Tokay Sophomore off to L.A. for a spell

STOCKTON - Tokay High School sophomore Julie Fukunaga, no stranger to academic success, is headed to next month's California State Science Fair in Los Angeles with momentum.

She won both the overall high school award and the environmental award at last week's 56th annual San Joaquin County Science Fair.

Her project - "Autonomous Solar-Powered Boat for Algae Control" - is designed to control algae in a more environmentally friendly way by sending out wavelengths or frequencies that kill the pond organisms without harming animal life in an aquatic setting.

Fukunaga, as a freshman, tied for first at last year's county Science Fair with a high school project titled "Electromagnetic Soil Sensing."

That same year, she won the 16th annual San Joaquin County spelling bee.

"I like a little bit of both," Fukunaga said. "They are equal."

So why does she excel in such seemingly divergent academic fields?

"If you have an interest, then pursue it," Fukunaga said. "Whatever you do, make sure you like it."

The local Science Fair is sponsored by the county Office of Education.

More than 1,200 students from 30 schools entered 400 projects. A team of 35 professionals helped judge the projects and conduct student interviews.

Organizers said the event was designed to "promote science exploration and understanding."

The winners by grade levels, their schools and districts, and their projects:

Ninth-12th grade

First: Julie Fukunaga, Tokay High, Lodi Unified, "Autonomous Solar Powered Raft for Algae."

Second: Raul Lara, Tracy High, Tracy Unified, "Enhancing a Smoke Detector with a Visual."

Third: Isfar Munir, Tracy High, Tracy Unified, "The Relationship Between Air Pressure and the Deflection Experienced by and Electric Arc-Yr.2."

Honorable mention: Fanny Lopez, Tracy High, Tracy Unified, "Pedaling Power."

Sixth-eighth grade

First: Bailey Henderson, Tom Hawkins School, Jefferson Elementary, "Zooming Through Fluency."

Second: Maddie McLeod, Tom Hawkins School, Jefferson Elementary, "What's Your Style?"

Third: Carmon Brown, Sebastian Questa, Mountain House Unified, "Fire Starters."

Honorable mention: Ojas Nain, Wicklund Elementary, Mountain House Unified, "Get Hurt, Make Cold at Home."

Third-fifth grade

First: Jacqueline Prawira, Sebastian Questa Elementary, Mountain House Unified, "Absorbency."

Second: Andrea Larson, Bethany Elementary, Mountain House Unified, "Is Soup Ready?"

Third: Ashley Teele, Bethany Elementary, Mountain House Unified, "Hot Air Balloons."

Honorable mention: Alisonn Remollino, St. Bernard's Catholic School, Tracy, "Rock Candy Experiment."

K-second grade

Class winner: Marisela Ruiz-Guitierrez, Sebastian Questa Elementary, Mountain House Unified, "Catapult."

First place: Genevieve Casazza, Dent Elementary, Escalon Unified, "Germinating Lima Beans."

Second: Theodore Harp, Dent Elementary, Escalon Unified, "Local Apples."

Third: Wyatt Riesenbeck, Dent Elementary, Escalon Unified, "Scientific Method Project."

Environmental awards

Ninth through 12th grade: Julie Fukunaga, Tokay High, Lodi Unified, "Autonomous Solar Powered Raft for Algae."

Sixth-eighth: Brennen Hernandez, Tom Hawkins, Jefferson Elementary, "Can You Sea the Difference?" and Pilar Goulart, Bella Vista Christian, Tracy, "Red Alert Wildfire."

Kindergarten-second grade: Eli Ingalls, Dent Elementary, Escalon Unified, "Bugs and Worms Like Wet Soils."

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