Congratulations to the Dirksen, Gompers, Hufford, and Washington Junior High School students who competed in Science Fair Competition at the Joliet Public Schools District 86 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Extravaganza. Activities also included an E-sport exhibition, robotics demonstrations, and interactives stations.
Eighth-grade Gompers students Alisson Gaitan Lopez and Emily Gutierrez both received a perfect score from the judges at the event for their science fair presentations earning them a Double Gold Trophy. Alisson’s winning project was titled “Can Hydrogels Replace Plastic Food Packaging” and Emily’s project “Will Bob Ross Approve” was an experiment investigating if plant-based paints perform better than store-bought watercolors.
In addition, the following seventh and eighth grade students each received gold medals at the event: Victor Arcand, Gompers Junior High; Anastasia Arreola, Gompers Junior High; Michelle Arteaga, Gompers Junior High; Rosita Cortez Ramos, Gompers Junior High; Benjamin Cuevas, Gompers Junior High; Giselle De La Cruz Ramirez, Gompers Junior High; Fidel Diaz, Gompers Junior High; Aiden Gallagher, Dirksen Junior High; Jackelyn Garcia, Gompers Junior High; Jocelyn Gomez Viveros, Gompers Junior High; Pablo Hernandez Rodriguez, Gompers Junior High; Jovanny Ibarra-Ramirez, Gompers Junior High; Sandra Jimenez Chavez, Gompers Junior High; Camila Jorman, Dirksen Junior High; Dulce Medina Galvan, Gompers Junior High; Luis Mendez, Gompers Junior High; Sofia Morataya Mencos, Gompers Junior High; Daniel Ortiz Petrel, Gompers Junior High; Jairo Reyes-Najero, Gompers Junior High; Eliana Rodriguez, Gompers Junior High; Cynthia Sanchez Perez, Gompers Junior High; and Karyme Xicara, Gompers Junior High.
These students, along with Alisson Gaitan Lopez and Emily Gutierrez from Gompers Junior High School, qualified to participate in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) Region 9 Science Fair Exposition at North Central College in Naperville on March 15, 2025.
“Our students were outstanding,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Deputy Superintendent Dr. Tanisha Cannon, "I am confident they will do a great job and represent our District well at regionals."