaz, Montwood Middle School
3rd place – Liris Medrano, Montwood Middle School
Biomedical and Health Sciences
1st place – Ximena Molina & Kate Sandoval, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
2nd place – Elizabeth Ramirez, Desert Wind School
3rd place – Mia Martinez, Desert Wind School
Cellular and Molecular Biology
1st place – Rhylynne Giesbrecht, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
2nd place – Espiritu Gutierrez, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
3rd place – Michelle Lampty, Eastlake Middle School
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
1st place – Christian Maniccia, John Drugan School
2nd place – Sophie Aldana, John Drugan School
3rd place – Daniela Ferman, Eastlake Middle School
Microbiology
1st place – Charlotte Feely, John Drugan School
2nd place – Angel Chong, Desert Wind School
3rd place – Abby Meraz, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
Plant Sciences
1st place – Nathan Bueno, John Drugan School*
2nd place – Camila Rosales, Hurshel Antwine Middle School
3rd place – Oliver Mota, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
Translational Medical Science
1st place – Sophia Corral, John Drugan School
2nd place – Mia Quintana, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
3rd place – Marissa Apodaca, Eastlake Middle School
Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
1st place – Genesis Guerrero, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
2nd place – Ximena Rosales, Jane Hambric School
3rd place – Renee Miranda, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
Embedded Systems
1st place – Benjamin Salazar, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
2nd place – Elena Rodriguez, Desert Wind School
3rd place – Ismael Dominguez, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
Engineering Technology: Statistics and Dynamics
1st place – Valentina Moreno, Capt. Walter E. Clarke Middle School
2nd place – Adalynn Rodriguez, Spec. Rafael Hernando III Middle
3rd place – Axel Anchondo, Eastlake Midd
Environmental Engineering
1st place – Krystina Lopez, Montwood Middle School
2nd place – Loany Rosado, SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School
3rd place – Celeste Deck, John Drugan School
Mathematics
1st place – Charlotte Duran, Capt. Walter E. Clarke Middle School
2nd place – Dylan Garcia, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
3rd place – Cameryn Zurschmiede, SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School
Robotics and Intelligent Machines
1st place – Logan Williams, Sun Ridge Middle School
2nd place – David Torres, Capt. Walter E. Clarke Middle School
3rd place – Anthony Ramirez, John Drugan School
Systems Software
1st place – Rohan Kulkarni, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School*
2nd place – Ella Chacon, John Drugan School
3rd place – Leah Diaz & Madison Patti, Eastlake Middle School
Technology Enhances the Arts
1st place – Denisse Vazquez & Camila Gandara, Eastlake Middle School
2nd place – Ivanna Barrios, Desert Wind School
3rd place – Amelia Martinez, John Drugan School
Physical Science
Biochemistry
1st place – Kalyssa Martinez, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
2nd place – Sophia Acosta, John Drugan School
3rd place – Delilah Elenes, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
Chemistry
1st place – Ivy Villalobos, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
2nd place – Ezequiel Topete, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
3rd place – Gael Pinto, Ernesto Serna Fine Arts Academy
Earth and Environmental Sciences
1st place – Mor N'Diaye, Hurshel Antwine Middle School
2nd place – Addisyn Zambrano, John Drugan School
3rd place – Christian Gandara, Ernesto Serna Fine Arts Academy
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design
1st place – Alyssa Martinez, SGG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School
2nd place – Daniel Aleman, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
3rd place – Ali Morales-Lozano, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
Materials Science
1st place – Fernando Cosio, SGG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School*
2nd place – Jazlyn Morales, Desert Wind School
3rd place – Bella Duarte, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle School
Physics and Astronomy
1st place – Damon Luevan, William D. Slider Middle School
2nd place – Leilani Duran, Socorro Middle School
3rd place – Javier Rosales, Desert Wind School
Campus Sweepstakes
Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
*Sweepstakes Winners