Newton County Schools (NCS) announced the winners of the NCS Elementary District Science and Engineering Fair. According to Christina Phyall, NCS elementary instructional specialist, the district’s first-place winners will represent NCS at the K–5 State Science and Engineering Fair at Georgia College & State University in March.
“Each of these projects reflects the curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity we strive to nurture in our elementary classrooms,” Phyall said. “Our students asked thoughtful questions, designed meaningful investigations, and demonstrated a strong understanding of the scientific process. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and excited to see our first-place winners represent Newton County Schools at the state level.”
In addition to the district winners, Newton County Schools is proud to recognize two outstanding students from Newton County STEAM Academy for exceptional achievements at this year’s fair. Kane Whitaker earned Best in Category in the Kindergarten–Second Grade division, while Kennedy Carlock received the highest overall score of the competition, along with the highest category score. Their accomplishments exemplify excellence in scientific inquiry and innovation at the elementary level.
The following is a list of all the NCS elementary Science and Engineering Fair winners, along with their project titles, in this format: Name (school, grade) Category: “Student’s Project Title”
Kindergarten–2nd Grade Division
1st place winners:
* Indicates Best in Category / ** Highest Category Score
Kennadie Hicks** (Newton County STEAM Academy, 2nd grade) Medical Science: “Sing a Song: Feel the Beat”
Makayla O'Neill ** ( East Newton Elementary, 2nd grade) Life Science: “Will Food or Treats Encourage Chickens to Learn at a Faster Rate?”
Kane Whitaker * (Newton County STEAM Academy, 2nd grade) Physical Science: “Magnet vs. Plastic: The Ultimate Cleanup Showdown”
2nd place winners:
Thomas Case Airington (Mansfield Elementary, 1st grade) Earth Science: “Mini Storms and Mighty Moves”
Autumn Brown (Newton County STEAM Academy, Kindergarten) Physical Science: “Captain Autumn and the Great Airplane Race”
Mallory Finnell (Heard-Mixon Elementary, 2nd grade) Life Science: “Which Type of Cat Toy Should You Buy for Your Cat?”
Gracelynn Shelton (Middle Ridge Elementary, 2nd grade) Physical Science: “Mentos vs. Soda”
Alaia Sims (Middle Ridge Elementary, 1st grade) Life Science: Alaia's Magic
3rd place winners:
Lively Alexander (Mansfield Elementary, Kindergarten) Physical Science: “Grow Rainbow Crystals!”
Cayden Green (Newton County STEAM Academy, Kindergarten) Physical Science: “Which Brand of Popcorn Pops the Best?”
Preston Parker (Middle Ridge Elementary) 1st grade) Engineering: “Maglev Trains”
3rd–5th Grade Division
1st place winners:
* Highest Overall Score and Highest Category Score / ** Highest Category Score
Kennedy Carlock* (Newton County STEAM Academy, 3rd grade) Medical Science: “Sprays, Scents, and Sanitizer: Testing Everyday Germs on E. Coli”
Ryan Crawford (Livingston Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Weather on Model Train”
Leila Ellis (Fairview Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Slime Time”
Jaxon Gilbert (Flint Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “When Life Gives You Lemons...Make Electricity”
Johnnie Harper and Juliana Harper (Flint Hill Elementary, 3rd and 5th grades) Physical Science: “The Floating Egg: Testing Buoyancy and Density”
Chandler Hendrson (Livingston Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Can different sizes of potatoes create different amounts of electricity?”
Tenley Johnston (Mansfield Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Soggy Science”
Payton Littlebear** (South Salem Elementary, 5th grade) Engineering: “Anemometer”
Jarred Cordova Martinez (Middle Ridge Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “How Does the Length of a Lego Bridge Affect How Much Weight it Can Hold?”
Makhi Oates** (Oak Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Life Science: “The Battle of the Plants: Indoor vs. Outdoor”
Ashton Phyall (Newton County STEAM Academy, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “ Energy Challenge”
Felicity Phyall (Newton County STEAM Academy, 5th grade) Physical Science: “The Reverb Reversal”
Raylan Pittman (Fairview Elementary, 5th grade) Life Science: “Operation Plants”
Antonio Ramos (Livingston Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Which Fruit Browns the Fastest After Being Cut?”
Mya Taylor** (Livingston Elementary, 5th grade) Medical Science: “Giving "Bact" to the Community”
Eliana Zintzun (South Salem Elementary, 4th grade) Medical Science: “Rethink Your Drink”
2nd place winners:
William Rhett Airington (Mansfield Elementary, 3rd grade) Earth Science: “Does Warm Weather Make Storms Stronger?”
Joseph Beaty (Oak Hill Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Fizzy Rockets and How High They Go”
Justice Bells and Zaniya Cooper (Flint Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Life Science: “Plants: Seed Germination”
Myles Duston (Flint Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Which Brand of Light Bulb Shines the Brightest?”
Alma Garcia (Middle Ridge Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Electricity”
Karson Jackson (Middle Ridge Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Worms vs. Bears Growing”
Bowen Lackey (Flint Hill Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Grow a Gummy”
Aaliyah Siede (Heard-Mixon Elementary, 4th grade) Life Science: “Do Plants Grow Better in Clay, Top Soil, or Sand?”
3rd place winners:
Lizzie Argo, Saidy Francisco, and Annali Hernandez (Flint Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “Oobleck”
Avery Clendenin (Fairview Elementary, 4th grade) Physical Science: “ Do Magnets Work Under Water?”
Jaleah Robinson and Zailey McGuire (Flint Hill Elementary, 5th grade) Life Science: “Which Fast Food Would Grow the Tallest Plants?”
Aaliyysia Penny (Rocky Plains Elementary, 3rd grade) Physical Science: “Is it Slime?”
Kindle Smith (Livingston Elementary, 4th grade) Life Science: “Battle of Bushes: Which Cleaner Wins”
Alana Stalling (Heard-Mixon Elementary, 5th grade) Physical Science: “What Material is Best to Control a Basketball?”
“The level of innovation and problem-solving displayed by our elementary students is truly impressive,” said Dr. Ashante Everett, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. “These projects highlight not only strong academic skills, but also perseverance, creativity, and a genuine enthusiasm for learning. Opportunities like the district science fair help build a strong foundation for future success and reinforce our commitment to engaging students in meaningful, hands-on learning.”
