March 8, 2004

Boise State Crowns Annual Science Competition Day Winners

Two Boise High School seniors, Riley Naimi and William Clark, were the top winners at the 37th annual Science Competition Day, held Saturday, March 6, at Boise State University. As the grand-prize winners Naimi and Clark will each be offered a four-year renewable scholarship to Boise State. The event, sponsored by Boise State and the Micron Technology Foundation, featured high school students from around Idaho who participated in a variety of academic competitions on the Boise State campus. Approximately 300 students from 13 schools participated in the event. The Science Competition Day exam is a written test that covers biology, chemistry, engineering, geosciences, mathematics and physics. Hands-on design and problem-solving competitions included using toothpicks to build load-bearing bridges and earthquake-resistant towers; a high-jumping contest with devices powered only by a mousetrap; and a team ProbleMATHon where students develop original solutions to challenging math problems. “I just had fun,” said Jenny Swonger, a junior from Skyview High School. “I stayed up all night building my bridge. It was top heavy, so the brick slid [off]. …I got frustrated but it was good getting it done and working with someone I have never worked with before.” Her partner was Crystal Chavez. Physics professor William Smith, who chaired the Science Day committee, said the level of enthusiasm among the students was high. “I think we should have an extra medal category for the best cheering school,” said Smith. “That would be Nampa Christian.” Following are the results of Saturday’s annual Science Competition Day: Top individual seniors (scholarship winners) 1) Riley Naimi, Boise High School 2) William Clark, Boise High School Team overall trophies Large School: Timberline High School (Eric Standley, Ian Vrable, David Li, Timothy Ashworth) Medium School: Snake River High School (Derreck Blight, Adam Baron, Daniel Smith) Small School: Potlach Junior-Senior High School (Chris Murdock, Carlyle Curlette) Overall individual winners Large School: 1) Eric Standley, Timberline High School; 2) Riley Naimi, Boise High School; 3) Ian Vrable, Timberline High School Medium School: 1) (tie) Kyle Atkinson and Kevin VanDeBogart, both Middleton High School; 2) Derreck Blight, Snake River High School; 3) (no award) Small School: 1) Chris Murdock, Potlach Junior-Senior High School, 2) David Morrison, Nampa Christian School; 3) Carlyle Curlette, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School Mathematics (team) Boise High School (Bohan Li, Michael Spohn, Alec Williams, Dylan McCreedy) Mathematics (individual) Large School: 1) Eric Logan, Capital High School; 2) Bohan Li, Boise High School; 3) Xing Li, Centennial High School Medium School: 1) Kevin VanDeBogart, Middleton High School; 2) Adam Baron, Snake River High School; 3) Alison Quinton, Snake River High School Small School: 1) (tie) David Kim and Jonny Olsen, both from Nampa Christian; 2) Bobby Powers, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 3) Carlyle Curlette, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School Biology (team) Timberline High School (David Arnold, Brittan Muntifering, Josh Archibald-Seiffer, Ciara Huntington) Biology (individual) Large School: 1) Bohan Li, Boise High School; 2) Frank Fazzio, Bishop Kelly High School; 3) David Arnold, Timberline High School Medium School: 1) Adam Baron, Snake River High School; 2) Kevin VanDeBogart, Middleton High School; 3) Derreck Blight, Snake River High School Small School: 1) Chris Murdock, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 2) Carlyle Curlette Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 3) Dan Martson, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School Chemistry (team) Timberline High School (Eric Standley, Adam Lipus, Devin Allphin, Ian Vrable) Chemistry (individual) Large School: 1) Ilia Shadrin, Capital High School; 2) Wesley Cole, Kuna High School; 3) Eric Standley, Timberline High School Medium School: 1) Derreck Blight, Snake River High School; 2) Kevin VanDeBogart, Middleton High School; 3) Kyle Atkinson, Middleton High School Small School: 1) (tie) David Kim and David Morrison, both from Nampa Christian School; 2) Carlyle Curlette, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 3) Kady Tinsley, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School Engineering (team) Boise High School (Devin Smith, Riley Naimi, Alec Williams, William Clark) Engineering (individual) Large School: 1) Devin Smith, Boise High School; 2) Riley Naimi, Boise High School; 3) Alec Williams, Boise High School Medium School: 1) (tie) Kyle Atkinson, Middleton High School and Derreck Blight, Snake River High School; 2) Adam Baron, Snake River High School; 3) Kirsten Malaren, Snake River High School Small School: 1) David Morrison, Nampa Christian School; 2) Mark Schmidt, Nampa Christian School; 3) Acacia Hamilton, Horseshoe Bend High School Geology (team) Potlatch Junior-Senior High School (Chris Murdock, Bridget Horn) Geology (individual) Large School: 1) Eric Standley, Timberline High School; 2) John Mering, Boise High School; 3) Hannah Nelson, Centennial High School Medium School:1) Derreck Blight, Snake River High School; 2) (tie)Kyle Atkinson, Middleton High School and Doug Vanorden, Snake River High School; 3)Clint Mecham, Snake River High School Small School: 1) Chris Murdock, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 2) Bridget Horn, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School; 3) Dan Martson, Potlatch Junior-Senior High School Physics (team) Timberline High School (Timothy Ashworth, Peter Ashworth, Ian Vrable, Eric Standley) Physics (individual) Large School: 1) Timothy Ashworth, Timberline High School; 2) William Clark, Boise High School; 3) Peter Ashworth, Timberline High School Medium School: 1) Kyle Atkinson, Middleton High School; 2) Derreck Blight, Snake River High School; 3) Cody Marshall, Snake River High School Small School: 1) David Morrison, Nampa Christian School; 2) Jed Anderson and David Kim, both from Nampa Christian School; 3) Dan Martson, Potlatch Bridge building 1) Steven Grover, Middleton High School; 2) Susan Elle, Skyview High School; 3) Bryce Beecher, Middleton High School Earthquake tower 1) Cody Gough, Borah High School; 2) Kyle Atkinson, Middleton High School; 3) Tim Beard, Skyview High School ProbleMATHon (team) 1) (tie) Boise High School: Alec Williams and Max Poplar; Kuna High School: Nolan Ellis, Henry Holaday, Brad Getter and Jason Brotherton; (no second place); 3) Nampa Christian: Jeb Anderson, Julia Lambert, Bobby Powers and Ashley Puga Mousehopper 1) Bill Clark, Boise High School; 2) Pat Douglas, Borah High School; 3) Bryan Stafford, Borah High School -30- Contact Joe Guarino Engineering 208 426-3042 Media contact Pat Pyke communications and marketing 208 426-1987