The Diocese of Oakland Science Fair at Saint Joseph Notre Dame high School is sending 30 middle school students on to the next level of competition at the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair.

More than 500 people attended the Science Fair on the campus of SJND in Alameda on March 6. There were 140 students, all 7th and 8th graders, who competed in five different categories of science. This was the first Science Fair at SJND, where school officials proposed the event because the high school has top-notch science facilities and wnats to encourage science students.

"Thank you to Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School for hosting this annual event," said Sister Barbara Bray, superintendent of schools for the Oakland Diocese. "The investment in the Anthony V. Aiello Science Center is a benefit to their school community as well as teh entire Diocese of Oakland."

In each of the five categories of science, a grand champion was selected based on the highest number of points awarded for projects. All grand champions were invited to present their projects at the next level of science fair competition, the SFBASF, March 22 to 25.

The grand champions were each awarded an IPod Touch, a plaque, and a certificate to attend SJND's "CSI: Alameda" summer science camp.

In addition, following the grand champions, the top two projects by 7^th graders and the top two projects by 8^thgraders in each category, were recognized as finalists. All were invited to present their projects at SFBASF.

Below is a list of the 30 finalists who will be going on to the SFBASF:

Behavioral and Social Sciences:

Grand Champion: Megan Bindi (8^th grade) St. Perpetua School

7^th Grade Finalists:

Hayley Miller, St. Perpetua School

Marti Lopez, St. Leander

8^th Grade Finalists:

Sarah Downum, St. Perpetua School

Bella Scott, Our Lady of Grace

Biological Sciences:

Grand Champion: Charlene Funai (7^th grade) Corpus Christi School

7^th Grade Finalists:

Elizabeth Joseph, Holy Spirit

Eric Morgan, St. Francis of Assisi School

8^th Grade Finalists:

Elena Aker, Assumption School

Erick Balde, St. Edward School

Engineering and Computer Applications

Grand Champion: Todd Porter (7^th grade) Holy Spirit

7^th Grade Finalists:

Jarek Jankowski, St. Joseph School

Dominik Reichel, Holy Spirit

8^th Grade Finalists:

Kyle Bramhall, St. Mary School

Andrew Narloch, St. Mary School

Environmental Sciences:

Grand Champion: Michael Ellasos (8^th grade) Saint Edward School

7^th Grade Finalists:

Ian Pernia, Our Lady of Guadalupe

Athena Pham, Our Lady of Guadalupe

8^th Grade Finalists:

Nicholas Ratto, St. Philip Neri School

Caroline Desler, Corpus Christi School

Physical Sciences:

Grand Champion: Michael Wong (8^th grade) St. Isidore

7^th Grade Finalists:

Christine Bautista, St. John the Baptist

Drew Retallick, Assumption School

8^th Grade Finalists:

Sneha Bentley, St. Francis of Assisi School

Connor Asercion, St. Jerome Catholic School

Runner-ups:

• Shannon Kitchell, St. Francis of Assisi School
• Kevin Nguyen, St. John Catholic School
• Joey Barradas, Our Lady of Grace
• Mary Jane Perdiguerra, St. Leander
• Jeriksen Timbang, St Clement School