St. Mary Academy eighth grader Jose Vergara-Gongora won a first-place award at the 24th annual Kentucky Science and Engineering Fair held March 27-28 at Eastern Kentucky University. He won the Engineering Technology: Statistics & Dynamics category.
His project, called “Harnessing the Sun,” also earned “the prestigious Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Award, recognizing his exceptional innovation and potential in the field of science and engineering,” according to a press release from St. Mary.
Jose said the experiment took three to four days of testing.
“There were definitely some hiccups with testing data; there was a lot of trial and error in order to get accurate results,” he said.
“I feel very proud because, first of all, I’m able to represent the school and this great opportunity. I’m also looking forward to being able to use this achievement on a resume for future job opportunities,” he said.
At the national science fair, “I look forward to meeting some great people,” he added. “Hopefully, I will be able to make great connections and opportunities for future things in my life.”
The national fair will be held in Washington, D.C.
